So I've hunted some over the years but never really got into it. That said I like food! So what's your favorite game meat?

I’ve done my fair share of hunting over the years. Still do.

 

I personally like pheasant and ruffed grouse the best. Venison tenderloin is pretty good too if it’s the right deer. Some venison is down right terrible though.

 

I’ve heard sand hill crane referred to as “rib-eye of the sky.” I’ve never had it. Maybe someone who has had it can confirm or deny this.

Elk chops or chicken fried squirrel. Little fellas in my backyard don’t know how close they are…

16 minutes ago, VolFan said:

Elk chops or chicken fried squirrel. Little fellas in my backyard don’t know how close they are…

I've never had squirrel but I keep hearing how delicious they are.

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I personally like pheasant and ruffed grouse the best.

Ruffed grouse - nothing beats it in my book.

Chukar is as good as quail with more meat.  I’ll take either.

Rabbit

I’ve had smoked Caribou that was thin sliced like roast beef and that was by far the best. Elk would be number two. Venison three.

 

I’ve had buffalo too. It wasn’t a wild Buffalo but came off a ranch we hunted in Nebraska, and they weren’t fed grain, and just grazed over 20,00-30,000 acres. Pretty lean, but was good.

Pheasant, with partridge not far behind

Elk rib eye steak medium rare with bake sweet potatoe

 

Pot roasted Pintail

 

Black Bird Jambalaya 

 

Teal breast wrapped in bacon on the grill

 

Deer, rabbit, & squirrel sauce piquante cooked in a cast iron dutch over on a open fire.

My favorite is pork. The trick with squirrels is to feed them out on corn and sweet tea before processing them.?

12 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

I've never had squirrel but I keep hearing how delicious they are.

 

My wife feeds the squirrels on our back porch every morning.   I'll tell her what you said.  I think I know what her reaction will be.  ?

Probably ate quite a bit less than many members, but I feel game meat largely comes down to the individual animal.

 

I’ve had venison that was better than any steak I’ve ever had, and I’ve also ate some where there was no doubt that the meat came from a game animal. I imagine the diets, stress level, shot placement, etc. result in a lot more flavor variables than cattle or chicken all raised on the same feed and harvested in the same manner.

7 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

Probably ate quite a bit less than many members, but I feel game meat largely comes down to the individual animal.

 

I’ve had venison that was better than any steak I’ve ever had, and I’ve also ate some where there was no doubt that the meat came from a game animal. I imagine the diets, stress level, shot placement, etc. result in a lot more flavor variables than cattle or chicken all raised on the same feed and harvested in the same manner.

I agree with what your saying...definitely less consistency with wild game or fish. One thing I can't say I've experienced is a venison steak that's anywhere near as good as a prime rib eye from a meat locker.

A cousin brought some smoked venison backstraps to the last family reunion .  That disappeared fast . There was no going back for seconds . 

19 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ruffed grouse - nothing beats it in my book.

Ruffed grouse hands down for me..

I’ve had my fair share.  When I lived in Iowa, we had a game feed every year and had frog legs, venison, squirrel, turtle, bear, elk, coon, pheasant, quail and probably a few I am forgetting.  Personally, I like commercial meats but I hafta say I really enjoyed antelope.  

Wild Turkey.  Got to get the 151 though, that 101 is just for small children.  

There isn’t much wild game I don’t like, but I’d also say ruffed grouse are my favourite as well. Caribou is excellent, but I’ve had my share of venison and it’s also excellent, and readily available here too. 

I might even take the scattergun out for a wander in the bush tomorrow to see if I can find a ruffy or three!

55 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

I might even take the scattergun out for a wander in the bush tomorrow to see if I can find a ruffy or three!

I’m seriously impressed by anyone who regularly bags grouse.  I have the hardest time bagging those things with any consistency. I can usually flush enough, but most of the time I don’t even see them, much less get off a reasonable shot. I’m pretty good at putting rooster pheasants in my bag come November, but grouse are significantly tougher. I feel like a well trained pointer would a valuable asset in the grouse woods. It would allow you to get into a good shooting position before the bird flushed.

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I’m seriously impressed by anyone who regularly bags grouse.

Can't go after them anymore - right-hand long-gun shooter and no right eye anymore.

 

But when I did hunt, usually came home with at least two and when a teen up in Bemidji area, one or two spruce grouse as well...course those have to be marinated a bit to get the flavor toned down, but the ruffed were just cleaned and roasted as-is with a dash of spices.

All of it! Been eating tons of mallard and speckle bellies lately , gifted by a buddy out near the MS river 

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

All of it! Been eating tons of mallard and speckle bellies lately , gifted by a buddy out near the MS river 

Do you eat store bought meat? Or just game and fish?

4 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Do you eat store bought meat? Or just game and fish?

I wish is was all wild! I have to eat grocery store meat too 

11 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

All of it! Been eating tons of mallard and speckle bellies lately , gifted by a buddy out near the MS river 

I’ve been waiting for you to chime in. But you did disappoint me. I was waiting for opossum or muskrat ?????