What's the best game meat you have ever tasted?

GSP 4 me · Post by **GSP 4 me** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:24 pm

Based on my own experience....
I can say hands down without a doubt......ELK MEAT. My mouth just waters thinking about it! Several years ago, my ex-GF's dad had some frozen elk steaks from a hunting trip so he brought some over for dinner one night and I must say that I was very impressed. The taste was not at all gamey and the meat was delicious. No fancy sauce...just grilled to tender perfection with some salt and pepper.

I've tried wild boar, venison, rabbit, dove, quail, pheasant, chukar, and duck.....and none of them could hold a candle to that elk steak...Yummy!

I'm sure some of you have had opportunities to try more wild game than I, so what is your favorite by far????

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:26 pm

Cottontail rabbit is about as good as it gets but most all are good. I am a firm believer that any meat is good if you know how to fix it.

Ezzy

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:42 pm

It is a toss up between fried squirrel or fried cottontail for me, with biscuits and gravy.

Charlie

Ron R · Post by **Ron R** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:12 pm

Fried and seasoned dog meat with rice. That's what happens to culls around here..........Just kidding - kind of

When I was stationed in Japan I was on a date and she ordered me dog fried rice and did'nt tell me until I was half way finished. She thought it was funny but I did'nt. I will admit that I did finish my meal. It was actually really good.

tommyboy72 · Post by **tommyboy72** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:09 am

It's a toss up between elk steaks, wild hog ribs, and squirrel and dumplings. They all make my mouth water just thinking about eating them. Of course I am originally from Louisiana so alligator, crawfish and catfish have to go in there somewhere. Not sure if those qualify as game meat but they sure do remind me of home.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:01 am

Caribou- first time I brought back 3 coolers full of boned out Caribou-

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:22 am

Got to go with young 2year old bull moose, Caribou, Elk, Hog, Grouse, Duck in redwine sauce.

Rick

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:18 am

My experience with game meat is fairly broad, and the only thing I've prefered to medium rare woodcock breast fillets has been their legs.

CherrystoneWeims · Post by **CherrystoneWeims** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:42 am

Moose, elk, and gator. I lived in TX for a while and LOVE fried gator!!

I made some antelope a couple of weeks ago while we were at summer training camp. It's good but not as tender as venison. I have a fantastic pot roast recipe that I use for venison and I used it for the antelope.

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:52 am

My favorites are farmland whitetail, cooked most any way; fried chukar, quail or pheasant; roast wild goose and duck grilled rare.

adogslife · Post by **adogslife** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:20 am

Young does,wild boar,cottontail and grouse.

gdog · Post by **gdog** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:07 am

Elk and Caribou

TEX-X · Post by **TEX-X** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:16 am

when i was stationed in Sicily i ate a horse sandwich....a little on the tough side and very oily....elk meat is my favorite

RayGubernat · Post by **RayGubernat** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:01 am

Upland game...hands down it is rabbit, especially if it is simmered in with the rest of the ingredients of a good homemade tomato sauce.

The best big game meat I ever tasted was charcoal grilled antelope steaks that a friend brought back from a western hunt. The next best was the mule deer steaks that were also similarly charcoal grilled. Both were far better than the best venison I've had, and I have had some outstanding whitetail venison. I have had moose and was not impressed as it was a rather coarse grained meat. Never had elk.

RayG

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:07 am

Big horn sheep is outstanding.

But for the dudes from the south....Gopher gravy over biscuits are shal we say ,darn good.

Ruffed grouse is probably the best bird cooked..

nooblet · Post by **nooblet** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:23 am

Partial to deer and elk myself - but I have heard antellope (sp) is outstanding.

My fiance perfers pheasant.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:23 am

i say elk as well

fase3 · Post by **fase3** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:13 pm

Being from the south. It would have to be quail. Hunt them on Sat. and wake up Sun. morn. to the smell of quail & gravy along with my Grandma's homemade yeast rolls with fresh country butter. I was in my early teens then and now I'm 69 and the smell still lingers. What memories!

JasonW77 · Post by **JasonW77** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:48 pm

I would have to say elk

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:11 pm

fase3 wrote:Being from the south. It would have to be quail. Hunt them on Sat. and wake up Sun. morn. to the smell of quail & gravy along with my Grandma's homemade yeast rolls with fresh country butter. I was in my early teens then and now I'm 69 and the smell still lingers. What memories!

Being from the midwest, I have the same memories except it was usually squirrel or rabbit along with the homemade yeast rolls and fresh churned butter. Those days are gone but we have the memories for life. I feel very fortunate to have had those experiences.

Charlie

hustonmc · Post by **hustonmc** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:49 pm

I'm surprised with all the Elk replies. Actually of all the game meat I have ate, Elk is at the bottom of my list. My friends think I'm an awfully nice guy when I invite them over for Elk, when really I just want to get rid of it. By far my favorite would have to be Caribou, and Antelope, like this guy I got last week.

snips · Post by **snips** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:55 pm

I love squirrel, chucker, sharptail. I did not care for antelope.

midwestfisherman · Post by **midwestfisherman** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:11 pm

Not in any particular order, my top would be:
Grouse
Venison
Elk
Phez
Squirrel

scott_r · Post by **scott_r** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:25 pm

Can't go wrong with our Saskatchewan grain fed whitetail, very big and very tasty

Maverick57 · Post by **Maverick57** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:01 am

Well,

Here in New Mexico, we have a wide range of Critters to partake of but by far the best Meat is Oryx. OMG it is soooo good.

!. Oryx 2. Elk 3. Deer 4. Barbary Sheep 5. Bison

Antelope is ok , it tastes like goat to me. But if you B-B-Q it it is pretty fair, as far as Birds, Pheasent- Quail.

My Freezer has more game meat, than store bought.

My 2 cents

lvrgsp · Post by **lvrgsp** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:15 am

Well I'd have to say the best is Elk.., and the others in no order...

Elk
Bison...(is that still considered game meat)
Venison backstrap fried and over easy eggs.....MMMMM
Squirrel gravy and biscuits
Ch..CH..CH..Chukar, favorite upland gamebird
Pheasant and dumplings....
Dove
Gator...tail meat
And there is nothing like waking up in the morning to Grandmas cast iron breakfasts, loved that smell.......MMMMMMM

Chip

birddogsunlimited · Post by **birddogsunlimited** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:25 am

its hard to say witch is my favorite but my top ones are
venison
goat
sika
phesant
duck
and goose

Anaconda Pintler · Post by **Anaconda Pintler** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:00 pm

Living in Montana for thirty years and guiding elk hunters for alot of them I have to say Elk is on the bottom side of the list! I think it is a novelty game meat for alot of people so they just automatically think it is supposed to be the best! My favorite is Antelope by far from our ranch that have been fattened on alfalfa all summer! does not get any better! Moose is okay bighorn Sheep is pretty darn good as well but antelope and ruffed grouse for birds is not to be compared with! Leaving in a few days to go back and try my hand at antelope and sharptails! woohoo

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:25 pm

ezzy333 wrote:Cottontail rabbit is about as good as it gets but most all are good. I am a firm believer that any meat is good if you know how to fix it.

Ezzy

even black bear?

tommyboy72 · Post by **tommyboy72** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:39 pm

I like bear. Make it into ground meat like hamburger and then mix it with manwich sauce or barbeque sauce and eat it like a sloppy joe. Tasted fine to me.

twofeathers · Post by **twofeathers** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:44 pm

Apple wood smoked pheasant.
Dove
Young doe
beaver-no pun intended-
rattlesnake chili

tommyboy72 · Post by **tommyboy72** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:50 pm

Just like to add that I watch Man vs. Wild, a survival show with Bear Grylls a retired British SAS soldier, and a few weeks ago I caught a running of past episodes and while in the deserts of Mexico he at a skunk that he burned the hair off of in a fire and then cooked whole with the entrails still inside and left in the coals till the meat was done. Anyone care to try that?

KenDD · Post by **KenDD** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:23 am

Caribou , snipe, then willow ptarmigan

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:39 am

how is Nutria?

TEX-X · Post by **TEX-X** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:11 am

anyone ever ate Axis deer? i killed one a few years ago and it was by far better than the whitetail i harvested.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:28 am

mcbosco wrote:how is Nutria?

I've been told that it's like turkey dark meat.

Sir Buckwheat · Post by **Sir Buckwheat** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:12 pm

Ok first off, Venison is ANY wild game meat not just deer. And if you're talking about deer specify. Whitetail isn't nearly as good as Mulie.

That said I've never met many wild critters I didn't like, but some are better than others.

My choice...

#1 Antelope/Moose Its a toss up.

#2 Mulie

#3 Mt. Lion

#4 Elk/Whitetail/Wild boar

#5 Buffalo

#6 Bear

Never had Caribou but I've heard its really good, same with the wild sheep and Mt. Goats.
As far as birds go...

#1 Hun/Chukar

#2 Valley/Gambel's Quail

#3 Sharptail/Dove

#4 Teal (blue-wing, green-wing, or cinnimon) As well as Gadwalls

#5 Blue grouse

#6 Sage Grouse/Wild Turkey

#7 Canadian Goose

#8 Phez

#9 Mallard

#9 other ducks...Mergansers are like eating...I don't know what? I've never had anything that nasty before.

Rodents....

#1 Squirrel

#2 Beaver Tail (not the one you're thinking. That one is #1 on another list...

)

#3 Possum

#4 Raccoon

#5 Muskrat

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:03 pm

Mountain lion? Never heard of anybody eating that.

Sir Buckwheat · Post by **Sir Buckwheat** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:38 pm

birddogger wrote:Mountain lion? Never heard of anybody eating that.

Its one of the better meats out there. About all there is is the backstrap and some off the rump, the rest is too stringy and sinewy to bother with. Its got a tangy taste to it. Makes a really good meal.

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:37 am

Websters 21st Dictionary: page 290 Venison. (deer meat)The Readers Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary: page 1486, (deer flesh used for food.) It Could mean moose, caribou, white tail, black tail, axis, elk, mule deer etc.)

Sir Buck Wheat, you certainly have eaten alot of different types of wild game. May I ask? Need, curiousity, or eat what you harvest?

Rick

Sir Buckwheat · Post by **Sir Buckwheat** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:51 am

Ruffshooter wrote:Websters 21st Dictionary: page 290 Venison. (deer meat)The Readers Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary: page 1486, (deer flesh used for food.) It Could mean moose, caribou, white tail, black tail, axis, elk, mule deer etc.)

Sir Buck Wheat, you certainly have eaten alot of different types of wild game. May I ask? Need, curiousity, or eat what you harvest?

Rick

Sorry I wasn't more specific on the venison definition. Most people don't consider anything but deer type game as being wild game meat. aka...moose, caribou, elk, axis, ect. Just pointing out that Venison could mean a variety of different game animals.

All of the above. I ran a small trapline in jr. high and high school and was big into the mountain man thing. Thats why I ate the muskrat, beaver tail, and coon. Served an LDS Mission in Texas, and got fed squirrel, possum, whitetail, and a few other things that I figured was best if I didn't ask. The one time I did ask it was carp... The rest are things I killed or friends killed. I like to try all kinds of game. The lion I ate because of a friend that I ran hounds with in high school. It is really good meat, most people would have a hard time eating it though because its a cat. If they didn't know what it was most people would like it.