molsonlabatt

iTrader: (1)

What enzyme? Why does it only release this enzyme when it is hit by a car and not when a deer is shot?

The meat of the deer is ruined at the point of impact from the mechanical damage (impact). the rest of the meat will be fine.

meaz93

^^Because a clean shot instantly kills it, so the body does not have a chance to tense up.

Steve Osborne

I've heard that to, it makes it tough meat...lol

ReBeL50V8

First dent / scratch is the toughest, it's a truck I'm sure there will be a few more in time. Let's hope they are small and barely noticeable

Manuellabour247

The reason for the tough meat is the different glands in the deer's body. An impact of a car could rupture some. Similar to lymphnodes in the human body. That's why you take care when you are skinning it not to hit the sacs.....or do like my buddy on his first deer skinning.....the stomach. The adrenaline just causes the heart rate to speed up and spread whatever enzymes that were in the nodes to spread to the rest of the body and "infect" the meat causing it to be tougher. If you get to it fast enough and put it out of it's misery then you could save a lot of the meat. We did after my buddy hit one in high school. Just had to clean everything really good before we put it in the freezer. Sucks to hear that you damaged your truck. Glad nobody was hurt.

Toddman38

iTrader: (5)

Sucks man, glad it wasnt worse!

azcoyote

It is a hormone actually called Cortisol as I recall...

You can produce the same response in your own body by watching the new Star Wars trailer...

molsonlabatt

iTrader: (1)

Any moose or deer that I have hunted has never died instantly. Regardless of how well placed a shot I make. They run off a short distance before expiring. The meat taken from these animals has always been fine. I have also had moose meat from an animal that took most of a day to track down, and the meat was good.

Science lesson:
The muscle becone tense after death only when the stores of ATP in the muscles are depleted. All muscle movement (contraction and relaxation) requires energy. This is due to the shape of the actin and myosin (muscles).

Stress will cause Cortisol (steroid hormone) to be released by the adrenal glands. Cortisol over a poprlonged peruiod of time can break down proteins, lead to muscle wasting. The study I read was over an 8 hour period.

Does anyone have a link to a journal article describing muscle breakdown in animals during collisons with cars?

Cover Dog

In both the driver & the deer !!!!

68bucks

My buddies GMC didn't fair as well. He was only doing 35 mph. But it is a GMC so....