So I have been hunting for over 30 years and heard to cut the scent pads off the rear hocks of the deer. I never have, ever. Oh my Gosh the deer I shot last weekend I should have. We walked up to the deer, about 20 yds away the stink hit us, we thought I might have gut shot him. That was not the case. His hocks were black and were putrid. I can field dress a gut shot deer and not bad at all, but this was special kinda stench. I have never experienced this this bad. Have you?

Another question, I love the game taste of venison, just a little worried about this one. Think stink will be in the meat it’s in his DNA.

Nope, he just pissed his legs over and over and over again. Show of dominance like a dude wearing a size medium t shirt instead of XL as he should. Nothing more, nothing less...Lol

Had a friend shoot a cull off our place last year. He was the same way, being near 10ft of him would make you gag. Meat didn’t taste any different though.

Yup an Affliction deer.

My buck was pretty rank. He tastes fine.

Nice Belmont 8. How many vests do you own?

I’ve shot some stinky ones before never affected the meat.

Meat will be fine carry on.
Years age I'd cut those glands off and freeze and save for scent cover up at my blind/stand location later in the year or next year.

Yes! I shot a 4 point in around 1975 I think. I shot him in the neck..he dropped right there.. As I walked toward my buck I began to smell something rotten. Well I thought it was the glands or something. The smell was in the meat as I make hamburger meat patties. We could not eat that deer..all the meat I had to throw away.
A friend of mine had the same problem.. That buck was the only deer with that smell in all bucks I have harvested...over 40 for sure. From that deer forward my wife refused to eat deer meat. I would throw the meat away!

It`ll be fine.

Go get you a javalina…

Should be good, process carefully, but if smell is strong in the meat just cook using GINGER instead of GARLIC !
(garlic will make it even stronger - ginger neutralizes the stink without covering-up the good venison flavor.)

The 8 point I got a week or so ago is a touch gamey, even after I had it on ice and drained it for 3 days. The stink is in the blood. I should have left it on ice for a few more days, but the wife was hot to process it. The drained water was still pink, not as clear as I would have liked.

Many years ago I shot a monster buck that had a sweet tooth for wild onions. I didn’t know back then to leave him on ice for 5 days or more. We couldn’t eat the meat, it was so strong with onion smell.

603 is right. Keep on ice several days. But, but, there’s a good reason meat in the market is steers and heifers! A bull(or buck) is what it is. Especially an old dominant buck that has been around the block. I would think that cannibals
pick the larger young females to eat.

A lot.

I wanted a full body javelina mount, so went to a buddy’s lease outside Raymondville and shot one. Brought it back to Arkansas and dropped it off with my taxidermy buddy. He had never done a javelina but wanted to mount mine. He called me a few days later and told me he would never do another one. Once it thawed out, he couldn’t stay in the shop with it. Had all the windows and doors open with a chicken house fan running. The smell lingered for weeks. I did end up throwing away the cooler in which we brought it back. Even after several bleachings, it was rank.

I shot one last year in the neck. I am old, my father is ancient. I got the truck picked up the receiver carrier got the old man to help me load it on. Did not unzip the deer first because I have become lazy and the processor is only a few miles down the road and will do so for a fee. This damn deer would stink a cat off a gut wagon. Threw away several pieces of clothing after wash did not get rid of it. Never did like the taste of that deer after I got it back. Might of all been in my mind. I have hunted for many years but never smelled a deer like this.