The answer is unanimous !

Phantom Hunter · Oct 18, 2007

I have seen many posts on these boards asking if antelope meat was good. Many folks seem to have heard it is not fit to eat, or it is their least favorite "wild meat". Well, after preparing three meals for family and friends with meat from my lope, the answer is unanimous, they all like it as well or better that whitetail, better than mulie. The only thing I can say to those who don't like it, get the skin off and cool the meat asap. It is then as good or better than any other wild meat.

Phantom Hunter

Cozmo8 · Oct 18, 2007

And make sure they die fast.

TheSaint · Oct 18, 2007

I was under the same impression before I killed one this yr. The meat is awesome.

Racktracker · Oct 18, 2007

I've heard everything from "If you let any hair get on the meat it will taste bad" to "you have to shoot them in the back of the head before they see you or it will taste bad".

I've ate alot of lope over the years and have yet to meet any of the "conditions" of the naysayers. In my experience all antelope taste about the same....damn good!

My only advice is get the hide off and get it on ice as soon as possible.

kilowatt · Oct 18, 2007

I got my first Lope just last month on a hunt in Wyo. and was told before hand to get it dressed out and cooled down ASAP. I did get it dressed out and washed and wiped down inside and out before bagging him in a canvas type bag. The next morning I got him to a butcher in Green River and the owner was glad to see a clean body of meat to work with.
The following week my wife made burgers and the friends of ours for dinner liked it just as much as the Elk and or Deer burger I have had before. Get it cleaned and cooled down and can't see why no one wouldn't eat the Lope dinners.
My wife even told me I should go for Lopes every year now, I for once agreed with her. LOL

Brian

NMPaul · Oct 19, 2007

The people that say antelope is bad are the same ones you see driving around with a antelope that is not skinned and sometimes not gutted in the back of their pickups.
In my opinion it is shameful how meat is handled after the kill a lot of times. Lots of folks want to hunt, but, dont know how to take care of their game.

Bambistew · Oct 19, 2007

I've only eaten about 35-40 of the things, and only a couple were 'cooled down and skined' on the spot or very soon after. Most rode around in the back of the truck for a day or two and all but a couple tasted fine. We did make sure that they were positioned so they could cool out however. The worst most gamey one I had was shot and in the meat locker in less than 30 min... go figure.

Antelope is probably my favorite meat, just wish there was more on one.

huntFX4 · Oct 19, 2007

another thing that makes the meat taste bad is to tag one that has been running during that day. the adrenaline gets to running through them fast. Worst meat I ever had was one i spooked at age 15 and shot him after finding him again an hour later. he was only 2 miles from my house on the farm there in eastern montana and was field dressed and skinned in no time. he was a fairly young buck too.
lope is good stuff