Do you hunt to fill the freezer?

[Wilderlife]

Disappointing to learn that, they had no kids or dependents but enough meat for an army. Some people just kill because they can.

Interesting take on things.
I'd imagine that if they can legally acquire the tags then it shouldn't be much of an issue? If all the meat sits in a freezer for a decade and potentially spoils I can see how it would be a waste but if they have the capacity to process and store all of the meat properly, what's the difference between that and someone in a southern state shooting huge numbers of deer and pigs?
Not having a go. Genuinely curious.
My wife and I bought half a side of beef a year or two ago and it's amazing how quick you can go through that amount of meat when you are cooking for lots of friends/family and giving a heap away as gifts. A gift of wild game is appreciated by everyone we know and that is another reason that sees us killing a huge number of animals.

 

[Mike Islander]

My deer hunting is done when my freezer has a year's worth of venison. But I love everything about scouting, killing, and processing deer. Now it's time to make some jerkey.

 

[Trial153]

My freezers are full because I bowhunt a lot, I don’t bowhunt specifically to fill the freezers.

 

[roadrunner]

It's the only reason I hunt.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

My family eats game meat every day. I hunt to fill that need but also enjoy every other aspect of it. If freezers are full, i’m still hunting. I won’t be filling in b-tags but will hunt any others I have and be very selective, to the point I usually won’t harvest. I then give meat to my in laws who love it. They are a very large family, in size and number, it’s impossible to fill that freezer . They ate through a 3 year old bull bison in 6 months!

 

[Scorpion]

Yes, I hunt to fill the freezer.

No, I won’t stop if it gets full. Plenty of people in my family and social circle could make use of additional meat. That said, I may dial it back and do more small game hunting or shoot less does around home.

 

[LongWayAround]

My first priority is meat for the year but it's certainly not the only reason. Last year I upgraded freezer size mostly for the convenience of having some more space. If I filled that entire freezer, I wouldn't just quit but would make some donations and such.

It's just me and the lady at our house, we require about an elk and a deer for the season. So far this year, I have one elk in there so not quite enough. Though she says we need two elk. I have a deer tag still and I'm pretty sure she will buy an elk tag. If we shoot both, great. If neither, we'll buy some beef.

I have yet to find a decent tri-tip or ribeye on an elk...

 

[grfox92]

No.

When it comes to elk I want the meat.

Antelope, deer, pheasants, the meat is a by-product of the hunt.

I hunt because I like to hunt. The meat is a bonus. I don't waste anything. I take very good care if the meat and I do all of my own processing.

That being said if I could hunt black Angus and Pigs, that's what I would be looking to fill my freezer with.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[robby denning]

We got three deer in 2019 and a cow elk in 2020, didn’t stop hunting BUT got way pickier as the freezers were brimming. Now they’re down to 10lbs of elk burger so it’s time.

 

[camping1601]

Struggling with this right now. I have enough in the freezer for me and the wife as well as the daughters family. I have pocket full of deer tags and two months of hunting left.

 

[Ryan2.0]

Kinda. We could make it just fine without it. We get a 3/4 beef every year, so there is always plenty of meat.
I enjoy hunting, my kids enjoy going as well. Anything we get is just a bonus and doesn’t last long in the freezer.

 

[long hunter]

I hunt because I am a hunter first and foremost, I have given away more game than most hunters have killed, Two deer a year and stop deer hunting, I will keep some as I am the only one who eats it, the rest is given to folks who are on a tight budget, family members or hunters feeding the hungry programs. I have given processed deer to folks who if not for that there would be very little meat wise on their plate, now of days this is more important than ever.

 

[dirtytough]

No

 

[streetdoctor]

If my tag is filled I help out friends. I imagine we all enjoy the hunt. That can be done without killing.

 

[TxxAgg]

I didn't read the replies yet, but I hunt because it's fun.

 

[Blackbeard AL]

My freezers never get full because I immediately start making Jerky for my kids. They can eat their weight in jerky and snack sticks, but I hunt because its my passion.

 

[KenLee]

1. Meat to make jerky for me, family and good friends. I'm like a crack addict in withdrawals if I haven't had fresh jerky in awhile.
2. Fill all the freezers for real meals.
3. Meat for close family and friends who will legitimately eat it.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I hunt strictly to be in the field or the mountains, being able to bring meat home adds to the enjoyment I get from just being there. I have never judged the success of the hunt by the weight of the game bag at the end of the hunt.

 

[KenLee]

My freezers never get full because I immediately start making Jerky for my kids. They can eat their weight in jerky and snack sticks, but I hunt because its my passion.

Your post hit a minute before mine and I share your kids' passion for jerky.
My 88 yr old Mama (with Alsheimers) never fails the last 5 years to tell me how I'm ruining the meat by cutting it wrong. She's butchered over a thousand deer and her mind can't process or retain why I'm purposely cutting meat with the grain instead of across the grain.

 

[Blackbeard AL]

Your post hit a minute before mine and I share your kids' passion for jerky.
My 88 yr old Mama (with Alsheimers) never fails the last 5 years to tell me how I'm ruining the meat by cutting it wrong. She's butchered over a thousand deer and her mind can't process or retain why I'm purposely cutting meat with the grain instead of across the grain.

That's great stuff! My family, coworkers and friends always fight over it when I make my jerky. Every year I probably give 2 full deer away in jerky each season.