shredder4286
New member
Do you guys favor whitetail venison over mule deer venison? i've had whitetail, but haven't tasted mule. i've heard that mule venison was somewhat gamey. just curious what your thoughts are
Whitetail vs. Muleys
- Thread starter shredder4286
- Start date
Really depends on where you get your Mule deer from. Mountain deer can sometimes be gamey depending on what the deer have been eating. If they have access to good browse like grass and clover then they will taste fine. If they have been surviving on pine needles and sage then they will not taste as good. If you can hunt a plains deer and shoot one that has been eating alfalfa, corn, milo, or sorghum then you will have a mule deer that will rival any white tail deer in taste.
shredder4286
New member
well, i think you know where i might be taking my deer from
my bud was sayin that he's eatin antelope from Montana, that eat a good bit of sage, and he likes it. i guess that's personal preference there. and i've never had antelope, so i wouldn't know what they taste like anyway
my bud was sayin that he's eatin antelope from Montana, that eat a good bit of sage, and he likes it. i guess that's personal preference there. and i've never had antelope, so i wouldn't know what they taste like anyway
Kreyzhorse
New member
I've had Wyoming mule deer and thought it to be a little less gamey or harsh than Kentucky whitetail. The meat seemed less gritty than whitetail too. Overall, I'd put mule deer slightly ahead of whitetail on my taste scale.
I've also had a lot of Wyoming antelope. Out of the three, I'd put antelope ahead of both mule and whitetail.
Of course, your mileage may vary with game prep and cooking style having a lot to do with the taste of the animal.
I've also had a lot of Wyoming antelope. Out of the three, I'd put antelope ahead of both mule and whitetail.
Of course, your mileage may vary with game prep and cooking style having a lot to do with the taste of the animal.
I've never had muley, but I have had whitetail taken from different parts of western NY that vary widely in taste.
Taylorce1 hit the nail on the head. It's mainly diet, but by the time you factor in the age of the deer and the way its prepared I think it would be pretty hard to generalize whitetail vs muley.
If you do get an older or gamey deer it's usually not something the right recipe and a slow cooker can't fix.
Taylorce1 hit the nail on the head. It's mainly diet, but by the time you factor in the age of the deer and the way its prepared I think it would be pretty hard to generalize whitetail vs muley.
If you do get an older or gamey deer it's usually not something the right recipe and a slow cooker can't fix.
davlandrum
New member
Other variables as well - how hard was the recovery, did it take 6 hours to track it, or was it "Bang-start cutting"? Able to cool it in the field, how long did it hang before it was cut up, etc.
I can say I have never had a bad piece of elk venison, deer (mule and blacktail) mostly good, antelope I have never had a piece I enjoyed, but that is a very limited sample size for me.
I can say I have never had a bad piece of elk venison, deer (mule and blacktail) mostly good, antelope I have never had a piece I enjoyed, but that is a very limited sample size for me.
2damnold4this
New member
I like feral hogs that are eating acorns best.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Yep. I know antelope generally get the "gamey" tag thrown at them, but I haven't seen it at least where we hunt. Lots of sage in their diet.
My wife who is pretty picky likes antelope the best out of the three as well.
Hell, on my last hunting trip I had tags for three antelope and had taken two when my wife called me and said "Don't come home until you've take that third antelope!" and she meant it too.
IMHO;
If you take a prime Whitetail and a prime Muley, the Whitetail would win out. On both species, it does make a difference where they come from. There is even a difference between some Whitetails. The Midwest has some of best eating Whitetails and access to some kind of grain, makes the difference. I do take all game meat, on it's own merits. .....
Be Safe !!!
If you take a prime Whitetail and a prime Muley, the Whitetail would win out. On both species, it does make a difference where they come from. There is even a difference between some Whitetails. The Midwest has some of best eating Whitetails and access to some kind of grain, makes the difference. I do take all game meat, on it's own merits. .....
Be Safe !!!
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Fat White Boy
New member
2DO4T- I agree! Wild pork is the best!!! I hunt them on the Central California coast where there are a ton of oak trees. If I go at the right time of the year, they have been feeding on barley grown in the area. Good stuff...
Crankylove
New member
I have never tried any Whitetail meat, only mountain bred Mulies so far, so I couldn't really give a preference on deer.
Speed goats are by far my favorite wild game, followed closely by Elk. Moose, Caribou, Bear, Deer and Buffalo are pretty good as well...........but nothin comes close to Antelope.
Speed goats are by far my favorite wild game, followed closely by Elk. Moose, Caribou, Bear, Deer and Buffalo are pretty good as well...........but nothin comes close to Antelope.
longranger
New member
Best eating deer is the Columbian Blacktail from the west coast in my opinion then a fat river bottom alfalfa fed Montana/Wyoming Mulie doe.Then a fat crop fed Whitetail doe,worst eating animal I ever had was a W.Virginia Whitetail buck that was in the rut and eating acorns,he smelled so bad he woke up my buddy who had been asleep in the blind..:barf:
IDAHO83501
New member
Whitetails better here
I live in an area where we have both Whitetail and Mule deer. Both eat grass, wheat, barley, lentils, oats, and garbonzo beans, as well as other food sources in our canyons and pastures. Overall, the Mule deer a little harder to eat, in fact I usually give away most all of the meat from a mule deer. Now keep in mind I only shoot mature bucks, so my sampling is working with the toughest type of deer venison with both whitetails and mule deer. Doe hunter may have a different experience than me.
I live in an area where we have both Whitetail and Mule deer. Both eat grass, wheat, barley, lentils, oats, and garbonzo beans, as well as other food sources in our canyons and pastures. Overall, the Mule deer a little harder to eat, in fact I usually give away most all of the meat from a mule deer. Now keep in mind I only shoot mature bucks, so my sampling is working with the toughest type of deer venison with both whitetails and mule deer. Doe hunter may have a different experience than me.
longranger
New member
I get 1 doe tag for every buck tag,if all your eating is bucks they are not the best available for eating.Of the bucks I do eat the Columbian Blacktail is the best I have eaten.
The past couple of years the whitetail I have taken has been feeding on barley grain. They are pretty tastey for sure!
I find the level of stress the animal is under during the death has something to do with it as well. If the animal is wounded and runs and runs or if it is a bang-flop. Shot in the bed is best if you can. And how quickly the meat is cooled plays a part. So many factors play into how the meat tastes.
Overall, I'd pick grain-fed whitetail over any mule deer. But I'll shoot a couple mule deer this season for sausage!
I find the level of stress the animal is under during the death has something to do with it as well. If the animal is wounded and runs and runs or if it is a bang-flop. Shot in the bed is best if you can. And how quickly the meat is cooled plays a part. So many factors play into how the meat tastes.
Overall, I'd pick grain-fed whitetail over any mule deer. But I'll shoot a couple mule deer this season for sausage!
Thought I should add these pictures since we are talking about eating deer. I took this guy in 2006 from dad's milo fields. He had at least 1/4" of fat covering most of his back and hind quarters. I pulled a chunk of fat off of his tenderloins the size of a football when I processed him. I was able to let him age a week as well in a neighbors walk in cooler. Best eating deer I've ever had, meat was so tender that you could cut it with a fork. Sure would like to get another one, too bad it takes nearly 5 years to draw that area for a buck tag.
Gunplummer
New member
I have to agree with everyone else, it depends what the deer was feeding on. A whitetail that fed on acorns almost exclusively around here will have really yellow fat and can get a bitter taste to it. Feeding on crops it is usually a white colored fat.
shredder4286
New member
taylorce1, that was a muley, right? i haven't seen a whole lot of them, but i noticed he had a little black tip on his tail. nice buck for sure! hopefully i'll get a shot at one like him when i get back!! i can't wait!!!