I will be doing my first ever Antelope hunt in October. I will be carrying the meat to my favorite processor. I am pretty partial to sausage but don't want the entire animal in sausage.

Can you suggest what you think the best cuts to have done would be?

The cuts from the center of the ribs forward will tend to be tougher so use those.

Save the chops from the top of the back, sometimes called "backstrap" and butterfly them for some of the best game meat you will ever have. Make sure your antelope cools well, but don't believe the B.S. about having to skin it right away. The skin on doesn't cause a gamey taste in the meat, mis-handling the antelope will give you a bad taste and that can happen with any game animal.

Cool it down as quick as you can. Luckily I hunt where there is an irrigation ditch running. I tie the back legs open and toss it in the ditch for 30 minutes or so, rotating it at the halfway point. A hose and ice is an alternative if there has been rain and the water is muddy. The processor is 40 miles away, I skin it out when I arrive.
I agree with Rock Chuck - the back end is the best so if you are gonna grind more than normal - grind the front.

Properly cared for, antelope meat is some of the best wild game there is. So good, in fact, that I just cut them up myself! Not hard to do, but the key to good antelope meat begins when they hit the ground. I gut and skin immediately, and get the carcass cooled down as quickly as possible.
No mystery to cutting them up- remove the backstraps and tenderloins, then the quarters. Simply separate the major muscles, and cut them up into steaks. With the front quarters, sometimes I will save a couple of roasts, but usually just cut this meat into steaks as well. Scraps are saved for cooking chicken-fried or for treats for the dog. Burger is a waste of time. Double-wrap in freezer bags or paper, and prepare to enjoy some very tasty eating!

If you are a fan of sausage, then a processor is probably your best bet- I have gone that route in the past, with mixed results. The problem with doing processed meats, IMO, is they are usually 'batched'- meat from a lot of other animals are added to the mix, with unknown care and meat condition.

Agree completely. The only thing I'd add is the shanks, shoulders and neck are excellent for curry, stews, oso bucco and such. Slow simmer them until the meats falling off the bone. Heard so many fables about antelope being garbage I was shocked the first time I tasted any. Fantastic game meat.

The University of WY did a study a few years back where they took meat from antelope and other animals and treated it differently to see what would affect the eventual flavor. One of the tests was the meat was frozen wrapped in a piece of antelope hide, hair in, then thawed and eaten. The blind tasters could not tell any difference in this meat vs regularly treated meat.

I think most of the time antelope meat gets a bad rap because it is not cooled out quickly or the animal is not shot well and they run after being shot. This will just about guarantee terrible meat.

Todd

My antelope rig.
This allows me to wash the blood and any other mess out right away. Then I stuff a bag or two of ice into the chest cavity and put the carcass on a pallet in the back of the truck to allow air all around it. I also cover it up so the sun doesn't beat down on it. It's usually a 2 hour drive or better to the house. Despite all of that, I've still had a bad one or two. I guess sometimes it just happens.

I've read that antelope naturally is low in collagen, so it doesn't need to be aged as much s other critters. I am unsure of the truth to that, but antelope normally is more tender than other critters IME all else being equal. That may be because they're normally shot in warmer weather...where deer and elk often are shot in colder weather. I guess the early archery seasons can throw a wrench into that theory...

One other thing that I think makes a difference, is what that animal has been eating. Cropland antelope is as good as beef IMO. Sagebrush fed antelope can be good, but I've shot some that I suspect were eating greasewood which was not good at all.

We generally use the no gut method and try to have them quartered and in the cooler with plenty of ice in 30 minutes or so from the shot.Sometimes add dry ice for the long trip home. We'll process the next day after arriving home. Antelope is some of the best eating we've found, really look forward to the eating, not just the hunt.

We shin ours w/ in an hour of killing it.. of course we gut immediately.. since we hunt them w/ in 10 miles of the house we have different needs than most.. 3 or 4 years ago we ate the first antelope stk I have had in 45 years.. it was good,but we kill antelope every year, always just make the whole thing into jerky.. they make the beat jerky of all the game.👍

Our antelope season in in Sept and it's common to be 80F+ in the afternoons. Take lots of ice.

If anyone things antelope hide is good for the meat.Walk up to a stinky old buck and put your nose right against it. Skin the goats out ASAP,get it cooled down.You will get about 40 pounds of meat, maybe 50 of a bigger buck. It sure is good meat. It isn't all that hard to process your own

Doesn't take much to turn an antelope into some pretty cool cuts...

I like that. It is a great way to process the back strap with rib attached. I will try it next year.If I remember

Since it's still summer down here the first weekend in September, I skin, quarter and take all the meat I can in the field immediately after shooting one. It goes into a cooler with however much ice it takes to cover it to the top. I usually let it "age" that way for two or three days, draining the water and adding more ice, before cutting and wrapping. Down on the ranch, we had a nice walk-in cooler so anything we shot down there went into the cooler for at least a couple of days before it was skinned and cut up.

Our s are more likely to be in triple digits. 102 to 104 is pretty much the norm.

Why is the burger a waste of time? Too lean Im guessing? Gotta atleast be good for chilli, etc.

Also, for those who hunt Antelope but live east of the mississippi, how do you get your meat home? Ship it? Im looking at a 3-4 day drive in 2018 season.

I have killed a few antelope in my hunting . I usually have them skinned and on ice in 20 minutes. Backstraps and the inner tenderloins are pretty close to excellent when marinated in some burgundy wine and lightly broiled . In my humble opinion poor taste is a result of bad shooting or shooting winded animals that have been harassed alot. If you find a herd that has been running around public land all day with their tongues hanging out, They are not gonna be much for eating. Whatever chemicals flow through their muscles that give them the ability to run 55-60 mph ,does nothing good for the flavor. Shooting a bedded or rested animal cleanly results in excellent table fare. Burger from antelope is lean and dry but makes excellent chili and meat sauces.

I will add one more thing. The one antelope I have had that was no good for eating was entirely my fault. When I shot the bullet hit right on the left front shoulder ,just at the brisket line. Antelope can run 45-50 mph on three good legs. Took me 3 hours to get him. I am not to proud to say the dog had a hard time eating it..........

I drew an Idaho tag last fall. It was an unusual Sept. for heat. I shot one early afternoon and it never got above 60 that day. It got in the 30's that night. 60 is still too warm but it sure beats 80 or 90.

This. Lots and lots of ice. Antelope is like most everything else, take care of it and it will be fine. Let it bone sour and it's not going to be on your "favorites" list. Meat is dense and holds heat well, even boned meat needs cool air circulating around it or better still packed in ice.

Damnit Dogshooter, great pictures. Those chops.......

Looking forward to both also. I gave up on annual hunting leases in 2010. Decided to do paid hunts. This'll be my first venture beyond Axis in the Hill Country.

The backstraps are to die for. Best wild game I've ever had. I shot four of them and every one was that good.

I loved Antelope burger! I packed my Pronghorn meat in dry ice to get it home.

Guts out and hide off on the first bounce, then into the 150quart cooler on ice!

Pronghorn hair has a pungent "lanolin" inside it, and if you cut the hair it leaves the oil on your knife. For the last 57 years hunting them I have carried plenty of water and wipes to keep my knife clean.

The best cuts are the backstrap and round steaks, IMO. Don't grind them, and use the good meat as the treasure it is. The rest makes great jerky.

Have a GREAT hunt, and post pictures this fall.

Don't let it get hot and don't let it get waterlogged and it is delicious. I keep the plug out of the ice chest if I have enough ice and other than time in the ice chest don't age it at all. I only grind up the scraps as the other cuts are so good. Add bacon tips at about 10-15% for instant bacon burgers. The neck is good for pot roast or chili. Mixed some with Javelina for Pozole and I thought I had ruined it but turned out great after slow cooking.

For you newbies to antelope...if you plan to keep the hide, be VERY careful with it. You can pull out the hair in handfuls. They're very weakly attached. It doesn't take any dragging at all to ruin the appearance.

It's would be very interesting to hear your thoughts if you don't mind. Pros/Cons etc.

Best game meat I've eaten to date. I prefer it over elk. I agree with everything Bighorn said, process it yourself. Antelope is not a big animal and you'll know you're getting your meat back and nothing else.

What part of that would you like me to expound upon? The giving up on the leases?

Everyone n my extended family agrees antelope is better than elk and much better than deer.

When we get an antelope down (usually in WY), we gut it immediately and skin it as soon as we get it to the truck, where we have a portable skinning rack. Then it goes in a cooler with ice. We keep it on ice until until we get it to Steve's Meat Market in Arvada, CO. We keep the backstraps, filets and hams and burger or sausage the rest.

I hated antelope for years because my step dad never knew how to process it. We'd always turn it into sausage and pepperoni because it was so gamey. But then a buddy of mine showed me how to get it cooled down FAST. It's like eating lamb -- tender, flavorful - awesome. lso -- don't shoot one that's running.

Years ago, my partner and I both got opening day antelope. His was mid-morning and we skinned it and put it coolers with ice. Mine was just before dark. It had cooled down to about 40 so we just dressed it and put it in the back of my Wagoneer for the 40 mile trip home. The meat was fine, but...I have this problem with sagebrush pollen. Having the pollen saturated hide right behind me for an hour caused my sinuses and eyes to go ballistic. It took me 3 days to get over that 1 hour trip home.

My allergy is tumble weeds. Dove hunts kick a$$ for me.Even the early October antelope hunts are tough

I prefer the December doe hunts . Easier to cool the meat down fast. Have to watch though as bucks have mostly shed their horn sheaths by then. I am working on bag of antelope round steaks this week for dinners

Steak as much as possible. In my book, the absolute best of all north American game.

Handy set up right there!

Reloader28: Cool your Antelope immediately by skinning and packing the carcass with an ice block for transportation - this will IMPROVE the taste of what ever cuts you decide on.
I make all steaks from all the cuts I can and everything else is made into Antelope hamburger (by adding some beef suet and small amounts of other meats) - this hamburger makes excellent chilli, tacos, burritos etc.
Good luck this fall.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Shoot one that has been alfalfa or wheat stubble all late summer/fall. Great eating!

Sagebrush bucks, not so much.

Maybe I have lucky but even the ones that were a long ways from alfalfa and clearly living in sagebrush tasted great to me. The buck I shot last year was feeding in a grass pasture and was also great but I didn't notice much difference in quality among any of them. As others have said-I was warned to get them dressed and cooled quickly and I took that advice seriously.

Their summer diet is mainly grass if they have it. In the winter, they eat sagebrush. I don't think I'd want to eat one that's been on a sage diet.

Just the value of the lease in quality of hunting vs doing paid hunts. Like dollars spent per year vs animals harvested and days in the field, quality of the hunts etc. Was there any BS that went along with the lease that you eliminated? Obviously the paid hunts are working good for you and the variety would be a pretty big plus.

In Texas, it is easier to find a Telephone Booth than a lease of much promise to hunt on. Nearly every lease has a "quality management program", meaning you'll never see anything better than a 120 if you're lucky. Owners are after the money & really have no concern for your success even though they charge you $2500 or more annually. High fence leases must feed their animals gold dust for the prices they charge. True trophy leases cost a 401K or an IRA. There is constant argument that the indigenous animals belong to the people of Texas, yet most of them are stacked up behind high fences. It is illegal to own Whitetails in Texas unless you have paid the right money to the right people. Once you find a lease you spend money, time & labor in an attempt to prepare your hunting area. Later, the owner decide you don't fit into his "Good Ole Boys Club" and does not extend your spot for the next season. So, you improve his property & get nothing in return. I once had a lease boss who offered my camping spot to his buddy and they moved my trailer out of their way. Had they asked me to move it I would have done so without issue. Went to the lease to hunt, arrived after dark and had no idea where my trailer was. It wasn't where I left it.


Paid hunts offer variety as you mentioned. They are readily available. You can get into them for as little or as much as you care to pay. Paid hunts do not require me to haul a flotilla of travel trailers, blinds, feeders, ATV's & other related equipment hundreds of miles across the state only to have to haul it all back the next season. Feeding costs. Protein costs. If your lease is in deep East Texas, the safety of your equipment is suspect at best. If you are on a lease you can go hunt as often as you please. If you do that on paid hunts you can run out of funds quickly. Paid hunts are hospitable, trustworthy & cordial if you get with the right folks.

Thanks for the reply. I figured there was a story in there somewhere. I've always had a place to hunt when I wanted to go. This public land deal looks interesting. I can't wait to get some experience. I had the chance to go over 20 years ago with a friend who was pretty successful at it. I wish now I would have.

Here's a photo of Daughter #1 with one of our 2016 antelope. The cooler she is standing on is one of four large coolers we took. Doe antelope fold up nicely inside, We fill two with bags of ice. The skinning rack consists of two 1"x1" square tube, 4 bolts/lock washers/nuts, some black pipe/elbows/nipples/etc. and a 2x4. Goes up and comes down in seconds. We gut them on the ground, skin them and ice them down. Awesome eating.

Sounds great. Try to find some alfalfa where I hunt.