If the deer are properly harvested, then are properly dressed, the flavor is unbeatable. Unfortunately, most people are pretty haphazard when they dress a deer, which is why a lot of people get turned off venison. If a deer isn't properly harvested and dressed, the meat is rank at best, and inedible at worst.

My hubby and his closest friend hunt all through the fall and winter: archery, black powder, rifle and a few managed hunts. We nearly always have a deer or two in the freezer. We turn about half of the meat into ground, mixing it 2 - 1 with lean ground beef for chili, stews, burgers, salisbury steaks, and the like. The backstraps we cut into small steaks for grilling. And the rest is chunked into stew meat. I make a lot of stews and such in the slow cooker during the winter. And venison stroganoff, which is a family favorite.

Last year I got to go on a black powder hunt, my kids are old enough now to be left at home overnight. I hope to go again this year. And my husband is talking about us trying the spring turkey season together.

Gale