I have to confess to cheating anyway, as the pics are not from this year...
Actually Muntjac are tough little buggers and the bucks are often quite badly scarred up from fighting.
The bucks and the does will often turn the table on a dog if they get cornered, and its not unusual for a dog to get badly gashed on the flank and stomach during such encounters...
And I should add Muntjac excellent to eat, although they are a bugger to skin as the skin is alomost bonded direct to the muscle underneath, with no airspace/membrane seperating them as with most other species of deer...
Pete,all kidding aside you're a GOOD sport about all the ribbin !!!Just wondered do they taste like venison or something else??
Wouldn't have posted them if I couldn't take some ribbing!
As to taste, they are definitely "venison" although I wouldn't say they are as strong as say Red deer. But taste is very difficult to describe and very subjective.
I read so many people hear taking about different ways to get rif of the "gamey" flavour ie leaving the carcass in ice water for a few days..I find that a bit odd as I like by venison to taste of venison and not to be bland like supermarket bought beef..
For instance, I always found Roe venison just "ok", but quite bland. On a recommendation from somebody I hunt with, I started hanging them for 7 to 10 days rather than my usual 3 to 5, and the difference was marked and the flavour much better.
These days I prefer to hang a carcass for 10 to 14 days (or longer if its possible without the risk of loosing it)
Another species we have, but I've never taken, is Chinese Water Deer, and the venison from those is said to have a taste and texture approaching lamb, but less fatty...