Mule deer meat
- Thread starter EZ7
- Start date
I doubt you would notice any difference between the two unless you were eating them side by side. I think a lot of it is in people's heads. Of course a rutted out muley isn't going to be as good as a whitetail during an early bow season, but that works both ways.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Mule Deer meat is awful, my dog won't even eat it!!! Stay home, don't come out here and hunt!!!! LOL
Seriously, I doubt if you could tell the difference. I've killed both Whitetails and Mule Deer and I can't tell any difference. It's all in how you take care of you meat.....IMHO.
Seriously, I doubt if you could tell the difference. I've killed both Whitetails and Mule Deer and I can't tell any difference. It's all in how you take care of you meat.....IMHO.
birdhunter
Active Member
Many people around here say that whitetails are way better eating. I think it also depends on they live. If you shoot a mule deer on a scrub brush mountain side, it will taste worse than a whitetail taken off an alfalfa field. I have fed my in-laws (who wont eat mule deer) the two side by side and they chose the mule deer. They still to this day think I got the meat mixed up and they are right.
bern0134
Member
tdcour
Veteran member
I agree with CC that it all depends on how you take care of the meat. Dad and I shot a mule deer and an antelope a day apart and took them to the processor together last year. I never knew which one I was eating, but I do know they tasted great!
Musket Man
Veteran member
I think deer from grass or farm country tastes the best. That said I have never had any mule deer that I thought didnt taste good. caring for it properly is very important too. You can make any meat taste bad if its not taken care of right. How you cook it has alot to do with it too. Mule deer and whitetails arent as bad but I grew up hunting black tails and they are very easy to dry the meat out. With them thinner pieces of meat turn out alot better. Thicker pieces get to dried out on the outside before the middle gets done.
Topgun 30-06
Banned
I grew up eating mule deer. Most will probably think I'm crazy but I prefer it over elk
Yep, you're crazy, LOL!
Multi-SpeciesHunter
Member
I live in eastern ND and our deer basically just eat with the cattle haha. But this year I went to western ND and got a mulie. My dad and I were skeptical, but...it's better than our whitetail sausage we eat! We honestly like it more.. I'm assuming it's just about how the meat is taken care of.
CrimsonArrow
Very Active Member
I've eaten whitetail from several states and provinces, and never had a bad tasting one. I've had muley from North Dakota that tasted pretty good, but my big buck from Colorado was pretty rank. The meat was well-cared for, but he was an old buck living around 9500 feet in dark timber and aspen. Unless the meat was heavily seasoned or marinated, I would be able to tell the difference any day.
Eberle
Veteran member
JEandAsGuide
Active Member
Had mule deer for the first time at my house tonight. If was a hit with everyone, especially the little man.
MWScott72
Active Member
Love that photo!
I've had both and it's hard to tell the difference. An ag country whitetail and high country muley pretty much taste the same. I imagine the sage brush muleys might be stronger, but I don't hunt the sagebrush lowlands.
Call me crazy but my favorite wild game has become antelope. I love the stuff! My last two goats have been every bit as good as elk (cows too). I process my own meat, so I know it's taken care of.
I've had both and it's hard to tell the difference. An ag country whitetail and high country muley pretty much taste the same. I imagine the sage brush muleys might be stronger, but I don't hunt the sagebrush lowlands.
Call me crazy but my favorite wild game has become antelope. I love the stuff! My last two goats have been every bit as good as elk (cows too). I process my own meat, so I know it's taken care of.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
Whoever told you that just doesn't want you to come out to mule deer hunt. ;-)
It is completely how the meat is cared for. Way back in the day (old B&W photos) guys would drive all over with a deer strapped to the hood of their car for days. One time I stopped to talk to another antelope hunter in Wyoming and he had two does in the back that were bloated out like balloons. Can you imagine eating a beef after treating it that way?
My dad taught me to be meticulous in caring for venison, and I'd have to say I've never eaten a bad deer, moose, antelope, sheep, caribou, mountain goat, elk, etc….
It is completely how the meat is cared for. Way back in the day (old B&W photos) guys would drive all over with a deer strapped to the hood of their car for days. One time I stopped to talk to another antelope hunter in Wyoming and he had two does in the back that were bloated out like balloons. Can you imagine eating a beef after treating it that way?
My dad taught me to be meticulous in caring for venison, and I'd have to say I've never eaten a bad deer, moose, antelope, sheep, caribou, mountain goat, elk, etc….
ddress00
Member
No difference to me. I prefer it myself. Whitetail is amazing, but there is something extra in mule deer that tastes great!!
jenbickel
Veteran member
Thanks! Speaking of deer meat prep made me wanna share this burger recipe of my uncles. I may just be late to the table on this one but for those of you that haven't mixed a batch of this up you've gotta try it. I mix in a pound of bacon ends with 3-4 lbs of deer meat as I'm grinding it. Then for every 20lbs I mix in a jar of hogie spread. I am addicted to this burger. Before this I never made just plain deer burgers on the grill. Just added it in with meals (spagetti,etc.). These things are juicy, a little spicy and delicious!
