Over the years, folks trying venison for the first time have complained that the taste was “gamey”. That is, it had a strong, almost pungent flavor – unlike beef, which was much milder in taste. More often than not, overcooking of venison added to the unpleasantness of the experience, since venison is best served when cooked to a medium-rare or medium consistency. But the true culprit that causes “gamey” venison is a combination of improper field care and mishandling of the deer during butchering.

Beware of the tarsal gland:

Perhaps the most frequently mishandled step in proper field care or butchering is how the tarsal gland is handled. Both bucks and does urinate on their hind legs to encourage bacterial growth in the tarsal hairs, thus scenting their tarsal gland with both urine and bacteria. Contamination occurs when you touch the tarsal gland area with your hand and then happen to handle the meat with unwashed hands. Some hunters will carefully remove the tarsal gland while still in the field, while many will do so as the initial step when butchering. Before hanging the deer, I like to cut a ring around the leg well above and well below the tarsal gland, then carefully skin and remove the section of hide that contains the tarsal gland. Wash your hands and change to a new knife before proceeding to the next step.

Take it nice and easy:

Whether you remove the entrails in the field or after the deer is hung, take your time when opening the body cavity to avoid puncturing the stomach or intestines or rupturing the bladder. Make very shallow cuts with your knife to open the abdomen, and then cut from the inside out to widen the opening. Next, lift the tail and cut a ring around the bung with a sharp knife. Then, continue cutting deep into the channel around the intestine, thereby separating the intestine from its channel through the pelvis. When you open the abdomen from the other side, you will be able to pull the intestine out intact instead of cutting through it.

Avoid unnecessary hair:

Deer skin and deer hair contain bacteria; thus, the less hair that comes in contact with the meat, the better. When skinning the deer, cut as much of the skin as possible by running the knife blade under the skin and cutting outward. Avoid cutting into the meat with the blade, as it may be contaminated from the hide.

Cleanliness ensures great flavor:

Now that you have adhered to these precautions, ensure you place the meat on a clean surface to continue butchering. Just because you will cook the venison later does not mean some bacteria are OK. It can still affect the flavor, even if it doesn’t cause food poisoning. A freshly sanitized surface – preferably stainless steel – will ensure the greatest way to avoid contamination.

Throughout field dressing and butchering, be constantly aware of the cleanliness of the knife or knives you are using. A heavier knife is best suited for gutting and cutting through the sternum or joints, while a smaller, shorter-bladed knife works best for skinning. I find that a filet knife works great for quartering, de-boning, and removing backstraps and other cuts. Most importantly, always ensure that you are using a clean knife. It is not critical that you use multiple knives – a single knife will do the job nicely. However, wash the knife frequently, especially as you transition from one step to the next in gutting, butchering, and meat processing. When doing any knife work in the field, you can use scent-free wipes to ensure that the knife stays as clean as possible.

Be aware of the temperature:

It is often the case that deer seem to move more when the temperature is cooler, but hunters sometimes find themselves limited to hunting on some of the warmer days. It has been established that when temperatures exceed 40 degrees, extra care must be taken to ensure the quality of venison. Above 40 degrees, bacterial growth accelerates, and the warmer the temperature is, the faster the bacteria grow.

If you plan to field dress a deer, it’s a good idea to have a bag or two of ice available to cool the body cavity on a warm day. While some folks prefer to leave the hide on to age the meat, on a warm day, it may be best to remove the hide and butcher the deer so that the quarters and backstraps can be placed in refrigeration to be processed once the meat has cooled.