re: Have any of you tried making venison biltong?

I shot a BEAUTIFUL 2.5 year old doe this year at my dad’s lease with my .308 at about 85 yards. She dropped where she was standing, and I pulled the trigger while she was looking away. She never heard it. She is one of the best tasting deer I’ve ever taken. It was like eating a juicy, flavorful tender steak.

Same lease this year, I shot a weird four point about the same age with my bow. His hide was covered in warts, which is from a protein deficiency I found out..I’ve been hunting my whole life and never seen a deer covered in warts like this. It was kinda gross to be honest but I was told they didn’t affect the meat, that it was surface only. I noticed his meat was not as tasty as that doe I took with my gun. It was just slightly different but not as tender, a little more game flavor to it.

I don’t know what this has to do with stress or whatever but I could definitely taste a difference in the quality of meat.