Thread: Favorite NZ Venison

Originally Posted by Ground Control

I’m interested to know where Wapiti sits in the equation ?

I haven't had a wild one but have eaten farmed stuff and I liked it better than farmed Red deer. My favourite would be fallow

Best game meat ever is warthog. Nothing else comes close.

As far as antelope type species go, impala isn't bad, but the one time I had kudu it wasn't very good at all - but may have been the cook responsible. Of the NZ species, I have only tried fallow and red when I knew which species I was oinking on, the fallow wins. At the last ASRA shoot Kevin provided some farmed vennie, dunno what it was but it was fucking good. @Gruntzer or @dogmatix might know/remember

Was either red or fallow. Very fat.

The one I just had for my tea

Young Elk, followed by Bison, then Spring / summer Fallow Roasted, Moose steak - fantastic. Red is good flavour-wise but has more connective tissue than others. Whitetail Buck steaks last. Haven't had Sika.

Originally Posted by Tommy

Best game meat ever is warthog. Nothing else comes close.

As far as antelope type species go, impala isn't bad, but the one time I had kudu it wasn't very good at all - but may have been the cook responsible. Of the NZ species, I have only tried fallow and red when I knew which species I was oinking on, the fallow wins. At the last ASRA shoot Kevin provided some farmed vennie, dunno what it was but it was fucking good. @Gruntzer or @dogmatix might know/remember

One of my old employers was a saffa, actually grew up in Zimbabwe and he said the same. He reckoned Eland is real good and makes the best biltong

Red Deer for me so long as it has been aged for 5-7 days in fridge. Fallow is very nice , sika, haven't had any for a while last lot wasn't so good, whitetail is good. Sambar and Rusa not as good as the others. Moose is very good , Mule deer is ok but the ones we tried were rather strong (flavor and smell when cooking)

Grew up with fallow in the back paddock so it doesn't do it for me, prefer a red (not a big stinky stag) having just finished off a yearling hind whitetail backsteaks that's been in the fridge for a week.... Best I've had!

Can't wait to try the biltong a South African guy on the island is making out of the back leg

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

One of my old employers was a saffa, actually grew up in Zimbabwe and he said the same. He reckoned Eland is real good and makes the best biltong

Eland and gemsbok, best of the best for biltong.

The little Roe deer are good

During the red roar we didn't take a bottle Worcestershire sauce for nothing.

I really love Fallow but given my hunting grounds for the last 25 years or so have had Green Rain for the last 7-8 years things aren't particularly brilliant in that area...

Rusa by far the best Ive eaten.. followed closely by Sika.

I like a nice Fat Fallow, grass feed Sika & Wakatipu White Tail is good but Rusa was surprisingly tasty & tender .

Only the staff eat Warthog on our ranch , Bushpig is much better, Gemsbok (all the Oryx are tasty) Sable are the best African meats, Eland is also great (Kudu to if eater size) !

Moose is great to but Blue Berry feed Black Bear is crazy nice !

Sika for me