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Deer News


Can't wait to get up the in November for rifle season. Hoped to get up for a little bit of archery season but doesn't look its gonna happen. Its been so hot in Fl, I'm hoping for a strong cold front when the season starts..(I may regret that after about 3 hours in the blind of course). If any of you are ever in the Orlando area and want to go out and get a nice wild boar, let me know, its lots of fun. As soon it it cools down, I will take the TIkka CTR out to the range and get the NightForce dialed in......can't wait!
 
If any of you are ever in the Orlando area and want to go out and get a nice wild boar, let me know, its lots of fun.

I haven't heard much about hog hunting in Florida. Is it year-round with it legal at night, too?

I've never shot a wild hog. I feel a void in my soul where that experience is yearning to be fulfilled.
 
Got both Deer (mid Nov) and Antelope (mid Oct) tags this year. Will be trying my hand at brats and summer sausage. Cheers brothers!

Which county(ies)? Have you hunted there before?

If you need any tips for antelope meat preparation, I have a few.
 

I haven't heard much about hog hunting in Florida. Is it year-round with it legal at night, too?

I've never shot a wild hog. I feel a void in my soul where that experience is yearning to be fulfilled.
Yep, year round, no season. The popluation is so bad that if you used napalm and a tank they would probably pat you on the back. You can use anything you want on them. Night hunting is fun with thermals, lots of outfitters have them for their clients. It is a fun experience. I use my AR sometimes with some heavy Nosler Accubonds or Hornady GMX and get two or three at once if they are feeding. Neck shots work great, even with huge hogs. Check out westshoreoutfitters.com . I let my north Florida lease go becasue the bears were so thick , they tore down our feeders and ran off the deer. West shore is 50 minutes from my house and I have taken a big hog or boar every time I have went out with them.
 


Do you hunt deer down in your part of the state? If so, east river or west river?

I have rarely hunted in the past few years as my life has been tied up with teaching, football, and three little ones at home, plus a spouse who would like a little time. I have hunted deer a lot East River (mostly in Bon Homme county by the Missouri River) and West River (mostly south Tripp County), but I have hunted elsewhere occasionally. For antelope I now go to Perkins County, but I've hunted Harding County, Corson County, and Meade County in the past.

A lot of what I liked about the rifle season for deer hunting in the past was going with my family, but my dad and older brother died a few years back, and it's complicated with the rest of us having kids of our own (plus my deceased brother's kids). I'm taking my 11-year-old son out this year on a mentored hunt for fall turkey. If that goes well, we'll add deer. He's not ready for antelope. My daughter is a couple years younger, but she might be ready to start by next spring for spring gobbler. We'll see. It will definitely help me in the eyes of my wife if I'm taking kids out. It's nice, too, because the SD mentor program has guaranteed licenses for kids at a fraction of the price, so it can actually be economical if we bring meat home that way.
 
I will be hunting Bennet county again for both. I certainly welcome any antelope recipes. Was thinking of trying my hand at brats. That said, I'm all ears. I better knock one down first I suppose. Cheers

Have you butchered and prepared antelope before? I don't want to insult you with basic stuff, but I don't know what is most relevant.
 
I have not dropped, quartered or deboned an antelope. Deer, elk, yes. This will be a first. Hopefully.
 
I have not dropped, quartered or deboned an antelope. Deer, elk, yes. This will be a first. Hopefully.

Since you've handled deer and elk, some of what I'm going to say probably isn't necessary, so please don't feel insulted if you already knew it....

More than deer, if an antelope has been running hard, and especially if it's wounded and then running hard, it will get lots of unwanted "flavor" in the meat. I can't remember if it's lactic acid buildup or hormones released into the meat, but you want to drop it dead with as little fuss as possible. Do that, and the rest is easy. If you don't do that, and especially if you shoot an old buck, the meat can taste pretty rough.

Second, cool the meat down as quickly as possible. If it's hot while hunting, I recommend skinning then gutting, and then quartering and putting the meat into garbage bags in an ice cooler as quickly as possible. I grew up with a family where we'd gut the deer and throw them in the back of the pickup then hang them if it was cool, or else skinned and deboned later that night. If you do that with an antelope on a hot October day, you'll ruin a lot of meat.

The tenderloins (inside the ribcage and under the spine) are the best cut of meat on an antelope, but they're very small, and they're especially prone to spoilage if the carcass isn't cut up and put on ice immediately. I cut these out as I gut it and place them in a bag on ice immediately.

Whatever you want to do with an antelope that involves grinding the meat, I'd recommend doing that with the front quarters and the meat on the flanks, neck, ribs etc., first, then see if you want to use the hind quarters. Save the backstraps--the long muscles that run along either side of the outer part of the spine--for butterfly steaks, etc. If it has a bit too much gaminess, you can soak the cut up meat overnight in milk, and it will draw out the blood and whatever else it is that is in the meat that gives it that strong taste. I've known multiple people who don't like wild game, in general, who have later said that an antelope steak is the best meat that they've ever had. Other marinades will often hide the gamey flavor, but nothing that I know of takes it out as well as soaking it in milk.

The rear quarters have a lot more muscle than the forequarters, and they have a lot less sinew and silver skin wrapping the muscles. I usually debone these into as large of chunks as possible, and I'll pull it apart by hand afterwards without cutting any more than is necessary. If you do this, you can leave the silverskin (the silver membrane that coats the individual muscles) to pull it off after it has been frozen because it seems to come off easier after it's either been aged or frozen. The meat that is left will look like some nice roasts and big chunks of meat. I cook the roasts as roasts, and I either chunk up the rest in chislic, or else it makes a great substitute for goat meat in a goat curry.

Whenever you hear somebody tell you that antelope meat tastes awful, ask them a few questions, and you'll almost always find that they didn't follow the simple common-sense instructions that I listed first. I've known ranchers to explain it this way: "What do you suppose the meat would taste like if I took my prized Angus bull, shot him in the gut, made him run wounded for 5 miles, shot him again through both hindquarters, gutted him and then threw him in the back of the truck for about 12 hours on an 80 degree day?" That's basically what happens to some antelope, and then those guys tell everybody far and wide that the meat tasted like a musky old goat. Well, yeah, it probably would, wouldn't it?

If you want something that tastes great, shoot a young one. If you want more meat than that, shoot a mid-sized doe. The bucks taste fine if you follow the above, but they will still have more "goat" taste (and smell) than the does. It will still taste good if you kill it quickly and cleanly and get it on ice, but there is usually a noticeable difference in flavor. I don't remember ever soaking a doe or kid in milk, for example.
 
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Since you've handled deer and elk, some of what I'm going to say probably isn't necessary, so please don't feel insulted if you already knew it....Sometimes a man needs to be reminded more than educated. I never reject solicited advice. Appreciate you.

More than deer, if an antelope has been running hard, and especially if it's wounded and then running hard, it will get lots of unwanted "flavor" in the meat. This is why I prefer a shot clipping the front shoulder if at a distance. I will lose a small bit of meat, but they will not be running off. Too much weight over the front end. I can then follow with a put down shot. I will only look to double lung/heart if inside 200yds (as we know, not likely)

Second, cool the meat down as quickly as possible. If it's hot while hunting, I recommend skinning then gutting, and then quartering and putting the meat into garbage bags in an ice cooler as quickly as possible. I usually go gutless. Remove quarters/backstrap, tenderloins - skin and put in coolers in the truck. Only thing that will add 5 minutes is if I want to cape a nice buck. Agree that getting the meat away from the core of the body and skinned is vital.


Whatever you want to do with an antelope that involves grinding the meat, I'd recommend doing that with the front quarters and the meat on the flanks, neck, ribs etc., first, then see if you want to use the hind quarters. Good input. I will be trying brats. Probably 30% pork fat and and a no salt seasoning. If they suck, I will give to neighbors ;)

Save the backstraps for butterfly steaks. Will do. If it has a bit too much gaminess, you can soak the cut up meat overnight in milk, and it will draw out the blood and whatever else it is that is in the meat that gives it that strong taste. Good advice. I had heard of it but never tried it. Guess I eat one first to see how it goes.

If you do this, you can leave the silverskin (the silver membrane that coats the individual muscles) to pull it off after it has been frozen because it seems to come off easier after it's either been aged or frozen. Good to know. Elk and deer silver skin is a pain and only pressure cooker or crock pot can soften those rubber bands if left in meat/grind.

If you want something that tastes great, shoot a young one. If you want more meat than that, shoot a mid-sized doe. I will certainly look for my wall hanger. But since we got two tags, I think a doe is now the second target.

You have echoed many of the sage words of the best hunter and game meat magician I know (My pastor and hunting buddy from Colorado). This means your stock is rising MABC! Thank you for articulating from your experience. I now want October to get here quick. Cheers

Scott

P.S. We still need to figure a team SD hookup this season. Lets keep that on the radar.
 

Since you've handled deer and elk, some of what I'm going to say probably isn't necessary, so please don't feel insulted if you already knew it....

More than deer, if an antelope has been running hard, and especially if it's wounded and then running hard, it will get lots of unwanted "flavor" in the meat. I can't remember if it's lactic acid buildup or hormones released into the meat, but you want to drop it dead with as little fuss as possible. Do that, and the rest is easy. If you don't do that, and especially if you shoot an old buck, the meat can taste pretty rough.

Second, cool the meat down as quickly as possible. If it's hot while hunting, I recommend skinning then gutting, and then quartering and putting the meat into garbage bags in an ice cooler as quickly as possible. I grew up with a family where we'd gut the deer and throw them in the back of the pickup then hang them if it was cool, or else skinned and deboned later that night. If you do that with an antelope on a hot October day, you'll ruin a lot of meat.

The tenderloins (inside the ribcage and under the spine) are the best cut of meat on an antelope, but they're very small, and they're especially prone to spoilage if the carcass isn't cut up and put on ice immediately. I cut these out as I gut it and place them in a bag on ice immediately.

Whatever you want to do with an antelope that involves grinding the meat, I'd recommend doing that with the front quarters and the meat on the flanks, neck, ribs etc., first, then see if you want to use the hind quarters. Save the backstraps--the long muscles that run along either side of the outer part of the spine--for butterfly steaks, etc. If it has a bit too much gaminess, you can soak the cut up meat overnight in milk, and it will draw out the blood and whatever else it is that is in the meat that gives it that strong taste. I've known multiple people who don't like wild game, in general, who have later said that an antelope steak is the best meat that they've ever had. Other marinades will often hide the gamey flavor, but nothing that I know of takes it out as well as soaking it in milk.

The rear quarters have a lot more muscle than the forequarters, and they have a lot less sinew and silver skin wrapping the muscles. I usually debone these into as large of chunks as possible, and I'll pull it apart by hand afterwards without cutting any more than is necessary. If you do this, you can leave the silverskin (the silver membrane that coats the individual muscles) to pull it off after it has been frozen because it seems to come off easier after it's either been aged or frozen. The meat that is left will look like some nice roasts and big chunks of meat. I cook the roasts as roasts, and I either chunk up the rest in chislic, or else it makes a great substitute for goat meat in a goat curry.

Whenever you hear somebody tell you that antelope meat tastes awful, ask them a few questions, and you'll almost always find that they didn't follow the simple common-sense instructions that I listed first. I've known ranchers to explain it this way: "What do you suppose the meat would taste like if I took my prized Angus bull, shot him in the gut, made him run wounded for 5 miles, shot him again through both hindquarters, gutted him and then threw him in the back of the truck for about 12 hours on an 80 degree day?" That's basically what happens to some antelope, and then those guys tell everybody far and wide that the meat tasted like a musky old goat. Well, yeah, it probably would, wouldn't it?

If you want something that tastes great, shoot a young one. If you want more meat than that, shoot a mid-sized doe. The bucks taste fine if you follow the above, but they will still have more "goat" taste (and smell) than the does. It will still taste good if you kill it quickly and cleanly and get it on ice, but there is usually a noticeable difference in flavor. I don't remember ever soaking a doe or kid in milk, for example.
I shot an antelope in eastern Colorado and the meat had a strong sage flavor. My wife woudn't eat it because of that.
 

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