Any experienced hunters here? It seems like a good hobby for ERE. Hang out in the woods, potentially get some high-quality, organic meat for relatively cheap. Personally, I have a bit of a survivalist streak as well, and owning and understanding a firearm would be a bonus. I assume the basics of the hobby are fairly simple--buy rifle, learn to shoot, apply for licenses, find hunting grounds, and go stalk the woods for a weekend. Or is there more to it?
Alternately, how about bow or crossbow-hunting? I assume that requires more skill and proximity, therefore is harder, but in terms of ERE, could it be less expensive? Can you reuse the bolts, for instance?
How about butchering the meat? Do it yourself or outsource the work to a butcher?
Hunting for Food & Sport
This is something that I want to begin doing as well. I fly-fish for sport, but I've never tried hunting. My goal for this year is to boycott grocery stores--I eat a lot of meat, so I plan to buy grassfed meat in bulk from a farm, but I reason that hunting will be cheaper (albeit more time consuming, though I'd much rather spend time in the woods than working my dumb job to make money to pay for something).
My issue is finding a mentor--I don't know any women who hunt, and it might seem a little...bold? To approach some guy and ask him if he wants to teach me to hunt. I guess there are clubs and organizations for that, though.
My issue is finding a mentor--I don't know any women who hunt, and it might seem a little...bold? To approach some guy and ask him if he wants to teach me to hunt. I guess there are clubs and organizations for that, though.
I don't hunt. The idea of standing around in the woods in the cold, usually doing nothing except freezing, just never appealed to me.
I have a cousin that does hunt, and I know there is the expense of the guns, there is maintenance that must be done periodically plus after every time he goes out with the gun. There is also the expense of the hunting licenses, I don't know how much they cost. The dealing with the deer (skinning, cutting, etc...) is done with by a licensed butcher that does all of this for a fee. I don't know the cost, but my understanding its not much for all that is done with the meat. And deer meat is supposed to be high quality.
Perhaps looking for one of these butchers would be a place to start - maybe they could tell you of groups or organizations that could get you started. Where I grew up in the "country" there are hunt clubs, try searching online for ones in your area. However, if you're near a city I'm not sure if that type of thing is available.
If I was hard core ERE I would consider hunting, but I'm happy for now eating red meat only on rare occassions.
I have a cousin that does hunt, and I know there is the expense of the guns, there is maintenance that must be done periodically plus after every time he goes out with the gun. There is also the expense of the hunting licenses, I don't know how much they cost. The dealing with the deer (skinning, cutting, etc...) is done with by a licensed butcher that does all of this for a fee. I don't know the cost, but my understanding its not much for all that is done with the meat. And deer meat is supposed to be high quality.
Perhaps looking for one of these butchers would be a place to start - maybe they could tell you of groups or organizations that could get you started. Where I grew up in the "country" there are hunt clubs, try searching online for ones in your area. However, if you're near a city I'm not sure if that type of thing is available.
If I was hard core ERE I would consider hunting, but I'm happy for now eating red meat only on rare occassions.
I come from a family of hunters. They tried to push it on me when I was a kid but it didn't take. Actually shooting something is a pretty exciting moment, but the hours and hours of tracking and waiting leading up to it were a bit dull for a 10 year old.
Now that I actually have a mind, and thoughts to think, and an appreciation for the quiet and beauty of the woods, I think I wouldn't mind trying it again sometime.
Or is there more to it?
Alternately, how about bow or crossbow-hunting?
There really isn't too much to it unless you get obsessive about it. Your best bet would be finding someone to go out with to show you the ropes. Short of that an introductory book or video would probably get you to a minimum level of competency.
I don't think bow hunting is any less expensive than using a rifle.
Field dressing requires a little bit of know-how and bravery.
I don't personally know any hunters who do their own butchering but I know if it were me I'd want to give it a try.
Another option is to make friends with lots of hunters. They always seem to like to give away lots of the meat as long as you give them 15 minutes to tell their tale of how they got it
Now that I actually have a mind, and thoughts to think, and an appreciation for the quiet and beauty of the woods, I think I wouldn't mind trying it again sometime.
Or is there more to it?
Alternately, how about bow or crossbow-hunting?
There really isn't too much to it unless you get obsessive about it. Your best bet would be finding someone to go out with to show you the ropes. Short of that an introductory book or video would probably get you to a minimum level of competency.
I don't think bow hunting is any less expensive than using a rifle.
Field dressing requires a little bit of know-how and bravery.
I don't personally know any hunters who do their own butchering but I know if it were me I'd want to give it a try.
Another option is to make friends with lots of hunters. They always seem to like to give away lots of the meat as long as you give them 15 minutes to tell their tale of how they got it
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George the original one
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- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
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George the original one
- Posts: 5406
- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
Upland bird hunting, unlike big game hunting, can be done all day long and you don't need to be in the field at the crack of dawn. And a cheap used shotgun will shoot as well as an expensive one provided it fits you.
Waterfowl hunting is like winter steelhead fishing... the weather is friggin' cold and you're huddled near some body of cold water where the wind can whip you all day long. Unlike fishing, you also usually need a retriever and/or boat.
Bowhunting relies on stealth and shooting ability. If you've not practiced both, you'll have a good time and fail. A bow strong enough to take an elk is difficult to draw and hold, even a compound bow, unless you're on the strong side.
In western Oregon & Washington, the deer/elk seasons can have crappy weather. Bowhunting season is earlier and has better weather. Most hunting, for this reason, is focused east of the Cascade mountains. People around here get creative with weather gear for their guns.
If you bag an elk, you've got a lot of meat. If you bag a deer, you've got a bit of meat. Those that supplement their family food budget will put the most effort into elk hunting.
Waterfowl hunting is like winter steelhead fishing... the weather is friggin' cold and you're huddled near some body of cold water where the wind can whip you all day long. Unlike fishing, you also usually need a retriever and/or boat.
Bowhunting relies on stealth and shooting ability. If you've not practiced both, you'll have a good time and fail. A bow strong enough to take an elk is difficult to draw and hold, even a compound bow, unless you're on the strong side.
In western Oregon & Washington, the deer/elk seasons can have crappy weather. Bowhunting season is earlier and has better weather. Most hunting, for this reason, is focused east of the Cascade mountains. People around here get creative with weather gear for their guns.
If you bag an elk, you've got a lot of meat. If you bag a deer, you've got a bit of meat. Those that supplement their family food budget will put the most effort into elk hunting.
Check closely on how much it would cost to have someone butcher it. When I saw the prices that local shops around me are charging, I thought it might not be worth the work if I was doing it to try to save money. The processing costs that I saw were something like $3 per lb. Compared to grain/corn fed pork or beef, that's not so good. I guess the deer meat would be comparable to 100% grass fed meat, which I bet is a lot more than $3 per lb.
As others have said, making friends with some (successful) local hunters will go a long way towards helping you learn.
As others have said, making friends with some (successful) local hunters will go a long way towards helping you learn.
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Spartan_Warrior
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@JasonR: LOL, I actually can't get a coop of chickens due to a local city ordinance requiring coops be 200 ft from any dwelling and my lot is too small to qualify. I've thought about rabbits as they would technically be legal as "pets", I believe.
Having to raise something on your own is a bit different from letting nature provide it, both financially, philosophically, and in terms of commitment and time required. Which is ultimately better from an ERE/excel spreadsheet perspective I have no clue, but raising animals seems like much more work.
I think some of my cousins either hunt or know people who hunt. I'll bring it up at some of the holiday gatherings. Nothing I've heard here really dissuades me--not even 4 am. It seems like something I'll have to try a few times to decide if it's for me.
Having to raise something on your own is a bit different from letting nature provide it, both financially, philosophically, and in terms of commitment and time required. Which is ultimately better from an ERE/excel spreadsheet perspective I have no clue, but raising animals seems like much more work.
I think some of my cousins either hunt or know people who hunt. I'll bring it up at some of the holiday gatherings. Nothing I've heard here really dissuades me--not even 4 am. It seems like something I'll have to try a few times to decide if it's for me.
I grew up in a log cabin in rural Pennsylvania (20-25 years ago). When I was young we raised animals and my dad went hunting every year. We ate wild turkeys, squirrels, deer, etc. With no McDonalds, I ate "squirrel McNuggets" as a kid.
Shooting at cans and targets was a pretty common social pastime, so I don't think anyone I knew paid to go to a range I think they selectively paid for licenses. My dad did all his own butchering. Lots of people had blood-stained basements. When I was very young, we even had one of those hand-crank meat grinders. If you can't picture yourself in your basement/yard carefully slicing around a deer asshole, then you should probably just pay a butcher. We also hung the heads of deer in the trees and let the bugs clean them for garage-display. I don't think anyone had many more expenses than just the gun, the bullets, and the electricity to run the freezer. I have no idea where anyone learned how to do it. Everyone just seemed to know. In my school district, the schools (elementary as well as high school) closed for the first days of the buck and doe seasons. I never got into it myself. It was probably either the cold tree stand, the noise, or the butthole cutting. Probably all of it. As a side note, in later years (when there weren't small kids around), I'd find my Dad's rifle by the window in the upstairs bathroom. I'm not sure if he's actually ever shot a deer off the toilet, but I like to think so.
Shooting at cans and targets was a pretty common social pastime, so I don't think anyone I knew paid to go to a range I think they selectively paid for licenses. My dad did all his own butchering. Lots of people had blood-stained basements. When I was very young, we even had one of those hand-crank meat grinders. If you can't picture yourself in your basement/yard carefully slicing around a deer asshole, then you should probably just pay a butcher. We also hung the heads of deer in the trees and let the bugs clean them for garage-display. I don't think anyone had many more expenses than just the gun, the bullets, and the electricity to run the freezer. I have no idea where anyone learned how to do it. Everyone just seemed to know. In my school district, the schools (elementary as well as high school) closed for the first days of the buck and doe seasons. I never got into it myself. It was probably either the cold tree stand, the noise, or the butthole cutting. Probably all of it. As a side note, in later years (when there weren't small kids around), I'd find my Dad's rifle by the window in the upstairs bathroom. I'm not sure if he's actually ever shot a deer off the toilet, but I like to think so.
According to the homesteading/simple living book "Back to Basics", rabbits are the farm animal that yields the most meat per pound of feed.
They are easy to raise and handle and are clean animals by habit. They take up very little space (i think it said 3 sq ft per animal) and do not require much in the way shelter in most climates.
I hear the meat is tastey. I met a woman in my area who had a moderately sized (30-50 animal) breeding operation in a back building on her property and sold the rabbits to local restaurants.
They are easy to raise and handle and are clean animals by habit. They take up very little space (i think it said 3 sq ft per animal) and do not require much in the way shelter in most climates.
I hear the meat is tastey. I met a woman in my area who had a moderately sized (30-50 animal) breeding operation in a back building on her property and sold the rabbits to local restaurants.
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dot_com_vet
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If you're interested, I say try it out. One caveat is how expensive gun sports can be.
You can be frugal and get a used shotgun for $100. (It's basic and flexible for both birds and deer.)
But, it's easy to step up to very expensive guns. Add in use time at the range, plus ammo, plus targets. That can run $25+/hour for practice time. And you do need practice to get/stay proficient.
Ammo is very expensive now. Plus you need some kind of safe storage at home for your firearms.
It can easily spiral into and expensive hobby.
You can be frugal and get a used shotgun for $100. (It's basic and flexible for both birds and deer.)
But, it's easy to step up to very expensive guns. Add in use time at the range, plus ammo, plus targets. That can run $25+/hour for practice time. And you do need practice to get/stay proficient.
Ammo is very expensive now. Plus you need some kind of safe storage at home for your firearms.
It can easily spiral into and expensive hobby.
If you have specific questions just ask. I have taken over a dozen deer with bow over 6 or so years since I started. Deer hunting with a bow is CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT. If I used my gas money to buy meat I would come out ahead. Overhead is minimal, a bow about $600 for a really good one including arrows and broadheads. These can all be reused unless you break them.
So biggest expenses are your time and transportation. Lots of areas offer extra tags and if your deer population is high, then your success will be greater and so will your return. I usually figure about 10-20 hunts per successful harvest. Some years I go without, but most years I get 1 or 2. I try for 3 and that's enough for a family of 3.
I butcher it all myself. Count about 4 hours to cut and wrap from hanging. Several hours to track and bring it out of the woods. Hanging stands takes lots of time, researching travel patterns, habits, finding suitable land for free to hunt (from farmers). It adds up, but I find it therapeutic. Even if I wasn't hunting, I'd still be drawn to the solitude of the woods. Watching the woods light up, the challenge of fooling an animal, etc. It's guttural and real. The rush and excitement is on par with anything else you've ever experienced. There's nothing like being 10 yards from a big animal that isn't fully aware of your presence.
I would recommend joining a local hunting forum and ask some questions. Take your hunter safety course. Book that early and take it right away. Then get your weapon and practice until you can hit a pie plate with ease. Guns/rifle have the biggest range. The season is longer for bow (compound) and crossbow. Some states let you use a crossbow only so long as you have a handicap. The bow season is usually about 3 months long, whereas the gun seasons are 1-2 weeks.
I hunt in Ontario Canada.
Any questions, just ask.
So biggest expenses are your time and transportation. Lots of areas offer extra tags and if your deer population is high, then your success will be greater and so will your return. I usually figure about 10-20 hunts per successful harvest. Some years I go without, but most years I get 1 or 2. I try for 3 and that's enough for a family of 3.
I butcher it all myself. Count about 4 hours to cut and wrap from hanging. Several hours to track and bring it out of the woods. Hanging stands takes lots of time, researching travel patterns, habits, finding suitable land for free to hunt (from farmers). It adds up, but I find it therapeutic. Even if I wasn't hunting, I'd still be drawn to the solitude of the woods. Watching the woods light up, the challenge of fooling an animal, etc. It's guttural and real. The rush and excitement is on par with anything else you've ever experienced. There's nothing like being 10 yards from a big animal that isn't fully aware of your presence.
I would recommend joining a local hunting forum and ask some questions. Take your hunter safety course. Book that early and take it right away. Then get your weapon and practice until you can hit a pie plate with ease. Guns/rifle have the biggest range. The season is longer for bow (compound) and crossbow. Some states let you use a crossbow only so long as you have a handicap. The bow season is usually about 3 months long, whereas the gun seasons are 1-2 weeks.
I hunt in Ontario Canada.
Any questions, just ask.
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Spartan_Warrior
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- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:24 am
Thanks for the stories, everyone (and the link, C40). I've talked to some people about hunting recently and heard a lot of similar things. I'm more interested in trying this than ever. I've learned that archery hunting is permitted on the grounds of a local reservoir, and given the longer seasons, I'm thinking archery is the way to go. I still need to find a range to practice since I (unfortunately) don't live in the woods. Going to look into other locations and try to hook up with other hunters in real life.
I don't think I could start this season. As others have said, there are upfront costs involved that I need to save for, investigate, and purchase, and I also want to be relatively experienced with my weapon of choice before I even translate the shooting skills into hunting.
I don't think I could start this season. As others have said, there are upfront costs involved that I need to save for, investigate, and purchase, and I also want to be relatively experienced with my weapon of choice before I even translate the shooting skills into hunting.
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Spartan_Warrior
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jennypenny
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