Meat yield

Kicking around the idea of booking a meat hunt over the holidays. Been doing research on animals and price points. For the money it looks like I could get 2 axis does or one red deer hind. Which one would put get the most meat in the freezer?

Red no doubt.

Be close. Red deer is very open ended. Lots of Texas ones have Sika DNA in them... shrinking them.

You “should” net more on the red deer but probably not a ton over two axis.

Shoot the red deer and only pay one processing fee.

which eats better? I'm going on an axis doe hunt this weekend. I can shoot whatever I can afford, but I'm just after meat.

Both are very good but the red deer will have a stronger flavor

Good point.

I'd go with the Axis.

Axis

Axis has better flavor

AXis are the best eating exotics.

If you debone you won’t have the fee. Syrcuse meats up here charges 14.50 a quarter to debone.

If deboned it’s considered trim

If you pkg it yourself you wont have any fees

How bout a Nilgai cow? they still high?

People think them things wouldn't eat good because of size and looks but id put them with axis any day

I'm a huge fan of axis, I've about got the one in freezer from this summer polished off. Weighing options for when I can make the trip back either on Thanksgiving or Christmas. We've got property in Throckmorton County but no one has been out there since last year. Speaking of processors, I need one with quick turnaround. I had it shipped last time, and it cost more than the hunt.

Any one ever had Barasingha? Had one outfitter contact me about them, looks like a lot of meat from one animal. I've never had it.

Never had Barasingha but have had red hind and axis meat. One thing to note is that mature axis does can get pretty big and yield lots of meat, especially from those big hindquarters. Ditto for red hinds, they can get pretty big when they're mature, but many of the ones you see in Texas ranches are on the smaller size.

My preference would be for two axis does vs. one red hind, but you can't go wrong with either one, it's great venison.