Great responses guys Thanks for the different perspectives, I think preparation has a lot to do with it and how you care for the meat in the hour after a kill. I will try the baking soda salt bath technique, and see how that works. I have a friend that uses an ice water bath with garlic salt and say's that works. As always lots of good information on the THF.

I'm always hunting for a mature animal to harvest. That being said I enjoy eating all deer I kill, doe and bucks.

Auodad I have not eaten yet.....but would at least try it. Hogs mostly get eaten by predators. But I do enjoy the small to medium size on occasion.

If you are shooting an old deer or elk they taste just as good as a younger one in my opinion. The reason they taste bad to most hunters is because hunters leave them on the back of the truck and don't clean as fast because they want to show it off. Just get the meat on ice asap. Now an old aoudad won't matter what you do. They are no bueno.

Big old and narly. Never killed a buck that wasn't good to eat. I'm a fair cook and make about the best jerky I have ever had.

We don't shoot any buck under 4.5 yrs.......Shoot doe for good meat. Everyone who shoots a buck should shoot at least one doe here in Texas.

I believe the taste of any meat starts with field care, keep it clean, dry and cool. Aging meat and allowing the blood to drain and the enzymes to break down will also help, I plan on converting an old fridge into a mini cooler for that down here. I have also found that once I started butchering my own game I can control the outcome. There are several tricks to make that old bull/buck taste tender with a little quality prep time in the kitchen.