>>94
>Game is something I've been curious about for a while because I don't have access to it.
It won't taste exactly the same but you can probably buy game meat in NYC if you look around. Deer meat is called venison and sold by most butcher shops.
>Easy question: are the most popular animals like bass and deer hunted more for the taste, more for their mounted appearance, or more for the thrill?
People fish for bass for fun. They put up a good fight and jump out of the water and attempt to throw the hook. Other fish like Catfish are mainly caught for food even though they also put up a good fight. Crappie are similar in that they're mostly fished for food when kept. Most people that fish don't eat/mount them though and just throw them back. Fishing is mainly an activity done for the enjoyment.
Hunting is different since it requires actually killing the animal. Most people do it for food unless they are trophy hunters. Even trophy hunters typically eat what they kill. Someone trophy hunting deer only wants the head for display so the rest of the animal will either be used by them or given away. Female deer (does) have better meat than male deer (bucks) so someone hunting for food is more likely to take a female which doesn't have the antlers and won't be something you'd want to spend the money on to mount on the wall.
Generally, every part of a deer is used. Hides can be made into blankets, clothing, table cloths, and many other things. Antlers are used as lures during the hunt (the sound of them rubbing together attracts other deer). The only thing that's ever really thrown away are the organs/intestines. Some people even use/eat the organ meat.
If you decide to try venison I suggest trying the tenderloin first. It's the best cut of meat on the animal. Venison is leaner than beef and very healthy. It has a taste all its own that most really enjoy but it's close enough to other common meats that you can serve it to someone and they wouldn't know it was deer unless you told them. I often times make burgers with venison and beef (50/50 mix) and serve it to people without telling them. Never heard a complaint and most say it's one of the best burgers they've ever had. I typically always mix ground venison with beef because the fat from the beef really helps. With tenderloin I generally slow cook it in brown gravy and serve it in a heater gravy boat with the gravy.
>I bet pheasant, for example, tastes great.
It tastes like chicken and I do mean it's really close. Quail is probably my favorite game bird taste wise. Again, if you'd like to try it you can find it being sold in grocery stores. A box of quail can be found in stores like Food Lion when it's in season. I forget how much it costs but I don't remember it being too expensive.
If you haven't tried it I also suggest gator meat. Batter and fry it like chicken being careful not to let it cook too long. It gets too chewy and tough when it's over done.