Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
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Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#2I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager" to go out in the woods and take his first shot at a large animal.
Lots of people from NYC suburbs and Long Island head up into the nearest forest every hunting season and accidentally shoot each other, maim animals and don't have the stamina to chase them to complete the kill, etc.
If you're concerned about food shortages, it would be much easier to raise a few backyard chickens or rabbits if you have the small amount of space required for it. Much less likelihood of a gun accident that way too.
If you're set on going out in the woods for a "mental cleanse" and to kill an animal, you could do worse than starting with a read of Jackson Landers' excellent Beginners Guide to Hunting Deer for Food (https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Hunting-Deer-Storey/d...).
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#3I wish that was an option for me. I dont live near elk. i could eat the rabbits in my yard but that wouldnt go aong way.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#4“Rent a gun” to “shoot some elk”.
This is as close to the proverbial foot gun you can get.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#5I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager"…
It's also a good excuse to learn to hunt. Every single experienced hunter had their first hunt at some time.
My family has hunted for generations and I have hunted for nearly a decade now. You are right, there is an elevated risk of accidents. But the experience of hunting is nothing like raising chickens. Staying out in the woods for days, becoming more and more tuned to the animals and environment around you. Feeling the adrenaline when you hear a huge animal tromping through the woods, just to look over and see a couple squirrels playing. There's nothing like it.
If this pandemic draws more people out to try hunting, and in so doing, they have similar experiences to those I've had, then I'm fine with it.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#6I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager"…
Public land in states with highly limited seasons, few legal hunting areas and high barriers to entry is always a shitshow because you have a bunch of people who haven't been in the woods since last year scrambling to shoot the five stupid bucks that are walking around on opening day in the tiny area you can legally hunt. If the state doesn't like the outcome they should change their laws to stop incentivizing it either by relaxing requirements on where you can hunt or adding more barriers to entry to get the number of people down (of course the latter approach doesn't help control the excessive deer populations that a lot of states have problems with).
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#7I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager"…
I had the same thought. That guy sounds like it's as simple as walking into the woods and shooting an elk. I don't think he has any idea how difficult it can be.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#8I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager"…
That’s what’s always held me back from hunting; there is a huge amount that has to be learned in a really short period of time. It seems to me that you should probably know what to do before you shoot the animal, and not plan to figure it out later.
It seems that hunting is a skill best passed down directly from seasoned hunter to new hunter.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#9“Rent a gun” to “shoot some elk”. This is as close to the proverbial foot gun you can get.
Yup. This is a classic case of something making the news because it is atypical.
I found it funny that the article stops just short of implying that hunting is driving gun sales when despite the obvious 800lb gorilla (Covid driving the sales of any/all emergency preparedness products).
I didn't even know gun rentals outside a range (pay money to shoot stuff you can't afford to own) or B2B (e.g. security or armored car company leases handguns from a gun shop) context were a thing but it makes sense in states where the only thing you'd need a full sized rifle cartridge for is assigned tags via a lottery so every season you have plenty of hunters who suddenly have a tag that they might not be equipped to fill.
Re: Facing meat shortages, some Americans turn to hunting during pandemic
#10I think a lot of these folks underestimate what it takes to hunt an elk, field dress it, bring it back to their vehicle, and put away 300 lbs of meat. Even if you borrow a gun as one person interviewed here would, you need a truck, knives, a bone saw, camouflage, maybe a tree stand, and a large freezer, among other things. It is reasonable to hunt for food, but it's not reasonable for your typical "hospital manager"…
I had the same thought. That guy sounds like it's as simple as walking into the woods and shooting an elk. I don't think he has any idea how difficult it can be.
Especially an Elk! Last time I saw elk hunters they had horses to pack out the meat.