"Free Range" Meat Source

[shootnfishndorf]

I've always wanted to jump out of my jeep full camo suit, face paint, the works...with a katana and whack some geese at a stop light...with a hunting license of course....toss'm in the trunk and get the smoker fired up.

 

[smokey]

I've always wanted to jump out of my jeep full camo suit, face paint, the works...with a katana and whack some geese at a stop light...with a hunting license of course....toss'm in the trunk and get the smoker fired up.

I was meeting up with friends at the basspro parking lot before we headed out to shoot. One of them pulled up quick and accidentally.... ah hem... ran over a goose. He hopped out grabbed it's head and quickly broke its neck to put it out and then tossed it in the back of his jeep. All of this directly next to an old lady sitting in her car, waiting for the bed bath and beyond to open up. Her look was priceless.

 

[Archeryrob]

I've always wanted to jump out of my jeep full camo suit, face paint, the works...with a katana and whack some geese at a stop light...with a hunting license of course....toss'm in the trunk and get the smoker fired up.

You'd still get cited as a kantana is not listed as a legal weapon during the season. I remember some dude got in trouble for using an Atlatl on deer. Killed it deader than dead, but wasn't a legal weapon.

 

[lazarus]

Yes, but IMHO you don't get a lot of meat from a deer. As compared to cattle. Every bit helps though if you have to resort to wild game for food on the table.

Hunting is a great way to. However, the fastest and generally cheapest way is just move vegetarian. And I am NOT a vegetarian. But for the same calories and protein, beans are a heck of a lot cheaper than any meat you aren't likely to get sick eating unless it is "free" like wild game. And frankly, most of us here are paying a butcher, not butchering their own (I do a bit of both). So even a nice deer you shot for free, isn't free in the end. You probably spent $5-40 in practice ammo and/or a possibly lost/broken arrow/bolt/arrowhead (maybe you lucked out and none of it was damaged). Many are paying $70-120 butchering fee. Even if butchering yourself, there are some costs there beyond the equipment. Even if you already have it, you are probably spending a few bucks on meat bags and vacuum seal bags, or at least butcher paper and Serran (yeah, yeah, sure, stupid cheap, but a few bucks of supplies).

Hard to argue with maybe dropping $20-50 to shoot a deer yourself and butcher the deer yourself for ~20ish pounds of high-quality meat for a small deer, up to 60-80lbs of a big buck. And maybe it was gun hunting and you didn't spend anything in practice, or archery and you recovered your arrow unscathed and you butcher yourself so its maybe $5-10 spent for that meat.

For 1lb of dried beans you get roughly 1400 calories and 90 grams of protein at a cost of ~$1.40 a pound (and with some looking you can find it around $1 a pound). A pound of beef has ~1130 calories and 110 grams of protein at around $4 a pound for most any beef I'd probably consider buying, and that would be on the cheaper end.

Going with beans isn't going to short you on the protein and is going to have a lot less fat. Probably be a lot healthier for you at a third to a quarter the price of cheap beef.

Not going to argue someone wants meat in their diet. But if it is necessity, going vegetarian saves a LOT of money. Unless you luck out, hunting might also mean an opportunity cost of something else you can be doing. An extra shift at work, saving money by fixing something yourself rather than paying someone to fix it because you don't have time, etc.

 

[lazarus]

You'd still get cited as a kantana is not listed as a legal weapon during the season. I remember some dude got in trouble for using an Atlatl on deer. Killed it deader than dead, but wasn't a legal weapon.

This. Same if you road killed a deer and didn't call DNR/state police to get a road kill tag. PS I have done that an DNR and NRP both told me to call State Police, who told me DNR hadn't given them roadkill tags in years to give out, so just wrote me a police report and told me I was good.

But you DO need to. Not sure if/when anyone has been cited for collecting a roadkill deer without reporting it, but I'd be surprised if it hasn't happened at some point.

Accidental or not so accidental on the goose, to hunt them you are required to have a state and federal waterfowl stamp. That INCLUDES to transport the carcass. Plus a vehicle isn't a legal weapon to hunt them. Now, I'd imagine a true accident, if witnessed, NRP or police are going to rather laugh at that call and let you go even without the stamps. But, you'd probably need to call it in to cover your butt. And not so accident though, and you'd probably get cited.

 

[Archeryrob]

Yeah, I did the road kill deer thing when younger and the State Police literally said to me "WTF are you bothering me with this?" No one wants to handle it, but its still the law. I assume now you could just phone app check it.

I butcher all myself as I have been in butcher shops and see some of the trash some hunters drop off. Spoiled meat and gut busted deer and not hosed out. I couldn't deal with my meat being ground with theirs. Plus I am particular about my meat. I like thick steaks, muscle groups trimmed and don't like butterflied loins. Many butchers slice the back legs par frozen with all connective tissue and lymph nodes in it still. Leave the silver skin on the loins when butterflying. I'd rather spend most nights in a week trimming it myself and packaging it right.

 

[shootnfishndorf]

You'd still get cited as a kantana is not listed as a legal weapon during the season. I remember some dude got in trouble for using an Atlatl on deer. Killed it deader than dead, but wasn't a legal weapon.

Dang it ...The Man takes all the fun out of it again....LOL

 

[shootnfishndorf]

Hunting is a great way to. However, the fastest and generally cheapest way is just move vegetarian. And I am NOT a vegetarian. But for the same calories and protein, beans are a heck of a lot cheaper than any meat you aren't likely to get sick eating unless it is "free" like wild game. And frankly, most of us here are paying a butcher, not butchering their own (I do a bit of both). So even a nice deer you shot for free, isn't free in the end. You probably spent $5-40 in practice ammo and/or a possibly lost/broken arrow/bolt/arrowhead (maybe you lucked out and none of it was damaged). Many are paying $70-120 butchering fee. Even if butchering yourself, there are some costs there beyond the equipment. Even if you already have it, you are probably spending a few bucks on meat bags and vacuum seal bags, or at least butcher paper and Serran (yeah, yeah, sure, stupid cheap, but a few bucks of supplies).

Hard to argue with maybe dropping $20-50 to shoot a deer yourself and butcher the deer yourself for ~20ish pounds of high-quality meat for a small deer, up to 60-80lbs of a big buck. And maybe it was gun hunting and you didn't spend anything in practice, or archery and you recovered your arrow unscathed and you butcher yourself so its maybe $5-10 spent for that meat.

For 1lb of dried beans you get roughly 1400 calories and 90 grams of protein at a cost of ~$1.40 a pound (and with some looking you can find it around $1 a pound). A pound of beef has ~1130 calories and 110 grams of protein at around $4 a pound for most any beef I'd probably consider buying, and that would be on the cheaper end.

Going with beans isn't going to short you on the protein and is going to have a lot less fat. Probably be a lot healthier for you at a third to a quarter the price of cheap beef.

Not going to argue someone wants meat in their diet. But if it is necessity, going vegetarian saves a LOT of money. Unless you luck out, hunting might also mean an opportunity cost of something else you can be doing. An extra shift at work, saving money by fixing something yourself rather than paying someone to fix it because you don't have time, etc.

For me, it isn't 100 percent about "the meat" or the necessity for my particular diet...I know I'm not alone in this mindset....it is also the pursuit. The practice, acquiring of skills to get your own game. The money I waste on fuel, tackle and bait just to catch fish. Makes no sense, financially....but the joy I get from it, the relaxation of being out...can't price it. I'm not a big hunter, mostly because I'm a transplant to the area and only one of my friends hunt. Just started stalking public lands for squirrel last year ...but I'm sure it is exponentially more rewarding for larger game...I did try substituting beans for meat a few years back....same feeling in my belly...full is full...but not the same sense of well being physically or mentally....made a mental issue only, but I didn't like it. If I had to, I could do it, but my canines tell me I was designed to rip and shred meat occasionally.

 

[shootnfishndorf]

Hunting is a great way to. However, the fastest and generally cheapest way is just move vegetarian. And I am NOT a vegetarian. But for the same calories and protein, beans are a heck of a lot cheaper than any meat you aren't likely to get sick eating unless it is "free" like wild game. And frankly, most of us here are paying a butcher, not butchering their own (I do a bit of both). So even a nice deer you shot for free, isn't free in the end. You probably spent $5-40 in practice ammo and/or a possibly lost/broken arrow/bolt/arrowhead (maybe you lucked out and none of it was damaged). Many are paying $70-120 butchering fee. Even if butchering yourself, there are some costs there beyond the equipment. Even if you already have it, you are probably spending a few bucks on meat bags and vacuum seal bags, or at least butcher paper and Serran (yeah, yeah, sure, stupid cheap, but a few bucks of supplies).

Hard to argue with maybe dropping $20-50 to shoot a deer yourself and butcher the deer yourself for ~20ish pounds of high-quality meat for a small deer, up to 60-80lbs of a big buck. And maybe it was gun hunting and you didn't spend anything in practice, or archery and you recovered your arrow unscathed and you butcher yourself so its maybe $5-10 spent for that meat.

For 1lb of dried beans you get roughly 1400 calories and 90 grams of protein at a cost of ~$1.40 a pound (and with some looking you can find it around $1 a pound). A pound of beef has ~1130 calories and 110 grams of protein at around $4 a pound for most any beef I'd probably consider buying, and that would be on the cheaper end.

Going with beans isn't going to short you on the protein and is going to have a lot less fat. Probably be a lot healthier for you at a third to a quarter the price of cheap beef.

Not going to argue someone wants meat in their diet. But if it is necessity, going vegetarian saves a LOT of money. Unless you luck out, hunting might also mean an opportunity cost of something else you can be doing. An extra shift at work, saving money by fixing something yourself rather than paying someone to fix it because you don't have time, etc.

For me, it isn't 100 percent about "the meat" or the necessity for my particular diet...I know I'm not alone in this mindset....it is also the pursuit. The practice, acquiring of skills to get your own game. The money I waste on fuel, tackle and bait just to catch fish. Makes no sense, financially....but the joy I get from it, the relaxation of being out...can't price it. I'm not a big hunter, mostly because I'm a transplant to the area and only one of my friends hunt. Just started stalking public lands for squirrel last year ...but I'm sure it is exponentially more rewarding for larger game...I did try substituting beans for meat a few years back....same feeling in my belly...full is full...but not the same sense of well being physically or mentally....maybe a mental issue only, but I didn't like it. If I had to, I could do it, but my canines tell me I was designed to rip and shred meat occasionally.

 

[Ecestu]

I assume now you could just phone app check it.

The MD DNR app doesn't have that functionality yet. You have to check road kill in through the DNR website, but it's still pretty easy.

 

[Slackdaddy]

Hunting is a great way to. However, the fastest and generally cheapest way is just move vegetarian. And I am NOT a vegetarian. But for the same calories and protein, beans are a heck of a lot cheaper than any meat you aren't likely to get sick eating unless it is "free" like wild game. And frankly, most of us here are paying a butcher, not butchering their own (I do a bit of both). So even a nice deer you shot for free, isn't free in the end. You probably spent $5-40 in practice ammo and/or a possibly lost/broken arrow/bolt/arrowhead (maybe you lucked out and none of it was damaged). Many are paying $70-120 butchering fee. Even if butchering yourself, there are some costs there beyond the equipment. Even if you already have it, you are probably spending a few bucks on meat bags and vacuum seal bags, or at least butcher paper and Serran (yeah, yeah, sure, stupid cheap, but a few bucks of supplies).

Hard to argue with maybe dropping $20-50 to shoot a deer yourself and butcher the deer yourself for ~20ish pounds of high-quality meat for a small deer, up to 60-80lbs of a big buck. And maybe it was gun hunting and you didn't spend anything in practice, or archery and you recovered your arrow unscathed and you butcher yourself so its maybe $5-10 spent for that meat.

For 1lb of dried beans you get roughly 1400 calories and 90 grams of protein at a cost of ~$1.40 a pound (and with some looking you can find it around $1 a pound). A pound of beef has ~1130 calories and 110 grams of protein at around $4 a pound for most any beef I'd probably consider buying, and that would be on the cheaper end.

Going with beans isn't going to short you on the protein and is going to have a lot less fat. Probably be a lot healthier for you at a third to a quarter the price of cheap beef.

Not going to argue someone wants meat in their diet. But if it is necessity, going vegetarian saves a LOT of money. Unless you luck out, hunting might also mean an opportunity cost of something else you can be doing. An extra shift at work, saving money by fixing something yourself rather than paying someone to fix it because you don't have time, etc.

I think my son, wife and I have it down to a science.
EX: Son shot a large Doe a few weeks ago in the back yard (ML season)
No lic fee as he only hunts on our property, took 1 shot to check zero and 1 shot to kill the deer.
He walked down to the creek stand 1 hr min prior to last light.
We skinned and quartered in 20 minutes and had it in the tote in the basement fridge.
Butchered and wrapped (roll of butcher paper) the next evening while watching history docs.
So about $2.00 in bullet/powder and $8 butcher paper fo ~ 40 lb of meat

 

[Ecestu]

I think my son, wife and I have it down to a science.
EX: Son shot a large Doe a few weeks ago in the back yard (ML season)
No lic fee as he only hunts on our property, took 1 shot to check zero and 1 shot to kill the deer.
He walked down to the creek stand 1 hr min prior to last light.
We skinned and quartered in 20 minutes and had it in the tote in the basement fridge.
Butchered and wrapped (roll of butcher paper) the next evening while watching history docs.
So about $2.00 in bullet/powder and $8 butcher paper fo ~ 40 lb of meat

A quarter per pound. That's like 1800s prices.

 

[Archeryrob]

You just got to put the work in and too many won't now. I do it as much to know I am getting what I killed.

I spent my money in grinders, mixers, vac sealer and so on. As long as they don't die, I am set for life.

 

[Brickman301]

We, and a couple friends here in Frederick County, have bought from these folks.

Beef | England Acres Farm and Market

I don’t know his prices, but I know he’s good people! The owner, Jeff England is my cousin.

 

[DanGuy48]

I don’t know his prices, but I know he’s good people! The owner, Jeff England is my cousin.

When they had their farm market active, we would go there all the time for produce and truly fresh eggs. I miss the market. I had sunchokes for the first time from there. I love the taste and texture but DAMN, talk about farting!

 

[lazarus]

For me, it isn't 100 percent about "the meat" or the necessity for my particular diet...I know I'm not alone in this mindset....it is also the pursuit. The practice, acquiring of skills to get your own game. The money I waste on fuel, tackle and bait just to catch fish. Makes no sense, financially....but the joy I get from it, the relaxation of being out...can't price it. I'm not a big hunter, mostly because I'm a transplant to the area and only one of my friends hunt. Just started stalking public lands for squirrel last year ...but I'm sure it is exponentially more rewarding for larger game...I did try substituting beans for meat a few years back....same feeling in my belly...full is full...but not the same sense of well being physically or mentally....made a mental issue only, but I didn't like it. If I had to, I could do it, but my canines tell me I was designed to rip and shred meat occasionally.

100% agree. I am an avid hunter, and a not so great fisherman (but a day fishing is 100% better than a day in the office). I've probably put 20x more in to guns and hunting equipment than any money saved on the value of the meat. Then again, free range venison is probably a solid $10-15 a pound if you could put a real price on it. Which ain't nothing if you figure for me that's 60-120lbs of it a year, that I am typically only spending ~$200-300 on for sometimes butcher fees, occasionally replacing a bolt or mechanical head, or a little practice at the range, gas, etc.

I have no problem eating vegetarian. We eat a bit more meat now with me hunting for the last 7 years than before I did. That said, still plenty of times we go 3 or 4 or 5 days with 0 meat in any meal. Then it might be 1 meal. Or it might be 2 or 3 dinners in a row, and I am eating some leftovers with meat in it 1 or 2 days too. But typically we eat around 1-2lbs of venison for our family of 5 a week. Probably closer to 2. Maybe a pound of some sort of seafood on average a week (shrimp or fish usually). Maybe a pound of chicken or turkey a week on average too. Rarely beef. Almost never pork (it does not agree with my wife at all, so I never cook with it).

Right now trying to push for more like 3-4lbs of venison a week because the freezers are overflowing and I want to eat through it so if I do get a nice buck, or just decide I want to harvest another deer later this season I have a place to put it. Right now, the basement fridge freezer would be packed and the last bit of chest freezer space would be filled if I get a deer of any real size.

 

[lazarus]

The MD DNR app doesn't have that functionality yet. You have to check road kill in through the DNR website, but it's still pretty easy.

Is there a place to check roadkill? I don't see vehicle as a weapon choice.

 

[fishgutzy]

Free range chicken.

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