Thread: Gamey Fallow?

Originally Posted by JesseYoung

Early April had the week off to do a bit of hunting. Wasn't having too much luck with the roaring red stags and was getting itchy to shoot something so I change tack and went in search of a good meat animal. Had a good stalk through one of my local spot X's and shot a young fallow, figured he'd be a good eater... but I was wrong. First thing I noticed was he had gigantic nuts for a young lad ;D. Anyway gutted him, cooled him, hung him in some Kawakawa bushes for the evening. Carried out the next morning and butchered him destined for a couple of days ageing, then vac-packed and in to the freezer. So I've been eating it lately but shit is he a gamey bugger, when cooking, smells like I've sprinkled a little secret ingredient of red stag ball-sack and a splash of wallow juice in there! tastes much the same. Bit gutted to be honest.
I've shot an eaten a lot of venison in my time as a hunter but have never had an animal taste so much like that, especially a young animal, what's going on??
Can I save it by hiding its flavour in salami's, sausages etc?

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I give any stag or buck the sniff test - if the meat smells manky I dont take it out - some in roar especially early roar are fine to eat - Its maybe just how much they have been rarked up - if manky smelling in my experience nothing will change the taste