Eating coyote: crazy idea?

[miggles]

Hey guys,

I'm relatively new to hunting and to Rokslide (but I was one of the ladies who participated in the push up contest, yay!). I've got a question that I want the wisdom and input of this crowd on.

I mostly hunt in desert areas, which leaves me a few options... mulies, jackrabbits, and coyotes are the main ones on the list. I've been hunting jackrabbits, and, counter to a lot of the wives tales I read about eating them, when properly cooked in the slow/pressure cooker, they actually taste fantastic. It's a flavor very close to beef, though more lean.

Anyway, for a while now I've been considering starting coyote hunting. I really love their pelts and would be really excited to learn how to tan the hide and make myself a hat or a vest. But, I really only want to kill an animal if I plan on eating it... I like to make the most out of what I kill. And I am a pretty adventurous eater and love cooking new things. However, I had ultimately decided to write off hunting coyotes, because I read on other forums that either they taste bad or 'you shouldn't' for various vague health reasons. I heard both statements about jackrabbits, too, but was at least able to find more evidence that people do eat them and that tularemia isn't going to kill every person that looks at a rabbit wrong (as long as proper meat care safety is taken). For coyotes, I couldn't really find many people saying that they tasted ok until recently, when I came across this MeatEater clip:

[video=youtube;zaHxYlcjICA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaHxYlcjICA[/video]

I think Steve does a questionable preparation in this one (cooking with hair still on!? I would've tossed that in the slow cooker with some BBQ spices...), and still reports it to be ok.

So that video got me thinking again, and I dug a bit deeper into the internet... it seems that some people have and do eat coyote and they basically fall into 3 camps: a) unpalatable b) tolerable or c) quite good. I'm guessing that preparation and meat care probably play a role in determining whether someone reports a, b, or c, but I can't know for sure as few people actually describe what they've done in detail.

So, I have a few questions for you guys:

1) Have you ever eaten coyote? If so, how did it taste? How was it prepared and cared for?

2) If you haven't eaten coyote, but have killed them, what keeps you from eating the meat? Obviously there are personal reasons (the animal looks like man's best friend, personally find it gross, etc.). I'm interested in any objective reasons why one would choose not to eat it (health concerns?).

3) If you haven't killed a coyote, and haven't eaten one... would you? Why or why not?

I definitely trust what you guys have to say... so let's hear it!

Thanks

 

[Trr15]

I've only ever killed one coyote. Didn't eat it, and don't really think I would unless I absolutely had to. They're dogs, and nasty ones at that (at least the one I shot was - mangy and sick looking). I agree with the whole eat what you kill motto, but I also believe in predator control, which is the sole reason I have/will shoot a coyote. Actually planning to start predator hunting regularly.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I have not killed one or eaten one. My brother in law killed one and gave the meat to his friend who ate it. My brother in law and I talked about it but couldn't get over it being basically a dog. His friend cooked it in a slow cooker and said it tasted like a much leaner slightly tougher beef. They are one of very few animals that I will kill everyone I run across whether I plan on eating it or not as they decimate deer and turkey populations. After reading a bit more on it I'd probably eat it. In restaurants that serve it, it is called canideson (not sure on the spelling).

 

[brewer427]

One of my Grandmas owns a Ranch in Richey, MT and I use to go down there every summer for 6 weeks. ONE time we shot a coyote and my grandma put some meat in a crockpot with BBQ sauce and some other spices and made a pulled coyote sandwich. I will never eat coyote again, not a fan of the taste at all.

 

[Beendare]

I've never eaten coyotes...

FWIW, you will see all kinds of comments where one guy likes it....and others don't; case in point. I was bowhunting with a buddy on the big island and I shot a couple hogs and a couple of those hawaiian sheep [corsicans by some] big rutting males. My buddy, a hardcore native wanted to keep all of the meat [saying, "Its excellent"] which made for a bit of a nightmare pack out on his old army packboard but- when we got back to his place and he cooked it up- I couldn't even stand the stuff in my mouth [and I eat just about everything] the smell alone was enough to give me the dry heaves. Strongest most pungent meat I've ever put in my mouth...but he liked it- go figure. I stuck to the thin sliced Ahi one of his buddies dropped off in payment for some fighting chicken blades.....

Bottom line, there is always someone that will like something......you never know until you try it

 

[charvey9]

I've never eaten yote, but wouldn't be afraid to try. Like any meateater, I'm sure the health concern is trichinosis so you'd need to be sure to cook it really well. My guess is the backstrap probably wouldn't be too bad. I'm not much of a cook, but have found that marinating in lemon juice for an hour or so really removes a lot of the gamey taste and tenderizes most meat.

 

[Shrek]

I've killed a bunch of coyotes over the years and they all smelled bad at best and some would make you want to hurl. No way I could eat any of them. I'll kill every one I can for predator control but I going to pass eating them.

 

[Shrek]

I've eaten racoon and it was pretty good in stewd tomatoes and okra over rice but the possum ..not so good.

 

[AZ Vince]

While I've eaten dog I cannot bring myself to eat a coyote.

 

[IrishnId]

No. Ain't gonna do it. Ya don't eat coyote. Or ground squirrels. Or rock chucks. Or prairie dogs. No.

 

[cleatus]

I have killed a bunch of yotes and eatin one never crossed my mind. If I was starving and all I could find to eat was a coyote I'm still not sure if I would. All of them I have killed would have made a skunks arse smell pretty good. Just my 2 cents. I do respect that you want eat what you kill.

 

[drthornton]

Filing this away until the Zombie Apocalypse then I'll try it.

As for the smell....I've killed plenty of wild feral hogs that smelled just as bad as any Coyote I've killed and they taste great.

 

[ftballman125]

Filing this away until the Zombie Apocalypse then I'll try it.

As for the smell....I've killed plenty of wild feral hogs that smelled just as bad as any Coyote I've killed and they taste great.

I'm always amused by people who say 'coyotes are so disgusting, they smell so bad, eat all sorts of things... eww'. I often catch them then later saying 'mmm, I do love me some bacon.' I haven't eaten coyote. But I have eaten pig. And from my reckoning, coyotes are no more disgusting than pigs, probably less so. I doubt coyotes quite taste like bacon though... but I'd give it a shot if given the opportunity.

 

[sojourner]

I've never eaten yote but I've eaten dog a number of times and it is surprisingly palatable.

 

[ftballman125]

While I've eaten dog I cannot bring myself to eat a coyote.

No. Ain't gonna do it. Ya don't eat coyote. Or ground squirrels. Or rock chucks. Or prairie dogs. No.

Care to elaborate on why? Just feel that they are too gross?

 

[AZ Vince]

Care to elaborate on why? Just feel that they are too gross?

Just too gross and I'm not hard up enough yet.
Domestic dog on the other hand is quite good and I'll be sure to avail myself of that gustatory delight the next time I'm in the Orient.

 

[IrishnId]

I've got nothing against anyone else eating it just not me. I've skinned enough coyotes that the texture and smell of there meat just doesn't appeal. Squirrels, rock chucks, and prairie dogs that I've shot have always been loaded with fleas and are a host animal to some nasty parasites. I understand bear and pig are as well but its just whats in my head. The water rodents meat always smelled good to me though. Skinning a beaver always leaves a sweet smell on my hands. Can't wait to give that go sometime.

 

[Shrek]

I'm all about eating some beaver ......

 

[IrishnId]

I figured someone would go that route.

 

[boom]

i watched that episode.

IF i was gonna shoot a coyote and eat it..that method of cooking wouldnt be my choice for the maiden voyage. i'd use more butter and wine