antlergetter

Like others have already mentioned, I myself eat all I can then give the rest (if there is any) away. There was a time not so long ago that I was unemployed, and all my wife and I had was deer meat. Sometimes I get alittle burned out on the "wild" flavor that some of the meat has. However, I find if you fry some sliced onions with the meat, it takes most of it away. Also if you cook it on an open flame it also does wonders.

Greatdane

so true

deertale

If its treated right from the field, trim all the fat and debone. Its the best damn eat'n there is. Most of the meet my family eats is venison. We even cut up the fresh road kills it we have time. Keep the meet in roasts and it stays moist.

Carpmaster

It's not that hard to butcher your own and man it tastes better!!!! Last time I had "professionally" butchered venison it was GROSS, the key is boning it and removing the tallow! Yummy stuff!

EOTN

I'll take beef for the flavor. But like two other people mentioned already, I like the fact that the deer I kill has lived a natural life, hopefully not having been exposed to food pumped full of antibiotics, hormones, and god knows what else(poison?!). I also use the meat, which by the way IS good, to subsidize my grocery bill, same as I do with the fish I catch when it's not deer season. I guess I just like being self sufficient too, not that that's completely neccessary in modern society. I will take my deer to a butcher for the first time this year because I've never had the benefit of someone showing me how to do it. I've read the books and watched the videos, but it still takes me every bit of 4 to 6 hours to butcher a deer. Maybe I can make friends with the guy or just offer him a feew extra bucks to let me watch, help, and learn while he's butchering a few deer. Anyway the small fee I pay him to butcher and wrap it is worth me not having a sore back, cramped hands, and a pile of prime cuts that end up as ground meat. Butchering is the piece of the hunting puzzle that is taking the longest time for me to put in it's place.

bkkeys

i hunt for the meat , which is why , here in idaho, bow hunting, you can shoot either sex, first one up,, first one down,, it'd be nice to get antlers,, but you cant eat them

Hiawatha

This topic intrests me a bit, just recently in the chat here i got into a little tussle with a gentlemen over this same topic. I am not a big fan of whitetail meat. A larger buck in rut here is just like chewing on a stinky old tire. So for starters i do not really like the meat. Secondly we are cattle ranchers and have 250 head of cattle we cannot give away thanks to the border closing us out. So why would i eat deer meat when i could slaughter one of my cattle for meat. This means one less steer or heifer i have to feed over winter. Save myself some expenses by eating my beef. Thirdly how much meat does a fella need a year? I get an elk every year, and slaughter a few beef. I give my deer meat away to a family here every year who takes it with appreciation. They are non hunters but love the meat. I clearly do not need the meat so why not give it to someone who can make better use of it than I. The main argument is well why hunt it if you don't eat it? My answer to that is population control. We lose 50 acres of crop a year to deer, elk, beavers etc. if i don't hunt them thats just that many critters knawing on my crop. Also i just love the thrill of the hunt, being out there, hunting that big buck, gives you a thrill like no other activity. I kill plenty of animals i never eat, but i don't feel the least bit guilty. What makes a deer diferent from a coyote, its still a wild animal but most folks don't eat coyote. etc. For these folks who say this isn't ethical I would say everyone situation isn't the same, mind your own business, concentrate on shooting a deer before you tell me what i should or should not be doing with my deer meat.

buckandbronco

Although there are obviously others here that do not agree, I have to voice my opinion. I do not believe in killng animals simply for the sake of killing. That is just blood lust, what gives hunting a bad name, and what the non hunting public really abhors. I, or at least someone, eats everything I kill. I butcher my own meat, and I am very picky about it, and it does not taste gamey. Most people I feed it to, can't tell the difference between my deer and other meat. I also love to hunt. I use all the available tags that I can get. The more I get to hunt, the bettter I like. It is hard for me to understand someone who limits there hunting experience by not using tags that are available to them.

I do recognize that eating purposes are not the only reason why something might be killed. If animals are damaging crops, carrying diseases, or whatever, they should be controlled. But killing for the sake of killing, I do not and never will believe in.

wolfen68

I am not crazy about venison but do eat some but give a lot away to friends that make jerky and such. I like the backstraps and usually grind the rest into burger.

deertale

Seems like everybody has something to say about hunting and eating what you hunt!