Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Which animals taste different by gender?

I know of "boar taint" which describes an unpleasant taste in the meat of non-castrated pigs. Which left me wondering more broadly: Are there other animals whose meat (from an animal of the same age on the same diet) tastes different depending on whether it came from a male or a female of the species?

Deer

Old buck might as well grind it all

A buck mule deer in rut will taste differently to my taste buds than a muley doe

Elk for sure, pass the cow meat any day over a bull.

Deer too...

It's been my experience that deer and antelope taste different depending on what they've been eating, not so much as in buck/doe.

I've killed bucks in rut in the sage that were as tender, odorless, and flavorful as one could imagine. I've also killed does/yearling bucks standing belly deep in alfalfa or near feed pens that had rolls of fat on them that were tough and stank to high heaven.

For me, deer and antelope killed in their natural habitat taste better than those killed around alfalfa or other non-native grasses/feed.

I've not killed elk in hay meadows so can't say if the above hold true for elk.

This observation was pointed out by a friend long ago and it's held true for me.

rumor has it that a qick kill taste better that a animal that runs off from a bad shot. I wouldn't know never had one run off

Goat and sheep, definitely.

Personally I think most "bad" taste is from sloppy/improper cleaning/processing

I don't know if that's true when talking gender differences but I'd agre on another level. Lots of times I'll see deer, split open and riding on a bumper rack on the high way during deer season. It's catching every bug, chunk of salt and road dust there is on the 100 mile ride home before you take it to be butchered. No wonder it tastes "gamey". It's like licking a snow plow by the time it gets to "cousin earl" to make steaks.

I agree with you 100% I was leading to the idea that male and female anatomy are different , so when feild dressing .........

I clean, age and put up my venison. I can't handle the bucks if they are well into the rut. Big bucks taken in October archery season off milo or sorghum are fat covered and tender and delicious.
Does are normally good all season.
I killed a rutting antelope once that stunk so bad I would puke and gut some more. I gave it away.

I have eaten bull elk on the hunt killed in Oct snow with no time to age. Taste was ok but really tough.

several years ago a fellow i hunt with killed a big boar hog (200# or so). I didn't even want to help skin it because I knew had bad it would stink. But he shot it grave yard dead in the head, said he didnt have a chance to bristle up. Know what, the meat was good, no boar smell at all.

A lot of bad taste and smells can be transferred to the meat with careless handling. Cleaning your hands and knife, when needed, goes a long way to good meat. I know that it can't be avoided all the time, but I try to skip field dressing if possible. I would rather do it where I have water and a winch. miles

YES!

...and my NV cow elk tag showed up in the mail today!!


Buck mule deer aren't as good eating as does. They're stronger tasting.

As opposed to an old doe?

Yeah. IMO the old brood does taste fine. Must be cause they are corn feed.

Back in 2008 whilst hunting in northern BC outside of Toad River I had the good fortune of having a mixed dinner of tenderloin from elk, moose, mountain goat and Stone sheep. Hands down the Stone was the best. Here at home I won't eat goat and rarely lamb.

There is NO way that cock tastes like pussy.

This^^^, has happend many times.

I was waiting for a post like this to come up.


Laughing