Why is hunting such a popular activity in the U.S.?

[vi edit]

Quote: Originally Posted by Icepick In this day and age why is game hunting such a popular activity? Why not visit your local grocer and purchase a nice slab of meat instead? Seems that would be a more economical and more efficient means of acquiring food. uh...wat? lol

I'm not necessarily defending the argument, but if you go with bulk beef (yes..I went there) it's tough to get much more effiencient and economical than that. Around here you are looking at close to $30 a deer for just permits to bag one. Then you have to factor in the gear, time spent hunting, cleaning, and processing and it starts to add up.

I can buy a 1/4 of a cow locally raised for about $350 with locker processing included. That's almost 175 pounds of meat. To get that much from a deer I'd need to bag 3 or 4 of them (that you'd want to actually eat). I'm already close to half my cost just in permits. And I haven't touched any of the other costs/time spent on the deer.

And deer don't have ribeyes. (or anything as remotely tasty as a cow ribeye)

 

[SlowSpyder]

In this day and age why is game hunting such a popular activity? Why not visit your local grocer and purchase a nice slab of meat instead? Seems that would be a more economical and more efficient means of acquiring food.

Because it's not so much about the end product as much as it is the process. I can go to McDonalds or buy a steak at a grocery store. But some people enjoy the thrill of the hunt, being out doors, feeling like they went out and got their own food.

I love to fish, but I can always buy some fish fillets at the store. For me it's not about just having fish in the end.

 

[Icepick]

Hunting is about many things before bringing meat home.

Hunting camp/trips is a time to spend with friends and family. Many groups have traditional hunting camps that they look forward to for spending time with those that live far away, or make it a point to catch up on things at camp.

Being out in the woods is a wonderful time - away from work, city or whatever. Solitude and a time to reflect on your life etc.

Watching wildlife is also very rewarding. I've bow hunted many years, and being close to deer, having a Great Owl swoop in and perch next to me in the tree, all sorts of other crazy things that I would have never witnessed without being in the woods.

Some of my best experiences, stories and times by myself and with my friends has been the result of hunting - and none of what I mentioned above is about shooting or killing an animal!

This post doesn't answer my question. Each of the above activities can be enjoyed (in my opnion) without hunting.

 

[Analog]

This post doesn't answer my question. Each of the above activities can be enjoyed (in my opnion) without hunting.

You asked why it was popular. I gave you an answer. Its the journey, not necessarily the destination.

 

[waggy]

Hunting is one thing. Now if you really want a pretty unglorious hobby take a look at trapping.

yeah. i knew one guy who was heavy into trapping. not the trapping animals that are gettingin the house or barn. but setting them up in fields and killing wild animals.

i asked what he did with them. he said the fur he could sale every now and then. the rest? well it was waste.

i think something like that should be outlawed. oh and "sport hunting" where people kill just for the kill.

i do think hunting (if you eat or donate the meat) is needed.

 

[Kirby]

This post doesn't answer my question. Each of the above activities can be enjoyed (in my opnion) without hunting.

An orgasm can be enjoyed without fucking, but I'd still rather fuck.

 

[Icepick]

How is it more economical and efficient? I'm ready to listen.

Also alot of people enjoy knowing there food is all natural and hasn't been raised in a pit of its own filth and fed a steady diet of antibiotics to keep it from dying of infection. After the animals is raised on a diet of corn feed and other processed bullshit to fatten them up fast, often times never seeing the light of day they are slaughtered wholesale in meat processing plants. These meat processing plants are some of the most dangerous places in the world to work. Usually illegals are employed here and they often lose limbs and/or die but these are rarely reported because they aren't real people. Finally the meat is treated in an ammonia bath to further insure the bacteria it festers in aren't spread to us when we eventually it eat.

your right I have no idea why someone would want to hunt and eat their own food.

Good points. I was thinking from a purely selfish point of view only taking my own time vs. money into account. I would have to agree that taking these facts into account would change the efficiency ratio I had in mind.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Surprised it hasn't been said but we as humans were hunter gatherers. This activity is a survival activity that is practically programmed into our dna. So on a very primal level it is very satisfying to us

 

[Drako]

A man's got to eat.

 

[lozina]

I wouldnt hunt or trap unnecessarily but I do understand the value of hunting your own game and preparing it yourself for ultimate health/flavor benefits

 

[Modelworks]

In this day and age why is game hunting such a popular activity? Why not visit your local grocer and purchase a nice slab of meat instead? Seems that would be a more economical and more efficient means of acquiring food.

Why would I pay for something I can get for free ? Do you know how much meat is in one buck ? The other part is the hunting itself. I am not one of those take a shotgun out and blast at the trees type people. I use arrows and a bow. You have to get up early, find the right spots, and stay quiet and slowly get into range before even setting up the shot. Slowly pull back and let loose and hope the deer doesn't run from the sound of the release. Miss by much and not hit the heart and you will have to run for a mile or two to find the deer. If you have never done it then don't judge it.

It is also a great activity for kids. Kids today grow up never grasping the full concept of life and death until much older. The kids that hunt understand it well. They did a study at UNC on families that hunt together and ones that do not and overall the families that hunt together had better family life, communicated better, and the kids were much more likely to be successful. It also builds self esteem and bonding between fathers and sons is much closer.


The not fun part is butchering. But here we have a local butcher that you can bring the deer to and he will do all the work. final cost, about 35 cents a pound.

It is far safer too. You think grocery store meat is safe ? then you have never been on large farms that raise thousands of cows, pigs, chickens, or turkeys. I worked turkey farms as a teen and it was enough to make most people gag, from cutting off of beaks to keep them from pecking each other, to pulling out the dead ones before the others can peck the dead meat. Then there was the shots. You use a gun to inject each bird, and you often inject yourself if the bird moves.

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.nrahq.org/hunting/hungry2009-2010.pdf

 

[Icepick]

Because it's not so much about the end product as much as it is the process. I can go to McDonalds or buy a steak at a grocery store. But some people enjoy the thrill of the hunt, being out doors, feeling like they went out and got their own food.

I love to fish, but I can always buy some fish fillets at the store. For me it's not about just having fish in the end.

Now you lost me. I don't understand how hunting herbivores could be thrilling.

 

[vi edit]

Now you lost me. I don't understand how hunting herbivores could be thrilling.

Do you play video games?

 

[ghost recon88]

$15 for a deer tag, $3 for a sabot/muzzleloader round, $18 per deer for 50-60 lbs of meat is a pretty good deal to me, especially when Jack Links jerky is $6 or 7 for 8 ounces

 

[BoomerD]

For me, cost never played into the "Why do I hunt? question. It was about the thrill of the hunt, about the kill, (yes, I'm a bloodthirsty killer) about the challenge of tracking the animal and killing it cleanly, about the meat that you can rarely buy all "pre-packaged and neat" in your local grocery store.
I'm not a big fan of venison. I'll eat it, and I used to take one deer every year. It's still meat, just not my favorite. Elk is where it's at for me. If I could keep my freezer full of elk, I'd never eat another bite of beef. Elk steak, elk ribs, elk roast, ground elk burger...> any other red meat.
I was raised hunting. I think it's one of the best ways around to spend a weekend...or a week. Camping and hunting...and maybe fishing as well.

If the only factor to be considered is cost, no one would go fishing. Between the cost of tackle, licensing, and travel, you can buy fish at the local grocery store MUCH cheaper...but it just doesn't taste as good, and it's not nearly as much fun.

 

[Drako]

Now you lost me. I don't understand how hunting herbivores could be thrilling.

Let me guess, you're a city boy?

 

[SlitheryDee]

People do it for fun. Getting into the woods on the first day of deer season is a truly exciting prospect for avid hunters. I don't care for it, but I also do stuff for fun that other people don't care for either. I don't have to understand it to get that different folks like different things.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Now you lost me. I don't understand how hunting herbivores could be thrilling.

Any kill is thrilling because back when we were tribal....a kill meant you and the tribe were eating. It meant another day of living. A continuation of your species.

 

[Icepick]

Why would I pay for something I can get for free ? Do you know how much meat is in one buck ? The other part is the hunting itself. I am not one of those take a shotgun out and blast at the trees type people. I use arrows and a bow. You have to get up early, find the right spots, and stay quiet and slowly get into range before even setting up the shot. Slowly pull back and let loose and hope the deer doesn't run from the sound of the release. Miss by much and not hit the heart and you will have to run for a mile or two to find the deer. If you have never done it then don't judge it.

It is also a great activity for kids. Kids today grow up never grasping the full concept of life and death until much older. The kids that hunt understand it well. They did a study at UNC on families that hunt together and ones that do not and overall the families that hunt together had better family life, communicated better, and the kids were much more likely to be successful. It also builds self esteem and bonding between fathers and sons is much closer.


The not fun part is butchering. But here we have a local butcher that you can bring the deer to and he will do all the work. final cost, about 35 cents a pound.

It is far safer too. You think grocery store meat is safe ? then you have never been on large farms that raise thousands of cows, pigs, chickens, or turkeys. I worked turkey farms as a teen and it was enough to make most people gag, from cutting off of beaks to keep them from pecking each other, to pulling out the dead ones before the others can peck the dead meat. Then there was the shots. You use a gun to inject each bird, and you often inject yourself if the bird moves.

Thanks for the insight. I hadn't considered it in those terms.

 

[69Mach1]

When I hunt, it's about a lot of things. Time spent in quiet and solitude, wild campfire stories, good friends, low stress. But for me the fun part of hunting is over when you kill something, after that it's just work. And it's certainly true that if you count your time as worth anything, it is cheaper to go buy meat at the store. But wild game is as organic as food gets, if you like it there really is only one way to get it.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Now you lost me. I don't understand how hunting herbivores could be thrilling.

How are you lost on this? I don't consider collecting stamps too exciting, some people love it. Some people don't understand how someone can enjoy a video game, I mean after all it's just a game... in an FPS it's not like real war where if you get shot you die. Certainly that could be considered to be not thrilling at all to many. This isn't too hard to grasp...

 

[Jadow]

well for one thing, you get to spend some great time outdoors and bond with your father or son etc.. in this Xbox Ipod age, doing something like that, a tradition that goes back generations is priceless.

Secondly, if it weren't for deer hunting, the deer population would explode because of all the corn farming, and there would be deer/car accidents much more frequently.

In WI alone, there are 80,000 deer/car collisions every year. That's with hunting!

The meat is good, you can't buy it in stores.

Lastly, it's fun.

 

[pontifex]

I used to hunt with my dad when I was younger. I would still do it but I hate getting up early and I hate sitting in the cold. There is a nice aspect of being in general silence and being with nature that is cool.

There's also the excitement of hearing rustling leaves and wondering if it's a deer or some other animal. your adrenaline goes up and you're sitting still, waiting and looking for a deer. if it's a squirrel or something you kind of get disappointed but they can be fun to watch.

if it's a deer you get even more excited and wait for it to come into view. you ready your rifle and take aim, hoping it doesn't hear/see/smell you and run off before you can get a shot.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I'm not necessarily defending the argument, but if you go with bulk beef (yes..I went there) it's tough to get much more effiencient and economical than that. Around here you are looking at close to $30 a deer for just permits to bag one. Then you have to factor in the gear, time spent hunting, cleaning, and processing and it starts to add up.

I can buy a 1/4 of a cow locally raised for about $350 with locker processing included. That's almost 175 pounds of meat. To get that much from a deer I'd need to bag 3 or 4 of them (that you'd want to actually eat). I'm already close to half my cost just in permits. And I haven't touched any of the other costs/time spent on the deer.

And deer don't have ribeyes. (or anything as remotely tasty as a cow ribeye)

Cost is probably the last thing on the list of reasons people hunt. I grew up on a farm and my dad is a big time hunter. I personally enjoy the deer hunting thing, but not to the extent my dad does (get up 4am, walk up and down huge hills for 10-12 hours), but those guys do it for the sport. You do get a pretty intense adrenaline rush when you've been looking for a deer for hours and then you see one running 50 yards in front of you.

Also I don't think you've ever had a properly done venison steak.... blows beef out of the water.