From field to fork, first taste of this years Mule deer. (CWD free!!) pics incl

noregard

A bit of a celebration here tonight as the test results for my mule deer finally came back yesterday, negative!  It's been a long 2 months waiting to get a taste of this old bruiser, but worth it, he was delicious.  We haven't been totally without though, I also harvested 2 white tails this year and they've been equally good.

Here's some before and afters…

Bruiser was marinated for one hour in red wine, soy sauce and worchestershire.  Then rubbed in a little oil, salt and pepper.

Also did some spuds, EVOO, sliced and stuffed with slices of onion and a little butter, salt and pepper.  Wrapped in foil, raised indirect at 425, almost one hour.

Here it is plated with some fresh tomatoes and broccolini boiled then quick fried with garlic.  And paired with a  bottle of Quails Gate ( Kelowna B.C.) - Old Vines Foch, 2011.  Love this wine, we should have brought more back last summer when we were there.

The entire dinner was great.  First time doing a potato like this and it was really good.  The muley was excellent as well, I was worried because he was well rutted up and travelling with 9 ladies when I shot him.  A good way to go IMO. :-/"

Also made about 40lbs of venison sausage yesterday, a few new recipes I'm trying.

Zuma

That is an awesome Buck.   Congrats I went to Nebraska this fall in Oct. and it was about 75 degrees everyday.    No luck for me but well done my fellow hunter.   Love it.

stemc33

Very nice. :-bd What is this test you mention?

noregard

@ Zuma, thanks.  I was very happy to get him, especially after 5 days of -30* hunting and seeing next to nothing.  Deer populations are way down, we've had several hard winters in a row lately, combined with spreading CWD.  

@stemc33, Chronic Wasting Disease.  It's a disease that's spreading through some states and provinces here.  Carried in deer (old mule bucks especially) and elk, it is contained in the spinally fluids/tissue brain matter of the infected animal and causes them to waste away and die.  It's never been transmitted to humans, but the fish and wildlife/government mandate testing in the know areas and strongly urge you to not eat the meat from contaminated animals.

I've been waiting two months for my results to get back, and am very happy to have a clear conscience while enjoying this animal.  

Muley grossed 192".

Cheers!

stemc33

@noregard, just glanced at the Wyoming regs. Didn't see anything about having to test, just rules on transporting an animal into other hunting areas and rules for dumping in a landfill. Basically, can't cross contaminate. It did mention testing stations, but seems like it was more for research than food safety. I just had to ask because I live amongst several hunters and never heard of them waiting for test, just complaining about the processor if they didn't butcher themselves.

noregard

@stemc33, ya, it's not something a lot of the guys I hunt with worry about.  I turned my head in partially with the hopes of getting another tag for next year.  (if it tests positive and you turn your meat in they'll issue you a new tag, no need to wait 2-3 years for another draw).  I was on the fence about if I would have eaten it had the results come back positive, my wife said she wouldn't.

I've heard about some outrageous costs from taking animals to a butcher to be processed, very happy to do it all on my own.  

Dyal_SC

Awesome!!! Nice deer!

NPHuskerFL

Beautiful

NPHuskerFL

Beautiful Muley! That's a hearty plating. Spectacular! =D>

noregard

Here's another pic from that trip that I like.

noregard

@nphuskerfl,  thanks a lot.  I'm alway drooling over you're pics.

NPHuskerFL

Last time I saw a Muley it was in a herd while pheasant hunting in the Sandhills outside of North Platte NE. Beautiful powerful and majestic animals. And very tasty.

NPHuskerFL

Awesome pics!!!

NPHuskerFL

OBTW I'm drooling over the shots of the Muley sausage! =P~ You know my weakness.

Lindley

Fantastic trophy buck!!

Great looking meal too. I will have to try your potato method.

noregard

 The sausage is actually white tail, didn't have the test results back yet to process the muley.  It'll be coming later this year, something to look forward to.

I'm going to get some sausage on the egg tomorrow hopefully. I already have one trouble call lined up for the morning, but hoping to get cooking after that.  We did a few links on my friends Treager today while casting bullets at his shop, first taste seemed pretty good.

johnmitchell

Awesome post..Great ...Thanks for sharing. :-c

cook861

nice meal 

UrbanForestTurnings

Wow nice deer and cook. Do you live in heaven or what?

noregard

@urbanforestturnings, close… Southern Alberta baby!!!  We've got it all.

Until just this moment I've alway thought your handle was UrbanForestThings.   It seems the whiskeys have improved my reading comprehension.  Cheers!

UrbanForestTurnings

It don't help my eyes. I have had to play wolf on my arm in the past. I never went to bed with an ugly chick. But I have woken up to a few @-)

noregard

Ummmm…. not me?   )

4Runner

@noregard - didn't know about the CWD but I think you made a wise decision to test. Meal looks great. I'm giving those taters a try. How does the mulie meat compare to whitetail?

UrbanForestTurnings

Must be hard as hell up north to see what you are getting in the winter. Just like Christmas I guess. Just unwrap it and see what you got.

noregard

@4runner, you never know with mule deer, they can be quite strong (often very sagey), but this old brute was DELICIOUS!  Still have only had the one meal, but I'm sure it'll all be good.  I'm VERY fortunate in that my wife will eat everything I am able to bring home, she was a little nervous about how the big mule would taste but she was all good with it as well.  

I honestly don't understand how so many people are turned off at the taste of wild game, many of my long time/very dedicated hunting friends included.  I know a few guys who butcher their deer with the motto of "my knife doesn't touch bone" (i.e.. they only take very minimal cuts of meat off the animal), and what they do take goes into nothing but sausage, mixed 50% with pork!  

@urbanforestturnings, ya, you never know.  November and December where pretty harsh here, but January was pretty mild, and February has been a cake walk so far.  It's +12 C here today, we've got no snow left…but the chinook wind has been around 40-60mph the last few days, off and on.

UrbanForestTurnings

I love the cold. In Cincinnati no one comes out if it's in the 20s. . No Florida for me when I retire

noregard

you mean -20s right?

UrbanForestTurnings

Nope they just can't hang

UrbanForestTurnings

And when it rains the interstates shut down. Worst drivers ever