Question about big bulls.

sjhgraysage · Oct 20, 2009

For any of you that have been lucky enough to have killed a large adult mature bull, particularly during the rut or just post rut. How was the meat from these trophy bulls when it comes to putting them on the table?
Thanks for your replies!

NHS · Oct 20, 2009

I took this bull this year on the Utah Open Bull hunt. The meat is EXCELLENT!

bowhunt · Oct 20, 2009

actually excellent on all of them. I have really yet to have a bad elk, even the big old stinky ones.

bingo · Oct 20, 2009

I have taken 4 six points, two of them in tyhe rut and they taste no different than the spikes I have taken. I think it is all in how they are taken care of. Rule #1 for me is to get that hide off asap. Also, since I dont gut them anymore,rather just quarter and skin them on kill location, they cool off much better. Elk taken care of and prepared properly is excellent meat. Age of the animal is a non factor IMO

Silentstalker · Oct 20, 2009

+1

I have killed a handful of mature bulls and they all tasted great! Most of them were killed in Sept. 1 was killed in December. The only bad elk I have ever had was a really old cow my brother shot. She barely had teeth left and was giant in size. That was the worst meat we have ever eaten. Tough old cow!!

popeyoung2 · Oct 20, 2009

I guess this is all about experience. I have killed 200 Wisconsin whitetails. Corn, acorn and alfalfa fed. The best ever. I have killed 8 bull elk. Last one was a 13 year old tule bull from California, 2 weeks ago. The spike in Montana, 20 years ago was eadible. The othe huge old bulls were hamburger/jerky at best. This one 2 weeks ago. i cut the inner backstraps out, sautead in butter and mushrooms and had better luck eating my shoe. all 300 lbs. of boneless meat went to the burger grinder. The burger is good. I have had mulies from different enviorments. They taste as good as their diet."You r what u eat"

BloodBought · Oct 21, 2009

My wife and I enjoy eating the bulls we've taken in September. Not sure if I have had any other type of elk though, so it may be horrible and we just not know any better!

leftturnabq · Oct 21, 2009

The best tasting elk I've killed was a really old bull that was past his prime. He was in the full rut (stinky old bastard) and his teeth were pretty much gone.

An old timer told me they were better eating because they were more selective about what they ate because of their teeth?

IMHO the keys are:

1. to get the meat cooled down quickly (which is a challenge on most NM archery hunts).

2. age the meat. If you kill it, and immediately throw it in the freezer, it's going to be tuffer to chew on...no doubt about it. I don't care what cut it is. If you yank out a tenderloin from a calf and cook it on the spot, it's going to be tuff.

3. boneless cuts. Something about the marrow taints the meat and makes it taste "gamier".

4. as mentioned, diet plays a big part. An animal that's been feeding off of an alfalfa field is going to taste better than one that's been eating sage.

Tree · Oct 21, 2009

Amen on the aging. I Like to age 24 days @ 38-40 degrees on big/old bulls to let the enzymes break down the protein strands. I have had bulls that weren't aged very long and while they tasted great, they were fairly tough.

That NHS guy didn't actually kill that bull, it's a photoshop.

sjhgraysage · Oct 21, 2009

Thanks for all the replies! I hope to experience big bull meat first hand real soon

sjhgraysage · Oct 21, 2009

NHS
That is a good looking bull! Thanks for the pic.

hunter567 · Oct 21, 2009

An old rutting bull tastes just as bad as an antelope. The Antlers do look nice on the wall and the memories are awesome for years to come.

crextin · Oct 21, 2009

Properly dressed and cared from Kill to freezer to table the meat will be good eating. THe last bull I shot was 8-years old and the steaks at well and were not tough at all.

elkhunterUT · Oct 21, 2009

My 6x6 bull shot on September 13th this year in full rut is one of the best tasting elk I have ever had. The steaks are amazing and tender and great flavor.

leftturnabq · Oct 21, 2009

I always hear people bad mouth antelope meat...?

Either, we have very different tastes, the antelope we hunt are very different, or they are not properly taking care of the meat, because the antelope I have taken are excellent eating.

And because they are so small and we hunt them in August, they do not require any aging to be tender.

Antelope is by far the best game meat I have harvested.

I also happen to have had the unique opportunity to harvest a couple of oryx (an African antelope) in my home state. Very similar eating, but they have a lot more meat on their bones than do the pronghorn. Excellent!!

uncletick · Oct 21, 2009

I was holding my breath on my bull this year. I believe he is probably close to 8 years old. I was suprised when we got the meat back at how good he tasted. The worst elk I've eaten was from a spike I shot about 8 years ago. It was disgusting.

Hazmat · Oct 21, 2009

The bull I killed a couple of years ago was 10+ years old. His ivories were worn down to nubs. So I kept the backstraps and a few choice cuts for steaks and ground the rest. Turns out he was awesome and I wish I'd kept more steaks. We ate elk and beef steaks side by side and I liked the elk much better. I really need to get another one of those guys.
HAZMAT

Dub · Oct 21, 2009

Tasted like #####, but I'd sure like to try and get some more of it!

Dub

out4elk · Oct 21, 2009

My 07 bull was 58 yrs old, killed on the ML hunt and was the best elk I have eaten to date. Nice and tender and TASTY! He didn't spend much time in the freezer thats for dang sure.

?Life is like a ten speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use!?

GHOSTINTHEWOODS · Oct 21, 2009

Dang man thats one hell of an old bull.

NHS · Oct 21, 2009

>Amen on the aging. I Like
>to age 24 days @
>38-40 degrees on big/old bulls
>to let the enzymes break
>down the protein strands. I
>have had bulls that weren't
>aged very long and while
>they tasted great, they were
>fairly tough.
>
>That NHS guy didn't actually kill
>that bull, it's a photoshop.
>

Man tree, you are like air.....everywhere.

MTCOWBOY · Oct 21, 2009

+1
I would rather eat a speed goat from here in NE Montana that has been eatin grain & hay than any old mountain muley. BUT THEY CAN NOT BE RUN. However I am spoiled as I get muley that eat the same thing and the lopes do. So it is all good eatin around my place.

Wayne

sjhgraysage · Oct 22, 2009

Thanks for all of the replies guys!
Side bar: A couple friends of mine went to WY and killed some pronghorn this year. They skinned and cooled them out asap and kept the meat in a cooler until they got it home. They say it is some of the best game they have ever had!
You have me even more excited to get out and kill a big old stinky bull!

txhunter58 · Oct 22, 2009

As far as taste, proper processing and cooling is the key

As far as tenderness, aging is the key! The only tough elk I ever had was when I was young and stupid. Killed a cow and took it straight in to the processer. He cut and wrapped her the next day. Talk about tough! Once I started making sure they age, they have all been tender.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

lunkerjunker · Oct 23, 2009

How do you age the meat? I took my bull right to the processor mainly because I had no where to put all that meat, but I didn't get him back for about 4 weeks. The steaks are great.