Hey guys, looking for some advice for a potential food only hunter :P

[NYchick]

Hey everyone,

 

Yesterday, I just began researching the idea of hunting for food, not sport. I was hoping to get some feedback as how viable an option this is to other food hunters out there. I'm currently in a rural area (in Rensselaer county with quite a few hunting preserves around me), so I wouldn't need to travel too far to start. Obviously I would need the basic equipment, but I'm wondering how "easy" is to to successfully hunt? Do food hunters often find that the time spent isn't worth the pay off? Or, can it be worth it if you're not picky about what game (small vs large) you choose, process the meat yourself, and use decoy's etc? 

 

Anyway, I have two dogs right now that are on the raw diet. Also, for varying reasons at the moment, I need to stay on an extremely high animal protein organic only diet.

So, I was looking into this as another way to obtain organic meat at a possibly more cost effective means while also having a larger variety than what I can obtain at my local supermarket.

 

Any insight is appreciated! :-P 

[Water Rat]

Thank God for supermarkets. If I had to hunt for food , I would have starved years ago.

[blackradio]

Yes it can be done if you shoot any deer that you have a shot at, assuming that you have a good spot to hunt, are a good shot etc. But, you could be out in the woods for 100 hours in the freezing cold for days on end and not even have a shot on a deer or even see one. Saying there's a lot to know about hunting is an understatement and it's something outsiders don't realize. Good luck.

[PREDATE]

I say this alot and I mean it, hunting and killing are different. Add a canned hunt into this and they become even further apart. Yeah you could call it hunting, but definately not fair chase and the animals on the "preserve" are not really wild!

If one can't be successful on a canned hunt, he/she needs to save their money and hit Wegmans!

Hunting is not easy and that's the attraction, aside from the time oneself gets to enjoy in the solitude of nature.

Killing an animal is not the only success of being a hunter. Learning to become a more proficient, skilled and ethical hunter by studying the habits/traits of our quarry is where hunters find success.

 

[Elmo]

Honestly, I don't think the time and money involved makes getting into hunting purely for food purposes economically worth it. Especially not in the first few years if you've never hunted before. Most people who I've talked to who hunt for their own food go out in the woods even if they are not harvesting meat. They're already investing time and money into going out and enjoying nature so the meat they bring home is considered "free" and a "bonus".

[jusputtn]

Subsistence hunting isn't legal around here.  Move to the Alaskan bush.

[Paula]

Raise your own meat. You could do beef, pork, poultry and rabbit even lamb

[ATbuckhunter]

You could start hunting on a budget. All you really need is a gun, some warm clothing(cammo if you can), a licence and a place to hunt. Start reading on general deer movements and scout your area at the same time because different areas tend to behave a little different which is was could be the difference when the time comes down. Its not going to be easy for the first year or two but you might get lucky and get a couple. I would say the hardest part of hunting is the early wake ups that are needed for morning hunts. 

Edited June 9, 2013 by ATbuckhunter

[wooly]

Looks like I'm in the minority.

I think hunting is easy. It doesn't have to be expensive, and you can fill a lot of freezer space in a short time if you're not picky.

Finding and keeping a good place to hunt is the hardest part.

Is it worth it....? I say yes to that too.

[greybeard]

NYchick.. Waterfowl hunting can add lots of meat, IF you like it..Early goose season has a bigger limit..

 

I would think about adding fish(high protein also), if that's acceptable to you... you can catch lots of them, and  have variety.. Also, fish may carry you through the warmer months.Maybe you could get some bullfrog legs while your at it.

 

 I'm curious, what are you gonna do for fiber, and vegetables ? Grow your own ?

[Paula]

I bet it is the same person or group that wanted us to do a survey. Plus there was someone else asking about deer meat once and it was a woman from NYC they said.

 

 

 Maybe i spend too much time here

 

[greybeard]

Paula.. Maybe I don't spend enough time here.. I can't imagine why anyone has to make up a story to ask how much game we eat, or anything else.. Why don't they  just be honest and ask !!

 

 

[TheTruth2]

Plain and simple.. Your not guaranteed am animal when you go hunting. The answer is simple.. Ask yourself if your willing to put forth the effort to be successful.

[TheTruth2]

Is the labor worth the cost

[jesse.james]

I say this alot and I mean it, hunting and killing are different. Add a canned hunt into this and they become even further apart. Yeah you could call it hunting, but definately not fair chase and the animals on the "preserve" are not really wild!

If one can't be successful on a canned hunt, he/she needs to save their money and hit Wegmans!

Hunting is not easy and that's the attraction, aside from the time oneself gets to enjoy in the solitude of nature.

Killing an animal is not the only success of being a hunter. Learning to become a more proficient, skilled and ethical hunter by studying the habits/traits of our quarry is where hunters find success.

 

I have to disagree with you.  If you are hunting a large preserver like Montezuma wildlife refuge that is not a canned hunt in any shape or form.  If you have 10k acres I dont care how high the fence is.  It is definitely not a canned hunt.  Period!

[Paula]

People are just weird greybeard. I could be wrong

[greybeard]

Paula, I guess we'll find out, if and when she keeps posting

[PREDATE]

I have to disagree with you.  If you are hunting a large preserver like Montezuma wildlife refuge that is not a canned hunt in any shape or form.  If you have 10k acres I dont care how high the fence is.  It is definitely not a canned hunt.  Period!

Oh, I didn't realize that was a preserver. Obviously I wasn't referring to a 10K acre WMA. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that 10K acres of unfenced land is not a canned hunt.

Had the OP said WMA then you wouldn't need to emphasize "if".

So lets stay tuned and see if the OP throws out a response. K?

 

Edit: I just realized the OP is the prankster from this mornings "tranny butt post". LOL

Edited June 9, 2013 by PREDATE

[NYchick]

Hey Water Rat, I use to live in Dutchess County...actually not that far from

blackradio who lives in Pawling! Small world, even if I am on a strictly "NY hunting

forum!  

 

Anyway, thanks everyone for their feedback. I'm definitely still quite intrigued by this

idea...although I do wish that the hunting seasons were longer! Maybe I'll get lucky

and find the mother load of red squirrels somewhere while I'm out and about since I was reading that they aren't regulated. I'm kidding of course. 

 

Also, I misused the word "preserve" like the noob that I am. I meant to say that there are a lot of state owned public lands near me (some have thousands of acres) that allow hunting. Although, I'm assuming a private type land scenario would be better.

 

Wooly, thank you for your optimism. I know that hunting takes a lot of work (as far as learning the trade), so I do like to think that as long as you're willing to educate yourself, you have a fighting chance to succeed!

 

 

Greybeard, I'm still planning on buying my own vegetables, fruits (and meat since I probably can't catch all of my meat, lol). But, I definitely would like to catch my own meat and have it supplement my diet (as well as my dogs...ps can I bring Italian Greyhounds hunting with me? LOL No. ). 

 

TheTruth2, I guess time will tell if I do pursue this if it is worth it to me. I won't know

unless I try. I wish I knew ahead of time! Lol!

 

Lastly, I'm not sure who you guys are referring too; but this is my first post here. I 

didn't make any type of "tranny butt post", lol.

Was my question really so noobish that you guys think I'm a troll? I can't be the only one coming on this forum and asking for advice! 

[NYchick]

Also, why is it illegal to sell venison? I was wondering why I could never find it for sale until I read that it's illegal to sell in on NYS website. Is that so that deer aren't excessively killed? I guess it makes sense. But, it sucks for those of us who would like to have a larger variety of proteins without getting them ourselves. Lol.

[Paula]

Oh, I didn't realize that was a preserver. Obviously I wasn't referring to a 10K acre WMA. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that 10K acres of unfenced land is not a canned hunt.

Had the OP said WMA then you wouldn't need to emphasize "if".

So lets stay tuned and see if the OP throws out a response. K?

Edit: I just realized the OP is the prankster from this mornings "tranny butt post". LOL

This from the other post? Same person that wanted post removed?

[NYchick]

Some of you guys are oddly paranoid and think I'm some sort of spy/prankster. I'm not sure why...but you should know that there is more than one female in all of NY who has an interest in learning about hunting. It is organic after all.  

 

 

[greybeard]

NYchick.. I might be wrong, but I believe that some companies sell farmed, or ranched venison in NY....If you check online  you MIGHT find one in  NY...Maybe NYC.

 

My wife, didn't hunt, but was a really good freshwater fisherman(woman) when we were younger, so I get it.

 

 

[Elmo]

NYchick - farmed deer can be sold because they have to follow USDA regulations etc. Hard for USDA to follow and regulate every hunter an their meat handling practices.

[PREDATE]

This from the other post? Same person that wanted post removed?

oops! Guess not.

Sorry NYchick.

The other "prankster" dubs themself  bbgirl.

 

I'm still frickin' cracking up!

We got the "tranny butt post" and the"organic protien seeker" all in one weekend, so I got them mixed up! LOL