I haven't heard that phrase in years. I no longer hunt deer but we always had one or sometimes all the tenderloins designated as camp meat. Did you ever? Do you still? Ever had whole venison tenderloins grilled over a campfires?

'Had elk tenderloins with another hunter, over a campfire right after the evening kill while the guides went back for the mules. Starry night in Montana, snow on the ground. Amazing. You don't get many of those type of experiences in this life.

Yes, yes, & yes.

tenderloins and heart

Several years ago my brother and I stayed a night at the lease. We didn't bring much for dinner but had shot a doe on the evening hunt. We cut out the tenderloins breaded in egg wash and instant mashed potatoes and fried. It was excellent. Been a while since we have done that, we usually have way too much food and the last thing on our mind is eating something now.

About 20 years ago, when I was living and hunting in Florida "camp meat" referred to a deer that was shot illegally. It was not tagged, but cleaned and eaten in camp. No. I don't do camp meat. That was an unscrupulous bunch of guys, and I'm glad I no longer hunt there.

Always for Friday night before opening weekend.

I like to pop a doe, spike, or pig right off the bat and get to cooking. Fresh grilled tenders, fried backstrap, or carne guisada is good for the soul. Toast some tortillas with a pot of beans simmering on the side.....cottontails have always been one of my favorite camp foods and brings back lots of memories.

My widest 8 point (23-1/2" Inside) became camp meat many years ago in Louisiana. It was the only deer killed that weekend and all I got home with was the Head and Cape. It was legally tagged and checked by the game warden when he came by for supper. Turns out his sister was one of the hunters in our group.
Nothing much better than fresh killed, battered and deep fried on a freezing day with friends.

That sounds pretty amazing.

We do some years, usually tenders or backstrap. We tend to do cottontails once it cools down a bit.

That was the way my Dad explained it when I was a kid. I don't recall us ever doing it at the lease, but he said that was the way it worked when him and his buddies day leased S. Texas back in the 60's.

I cook tenderloins and heart in camp. No point in freezing either one in my opinion. If we shoot rabbits or squirrels then it is camp critter gumbo that weekend, I quit freezing them a while back also.

x2 add some fried taters and usually some wild onions are growing out back

unclebubba
I think I knew those guys or their cousins, in East Texas. Did their wives have more tattoos than teeth? They also hung those deer 50yds from camp and 50' above ground so the game warden couldn't find them. capt david

Good thread Bill brings back a lot of fond memories, and yes I still do legal camp meat it was pork tenderloins Sunday night off a pig I killed in the spring