D
Deleted member 28227
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Did some research for any CO folks out there, Food Bank of the Rockies will accept meat processed at a USDA certified processor and The Meat Cleaver on Tennyson st is a USDA certified processor.
bobbydean
Well-known member
Big Fin.
Post 36 is your best ever!
Post 36 is your best ever!
PrairieHunter
Well-known member
This is an interesting topic for sure as it seems less and less hunters are actually eating the meat from the animals they kill. Sad but true. I know in my wifes office in Laramie out of around 30 people she is the only one who eats wild game, they give her a hard time about it. Several have husbands who hunt but they don't eat any of the meat. People like to talk a big game about eating what they kill but in reality most people don't, a lot of meat gets wasted in the processing, some gets wasted sitting in the freezer, fed to pets, they try to give away everything they can, and ultimately only a small number of hunters actually eat everything they kill.
I think the new generation of hipsters are the best chance for hunters who actually eat what they kill as they seem to have a focus on the meat aspect and not the horns. The horn crowd is very often the crowd who don't eat much of any of what they shoot. I have seen plenty of guided hunters who drove to Wyoming choose to only take horns home from their trip. Lot of guys have wives who won't eat wild game, kids who want processed junk instead, don't have time or know how to process their own, etc...
I purchased a huge grinder (Weston #32 2HP) last year and plan to just grind a lot of my meat as I think people will be more likely to take it in a nice package ready to go as opposed to things like roasts/steaks. This should also help reduce processing time as that grinder will process meat as fast as you can cram it in there. I try to save time in any way I can as we also do a lot of garden veggies which take some time to preserve as well. But it is nice having a freeezer full of meat and veggies to start the winter.
I think the new generation of hipsters are the best chance for hunters who actually eat what they kill as they seem to have a focus on the meat aspect and not the horns. The horn crowd is very often the crowd who don't eat much of any of what they shoot. I have seen plenty of guided hunters who drove to Wyoming choose to only take horns home from their trip. Lot of guys have wives who won't eat wild game, kids who want processed junk instead, don't have time or know how to process their own, etc...
I purchased a huge grinder (Weston #32 2HP) last year and plan to just grind a lot of my meat as I think people will be more likely to take it in a nice package ready to go as opposed to things like roasts/steaks. This should also help reduce processing time as that grinder will process meat as fast as you can cram it in there. I try to save time in any way I can as we also do a lot of garden veggies which take some time to preserve as well. But it is nice having a freeezer full of meat and veggies to start the winter.
D
Deleted member 28227
Guest
This is the kinda thinking that made me want to start the thread and discuss the issue, I guess to push you a bit in your thinking I would say... fine, accepting your moral paradigm is it only acceptable for someone to hunt a moose if they have 6 kids? It's just me and my wife right now, even if I bring said moose back to CO and assuming I don't hunt for 2 years after killing the moose, we still won't be able to finish it ourselves.
If as per Randy and his plans for BC, I bring back all the meat, have it processed at a USDA facility, keep 1/4, give 1/4 away to friends and then donate half to a food bank do you think that is morally repugnant?
I'm not arguing that many don't donate ethically, but rather asking if you think it can be done ethically.
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JEL
Well-known member
My son lives in a smaller town. He loves to hunt and is single. He give whole animals (usually deer) to folks that can't or don't hunt for whatever reason but want venison. Of the ones I know he helps out one is an older single lady and one is a felon that can't own a gun. He also donates meat to the local tribal office that distributes it to those who want it.
William Schmaltz
Member
I would view this as an extreme generalization. By this standard I would get to hunt moose once every 2 years and that's the only hunting I get to do. Ever. If giving meat away to my daycare lady to make sure my kid gets moose at daycare instead of frankenmeat from Costco or giving it to my priest because he spends his weekend helping others - I'll gladly take the gluttony label. What about taking a moose in GMU 18 where the biologist is sincerely concerned about a population crash because of the high numbers? Goat on south Kodiak OK where they are begging people to shoot nannies and just extended the season another 2 weeks? Can I shoot a 40 mile caribou with moose meat in the freezer with the number at an all time high? These are just a few instances where the hunting is extremely remote and success literally has no impact on the opportunity or success granted to others. It's just situational. I wish more people would have been shooting 10X the caribou they needed and donated the rest 20 years ago before the Mulchatna herd crashed.
When I lived in the midwest I was able to shoot 6 whitetails one year. They were begging us to so I did because I loved hunting them. I maybe ate one and the rest was donated. Several guys on here have probably stacked up the hogs and donated every one of them. I think its safe to view that as a service and not gluttony.
Redside
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2016
- Messages
- 365
I can definitely see your point of view when you talk about hunters going to AK and only bringing home the antlers. If I get the chance I'm certainly not going to Alaska and giving away my moose meat.
I buy a OTC $15 doe tag, just in case I have an opportunity to fill it, I don't necessarily get one every year. If I do get one, I don't really feel I'm gluttonous because I am hunting it for someone that doesn't have that opportunity or even the funds to buy food from a store, much less go on a hunt. I guess I feel it's my way as a hunter to use my abilities/finances to try and provide something as simple as some food rather than going to a store. I doubt I'd buy as much meat or even cans of food as I could provide with a deer.
Okbow87
Active member
We have a hunters for the hungry program here where the state pays for the processing fee. All the meat it turned into burger. We have a special "doe days" rifle hunts late in the year that are aimed specifically at reducing populations. I typically will go out and take two does, one for my freezer and donate the other. I feel like if the state is running the program, there is definitely a need and its going to good places. I'm happy to help with that.
3855WIN
Well-known member
Killed a mule deer in Wyoming last year and donated the meat in Casper. I paid for the processing. I’ve also donate some of an elk when I flew on a hunt.
I had an old man who sold me firewood and loved to hunt. He had a stroke, so I brought a deer by his house for him.
I’ve been giving venison to a poor, elderly lady for years.
I’ve shared a good bit of venison with co-workers over the years. Two of them have subsequently turned into hunters.
Nothing wrong with sharing wild game.
I had an old man who sold me firewood and loved to hunt. He had a stroke, so I brought a deer by his house for him.
I’ve been giving venison to a poor, elderly lady for years.
I’ve shared a good bit of venison with co-workers over the years. Two of them have subsequently turned into hunters.
Nothing wrong with sharing wild game.
Greyman
Well-known member
In some states, that would be an admirable thing to do. In other states, not so much. In much of Texas, there are so many deer that we are encouraged to fill every tag possible. For land owners that participate in the Managed Lands Deer Program, they are REQUIRED to shoot a certain number of deer. Programs like Hunters for the Hungry make sure that the meat goes to people who want and need it.
LCH
Well-known member
I'll give away some, if there is extra and I know that person will appreciate and use it. I have coworkers and relatives that ask for it though, but I see them waste food at lunch break, or let meat sit in their refrigerators until it's spoiled and must be thrown out. Nope, wild game is too precious to let go to those types of people.
I don't have much extra these days anyway, after cutting carbs last summer I've eaten 4 deer, a pronghorn, and half an elk almost single-handedly! (Wife helps some).
I don't have much extra these days anyway, after cutting carbs last summer I've eaten 4 deer, a pronghorn, and half an elk almost single-handedly! (Wife helps some).
D
Deleted member 28227
Guest
Nice work everyone.
S
sharpshooter97
Guest
I’ve never been in the position to donate a whole animal to a food bank, but growing up my dad’s volunteer fire department put together thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets everyone for families effected by fires, accidents and the less fortunate. And most of the meat in those was deer that were donated by locals or guys on the fire department. The local meat processor accepts deer and geese and processes them for free for the food bank. Most of what I share goes to my grandparents, grandpa can’t get out anymore but they love pheasant and fresh caught fish so I make sure I take care of family with wild game
Mountainguide
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2015
- Messages
- 159
There were several families that I gave deer to, and for the 5 bucks a tag for a whitetail doe tag it was worth it to me, and I’m sure it helped them out also
Birddy
Active member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2014
- Messages
- 87
i Have never donated wild game to a food bank but I genuinely enjoy giving wild game to people who will enjoy it. I work with mostly non hunting people and I would venture a guess that a lot of them have never had wild game until I fed it to them. Usually it’s jerky or salami or pastrami or other process stuff. Haha I know it makes it much easier to ditch out of work with the promise of bringing in jerky from the hunt. Also I think it’s a great way to show a non hunter what we do and enjoy and even if they may never hunt I would venture a guess they would defend hunting a little more after having a little more understanding of the whole process. I am very careful in giving away cuts for fear of it going to waste. I don’t worry about a bag of jerky or a stick of salami going to the dog because it’s ready to eat
brownbear932008
Well-known member
We donate 2-3 deer every year to our local hunters for the hungry. It feeds a lot of people in need from child to the elderly. Also at the end of the year the local processor and the local hunters for the hungry program managers get together and invite all the hunters to a hunters breakfast at a local church for fellowship which is great. I can't recall off the top of my head but the amount of meat donated last year was a big surprise to me.
I see no problem nor am I ashamed in any way whatsoever to donate meat to the program. I think it's a top notch program and only looks good on hunters feeding the people in need good food that they otherwise may not get. There are people who depend on it and depend on us.
I see no problem nor am I ashamed in any way whatsoever to donate meat to the program. I think it's a top notch program and only looks good on hunters feeding the people in need good food that they otherwise may not get. There are people who depend on it and depend on us.
Since moving to Portland, I've met a surprising number of people who don't fit the traditional hunter profile, but are happier to eat wild game than store-bought meat. I'm not sure any of them will ever become hunters, but I think it provides some goodwill to focus on the meat over the trophy aspect.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Iowa has some unusual laws:
-You may not transfer (give away) wild game meat. You may serve it to guests at your own home
-You must consume all venison within 6 months of the end of the season
-All tags, including landowner tags, have a $1 surcharge that goes to the Help Us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program.
How HUSH works: Commercial processors may choose to participate in the program. Any tagged whole deer carcass in Iowa may be donated to a HUSH processor at no additional cost, who turns the whole deer into burger, and passes along to be distributed at food banks. This is the one exception to the no-transfer law.
Consuming wild game is one of the main reasons I hunt. I've never harvested more than my family can consume, but if I did someday I would donate the rest, and have no regrets about it.
I have volunteered at a food bank and the items in highest demand are good protein. This is not fed to dogs; people cook and eat it and are very grateful to have it. Everyone donates cans of soup and macaroni and shit, so there is about 500% too much simple carb items, and no one can or wants to live off nothing but that stuff, so it overflows the shelves. If you don't want to donate an animal you killed, consider donating commercial meat to the food bank.
I am not in favor of "hunting" that does not involve eating what is killed, such as Kodiak bear. I don't care that it's legal. These kind of practices are so hated by many in the anti-hunter crowd that it does a disservice to the entire hunting community.
There are a tiny group of hunters that skip around the world from one guided trophy hunt to another, and bring down enough animals to feed a medium-sized village every year. I personally would not enjoy this, as I enjoy the entire process from hunt planning to table fare, and everything in between. However, I am not opposed to it, as long as the meat from these animals is actually consumed by humans, preferably those in need.
-You may not transfer (give away) wild game meat. You may serve it to guests at your own home
-You must consume all venison within 6 months of the end of the season
-All tags, including landowner tags, have a $1 surcharge that goes to the Help Us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program.
How HUSH works: Commercial processors may choose to participate in the program. Any tagged whole deer carcass in Iowa may be donated to a HUSH processor at no additional cost, who turns the whole deer into burger, and passes along to be distributed at food banks. This is the one exception to the no-transfer law.
Consuming wild game is one of the main reasons I hunt. I've never harvested more than my family can consume, but if I did someday I would donate the rest, and have no regrets about it.
I have volunteered at a food bank and the items in highest demand are good protein. This is not fed to dogs; people cook and eat it and are very grateful to have it. Everyone donates cans of soup and macaroni and shit, so there is about 500% too much simple carb items, and no one can or wants to live off nothing but that stuff, so it overflows the shelves. If you don't want to donate an animal you killed, consider donating commercial meat to the food bank.
I am not in favor of "hunting" that does not involve eating what is killed, such as Kodiak bear. I don't care that it's legal. These kind of practices are so hated by many in the anti-hunter crowd that it does a disservice to the entire hunting community.
There are a tiny group of hunters that skip around the world from one guided trophy hunt to another, and bring down enough animals to feed a medium-sized village every year. I personally would not enjoy this, as I enjoy the entire process from hunt planning to table fare, and everything in between. However, I am not opposed to it, as long as the meat from these animals is actually consumed by humans, preferably those in need.
PrairieHunter
Well-known member
Absolutely. I have run across a bunch of these kind of folks as of late. I think it will be a huge opportunity for doe and small game like rabbit hunting for people just looking for higher quality food than whatever is available at the grocery store where in many cases you don't even know what country it came from let alone the quality.
Beats the heck out of the new hunters who are just focuses on horns and glory pics for social media.
ashersdad
Well-known member
We eat wild game pretty much on a daily basis. Whether it's elk/deer sausage for breakfast or steaks, roasts, or burger for dinner. But we do give some away to friends/family that we know like and appreciate it. Every once in awhile I'll hear about a family at church that is in need and we'll take them some wild game. Last Fall we had 2 elk and 2 deer within a 4 week period. That fills the freezers pretty fast but I'm fine sharing if someone is in need or just likes wild game and can't/doesn't hunt.
Living in liberal Portland, alot of my wife's friends were somewhat anti-hunting but over the years as we've shared wild game at parties and such, they have changed their attitudes and will often ask me to bring wild game to get togethers and barbecues.
Living in liberal Portland, alot of my wife's friends were somewhat anti-hunting but over the years as we've shared wild game at parties and such, they have changed their attitudes and will often ask me to bring wild game to get togethers and barbecues.
