HUNTERS GONNA HUNT FOR MEAT ... Amid Shortage Fears

[Reptile]

The broken meat supply chain has most Americans worried, but not hunters who are loading their freezers with game -- and it seems a lot more people want to do the same.

We did some digging, and in the past couple months, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic ... several Midwestern and East Coast states, where hunting is common, have seen a major increase in demand for licenses to bag open-range game, fish and fowl.

In Michigan, for example, turkey season kicked off with a bang on April 18 ... and the state’s Department of Natural Resources already sold 97,305 licenses to hunt the bird, far eclipsing the 83,072 number this time last year.

New York, which tragically had the biggest surge of coronavirus cases early on, also saw a surge of its residents going fishing and hunting. Between March and May, the number of licensed anglers grew 30 percent and turkey permit sales spiked about 60 percent.

Similar story in Virginia, where so far this year ... sales of hunting licenses have risen nearly 10 percent and its turkey harvest has perked up by 11 percent.

A couple of heartland states -- Indiana and Iowa -- have also experienced big spikes in hunting and fishing licenses, but officials there don't chalk that up to a potential meat shortage. Instead, they think it's because people have more free time to enjoy the sport of hunting along with the reward of food.

Hunting Increases in U.S. Amid Meat Shortage Fears and More Free Time

The looming meat shortage in the U.S. has more Americans gearing up to go hunting or fishing for their food.

www.tmz.com

 

[whacko]

I don't think the surge in license sales is to stock up on meat

It's only turkey season deer doesn't start till late summer / fall

The surge in sales is lots of folks are laid off and have spare time...so they know the license will get put to use....add in the $600 a week over the top of unemployment and the cost of the license isn't so limiting to alot of folks that may not have hunted in a many years.

 

[Mark from MA]

Like Whacko said.....this is the spring. All you can hunt is Turkey. Maybe some other small crap....but it aint gonna fill the freezer.

One or two turkeys isn't gonna go very far, By October. when Archery deer hunting finally starts (and a lot of guys don't archery hunt) , you'd be dead by then if you had to live on game meat. In reality after Turkey season most of these guys won't step in the woods til Gun season of November or December. Honestly, I saw a larger contingent of guys the first week of Turkey.....now, I see very few people parked on the side of Barre Falls or some of the state forest. Turkey's have been real quiet this year too...Ive been out working on the house and always hear some gobbles....this year...not much at all.

If your hunting Legally, it would be a big stretch to live on game harvested in this state alone.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Like Whacko said.....this is the spring. All you can hunt is Turkey. Maybe some other small crap....but it aint gonna fill the freezer.

One or two turkeys isn't gonna go very far, By October. when Archery deer hunting finally starts (and a lot of guys don't archery hunt) , you'd be dead by then if you had to live on game meat. In reality after Turkey season most of these guys won't step in the woods til Gun season of November or December.

If your hunting Legally, it would be a big stretch to live on game harvested in this state alone.

And if you are caught hunting illegally with a firearm you will likely lose your LTC.

Bob

 

[Climbnsink]

You guys realize the Bugaloo does not recognize the authority of F&G laws. Need to order up some camo Hawaiian shirts.

 

[mcshooter]

And if you are caught hunting illegally with a firearm you will likely lose your LTC.

Bob

I'd say poaching with anything from gun to arrows you'd be a PP

 

[01906]

I don't think you save any money by hunting. If you figure the money I spend on guns ammo Black powder, bows, arrows, releases, camo, rangefinders,treestands, trail cameras, sents, calls, decoys, fishing rods, lures, bait, line, licenses and the list goes on. I could buy filet mignon every night it would still be cheaper than hunting.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I'd say poaching with anything from gun to arrows you'd be a PP

IDK. Depends on the possible sentence I think.

Poaching with a firearm for sure as it is a crime with a gun. It was covered in Lens class and a few years back somebody in the western part of the state got caught shooting a turkey from the road and he lost his LTC.

Bob

 

[whacko]

I don't think you save any money by hunting. If you figure the money I spend on guns ammo Black powder, bows, arrows, releases, camo, rangefinders,treestands, trail cameras, sents, calls, decoys, fishing rods, lures, bait, line, licenses and the list goes on. I could buy filet mignon every night it would still be cheaper than hunting.

Depends on how you hunt.

My uncle's were Killin plenty of deer in the Merrimac valley area of new England in the 1970s (back when there were way fewer deer) with old model 12s wearing the same jeans and caarhart coat they wore to work that day. Do we really need all that stuff?

I don't use 75% of the stuff on your list and I enjoy hunting And am successful

 

[Drix]

I don't think you save any money by hunting. If you figure the money I spend on guns ammo Black powder, bows, arrows, releases, camo, rangefinders,treestands, trail cameras, sents, calls, decoys, fishing rods, lures, bait, line, licenses and the list goes on. I could buy filet mignon every night it would still be cheaper than hunting.

This.

I joke that 100lbs of deer cost me about 50c but deep down inside I don't want to admit that it was $1200 for the hunting cabin, $120 for the tag, 1800 rifle, 300 scope, 500-700 in miscellaneous equipment, 100 in processing, fuel, food, treestand, land rents. Some of that gets broken down over years, some not, its fairly expensive.

On the flip, Deer is non-gmo, organic, antibiotic free, free range goodness.

With the covid thing though I am worried about deer population though- I hunt in a very economically depressed rural area, the kind of place where it isn't uncommon to hear a round pop off around dinner time and poaching is a way of life. I don't begrudge anyone who needs the food to survive, but it does send a contemplation to the sportsmen in me about the economics of the hunt when the deer just might not be there this year.

 

[Climbnsink]

Funny story time. Family member taught HS English in VT. Assigned a paper describe how to do something. Student wrote a paper describing deer hunting at night with a spotlight. She didn't know it was illegal said that is the way her Dad always did it. She had to write another paper.

 

[knoxy]

LOL at getting a hunting license during a gov't induced food supply failure.

 

[01906]

Depends on how you hunt.

My uncle's were Killin plenty of deer in the Merrimac valley area of new England in the 1970s (back when there were way fewer deer) with old model 12s wearing the same jeans and caarhart coat they wore to work that day. Do we really need all that stuff?

I don't use 75% of the stuff on your list and I enjoy hunting And am successful

No you're right. Depends how you hunt. When I first started hunting I was in my early 20s. I had no money I could barely pay my rent. I wasn't raised hunting moved to Maine started hunting with a group of locals. I bought my first rifle for $100 it was a 308 that someone in that group sold me. I got a deer that year I was wearing denim jeans a denim shirt and orange vest. Wish I still had the picture. There was 11 of us in that group everyone tagged out. Some of the best experiences of my life. I kind of miss those days. Part of me wishes I could go back to them. What's that expression More money More problems.

 

[Drix]

I got a deer that year I was wearing denim jeans a denim shirt and orange vest.

Guy that owns my hunting property is in his 80's, he hunts the land for food and we're ok with it- comes with the territory. While some people might be pissed that he's taking deer off the hunted property he sets us up well, but that's another story. He prefers to hunt in blue jeans and a flannel shirt, down vest, smoking a cigarette with a beer between his knees.

That guy is a legit deer slayer. We take all this ozonated carbon activated realtree camo suit bullshit for granted because "it gives us an edge" but we rarely step back and ask "how much of one?".
You don't need all the crap, you just need to know your spot, know your skills, and get it done.

 

[Dennis in MA]

Meat processors are already coming back online. People need to calm the F down. Lol

 

[enbloc]

The real danger won't be Covid; but the numbskulls hunting without any experience...

 

[enbloc]

I got a deer once wearing jean cut-offs, flip-flops and an AC/DC tee shirt...
Cost me about $800 bucks to repair that front bumper and hood...

 

[Drix]

I got a deer once wearing jean cut-offs, flip-flops and an AC/DC tee shirt...
Cost me about $800 bucks to repair that front bumper and hood...

I've always said if I get a deer with my car I'm doing the classic hunter pose with the car in the background

 

[Dadstoys]

I still hunt with the Mossberg 500 that I bought 40 some odd years ago for $120 .
Freezer is full.

 

[dcmdon]

Depends on how you hunt.

My uncle's were Killin plenty of deer in the Merrimac valley area of new England in the 1970s (back when there were way fewer deer) with old model 12s wearing the same jeans and caarhart coat they wore to work that day. Do we really need all that stuff?

I don't use 75% of the stuff on your list and I enjoy hunting And am successful

 

[whacko]

I still hunt with the Mossberg 500 that I bought 40 some odd years ago for $120 .
Freezer is full.

Awesome. I started with a mossy 500 and used the hell out of it. Have to admit I've upgraded a bit on hunting guns since those days and sold the old 500 to a buddy a few weeks ago.....but it was to get him started on hunting with his boy so it was a good sale.....and my first time ever selling a gun lol.

 

[FisherTech]

Folks,, When it comes to feeding the family "screw the Game laws". Now I am saying that is an excuse, but it is why the animals are here on this earth.

I was told by the wife yesterday, That when she was shopping a Market Basket here in Swanzey, that she was restricted to two meat packages.

 

[whacko]

Folks,, When it comes to feeding the family "screw the Game laws". Now I am saying that is an excuse, but it is why the animals are here on this earth.

I was told by the wife yesterday, That when she was shopping a Market Basket here in Swanzey, that she was restricted to two meat packages.

Haverhill mb is 2 PKG of each kind....chicken beef pork etc....

They are trying to hold off the hoarders like they did with shit paper I think

 

[whacko]

No you're right. Depends how you hunt. When I first started hunting I was in my early 20s. I had no money I could barely pay my rent. I wasn't raised hunting moved to Maine started hunting with a group of locals. I bought my first rifle for $100 it was a 308 that someone in that group sold me. I got a deer that year I was wearing denim jeans a denim shirt and orange vest. Wish I still had the picture. There was 11 of us in that group everyone tagged out. Some of the best experiences of my life. I kind of miss those days. Part of me wishes I could go back to them. What's that expression More money More problems.

The only hunting I really pay "big" money for is hare hunting in Maine with a guide. It's more of a vacation anyway than hunting. $175 a day including the lodging meals snowshoes an the guide for the day. It makes a hell of a nice vacation. The rest of my hunting I keep on the cheap except for the licenses.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Folks,, When it comes to feeding the family "screw the Game laws". Now I am saying that is an excuse, but it is why the animals are here on this earth.

I was told by the wife yesterday, That when she was shopping a Market Basket here in Swanzey, that she was restricted to two meat packages.

If the supply chain really broke down there is near enough wild game to support the population and it would be gone in a couple of months at best.

Bob

 

[Climbnsink]

If the supply chain really broke down there is near enough wild game to support the population and it would be gone in a couple of months at best.

Bob

Maybe in some places but I doubt it. The never hunted small plots of land around the suburbs are loaded with game and the people with the wherewithal to go get some is few.

 

[Drix]

Maybe in some places but I doubt it. The never hunted small plots of land around the suburbs are loaded with game and the people with the wherewithal to go get some is few.

Food per square mile is less than humans per square mile. It'll run out.

 

[Climbnsink]

Food per square mile is less than humans per square mile. It'll run out.

Gonna get me a cannon and build a duck punt be a rich market hunter. How many of those humans are capable of catching that free range food? The woods ain't ever going to run out.

 

[dcmdon]

I assembled myself a suburban hunting pistol last week out of stuff I already had.

Ruger 22/45 with a silencer and a Bushnell scope. ha.

Perfect for bunnies, squirrels and resident Canada geese.

 

[StevieP]

Down here it'd be fish. Lots and lots of fish. People have, do, and will fill their freezers with flounder, stripers, bluefish, spanish and king mackerel, red drum, black drum, black sea bass, grouper, cobia, speckled sea trout, crabs, scallops, oysters, and damned near everything else that swims or crawls. We have turtles both fresh and salt, and snakes out the wazoo.

Yeah we have a 155K acre Croatan National forest full of turkey and deer across the street, too. Maybe some wild hogs and bear in there but not many here on the coast.