Hunting for groceries

[Terry Lightle]

yep,never enough meet in the freezer with the prices at the store these days

[jsweka]

I don't know guys.  If you're justifying hunting to save on the bill at the supermarket, I think you should sit down and do some math.

Here are my estimated hunting expenses over the last two bow seasons:
2 years worth of licenses $74.80
new treestand $250.00
materials for new bow (I build my own) $200.00
materials and heads for a dozen arrows $54.00
cost of hunting lease (only one year)  $175.00
gas for my truck $350
deer butchering $65

total = $1,168.80

I got one doe last year and didn't get any shot opportunities this year, so assuming I ended up with 50 lb. of meat from that deer, that is $23.38 / lb of meat.

Now if I would have gotten another deer this year, but still had the same butcher fee, it would have been $12.34 / lb. of meat.

Yes some costs could be cut down, like butchering my own deer, and I won't need another treestand for a long time, but some costs are fixed like license fees and gas to travel to and from hunting grounds.  Also, we all buy new bows and other accessories when we really don't need them.

I'm definitely not arguing the price at the supermarket hasn't increased, but hunting is not saving you money.

But hey, it's still a better use of money compared to sitting at a bar.

[graybarkhunter]

Originally posted by jsweka:
I don't know guys.  If you're justifying hunting to save on the bill at the supermarket, I think you should sit down and do some math.

Here are my estimated hunting expenses over the last two bow seasons:
2 years worth of licenses $74.80
new treestand $250.00
materials for new bow (I build my own) $200.00
materials and heads for a dozen arrows $54.00
cost of hunting lease (only one year)  $175.00
gas for my truck $350
deer butchering $65

total = $1,168.80

I got one doe last year and didn't get any shot opportunities this year, so assuming I ended up with 50 lb. of meat from that deer, that is $23.38 / lb of meat.

Now if I would have gotten another deer this year, but still had the same butcher fee, it would have been $12.34 / lb. of meat.

Yes some costs could be cut down, like butchering my own deer, and I won't need another treestand for a long time, but some costs are fixed like license fees and gas to travel to and from hunting grounds.  Also, we all buy new bows and other accessories when we really don't need them.

I'm definitely not arguing the price at the supermarket hasn't increased, but hunting is not saving you money.

But hey, it's still a better use of money compared to sitting at a bar.

....creating the memories afield and getting a belly full of venison:  PRICELESS!  i would do that every year for the rest of my life, but.. who the heck am i to speak..just my 2 cents

[jsweka]

graybark - I totally agree.  My point is that I am not hunting because I have any notion that it will save on the grocery bill.  I do it because it is just plain good fun no matter what the cost. And if I didn't hunt, I don't know what else I would do outside of work.