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This is sort of why civilization is based on agriculture. Not hunting-and-gathering.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
There is a tiny fraction of the available game to feed America. A single deer would feed a family of four for, what, a week? So, every family needs 52 deer per annum. Forget it. This is sort of why civilization is based on agriculture. Not hunting-and-gathering.
Depends on the size but you can get 40-60lbs of venison from a whitetail deer.
I 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.
Unfortunately, I missed the small window to get a hunting license in my state this year, it closed in Feb, before CV-19 was much of a thing. Fortunately, no license is needed here to hunt rabbits. From what I hear, the same is true for feral hogs, which are becoming a bit of a problem in some parts. Next year, I am definitely putting in for an elk tag. I got a 4x4 largely so I can get into the areas where they hide.
I would have expected an article more along the (legal) varmint hunting for wild hogs down in the south or straight up increases in poaching. I know some farmer have discovered cows .. dead and missing only a few choice bits.
I 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"…
Every year I can walk through my neighborhood and see deer hanging in the garages. A deer is much smaller than an elk, you can dress it and then take it to a processor or cut it up on your own.
Had this pandemic happened during hunting season, states would have probably banned hunting anyway.
I 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"…
There is a tiny fraction of the available game to feed America. A single deer would feed a family of four for, what, a week? So, every family needs 52 deer per annum. Forget it. This is sort of why civilization is based on agriculture. Not hunting-and-gathering.
There is no reason however, to think that hunting can't supplement a family's food stocks if other sources start to become thin. And there's a lot more to hunt than deer.
There's also more in play than hunting. A family might feed themselves through a combination of any or all of: hunting, trapping, fishing, foraging for wild edibles, home gardening, AND buying from whatever is available on the market.
One interesting thing about this is that those living close to the coasts may be in better shape in one or two regards. Most notably, seafood is one area where "direct to the consumer" sales is a real thing, and there isn't a lot of processing involved. At least where I grew up on the NC coast. It's common for seafood houses to sell oysters, clams, shrimp, etc. directly to consumers.
There is a tiny fraction of the available game to feed America. A single deer would feed a family of four for, what, a week? So, every family needs 52 deer per annum. Forget it. This is sort of why civilization is based on agriculture. Not hunting-and-gathering.
Anyway, even before this COVID thing started, I had gotten into the whole prepper mentality a bit and had started thinking "I should learn to hunt in case I need to bring home some food one day." I went and took the NC Hunter Safety Class back in January, just so I could get my hunting license. I had planned to team up with some family and friends who hunt this coming fall, to learn the ropes. Now I find myself wondering if I'll be forced to try and find a way to accelerate the learning curve.
At least I do know how to fish. I wouldn't necessarily want to be forced to support myself entirely on fishing, but I could make up at some some portion of my diet on fish if push came to shove.