That worked, OIM.
Venison that has been grain (or corn) fed, and properly cared for after it has been shot, will taste very much like lean beef. Deer that mostly eats browse and mast (acorns etc) has a different flavour, which I would describe as richer. You would notice a difference between that and beef. Deer that the hunter has handled poorly in the field will taste "gamey" and in some cases is completely unpalatable. Failure to clean it right away, or cut out badly shot-damaged tissue, or allowing the carcass to stay warm, either by not skinning it or storing it when the temperature is too warm, all these things can make for pretty crappy venison. If a carcass smells bad, there is nothing a butcher can do to rescue it.
BTW you can tell your lady friend from me that 26 years is one year more than a life sentence. ?
Doug