mnshortdraw,
I hear you loud and clear that the enzyme thing isn't pertinent to venison. I have heard it for years.
However, will a deer go through rigor mortise?
I believe the meat/mussel will. Then will, If so, will rigor mortise leave when frozen?
The reason I am bringing this up is we have never had tender Elk venison. I bone out the animal in the field and it is in the freezer within 10-12 hours.
We even have to Swiss the back loins, of course a critter got that meat sack last fall and the only thing we could do about it was wish it a belly ache
Anyway I have heard from literally everyone that the meat must age to tenderize it. My jaw mussels have to wonder if that is a correct and true statement?