the cost of hunting... - Page 3

Buzzcook · December 4, 2009, 03:11 PM

Fish and game management costs are not covered by hunting and fishing licenses and fees. They are subsidized from the general budget.
For the last 30 years it's been popular to cut the general budget. As a consequence other forms of raising revenue have gone up.

Even so if you do get a deer it's still a good deal.

oneounceload · December 4, 2009, 03:22 PM

Utah - you need to scout more then. Friends I had hunted Utah - they always got big bucks, not just horns, but big-bodied. My smallest mulie in NV dressed out at about 125# (weighing the meat as we wrapped, etc.).

Butchering isn't hard, IIRC, Cabela's, Gander, etc., all have step-by-step videos on how to do it.

Even at 2 or 3 bucks a pound, it's leaner than store-bought meat, no additives, and still cheaper than hamburger

Brian Pfleuger · December 4, 2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oneounceload

Wait a second - deer is $35 - a nice mulie will be around 200# dressed - so about .60/pound is too expensive??? what am I missing here????

Even a 200# field dressed animal is only going to net maybe 120-150 pounds of meat, depending on how much digging you do. Hunting should never be counted on for "cheap" meat in my opinion. What if you get ZERO deer? The "per pound" cost is, gulp, INFINITE! (Besides, your math is a little suspect there, 200 pounds for $35 would be 17.5 cents a pound

)

Anyway, my group of hunters may get anything from 2 to 8 deer in a season. If we get 2, the cost hovers at probably $2 a pound. If we get 8, it might be 50 cents or less, but if I hunted for the "value" of the meat, well, I wouldn't hunt..

oneounceload · December 4, 2009, 08:05 PM

Peet - mulies where I used to live were the size I described - much bigger than east coast white tails. 300# mulies were also not out of the question

Brian Pfleuger · December 4, 2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Peet - mulies where I used to live were the size I described

Sure, I believe that, but you're saying 200#, in the field, after gutting right? Generally, with whitetail we get 50-70% of the "dressed" weight in meat. I shot a 118# doe this year (which is big), and we got about 75# back from the processor. Usually we do our own and we don't bother with the ribs, and we debone them. When we do that it's usually closer to the 55-60%, since we're not weighing any bones at all.

December 4, 2009, 03:11 PM	#51
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	Fish and game management costs are not covered by hunting and fishing licenses and fees. They are subsidized from the general budget. For the last 30 years it's been popular to cut the general budget. As a consequence other forms of raising revenue have gone up. Even so if you do get a deer it's still a good deal.

December 4, 2009, 03:22 PM	#52
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Utah - you need to scout more then. Friends I had hunted Utah - they always got big bucks, not just horns, but big-bodied. My smallest mulie in NV dressed out at about 125# (weighing the meat as we wrapped, etc.). Butchering isn't hard, IIRC, Cabela's, Gander, etc., all have step-by-step videos on how to do it. Even at 2 or 3 bucks a pound, it's leaner than store-bought meat, no additives, and still cheaper than hamburger

December 4, 2009, 08:05 PM	#54
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Peet - mulies where I used to live were the size I described - much bigger than east coast white tails. 300# mulies were also not out of the question