[gin_and_pete]

I am not sure if this is the proper location for this and if not I do apologize....

I have hunted, cleaned, and eaten a few different species of wild game such as deer, bear, and squirrel. However, something that never came to mind until today and I was hoping someone here could advise me on this. Other than the regular meat that you get from wild game, what internal organs are edible and from what animals? Anyone eaten deer liver? or squirrel lungs? I heard that some organs are edible but which ones? and are these organs edible in all wild game? Thanks in advance for the help. :smile:

 

[Leon]

You can eat anything fleshy. You're just not going to like some of the items like kidney and liver. You can eat lungs, the chinese eat that shit like hotcakes. I would also look into foraging, some of the best foods are all around you.

-grass is edible, there are no poisonous species of grass. grass seed is like rice in most cases, oats are grass so is corn and bamboo. Wheat is a grass and rye is a grass.
-plantains are found all over the world.
-berries of all sorts are edible some need leeching in water
-acorns roasted are delicious and sort of like peanut butter
-mussels and freshwater clams grow all over
-water lilly seeds are edible and like sugar peas
-there are five parts of a pine tree that are edible
-water clover, clover, billgoat grass, wood sorrel are all edible
-briar leaves are good for tea
-paddle cactus are edible
-chickweed is yummy as a salad
-thistles are like bitter celery
-dandelion is a great superfood and raw green
-all roses are edible, the hips a very rich source of vitamin c
-morning glory roots are edible
-every part of a cattail is edible
-nettles can be eaten when boiled for awhile and the water changed a couple times
-the fiddle heads of ferns are edible when tightly curled, the roots of sword fern are also edible.
-people who don't eat bugs don't know what they are missing. Big grubs roasted over coals are good tasting
-snails are yummy
-meadow garlic (I call it crow garlic) and wild onion grass are f&%^ awesome any way you cut it. They are full of immune boosters and taste strong and can be found anywhere.
-birch sap is like maple syrup but lighter. Great for tea in the bush. Birch pith is also edible.
-lichens when boiled are edible
-dogwood berries are edible
-you've seen wild carrot many times, you just don't know it.
-Live near the ocean? sargasm and seaweeds are usually edible and tasty
-kudzu is edible
-canna lily tubers are edible
-old man's beard is edible, it grows on rocks
-geraniums are edible
-wild violet is edible
-hickory nuts are good


Do some studying on wild edibles, you won't always be able to find animals.

 

[Bailey]

You can eat anything fleshy.
Just stay clear of dog liver because it contains massive amounts of vitamin A which the human body can't handle.

 

[Will2]

Know the organs you eat. A small amount is good but yes, some animals such as bear can have very high vitamin levels in their livers. A tini bit is ok but a whole liver can be fatal. You either want to share it or spread it out over a long period of time. In reality it is the polar bear liver that will proove fatal, others you just want to use some caution, as even if it is not fatal if you get vitamin a from other foods you may be getting too much of it.

It is the carnivores you need to exercise caution in eating their organs, particularly the liver. A little is ok, but lots can be unhealthy or even fatal.

Treat it like you would a brick of cocaine, because it is pharmaceutical grade concentrations on those things.

 

[Montana Rancher]

We eat elk/deer/antelope heart and liver all the time, the heart takes some getting used to but pan fried and breaded with onions is a tasty treat. As a rule of thumb anything in front of the diaphragm can be cooked up and eaten, don't forget about the brain and tongue.

Behind the diaphragm it takes more processing to make it edible, if you do it wrong it can lead to bad reactions, I'm just going to save the intestines for sausage and call it good.

 

[vandelescrow]

Sorry it has been several years but in AF survival school they told us we need to inspect one organ for a consistent color to ensure the others are safe to eat. I don't remember exactly which one but I think it was attached to the liver, does gall bladder sound right?

 

[GTGallop]

Out here in Maricopa County AZ we have a lot of desert parks and wilderness areas. Most of these parks have a ranger or two stationed there and once a month they give a tour to show people what is edible. Basically they take 10 to 20 people on a 4 mile hike while every one grazes the desert flora and fauna along the trail. It helps keep vegetation down next to the trail and by having people eat that stuff, there is less for the coyotes to eat along the trail too. So they move off a little further. Kind of like Huck Finn and white washing the fence. They get you to help out their issues and you think it's cool. But really, you do get something back, a very practical lesson on what is AND IS NOT edible and what to expect (flavor and texture) from the goodies the desert brings forth.

If you can find one of these in your area, I highly recommend it.

As for the topic of organ meat - organ meat is trickier to cook. It may have more parasites, bacteria, etc and needs to be WELL DONE. Since the protein chains in organ meat are more delicate that heat can ruin some of the protein value. Organ meats are also higher in cholesterol.

If I had to - and one solid deer was all I had - yes I would and could eat almost the whole thing (no gastro-intestinal organs). Would I look for every single other opportunity first? You bet your last round of ammo I would.

 

[Mesozoic Survivalist]

In damper areas here in the UK, I have found a book on mushrooms to be incredibly useful when foraging. You should look around for some materials to help out with foraging for your environment.

 

[Scotty12]

You have to watch some morning glory seeds, though. Some varieties contain LSD (although I don't know how much). there is a recipe on the Anarchist's Cookbook that shows you how to extract it.

 

[Scotty12]

In WV where I live morrels are common in the early spring

 

[BamaBoy101]

I am not sure if this is the proper location for this and if not I do apologize....

I have hunted, cleaned, and eaten a few different species of wild game such as deer, bear, and squirrel. However, something that never came to mind until today and I was hoping someone here could advise me on this. Other than the regular meat that you get from wild game, what internal organs are edible and from what animals? Anyone eaten deer liver? or squirrel lungs? I heard that some organs are edible but which ones? and are these organs edible in all wild game? Thanks in advance for the help. :smile:

We eat the liver, brains, kidneys, lungs and heart. We use the intestines to make deer sausage. I tan the hides and when we dont eat the brains I use that for the hides. I believe one should not waste what has been killed for meat. We even cook the heads, lots of good meat there.

 

[jimb1972]

I am pretty sure you can die from eating polar bear or seal liver I think that is about all that might kill you