Is my buddies meat bad?

[Fisherhahn]

When I first started out I really didn’t like deer meat at all. I hardly ate any of my first deer. I loved hunting though and for several years donated every deer I shot to feeding the homeless. Still do sometimes. Then, I got into some good jerky and snack sticks from a friend. I would have the entire thing ground for a couple years. Then started enjoying some back straps. Realized if I processed the deer myself, trimmed it up good, I really enjoy it. It can be a progression when it comes to how much you care about the meat.

 

[BuckHunter24]

Damn! I wish I was a perfect as some of the people on this forum! I throw gamebags in the freezer all the time. Usually, I cut everything up in Jan/Feb. Never been an issue.

If the meat was good when frozen it should be fine now minus a little bit that could have been freezer burned.

Most of the butchers that I have watched, throw away way more meat than I ever have letting it sit in the freezer for a few months.

The vast majority of people cut and wrap or otherwise package their meat before freezing it. Freezing it exposed to the air is a poor practice, letting it sit 9 or 10 months before processing it is especially out of the ordinary.

 

[Azone]

Keep it together guys! Keep it together! Most of you will be elk hunting in a few weeks, life will be better. It was a rookie blunder, we all remember our first time, none of us were experts with our meat and I damn sure wasn’t an expert with my buddies meat. Live and learn and life goes on.

 

[Ryan Avery]

The vast majority of people cut and wrap or otherwise package their meat before freezing it. Freezing it exposed to the air is a poor practice, letting it sit 9 or 10 months before processing it is especially out of the ordinary.

So you have never tried it that way?

 

[Ryan Avery]

This elk meat was frozen in a game bag for five months before I cut it up. Can you guys tell? I hate the internet most days....

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[y_stephenm]

Whats a good resource for someone without a hunting mentor to learn on their own how to harvest meat? For a first time hunter? Any particularly solid YouTube videos or maybe a book?

 

[BuckHunter24]

So you have never tried it that way?

No I haven't. I didn't think it would be a controversial viewpoint. After OP's 2nd post it seemed like a new hunter made a mistake, Im surprised to hear experienced hunters do it intentionally. It was also surprising to me that the meat would sit that long before any of it being eaten.

 

[Rich M]

Ignore the bs.

Meat will be fine and can be refrozen once processed.

 

[204guy]

This elk meat was frozen in a game bag for five months before I cut it up. Can you guys tell? I hate the internet most days....

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@Tanya Avery. Does Ryan always eat right off the microwave tray?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Tell him to take them to a processor. The processor should be able to salvage whatever is good and make some sausage or whatever.

If anyone watches those shows like the Last Alaskans, its nothing for them to put quarters of a moose or caribou up on an elevated cache with hooves and hair still on the legs and throw a tarp over it. That's their freezer. I don't believe everything I see on TV, but that seems pretty legit.

 

[Will_m]

There are a lot of people here who mean well but don’t know anything about meat care. I too handle mine carefully, keeping it clean and sealing it tight to freeze. But DAMN some of you people act like this fellow shot it, took a picture with it and threw it in the trash. You can get away with a lot more leeway on meat than you think.

 

[JG358]

Not ideally how I'd like to do it but it's fine. I've waited months before butchering, sometimes time just gets away.

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[tdhanses]

@Tanya Avery. Does Ryan always eat right off the microwave tray?

Believe it is a glass bowl.

 

[Ryan Avery]

No I haven't. I didn't think it would be a controversial viewpoint. After OP's 2nd post it seemed like a new hunter made a mistake, Im surprised to hear experienced hunters do it intentionally. It was also surprising to me that the meat would sit that long before any of it being eaten.

I think the biggest issue is people love to say things without actually having first hand knowledge. I would love to cut and wrap it as its shot. But we shoot 3-5 elk a year plus that many deer. My falls are busy and I won’t take it to a butcher. So most years it’s waits till mid winter. I haven’t noticed anymore waste or taste difference from the freezer over cutting it up from the cooler.

 

[Ryan Avery]

@Tanya Avery. Does Ryan always eat right off the microwave tray?

No, but she was mocking me for my portion size.

 

[Deadfall]

Great way to cure meat actually...

 

[Rob5589]

No, but she was mocking me for my portion size.

It did look a touch on the light side. Beach season is over, eat up!

 

[Felix40]

I think the biggest issue is people love to say things without actually having first hand knowledge. I would love to cut and wrap it as its shot. But we shoot 3-5 elk a year plus that many deer. My falls are busy and I won’t take it to a butcher. So most years it’s waits till mid winter. I haven’t noticed anymore waste or taste difference from the freezer over cutting it up from the cooler.

That seems to be getting more common on this site than it used to be. Not to mention spewing names at someone they have no first hand knowledge of.

OP- My elk from last year was frozen 2 months in game bags before I messed with it. I just didn’t have anywhere to thaw it out easily. Once I got around to putting a heater in the shop and thawing it out...low and behold IT WAS GREAT.

 

[Grumman]

I’m picky as can be and always process my own meat. I have passed up hunting or killing animals due to knowing my work schedule wouldn’t allow me time to fully process it. I’m happy to learn folks are successful with the freezing option then processing later. More options.


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[feanor]

My Momma always said putting the meat in the freezer bloody and raw was okay.