Hunting, homesteading or both

[Celtictruth]

Hello everyone, new to the Rokslide community. I have a question for you. Do you all rely on wild meat for you protein needs or are you supplementing with home grown protein (eggs, chicken, pork, etc)? I am curious as to how many of us are also growing some of outperform own protein.

 

[Sled]

first post, huh? i'll bite.

i hunt or raise about 80% or more of our meat. that's deer, elk and chicken mostly.

 

[Billy Goat]

I grow a lot of protein, but sell most of it.

Can't afford to eat it.

 

[Celtictruth]

first post, huh? i'll bite.

i hunt or raise about 80% or more of our meat. that's deer, elk and chicken mostly.

I would be close to 50% wild, 40% store and 10% chicken / eggs. I feel that with store pricing going up as fast as it is I need to buy way lees protein. Not sure how many more chicken and eggs I can eat…lol

 

[Celtictruth]

I grow a lot of protein, but sell most of it.

Can't afford to eat it.

That is a great idea. We do sell way more eggs than we consume as it helps cover food prices. I was looking at adding in some pork but we have a bunch of wild boar moving through Alberta so I have been trying to find those. That would be great to add into the wild meat category.

 

[Afhunter1]

I raise a few beef cows (50) and meat chickens.

I also have elk, deer, & wild turkey

Fish I’ve caught in freezer:

Halibut
Walleye
King salmon
Crappie
Perch

We buy eggs and pork.

 

[Celtictruth]

I raise a few beef cows (50) and meat chickens.

I also have elk, deer, & wild turkey

Fish I’ve caught in freezer:

Halibut
Walleye
King salmon
Crappie
Perch

We buy eggs and pork.

That is fantastic. You grow meat chickens but not chickens for eggs. That would be a short term commitment as the broilers would only be grown for approximately 8 weeks.

 

[Afhunter1]

That is fantastic. You grow meat chickens but not chickens for eggs. That would be a short term commitment as the broilers would only be grown for approximately 8 weeks.

Yeah I don’t have time to mess with layer chickens all year long. Cows are out on pasture all summer so pretty hands off. I do one batch of 50 meat chickens a year for my family. So about 7-8 weeks and done. They are 4 weeks right now. Might actually do another batch this fall just so we don’t run out since our prices around here are shooting up lately. I don’t have time for pigs either. If I did I’d prob try it.

 

[Holocene]

We eat elk, duck, upland birds, turkey and a few trout/salmon/shad when I get out to fish just for fun. I’d say 73% wild game I kill supplemented with wild fish we buy, some local pork, and pastured chickens from store.

While I’ve raised animals in the past for work and home, these days I prefer to hunt and fish only and then just buy domestic meat. My personality and lifestyle are better at being the hunter gatherer than the farmer or shepherd. Different modes of consciousness.

 

[Jbxl20]

Mostly deer meat and chicken for us. I have 100 meat chickens right now getting ready for butcher end of June. Will keep 40-50 and sell the rest. We have some geese and ducks and egg layers that mostly roam around the property and hang out at the pond. Pretty low maintenance. I keep a cooler at the end of the drive and sell excess eggs and firewood. We raise our own turkeys in the fall. We do meat swaps with my sister and brother in law for beef.

 

[*zap*]

Unfortunately mostly store bought protein this year until sept...maybe. I only have 7 quarts of pressure canned venison left.

 

[TSAMP]

We eat elk, duck, upland birds, turkey and a few trout/salmon/shad when I get out to fish just for fun. I’d say 73% wild game I kill supplemented with wild fish we buy, some local pork, and pastured chickens from store.

While I’ve raised animals in the past for work and home, these days I prefer to hunt and fish only and then just buy domestic meat. My personality and lifestyle are better at being the hunter gatherer than the farmer or shepherd. Different modes of consciousness.

You eat Shad?

 

[Holocene]

Yeah buddy. Old school American chow.

 

[Celtictruth]

We eat elk, duck, upland birds, turkey and a few trout/salmon/shad when I get out to fish just for fun. I’d say 73% wild game I kill supplemented with wild fish we buy, some local pork, and pastured chickens from store.

While I’ve raised animals in the past for work and home, these days I prefer to hunt and fish only and then just buy domestic meat. My personality and lifestyle are better at being the hunter gatherer than the farmer or shepherd. Different modes of consciousness.

You are right. The farming part does eat up t hunting time. The live stock always need someone to take care of them and my wife already complains about being a hunting widow during the season. Add on top of that taking care of the animals and I am likely on thin ice…lol.

 

[grappling_hook]

Hello everyone, new to the Rokslide community. I have a question for you. Do you all rely on wild meat for you protein needs or are you supplementing with home grown protein (eggs, chicken, pork, etc)? I am curious as to how many of us are also growing some of outperform own protein.

Welcome, and cool username. Most of our protein is from the ocean or mountains.

 

[Celtictruth]

Welcome, and cool username. Most of our protein is from the ocean or mountains.

Thank you and although the ocean fishing sounds amazing, my sea legs aren’t quite good enough yet…lol. You are truly blessed to be able to enjoy almost all your protein from hunting and fishing.

 

[cnelk]

I have elk, deer, moose and fish in the freezers. I also have chickens and 2 gardens. I can some of my meat and also can soup with meat and veggies.

I buy some chicken on occasion but not often

 

[jimh406]

I joke that I’m a deer and Elk rancher, so does that count as homesteading? They are technically wild, but I have no issues filling tags most years for Elk and never and issue for Mule Deer on my property. For those wondering, they wander through, but don’t just live on my property. Otherwise, we just started with chickens and ducks for pets and eggs.

Once you make it necessary to have someone checkin on your livestock if you aren’t home, then adding more isn’t a big deal. So, maybe cattle, horses, llama, alpacas, and sheep next. We’ll see.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I gotta up my game.

 

[Celtictruth]

I joke that I’m a deer and Elk rancher, so does that count as homesteading? They are technically wild, but I have no issues filling tags most years for Elk and never and issue for Mule Deer on my property. For those wondering, they wander through, but don’t just live on my property. Otherwise, we just started with chickens and ducks for pets and eggs.

Once you make it necessary to have someone checkin on your livestock if you aren’t home, then adding more isn’t a big deal. So, maybe cattle, horses, llama, alpacas, and sheep next. We’ll see.

You are right about crossing that line with some livestock. A few more doesn’t really change too much of the chores. We have thought of adding some Muscovy ducks as they are supposed to be quiet and have lots of meat.