Age effecting meat?

4corners_sportsman · Dec 1, 2016

I know that we have been beating to death the age conversation for bucks, but here is another question regarding age. I hear many people say that they are going to go shoot a young meat buck on opening day of a hunt. I also hear that the younger the buck the better the meat is. Is this concept true? I have eaten bucks and bulls that were young and old and I never noticed a difference in taste/texture. They've all had very good flavor and juiciness. So from your experience, have you noticed a difference in meat quality because of the buck/bulls age?

DW · Dec 1, 2016

There's a reason steers are butchered at 2yrs and under. Best elk I ever ate was a spike. Just sayin.

Soj51hopeful · Dec 1, 2016

Hey, most everybody's seasons are over so until the draws for next year start rolling in we're gonna beat a few different topics to death! That's why I like this site, we keep the hunting conversation going year round. I have noticed younger bucks being more tender, but proper meat care and preparation makes it a small difference.

elks96 · Dec 1, 2016

My oldest buck was aged at over 13 by the state of Wyoming. How much older they were not sure but he was old. That being said I cleaned him and dressed him exactly how I had done all other bucks.

As a result I steaks from him right next to the same cut steaks from a 2 year old buck. There was no way to tell the difference. Tasted and ate exactly the same.

For elk I have killed young and old. Not much difference. Of course med-rare to rare might be why, but I have never had an animal eat bad due to age...

I might be lucky and the old buck was getting soft with age? But even on my 6 and 7 year old bucks they still eat well.

Wiszard · Dec 1, 2016

I don't think the age effects the meat as much as say adrenaline or endorphins that are set in motion just before a buck is killed if spooked. I have also killed some Cali bucks that tasted horrible as I think their lack of good food was a huge contributing factor.

I agree with elks....the way you cook your game is going to make a big difference as well. I cook my game medium...if I cook it too much past that, tastes like hell.

Steve

Cancer doesn't discriminate...don't take your good health for granted because it can be gone in a heartbeat. Please go back and read the last line. This time really understand what it says.

mmwb · Dec 1, 2016

What everyone else is saying. I've not seen a difference in the game I've killed. It has all been good.

Longun · Dec 2, 2016

A spike Bull is the best tasting meat..

mntman · Dec 2, 2016

agree, the quality of meat depends on how to take care of it, process it and cook it. age is just an excuse people use.
Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

DeerHunter53 · Dec 2, 2016

I think it has a little to do with how the animal was taken. Was he just standing there and you shot him with one shot and down. Or the other scenario is you shoot and wound him and chase him all over the mountain and then shoot him again and he goes down hard. I believe then the meat is stressed and tight when taken down.
Also my Dad taught me to take those scent glands off first on a buck before you touch the meat. Touching them and then touching the meat gives it a rather strong taste and a gamey taste as well.
I have shot bucks and bulls both ways and one of the bucks that I shot when I was young and chased all over the mountain until I shot it again was tough as hell.

goofyelk · Dec 2, 2016

As far as deer go, my very best table fare bucks have
always been the ones I've harvested early..
These are Utah bucks taken in August.
Age doesn't seem to matter if they still have velvet IMO.

And for elk?
In 45 years of hunting, I've found if you want the BEST elk meat,
get an antlerless permit and harvest an elk under 2 years old.
Those have always been the best eating. Cut it with a fork!

HalfAce · Dec 2, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Dec-02-16 AT 10:32AM (MST)[p]All good replies. I shot a Mulie buck, oldest buck I ever shot, was 7.5 or 8.5 years old and really rutted up. Huge in the body. I was thinking I had a lot of tough stinky meat. I gutted, skinned and quartered him on the spot within 90 minutes of the shot. He was the best buck I have EVER eaten. I know breaking an animal down right after the shot is probably one of the most important things you can do to ensure good tasting meat. But I also think that it makes a difference if the animal was calm and not run to death before the shot. Also, I think the available forage in the area where the deer was shot makes a difference as well. Like aspen leaves vs sagebrush.

And ill agree with the above post, a 1.5 year old cow elk is the best game meat out there that I have ever had.

bigmoose · Dec 2, 2016

I agree with others that it is hard to beat a spike bull or a young cow for eating. I killed a old bull once that was not so good. Very tough no matter how we cook him. As for deer, the worst buck we ever ate was a California forkie. Tender but terrible flavor. Those big old bucks, even in rut, have always been good. Nevada bucks have always been the best eating. Maybe it's what they've been eating ?

Every hunting season you miss is one you can not make up

anadavid25 · Dec 2, 2016

I'll thro my 2 cents in here.. In my experience, and I hunt for the meat.. Its a matter of what they are eating.. and the rut. Ive killed desert bucks that were very bitter tasting.. wont kill another one if i can help it, lol. And hay and grain field fed bucks that are the tenderest you can find anywhere.. no matter the age.. As for elk.. I have killed trophy bulls in full rut that tasted really gamey.. Yuck!! So now I hunt general seasons and try and kill younger 2-3 year old bulls.. I think they taste the best... I don't personally hunt cow elk.. But i imagine they taste as good a spike elk does.

IMO.

6x7 · Dec 2, 2016

In my opinion when a guy shots a small buck they all ways just throw the "it's going to be tender" or the " it's a meat buck" just as a way to make up for the lack of horn.To me they all taste the same no matter what the age,if anything some of my younger ones were harder to choke down then the big fat lazy bucks.

Andyb · Dec 2, 2016

The reason we eat 2 year old steers is economic. After they reach 2 yo, then the gain in body weight is not worth the cost of feed to produce it.
In my opinion the best bulls I have eaten were the older bulls. They live on the best ground and eat the best food, if security is not in question.
The worst ones were young rag horns from heavily hunted areas that were run ragged during the general season.
Not sure that applies to bucks as well, but I haven't noticed as big a difference in venison.
I'll take a fat old bull over a young skinny one any day!

6x7 · Dec 2, 2016

>The reason we eat 2 year
>old steers is economic.
>After they reach 2 yo,
>then the gain in body
>weight is not worth the
>cost of feed to produce
>it.
>In my opinion the best bulls
>I have eaten were the
>older bulls. They live
>on the best ground and
>eat the best food, if
>security is not in question.
>
>The worst ones were young rag
>horns from heavily hunted areas
>that were run ragged during
>the general season.
>Not sure that applies to bucks
>as well, but I haven't
>noticed as big a difference
>in venison.
>I'll take a fat old bull
>over a young skinny one
>any day!

Most guys that don't like to eat old bulls or antelope I would bet touched the hide with bare hands before handling meat,that's one way to make meat taste awful it doesn't make it tuff but it makes it hard to stomach

DW · Dec 2, 2016

>The reason we eat 2 year
>old steers is economic.
>After they reach 2 yo,
>then the gain in body
>weight is not worth the
>cost of feed to produce
>it.
>In my opinion the best bulls
>I have eaten were the
>older bulls. They live
>on the best ground and
>eat the best food, if
>security is not in question.
>
>The worst ones were young rag
>horns from heavily hunted areas
>that were run ragged during
>the general season.
>Not sure that applies to bucks
>as well, but I haven't
>noticed as big a difference
>in venison.
>I'll take a fat old bull
>over a young skinny one
>any day!

Why don't we steak out 9 yrs old holsteins?

Togwotee · Dec 2, 2016

I don't shoot dinks often but I haven't noticed much difference. the best elk I've ever had was a 9 year old bull I took in Utah in September hands down ,and I've taken lots of them here in Oregon in Oct and Nov for comparison. I think what they're eating and when you take them has more to do with it than age.

Quantity should be a factor as well, if we shot spotted fawns I bet they'd eat great but they wouldn't go far. let animals mature they get bigger .

Stay Thirsty My Friends

DW · Dec 2, 2016

C'mon lennie, this is yer subject, why don't we steak out 9yr old holsteins? Why do we grind em?

Soj51hopeful · Dec 2, 2016

Because they don't marble like a beef cow

dillon · Dec 3, 2016

My last few animals have been gutless jobs so I didn't have a carcass to hang. That said, I prefer to get the meat on ice fast more than anything else, especially with antelope and on hot days.

My Nevada antelope was on ice in about 30 minutes and he tasted great.

Dillon
www.dillonhoyt.com

coyoteslayer · Dec 5, 2016

Not much difference in taste between a big bull and a spike, but a spike is much more tender and enjoyable to eat that a big bull in my opinion. Shot a calf elk one time,and will never do that again. Didn't care for the taste, and didn't get enough meat out of it to make it worthwhile. Only game animal I have killed and not able to eat was a new mexico bull. It was terrible, but I blamed that on not being able to let it hang, and the processor. I usually cut my own meat.