Do mule deer stink?

[gloszz]

Shot my first mulie buck today with a bow. ( arrow is broke. And toast! ) It was in agricultural fields and for some reason when I started to skin it and gut it, it stinks! I slit the throat and the blood stank. Kind of like stinky poop. I thought maybe it was because I dragged it through some mud that cows walk through but the lungs, liver and heart all stink.

Is this just the way it is? Or is there something genuinely wrong....? Small buck and rut hasn't started so I don't know...


Thanks!

[smith88]

Not gut shot? I have never felt mule deer stink besides a rutted up old buck

[hal53]

Originally Posted by gloszz

Shot my first mulie buck today with a bow. ( arrow is broke. And toast! ) It was in agricultural fields and for some reason when I started to skin it and gut it, it stinks! I slit the throat and the blood stank. Kind of like stinky poop. I thought maybe it was because I dragged it through some mud that cows walk through but the lungs, liver and heart all stink.

Is this just the way it is? Or is there something genuinely wrong....? Small buck and rut hasn't started so I don't know...


Thanks!

Why would you "slit the throat"?... especially on an archery kill?

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by hal53

Why would you "slit the throat"?... especially on an archery kill?

Well why not? When I did there was still a ton of blood coming out. Would rather that blood come out than be left in the meat.

[jungleboy]

In my experience I always found that Mule deer can be a little skanky smelling compared to WT.Although once you get the hide off that is not the case. I always thought a Mule deer was better tasting than WT though .

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by gloszz

Well why not? When I did there was still a ton of blood coming out. Would rather that blood come out than be left in the meat.

If the heart stops beating...they don’t “bleed” anymore...no need to slit the throat, that blood is likely from a chest wound

LC

[Jalan]

Tarsal gland?

[El Carnicero]

Was it eating Silage??

When we slaughter beef at work that have been fed a high amount of silage in their diet they absolutely wreak when we gut them. not the blood or tissues themselves but when the throats are cut, as you did in the instance, and when they drag the guts away.

As soon as the gasses from the stomach are released into the air, via throat cut or punctured stomach it just stinks to high heaven.

Could this potentially be what you are smelling and not realize it?
If you are unsure of the smell of silage it smells very powerful, almost acidic if it is strong enough, and very much like a strongly fermented almost rotten fruit or veggie.

Check your lymph nodes and if they don't appear to be enlarged, and there is a decent amount of fat cover and muscling on the body you should be fine to eat it. If you find when you eat it there is a stronger than normal taste or an off flavor, dump it.

[bluetick]

mule deer stink before during and after ! plain and simple . Eating the even the sausage from mule deer is stronger than White tail.

[buckman]

I have shot a couple that do have an aroma of a smell that is distinctly Muledeerish.

I have shot a good number that had no distinct smell also.

However I have never eaten one of any age,sex or time of year that I found particularly tasty,they have a flavor all of their own.

[blgoodbrand1]

Originally Posted by gloszz

Well why not? When I did there was still a ton of blood coming out. Would rather that blood come out than be left in the meat.

A quick review of death via hemorrhage, which is the basis of how a broadhead works, would answer your question.


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[gloszz]

Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1

A quick review of death via hemorrhage, which is the basis of how a broadhead works, would answer your question.


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Well I tracked it, was bleeding a lot and when I stumbled upon it, it was still alive so obviously I must have made it bleed, but not bad enough. Plus why let it bleed out when I can just cut its throat and put it out of its misery?

I made the mistake of starting to track it almost immediately, won't be doing that again. Apparently you are supposed to wait half an hour but it was getting dark and I wanted to find it before it was night.

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by El Carnicero

Was it eating Silage??

When we slaughter beef at work that have been fed a high amount of silage in their diet they absolutely wreak when we gut them. not the blood or tissues themselves but when the throats are cut, as you did in the instance, and when they drag the guts away.

As soon as the gasses from the stomach are released into the air, via throat cut or punctured stomach it just stinks to high heaven.

Could this potentially be what you are smelling and not realize it?
If you are unsure of the smell of silage it smells very powerful, almost acidic if it is strong enough, and very much like a strongly fermented almost rotten fruit or veggie.

Check your lymph nodes and if they don't appear to be enlarged, and there is a decent amount of fat cover and muscling on the body you should be fine to eat it. If you find when you eat it there is a stronger than normal taste or an off flavor, dump it.

You know I cannot be sure what it ate. I know the guts smelled horrible. It was bloated when I brought it home which was an hour after death, I did not gut it becasue the fellow has cattle walking around that field and did not want to make a gut pile on his property. The hams do not smell, it seems like the inside of the body cavity and all the offal smells of a pigsty...

[blgoodbrand1]

It’s because you shot it through the guts and then left them in while you toured around. ???


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[gloszz]

Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1

It’s because you shot it through the guts and then left them in while you toured around. ???


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No, I did not gut shoot it haha.

[blgoodbrand1]

Originally Posted by gloszz

No, I did not gut shoot it haha.

Ya sure about that? Sure sounds like it.


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[gloszz]

Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1

Ya sure about that? Sure sounds like it.


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If a double lung shot and hit the front shoulder is a gut shot then next time I will try to go for the eye.

I am sure I did not gut shoot it. I may have nicked it yesterday when skinning but none of the juices went onto the meat. I would know if I gut shot it, and I do not think that is the case here.

[blgoodbrand1]

Ok boss. I’m out. #fishon


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[220 Swift]

are you in the grasslands areas?

I shot a doe in the Turin- Enchant area years ago when I lived there and had a higher sage smell than the mule deer here in SE Sask.

[mediumrare]

Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1

It’s because you shot it through the guts and then left them in while you toured around. ???


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Too funny

[FinnDawg]

Originally Posted by gloszz

You know I cannot be sure what it ate. I know the guts smelled horrible. It was bloated when I brought it home which was an hour after death, I did not gut it becasue the fellow has cattle walking around that field and did not want to make a gut pile on his property. The hams do not smell, it seems like the inside of the body cavity and all the offal smells of a pigsty...

Should have gut it right away. I don’t think ranchers really care all that much about a gut pile, it won’t be there long. If your worried about attracting coyotes I wouldn’t, it’s not going to attract any more then what are already there. Also look into the Gutless method.

[Battle Rat]

My son shot one and the smell just about brought tears to my eyes.
After a week of hanging, the odour was gone from the cooler.
We fried a couple of test steaks and they were great.

[capper]

the mule deer I’ve shot also had a strong odour. Only shot 3-4 as I’m not a huge fan of the taste or smell of the meat. Personally I think they stink when you shoot them, while they hang in the garage, and when you go to cook it lol. I’m sure there ar exceptions but all of my experience tells me they have a serious funk to them lol

[220 Swift]

^^Adding vinegar to the frying pan will help with the smell you mentioned while cooking.

[EZM]

The rut, adrenaline of a long wounded animal, the food it ate and keeping the warm guts inside the body cavity all contribute to a little bit of funk. But what you are describing would alarm me.

I prefer Elk/Moose meat to ANY deer I've ever had - to me they are far more gamey - even if everything goes perfect - clean quick kill, cool day, guts out with no errant nicks, etc...

I don't think, however, I have ever had one stink as you described.

[Supergrit]

I always see them in canaola fields and they kind of smell to me maybe it carried over a bit into the deer muscles organs etc

[petew]

The smell of hot blood from any critter stinks, it's just part of hunting. Don't expect the inside to smell like old spice.

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by petew

The smell of hot blood from any critter stinks, it's just part of hunting. Don't expect the inside to smell like old spice.

Haha I know that. I've taken apart more geese, pigs, ducks and chickens than I can count. Plus not my first deer. I think my dad nicked the bladder cuz now to think of it, kinda smells like urine mixed with guys. Not much meat went to waste as I have already taken it apart. Arrows do a bunch of damage haha. Shoulder is completely shattered.

[Stinky Coyote]

There’s a bit of unpleasantness to absorb before it gets on the fork lol

Love hate love again

[MyAlberta]

They might be into some mouldy grain. Bloating is a reaction that can produce some awful rank odors. Probably had a belly ack. Give the cavity a good rinse and hang. The sweetness of the meat should be prominent in a few days.