B.C. or Alberta Whitetail, which tastes better?

[NightOwl74]

Any of you guys ever shot a Whitetail in Alberta? I've shot two during the three times I've gone there. The deer I shot where both 4 pointers taken northwest of Edmonton(both late September). I also shot a 5 pointer in the Kelowna area mid Nov. The Alberta Whitetail is UNBELIEVABLE. It tastes like VERY tender fresh prime rib, without the fat. ZERO game taste or smell. The Whitetail I got in Kelowna was pretty darn gamey and was a bloody Butterball, 200+ pounds on the hoof. Oh yeah, all were heartshots, and none ran more than 20 yds. Is it the diet differences or the time of year that made such a difference in the taste?:?

[jjensen20]

I've shot whitetail in alberta but i always hunt south of calgary, and yes you are right the meat will taste better because it is grain fed its the same as beef you feed them wild grass and shrubs or grain the grain fed one will taste better 100% of the time. Im heading out to alberta the last week of november so hopefully i get some of that amazing meat in the freezer!!!

[J_T]

Well, I've never eaten Alberta fed, but I have tasted the difference between mountain grown deer here in BC and Alfalfa fed.

Love that Alfalfa raised venison.

JT

[Bow Walker]

The only Whitey that I have had was taken up in Bro' Jack's neck of the woods. Shot in early Nov. It was the best ever venison that I have ever eaten - bar none. No gamey taste, no odour, and super tender.

It was a buck and he was with a group of does at the time. I hope he had a chance to do some sampling beforehand:lol:

[The Hermit]

I just got back from an Alberta trip ... We shot one in the buck lake area that was a big four point and clearly grain fed. Feasted on steak... AWESOME!!! Best venison I've ever had.

Grain Fed...
http://www.members.shaw.ca/btozer/hunt/DSCN3286.JPG

Mine was a bush whitey 3x4 and I've yet to have any steaks yet... I suspect it won't be as tasty as the grain fed beauty.

My 3x4 whitey bush buck... clearly the well fed prarie deer grow bigger and have bigger racks too!!
http://www.members.shaw.ca/btozer/hunt/DSCN3290.JPG

[kishman]

Nice bucks fellas.

[NightOwl74]

Oh I forgot to mention(and I really gotta get my pics scanned) that my deer wasn't taken near any alfafa or grain fields. Actually we hunt the oil and gas cutlines and leases. My buck this year was taken as I sat in a big wood pile and my loner buck came out to drink at a pond in the middle of a clearcut. The terrain could best be described as "muskeg" with 20 foot tall Larch and swamp and foot deep moss. Actually not a place most people associate with whitetails.......maybe moose! But one thing I notice about Alberta compared to the Okanagan is there is far more density per square km. They are everywhere! On the fateful morning of my successful hunt, we nearly hit a Whitetail that easily woulda made the book. All we saw was antler on that guy as he came into view in the headlights. And this was still on a paved, center-line painted road:lol: !.

[oscar makonka]

I haven't noticed a difference in taste between the provinces, I live in Ab now, you mentioned your Alberta deer were shot in sept and you BC deer was shot in Nov. Diet has a lot to do with it and I find early season deer in both provinces taste much better than november bucks. Sept they been laying around feeding on lush green stuff all sumer, by Nov they been running does, rubbing trees, loseing weight and eating dry twigs and browse. In my experience, mule or whitetail, BC or Alberta, bush or farmland early season deer are much better eating than late season deer.

[meat hunter]

I ate Alberta whitetail only once. It was from the Manning area and tasted awesome.SLURP DROOL oops sorry it was the best tasting game I have ever tasted.

[NightOwl74]

Holy smokes! That's incredible! I got my first Whitetail in Manning, Alberta. Small world.

[browningboy]

I've taken some nice whitetails in the northern peace region and I can say that they were great, not gamey etc like some deer I've had, I guess why thats why I don't hunt deer hardly at all, moose and elk are were its at, bar none.8)