Which wild game meat tastes the best?

[fly2cast]

So I've been listening to a lot of MeatEater podcasts lately and the host Steve has gotten me thinking that I should be trying different kinds of game meat. He's eaten it all and says things like mountain lion is really good to eat.

So if you had to rank North American animals (other than fish) that you've eaten, how would you rank them by taste? I'm pretty limited to what I have tried but I would say:

1. Moose (by far the best. better than beef)
2. Cottontail Rabbit
3. Pheasant
4. Deer
5. Snapping Turtle
6. Goose
7. Grouse
8. Antelope (It's been awhile since I ate one but I remember it not being very good)
9. Ducks

I'm sure that I'm missing some that I've eaten. I would like to try squirrel, beaver and or course elk. If anybody has a fresh killed beaver around the Bismarck area that you would like to donate the meat too, let me know.

 

[zoops]

I would put mallard well above goose & grouse.

 

[Kurtr]

1.Duck/goose
2.elk(probably even better if i shot one my self)
3.cotton tail
4.deer
5.antelope
6.grouse
7.partridge
8.pheasant

 

[Meelosh]

Hard to choose honestly. Any and all wild game> store bought.

 

[MuleyMadness]

Moose is king as far as 4 legged creatures. Elk and Antelope are also good. Deer is probably the worst but still good if you know what you are doing. Anything you shot and cleaned and prepared all by yourself is always better.

 

[1bigfokker]

Caribou
Elk
Moose
Deer
Mallard
Sharptail

 

[measure-it]

best wild game

1-moose--needs to cook long for tender
2-huns--best game bird
3-pronghorn--if properly cared for after harvesting
4-elk--again, if tender
5-sandhill crane--young ones are much better
6-mtn lion--unique, delicate taste
7-mtn goat--very mild flavor
8-bison--(if this counts)--most underrated available red meat out there!

 

[KDM]

Great tasting wild game is COMPLETELY dependent on several factors:

1. The circumstances surrounding how the game was taken.
2. How the game was taken care of after being killed.
3. How was the game processed, packaged, and stored.
4. The abilities of whomever cooks the game.

Assuming quality events to the preceding factors, ALL wild game is superior to store bought IMO.

 

[Kentucky Windage]

I’d like to hear more about cottontails. I thought I heard that eating them in the winter is safer because of something they carry in the warmer months. I’d also like to hear about what parts are the tastiest and how they are prepared.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

1.moose
2.elk(probably even better if i shot one my self)
3.cotton tail
4.deer
5.antelope
6.

pheasant​

7.partridge
8.grouse

Fixed it for you. Sorry, duck/goose isn't going to make the top ten.

 

[fj40]

I found cottontails good year round. Jackrabbits used to carry tulerimia, or so I heard. Best meat on a cottontail is the back and hind legs. We used to dredge in flour, salt, pepper and fry like chicken. Other than that, I find pronghorn my favorite IF it is immediately skinned and cooled after being properly shot and killed.

 

[martinslanding]

Great tasting wild game is COMPLETELY dependent on several factors:

1. The circumstances surrounding how the game was taken.
2. How the game was taken care of after being killed.
3. How was the game processed, packaged, and stored.
4. The abilities of whomever cooks the game.

Assuming quality events to the preceding factors, ALL wild game is superior to store bought IMO.

^^^^this^^^^

Tenderloins from a corn/alfalfa fed white-tail deer with spots are considerably better than tenderloins from grizzled-aged sage fed Mule Deer...keep in mind I would not turn either down, however both fall into "deer" category.

 

[sd fisherman]

From the wild game I've eaten:

Elk
Ruffed Grouse
Cottontail
Pheasant
Squirrel
Huns
Bear
Whitetail deer
Goose
Duck

Woodcock is by far the worst!

 

[fly2cast]

for those of you who rank duck high, I sure would like to taste how you make it. I think I've made it quite a few different ways and have eaten it pretty raw (like people say to do) and I haven't eaten one that I think tastes good. However, to each their own.

 

[KDM]

for those of you who rank duck high, I sure would like to taste how you make it. I think I've made it quite a few different ways and have eaten it pretty raw (like people say to do) and I haven't eaten one that I think tastes good. However, to each their own.

Cut breast meat into thumb width strips, soak in Teriyaki sauce, olive oil, and minced garlic overnight. Remove excess marinade and place strips on HOT grill. When you finish placing strips on the grill, start flipping the first ones. When you finish flipping the strips, start removing the first ones. When you finish removing the strips, eat the strips with favorite side and a favorite beverage. Very not bad.

 

[Allen]

Lots of things are edible, but I can only rank what I've tried enough of to get a good sampling of cooking efforts:

1. Elk
2. Pheasant
3. Antelope
4. WT Deer
5. Mule deer
6. Huns
7. Doves
8. Grouse (sharpies)
9. Ducks and Geese

I haven't tried squirrel, snowshoes, cottontail, jackrabbits, bighorns, nor enough moose, turtle or rattlesnake to truly rank them. Porcupine is also not on my list even though I know some that will put them in their top ten. Mountain lion I have only had as jerky, and it was fine. Note bear is not on my list, the couple times I've had it were not very memorable outside of the greasiness.

We could use a huntable population of gators.

 

[bucksnbears]

Bear!

 

[frozen4sioux]

Lightly salted ND gun tag bisque, garnished with bow tag confetti.... bitter.
I do not prefer it.

Of what ive harvested.
1. Whitetail, fawn backstrap sliced into tips fried lightly in butter.
2. Hungarians...
3. Pheasant chunked, wrapped in bacon rolled in chili powder and brown sugar.
4. Deep fried turkey
5. Mallard in rice

 

[riverview]

with what I bring home it would be
venison
plucked mallard
ruff grouse
pheasant
hun
geese
early sharptail

 

[Ponyroper]

Had a neighbor years ago who would invite me over at least once a year for a wild game feast. His wife and daughter could cook just about anything and make it taste good and over the years he gave them some tough challenges so I've had quite a few different things at his table. They were proof that a great cook can make ALMOST anything taste good.

1 Smoked Raccoon-tasted like the best smoked ham I've ever had
2 Creamed Pheasant-at the Strasburg annual wildlife supper
3 Roasted Jack Rabbit-a buddy's mother made this for us when we were in high school and it was awesome
4 Elk
5 Bison-at the Streeter annual buffalo supper

Worst thing I ever had was roasted raccoon. The only thing the neighbor's wife couldn't make taste good. So greasy I still gag when I think about it. Close runners-up were camel and kangaroo at a super fancy restaurant in Australia. Was about as tender as a 15 year old holstein cow that died of starvation. Over the years I've had snapping turtle, bear, moose, muley and white tail, grouse, huns, crane, goose, duck and antelope. All were OK but nothing outstanding.