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Here are a few delicious deer and
antelope species and a bit about them.
See some more at our
Venison Vendors
page.
Axis Deer.
This native of India is most valued for
its exotic trophy antlers, beautiful,
spotted hide, and delicious venison meat
which is similar to fine veal but lower
in fat and cholesterol. Axis are
found in the USA in Texas, Florida, and
Hawaii in great numbers.
Blackbuck Antelope.
Also found in great numbers in Texas,
USA, this native of India is a beautiful
antelope using colors of black, fawn
gold, and white. The females and
young males are always fawn and white.
The male (hence the name) gets more
black on his back as he gets older.
Trophy horns on this antelope are over
21". Legend has it that Indian
maharajas would have champion fighting
Blackbucks and this was a great
diversion on lazy afternoons. The
winning Blackbuck would wear jeweled
necklaces and a purple velvet cape.
Blackbuck are small so each one doesn't
provide many pounds of venison, but it
is delicious and well worth a looking
for.
Scimitar Horned Oryx.
Native of the dry country of Chad in
Africa, these large white, royal
antelope offer curved, razor sharp horns
in both sexes. 43" is a very nice
trophy. Legend has it that the
myth of the Unicorn comes from this
beautiful animal whose curved horns, at
a distance, could look like one horn and
whose body, particularly in motion,
looks very horse-like. The
Scimitar Horned Oryx was almost put on
the Endangered Species List because,
during the unrest in Chad, people got
jeeps and machine guns and drove into
the desert and simply, maliciously mowed
down whole herds of these lovely animals
and left them to rot in the sand.
Happily, these Oryx have prospered in
Texas. Starting as excess zoo stock,
there are now hundreds, maybe thousands,
making profitable homes for themselves
on Texas ranches. They are still
most valued for their trophies but as
they become more numerous, they will be
available for their delicious
venison...or have some now...and a great
trophy.
Manchurian Sika Deer.
Native of China and Manchuria, these
small, elk-like deer are a staple in the
Orient and becoming more available in
the USA. However, they've had an
uphill battle to find homes in our NW
states where people want to farm them
but are having to fight local
legislation - personalities and issues.
Sika venison is stronger flavored so
find just the right recipe to enhance
its nice attributes.
Fallow Deer.
This native of Europe is known as the
trophy of kings. It has large
palmated antlers in October-March.
Most older European venison recipes are
based on the flavors of the Fallow Deer.
The Fallow comes in several colors, all
with spots: dark chocolate brown, light
brown, white.
Barasingha Deer.
This deer is an endangered species of
India. It is larger than an Axis
and smaller than an elk. In the
spring it is a lovely orange-brown
color, otherwise, brown. It has
large Mickey Mouse ears and a sweet
face. Before it went on the
Endangered Species List, it was known
for its delicious venison meat. It
is reproducing well in places like Texas
but ranchers cannot afford to stock many
because, due to the List, they are
difficult to buy and sell. There
is a movement to take species off the
Endangered Species List if they are
reproducing well in a non-native
country. Allowing venison meat
producing herds would assure the
Barasingha of not going extinct...that's
why we have so many cattle today!
Allowing trophy hunting would provide a
kindly exit for the old males and their
antlers are relatively large and very,
very heavy compared to other deer.
Whitetail Deer and Mule Deer.
These natives of North, Central and
South America are very prolific, more
than at any time of recorded history.
When the sheep men eliminated the
screwworm, it allowed the survival of
many more native deer. They are
becoming pests in many parts of their
world. Seasons need to be extended
and more harvesting allowed both for the
sake of the animal and for people.
These deer tend to cycle...they
reproduce until their food supply
cannot support them and then in one
season, most of the deer will get
diseased and starve and die. Did
you know?...Whitetail deer kill more
people every year than any other wild
animal?
You can't buy Whitetail and Mule Deer
venison from venison vendors.
You'll have to harvest it yourself.
Because it is native, it isn't
commercially available.
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