# Have you ever seen fat like this?



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

I cut up my deer the other day. I knew he had a lot of fat on him when I skinned him but as we started to dissect him it became clear just how fat he was. The first picture I took just after removing the hind quarters. That is the back straps you see with the layer of fat covering the whole area. The next picture is a hunk of fat I carved off the hing quarters that was almost 2" thick.

There were parts of the hind quarters that had fat flecks in the meat like beef does sometimes.

Anybody ever see that much fat on a mule deer before?


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Actually my deer looked very similar. A little less than yours, but still more than I'd ever seen before. I'm guessing the mild weather this previous year really helped the deer! I'm hoping this winter is more of the same.


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## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

2 years ago my daughter killed a nice mature buck and he looked just like yours. Lots of fat. He didn't have any marbling in the meat but had a very thick layer that was even more prominent towards the hind quarters. Was your deer mature or a younger buck?


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Odocoileus obesity is apparently on the uprise. I blame bad parenting.----SS


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Yeah that buck probably spent all his time eating pesticide soaked vegetation and never getting enough exercise. 

I've had one buck that I shot a number of years ago that I was astonished how much fat I had to cut through to get to the meat. I wish I had taken pictures now. Boy the magpies had a feast on the leftover fat cakes!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

deljoshua said:


> 2 years ago my daughter killed a nice mature buck and he looked just like yours. Lots of fat. He didn't have any marbling in the meat but had a very thick layer that was even more prominent towards the hind quarters. Was your deer mature or a younger buck?


Here's a pic of the buck


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Truelife;1702169
Anybody ever see that much fat on a mule deer before?[/QUOTE said:


> No, never 2" thick. Holy crap that was a fat sombeach!


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

We had a deer come through some years ago that dressed at 140 lbs. It was the fattest deer I have ever cut. I bet we pulled 35-40 lbs fat off of him. The color of the meat on your buck is nice, I bet he eats good!!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

My deer last year was super fat. Not 2", but fat covered the entire upper hind quarters and straps with globules running down the flanks. It was crazy. I think these last couple years of mild winters and wet springs have really helped the deer go into winter in exceptional shape.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks Mother Nature for the conditions that let to our deer population increases. Hope it continues for the foreseeable future.


-DallanC


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Dunkem said:


> We had a deer come through some years ago that dressed at 140 lbs. It was the fattest deer I have ever cut. I bet we pulled 35-40 lbs fat off of him. The color of the meat on your buck is nice, I bet he eats good!!


This one weighed 145 all dressed and cleaned up. I'm guessing he had to be over 200 lbs. on the hoof. I'm sure it was comical for anyone who witnessed my wife and I trying to get it loaded on the atv.

Oh, and I haven't eaten any yet, but I'm hoping it's great.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

That is a porker! Seriously, probably could have made bacon with the flaps! My little forky last year had almost 1.5" on the hinds and maybe 3/4" on the rest of him including the backstraps like your picture. If it isn't too late you really should consider trimming a roast to leave a 1/2" cap on it, heavily salt and season it, do a very hard sear in a cast iron skillet and finish it in the oven dry roasting at 375-400 until rare-med-rare. Game fat can be extremely delicious, despite all the rumors out there. My buddy shot a cow elk last year that had +2" fat everywhere and oh boy oh boy! That clean white fat was incredible on steaks and roasts!


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Truelife said:


> Here's a pic of the buck


Nice buck. Looks several years old. At least 3 maybe 4 or more.

If he put on lots of fat like that it means he has plenty to eat, nothing and nobody pressing on him, and little competition for the food.

Too bad that deer fat tastes nasty. At least I don't know anyone that uses deer fat for anything.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

DallanC said:


> Thanks Mother Nature for the conditions that let to our deer population increases. Hope it continues for the foreseeable future.
> 
> -DallanC


This is probably true. Lots of rain and snow.

Lots of oaks. These trees go thru cycles of high and low acorn production.

Few predators like lions, bears or 'yotes.

The buck may have been storing up fat for the rut, when they mostly fight, breed, and don't eat.

So the timing of the hunt just before the rut is a factor too.

Don't know if you thought of all that, maybe yes and maybe no.

No way to know it on the Internet.

Don't get nervous again though about my pointing all that out please.

It's just for conversation's sake.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Karl, do you by chance have kin by the name of Jon?


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Karl said:


> Too bad that deer fat tastes nasty. At least I don't know anyone that uses deer fat for anything.


That's funny...you liked my post right above yours and then wrote this. Curiouser and curiouser.


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## neverdrawn (Jan 3, 2009)

With the hunts over, I'll probably have fat on me like that in a couple of months. Especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up :mrgreen:. Gotta find some new motivation to exercise!


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

neverdrawn said:


> With the hunts over, I'll probably have fat on me like that in a couple of months. Especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up :mrgreen:. Gotta find some new motivation to exercise!


Yup both Thanksgiving and Xmas tend to put pounds of fat onto everybody.

Then just like that buck, we will have had plenty to eat, nothing pressing us, and no competition for the food.

I have been jogging and lifting weights according to written routines on alternating days for the past few weeks. That and eating less has helped me drop 20 lbs. Now my clothes all fit better and everyone says I look thinner.

Since I love dark meat with gravy and mashed potatoes Thanksgiving is going to be a challenge.

For Xmas we usually make a ham or buy a Honey Ham. That's leaner than the gravy and mashed potatoes.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

johnnycake said:


> That's funny...you liked my post right above yours and then wrote this. Curiouser and curiouser.


If you like the taste of deer fat then you are the first one whom I have met who does.

Of course Wyogoob probably does too since he eats mountain lions and it tastes just like pork to him.

Just saying ... .


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Longgun said:


> Karl, do you by chance have kin by the name of Jon?


Nope.

No Jon's, John's, Jonny's, etc. in my extended family.

My first fight in 4th grade was on St. Patrick's Day though against a kid named John Thomas who pinched me because I was not wearing green.

I called him a queer and punched him in the nose giving him a bloody nose.

The teacher sent us to the principal's office and we each got 3 spats for fighting in the classroom.

Then after school we each beat the crap out of each other to no avail in the parking lot of the Baptist Church next to the school. He was/is Baptist.

It was a great fight though with lots of other kids watching, my friends as well as his friends. It was like a duel by fisticuffs and the many friends were the attendants and referees. There was no winner or loser. More like a draw.

That's the only Jon / John that I can think of.

As Johnny Depp would say though ... "sticks and stones ... ."


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Karl said:


> If you like the taste of deer fat then you are the first one whom I have met who does.
> 
> Of course Wyogoob probably does too since he eats mountain lions and it tastes just like pork to him.
> 
> Just saying ... .


Goob's right! Mountain lion does taste just like lean, sweet pork! And if you'd ever actually eaten it you'd know!


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

johnnycake said:


> Goob's right! Mountain lion does taste just like lean, sweet pork! And if you'd ever actually eaten it you'd know!


I would never (again) eat bear meat, nor any other mammal that was a predator.

My personal view is that unless you are starving then it is inappropriate to cannibalize other humans, or bears, lions, tigers, little cats, wolves, 'yotes, dogs, etc. And I consider all these abominations the same as cannibalism.

So I'll just take your word for it, on how lion meat tastes. Thanks.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Karl said:


> I would never (again) eat bear meat, nor any other mammal that was a predator.
> 
> My personal view is that unless you are starving then it is inappropriate to cannibalize other humans, or bears, lions, tigers, little cats, wolves, 'yotes, dogs, etc. And I consider all these abominations the same as cannibalism.
> 
> So I'll just take your word for it, on how lion meat tastes. Thanks.


But you'll shoot and kill them and then leave the meat to waste? I can understand the dog family but some of the best meat out there is cat. Now for dogs you will have to go to the Chinese restaurant down the street.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

I like bear meat, although have not had alot of it. Interesting fact: a bears diet usually consists of 80% vegetation,insects (especially moths) and fish. Bears will prey on newborn elk and deer, but usually for only as long as they are easy to catch. Bears are for the most part omnivours with a little carrion thrown in.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Critter said:


> I can understand the dog family but some of the best meat out there is cat. Now for dogs you will have to go to the Chinese restaurant down the street.


Oh come on, man! You mean to tell me that I'm not getting grade A roadkill cat in my Kung Pao? Sheesh, I'll never go back.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Dunkem said:


> I like bear meat, although have not had alot of it. Interesting fact: a bears diet usually consists of 80% vegetation,insects (especially moths) and fish. Bears will prey on newborn elk and deer, but usually for only as long as they are easy to catch. Bears are for the most part omnivours with a little carrion thrown in.


I tried bear meat but like the Native Americans on whose land we live I felt really guilty and have not tried it again.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Critter said:


> But you'll shoot and kill them and then leave the meat to waste? I can understand the dog family but some of the best meat out there is cat. Now for dogs you will have to go to the Chinese restaurant down the street.


No I won't shoot them.

Only in self defense.

Same as for humans.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Yet another thread derailed by the enigma known as Karl. Anywho, that's a nice fat buck you got there!


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## WEK (Dec 3, 2010)

Awesome! Keep some of it on those steaks (trim about half the thickness from what I understand). De-Li-Cious.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Deer fat tastes really nasty.

Try it and see.

Back on topic.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

I like some fat on my game, taste nasty?, not to me, but I'm the guy who loves a fat old leg of mutton--mmm love that hot fat, dip your bread in it, it dont get any better than that.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

We decided to cut some ribs off of my dad's cow elk this year and cook them just like baby backs. IT WAS AWESOME!! The elk fat on the ribs was delicious.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Dunkem said:


> I like some fat on my game, taste nasty?, not to me, but I'm the guy who loves a fat old leg of mutton--mmm love that hot fat, dip your bread in it, it dont get any better than that.


Oh, sweet 8 lb 10 oz baby jebus! Now we are talking!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Oh and that is the fattest deer I've ever seen. I bet it will be very tasty.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

3arabians said:


> Oh and that is the fattest deer I've ever seen..............


Me too, fattest mule deer I ever seen.

.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

The one my daughter got was pretty close to having that much fat. 
Only seen one or two that good over the years. 
The oak around our area were loaded with acorns. 
Will have to see how it eats.......
Wasn't a huge deer.....but pretty good 4 by 4.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Pretty interesting. Killed a big bodied meat buck down south, figure he was 2.5 years old. He was sorely lacking in body fat. When I was dressing him, that was my first thought, other than how I was gonna pack him out to the truck...-O,-

Talked to a couple guys down there and they said the same thing, little fat on their bucks. Hmmm...


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Dunkem said:


> I like some fat on my game, taste nasty?, not to me, but I'm the guy who loves a fat old leg of mutton--mmm love that hot fat, dip your bread in it, it dont get any better than that.


Oh boy! I feel like I was raised on Wether Lambs... ate it at least 4 times a week. Thats how Dad wanted it LOL. Goooooooood stuff! About the only food that has people sucking on the bones after 

-DallanC


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Karl said:


> I would never (again) eat bear meat, nor any other mammal that was a predator.
> 
> My personal view is that unless you are starving then it is inappropriate to cannibalize other humans, or bears, lions, tigers, little cats, wolves, 'yotes, dogs, etc. And I consider all these abominations the same as cannibalism.
> 
> So I'll just take your word for it, on how lion meat tastes. Thanks.


I'm not sure if you're trolling or not.

I use to work with a couple hound hunters in Logan. They would bring cougar meat to work and give it away. I've had meat off six of the cougars. I would NEVER turn down cougar meat. Steaks, roast, burger, it was all delicious.
All the black bears I've eaten were tasty as well. The steaks from my spring bear on Kuiu island was tough as hell but the roasts were awesome.
Brown bear? Well, I've tried my very best to like it but I can't. It ranges from not-so-good to horrid.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

longbow said:


> I'm not sure if you're trolling or not.
> 
> I use to work with a couple hound hunters in Logan. They would bring cougar meat to work and give it away. I've had meat off six of the cougars. I would NEVER turn down cougar meat. Steaks, roast, burger, it was all delicious.
> All the black bears I've eaten were tasty as well. The steaks from my spring bear on Kuiu island was tough as hell but the roasts were awesome.
> Brown bear? Well, I've tried my very best to like it but I can't. It ranges from not-so-good to horrid.


Black bear meat is good, sure. I just feel bad in terms of hunter ethics in taking bears. Under conditions of starvation no problem. In that case I would even cannibalize if someone died naturally.

Everyone has to decide how far they will go in terms of killing meat.

Most people don't even think about it though.

When you think about anything that is called ethics.

Everyone had different ethics.

It's not trolling, it's thinking.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

stillhunterman said:


> Pretty interesting. Killed a big bodied meat buck down south, figure he was 2.5 years old. He was sorely lacking in body fat. When I was dressing him, that was my first thought, other than how I was gonna pack him out to the truck...-O,-
> 
> Talked to a couple guys down there and they said the same thing, little fat on their bucks. Hmmm...


The available food "down there" must not have been as good.

Maybe only sage brush available to them.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I agree and dissagree with Karl 

deer fat is nasty! I cut it all off. 

Elk fat isn't as bad and I may leave it if it's cut up pretty quick and it's clean.

I totally dissagree with him on cougar and bear meat. Cougar and bear meat is incredibly good and should be illegal if left in the field. 

Never had a good tasting dog and I've eaten a lot of dog in china and korea. So I won't eat a coyote. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> I agree and dissagree with Karl
> 
> deer fat is nasty! I cut it all off.
> 
> ...


I'll admit, not every deer or elk has tasty fat. As I'm butchering it, I will know by how it looks, feels, and smells and I always slice a chunk and fry it up with salt to test before I save it on roasts/grind it into burger. I average about 60/35/5 for good/OK/bad tasting fat on muleys and elk. Whitetails depends on where they are from. But when the animal has more fat than normal and that fat is bright white like the OP's deer, then it is almost always very nice tasting, but might be a bit waxy for some people.

I've never had moose fat that I didn't REALLY like, and for the black bears I've eaten as long as the bear meat was tasty (aka not a fish bear) then the fat is fantastic! The fat from my Henry's bison was very good too. I've never shot an antelope that had fat to speak of, so no input on that one.

But without question, the absolute tastiest fat off of any animal I've ever eaten wild or domestic, was from my dad's 2013 Beaver billy mtn goat. It was light, sweet, and perfect. We did a whole leg roast from one of the hindquarters for christmas just like a leg of lamb and boy, that has haunted me ever since! Bloody rare, lots of garlic, and that stunning 1" fat cap and heavy marbling throughout the leg...I cannot wait to get me some more of that!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

It's easy to see from this conversation that some enjoy fat while others don't want anything to do with it.

Personally I'm on the side that thinks it's all gross and this is one of the biggest reasons I process my own game animals. I prefer to leave fat, tendons, slime in the NOT TO BE EATEN pile because I think it is the culprit when people claim venison or other animals have a "gamey" taste.


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## muleymadness (Jan 23, 2008)

Awesome a great sign of a very health deer, good news all around. I've seen it pretty thick also, not sure it was quite that thick though. I've also seen it very bad with no fat.


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