deerhntr1969

I'm thankfully not unemployed but our household has not bought beef burger in the last ten years. outside of pork and chicken, meat is not shopped for. venison is our "beef". good luck for all who are looking for work.

valor10

Good luck! A little venison in the frezer sure helps with the grocery bill. That's why they call it hunting. Not "can I kill this deer because its not a MONSTER! Fill the freezer! Its my priority.

Kybuckhunter

Why do some "meat hunters" think their reason for hunting is somehow more pure? I eat every deer I kill but its the sport more than anything that draws me. None us must hunt in order to keep from starving. We do it for the sport....antler or meat...its all for sport. If you count the money invested for tags, equipment, time, etc...it would not be very cost effective. Hunt for bone or meat and be happy we can do it. One reason is no more pure than the other.

talonfoe

Consider myself a meat hunter. Sure I try for oddball things in the off season.

Last year I didn't get into a stand from work injury, from which I have been laid off for 2 yrs. Fighting work comp.

I did however get out a few days gun season. Openning morning, 5 minutes after seaon openned 8 pt buck (my 1st) walked his normal path 250 yards from where I took our 2nd oldest to sit. 10 steps later he was down.

3 or 4 days later I just swung by a place behind our I was given permisson to hunt. Only place within 20 miles I hadn't heard semi auto, cannon fire from. You know the bang, bang, bang, bang, bang bang,bang...... (pause reload clip) bang bang bang. And nobody drives by carrying a deer in tow.

Not 30 yds from where I enter a small doe jumps, and stops inside 20 yds. Sadly I missed. I was like OMG HOW? So when she did NOT spook, (Still can't decide which threw me more) pull the bolt slow. chamver #2 and CLICK!!!! What did I do to derserve this. A misfire. STILL she didn't spook. NO WAY I can get #3 in and ready. But some devine grace of the great hunter gods smiled on a poor man wanting to fill his freezer. Remeber please that this is the same gun (30-06 scoped in perfect for the 250yd kill shot on the buck) I shouldered and actually aimed about 6 inches low. And dropped her right where she stood.

Both deer went into the freezer, on the plate and in the stomaches of me, wife (Who started eating deer again after 10 yrs finally) and our 5 kids.
Along with a few other deer that some hunters dropped for horns and I told em I would use the meat. We ate venison up until about 2-3 months ago.

So this year, racks won't go on the table, but hopefully the meat will. For me its for the meat. But 1st week Bow season I plan to sit on a patch I scouted this weeks that grazes a very nice 10 pt and 3 does he's running with. If luck holds true. I'll have a bragging story. If not I'll not pass a doe if she's within my range.

shed33

I have always been one that hunts for meat, fortunately I have elk I can hunt to fill up a freezer too. My two main goals every year are filling the freezer and running down a big whitetail buck.

Wub

I don't think we're trying to front more pure of a cause, I'm not anyway. We're just discussing the monetary justification of deer hunting. I love the sport of hunting; even if I don't use my tag. But being poor with 4 kids, filling the freezer with meet at a cost of about $2/pound does help. If it weren't for the meat, I might not be able to hunt. I love walleye fishing but since I have to travel to do it, I generally don't get to because of the the cost. It's the same with duck hunting for me. I would love to but I can't justify the cost. Luckily, I can with deer hunting.

The Deer Destroyer

I hunt for meat as well, but I also hope that big buck walks past me and he gets an arrow through the lungs.

The Outdoorsman

I butchered my first last year after watching a video and if you understand the cuts of meat you are going after and have a sharp fillet knife. Your first couple times will take longer obviously because you are new to it, but once you know where to cut and everything, it becomes very easy. I have cut down my time by half already.

burniegoeasily

Hmmm, I dont think ive seen that posted.

twildasin

Wow meat comes first here I love to fill the freezer i feel just as accomplished as I would shooting a big buck. One income and butchering myself saves lots of money at the store. Don't get me wrong I like the bucks too but till my wife is done college and making big bucks i hunt for meat, and then again that will probably never change cause if I did not like to eat it I would not hunt it!