No problem with trying different meats. Just have to be careful about how you cut and cook them. Some animals, like deer and elk, can have wasting disease so you need to watch the animal before you shoot it, for odd behavior. And know what to stay away from when cutting it up for the meat.
Bear and other things that occasionally eat other critters or carrion can have some undesireable buddies riding along in the meat. Trichinosis and the like.
I'm no expert, but I believe the bottom line for most of this stuff is to know what parts to eat, what to look for when preparing meat, and to cook the h*ll out of what you do eat. Eating a tapeworm is one thing, better to eat a dead one. (Just kidding)
My wife just about had a rectal hemorrhage when I came home with some smoked bear meat sausage from a guy at work. It wasn't cooked, just smoked. Needless to say, I didn't get to eat it!! She used to shoot small birds and whatever else they could nail when she was growing up to get enough protein on the table. They didn't take chances!
I'm still amazed at the number of guys around here who hunt deer and elk and never have heard of wasting disease. So they don't know how to minimize the risk when cutting the animal for meat. D'oh!
Jon.







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