Is hunting a realistic option during civil chaos

This thread is a response to a comment by "Daddybare" in the "what kind of threads would you like to see" thread.

Problems with hunting as a food source:

-even in good times, with technology, hunting takes a tremendous amount of effort: the average hunter expends about 2000 calories in half a day's hunt. How much more difficult will hunting be without pickup trucks and coolers full of beer and ice?

-competition
during social unrest, there will be fewer police and game wardens on patrol. Hunters will begin poaching, which will send the deer and elk populations into a downward spiral. As numbers drop, hunters will try more and more desperate tactics to find prey. After a number of weeks, the herd numbers will collapse under the pressure of people hunting for food rather than sport.

-In the silence of TSHTF, once the gasoline runs out, brigands will track a hunter to his kill, and rob him of the meat he has "earned," since hunting hunters will be easier than hunting deer. Even the lion, that master hunter, has to fight off the hyenas, who will challenge him for a fresh zebra carcass.



All respect to Daddybare, who is obviously a skilled shootist and hunter. I differ with his viewpoint (that most "sportsmen" cannot get a deer well enough to damage the population) only because I think that social chaos will transform the old rules.

Whatever wild game thats in reach of most people (more rural and isolated areas will weather just fine) will be hunted out within weeks. When (or if) TEOTWAWKI or SHTF takes place, the only thing that will be hunted with any degree of regularity will be people.

Originally posted by dr_strangecraft
-even in good times, with technology, hunting takes a tremendous amount of effort: the average hunter expends about 2000 calories in half a day's hunt. How much more difficult will hunting be without pickup trucks and coolers full of beer and ice?

You're talking about big game hunting. Deer are difficult to bag, and if people are simply trying to put food on the table deer is the last thing they will be after due to the difficulty. I suspect the targets would actually be much smaller and more available- rabbits, birds, fish. Sure it's less food than a dressed out deer, but much easier to come by.

Originally posted by SirMike
Whatever wild game thats in reach of most people (more rural and isolated areas will weather just fine) will be hunted out within weeks. When (or if) TEOTWAWKI or SHTF takes place, the only thing that will be hunted with any degree of regularity will be people.

History does not show this to be the case. There have been times of great difficulty throughout history, the most recent example being the Great Depression. People did not turn on each other, in fact they came together to help each other. I think the same would happen now, if we're ever struck by an EMP or similar we will quickly set up alternate means of trade and transport that don't require electronics. Survival does not depend on isolating oneself, it depends on cooperation. Anyone that decides to start hunting people will probably find themselves being dealt with by the majority rather quickly.

Hunting a hunter sounds like a great way to get your skull exploded.

So, yes. Of course, if you live in an area where all the wildlife isn't destroyed, you can easily hunt without any real fear. Your real worry should who is protecting your family if you have one while your away.

I think hunting is a realistic option because of supply and demand pretty much. There are more abundant and accessible game to consider such as squirrel and rabbit. There are methods other than shooting to obtain game too, via trapping or using a rabbit stick. I think people should get to know their local vegetation also, to find out what kind of edible and medicinal plants are available to them. Fishing is another method of providing sustenance as well. Heck, if things get real bad, there should always be plenty of rats/mice around.

spec

Most people haven't hunted a day in their lives and don't have the skill needed to do so. When push comes to shove you'll see people stealing from each other and robbing grocery stores until they're bare.

After that they will die. The percentage of people who will survive any serious disaster big enough to do the kind of damage that we envision here is really quite small.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Well, you could always just go the starving to death route!

But for me I will hunt and have tons of fun doing so when the world collapses.You have to keep in mind how many sheeple types will just do nothing and starve to death..

And those stats are bunk! It really doesn't take that much energy hunting. And you don't have to hunt big to eat, you could eat smaller animals like chipmunks, squirrels bunnies etc... You can also eat bugs!

There are plenty of fish. Fish of all types. . Turtle if you can find/catch one. That would be a feat but worth it probably.

Its the people who are completely unprepared for the situation that will panic, robbing grocery stores. I may not have all the skills. But one learns quick what to do when faces with starvation. But if you're prepared. Then the threat is minimized.

Rural areas will be a nice refuge. Thats where my parents live, a community of maybe..100, and then like, another 100 scattered over 100km. all farms. . Lots of woods. Lots of rivers. Game. Thats where you want to be.

In a time of crisis, keep close to your neighbours, protect one another. Its better to have a small community of people working together to survive, then one person trying to hunt and defend his family.

Work Together!

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Dogs and Cats will be pretty easy pickings as well. If I am starving and need protien, yep, I'll eat 'em right up.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Well one good sized buck could last an entire season at least. But with as many humans there are I agree. But what's wrong with growing food? I only eat meat once a day so a ten pt buck would or could last my family about a half of a year. It would have to be a balance a combo of growing your own veggies/fruits/herbs gotta have herbs for seasoning that meat! And hunting. But most won't follow those rules, true. Also fishing is good as well and provides as much protien if not, more than meat. Me I would rather get some place high and find a nice big area to grow vegetables, etc and try to find someone selling chicken and cows and buy them if I knew what was coming that is. Even if I didn't I have started my gardening and will always do at least that so I would just have a vegan diet probably and meat would be something for a time when we are able to get it. Like if a gator wanders on the property. Then it's fair game and will end up on the dinner table. Oh and who can forget stockpiling ahead too? I can make some awesome beef jerky out of meat from the market and that (esp with SAZON seasoning which contains MSG) would last quite a long time. And jarring and drying the garden's harvest as well will add to your stockpile. Personally I don't think it would be advantageous to depend solely on hunting that much is very obvious. But it's going to do some good if you are in a pinch.

Originally posted by JJDoggie84
reply to post by dr_strangecraft

 

And those stats are bunk! It really doesn't take that much energy hunting.

Well, This fitness site shows about 1400 calories burned from 4 hours of hunting deer or elk.

I look forward to you educating me, when you post your source that this information is bunk.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by dr_strangecraft

 

Dogs and Cats will be pretty easy pickings as well. If I am starving and need protien, yep, I'll eat 'em right up.

Hiding my cats and dogs should the SHTF!!!! TYVM!!!!

To me hunting means many things.
Mushroom hunting,frog hunting,fishing,hunting for wild edibles etc.

Yes...i do see it as being a realistic option for sure.

Freshwater fishing will only last until this season's fish are all caught.

Without the department of Parks and Wildlife coming out to re-stock the lakes and streams, the lakes be as fished out as they were a hundred years ago, when the conservation movement was born.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


what do you mean, there are plenty of mammals to hunt. Ever heard of the donner party.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Well then I am glad I am never ever too far from salt water!!! I live near the Gulf and if that is not enough need to only go a few 100 miles to the other coast for the atlantic...when I move I will once again be near the atlantic. Lol...but yeah freshwater fishing would not pay off unless you're skilled in fish farming and save some of the adults to reproduce.
Here's some helpful info if you'd like to get started now:
Freshwater Fish Farming

reply to post by ldyserenity


Eating our little four-legged buddies would be a last resort. Just pointing out that there are all types of food sources out there.

The way I figure it is, once the survivors make it through the first winter, the wildlife population would stabilize, if not explode. And you would now have a full growing season ahead of you.

I gotta agree with DaddyBare and projectvxn.
The population as a whole does not hunt, let alone know how to hunt, skin or butcher an animal.
There are states that have a large hunting population, but that number is low. And with the use of motorized vehicles not readily available, you can now exclude the "lazy" hunter.

While most will be looking to either loot the neighbor or grocery store, or make their way to the FEMA Camp... uh I mean local rally point, there will be little concern for them to go out to the woods/desert for anything, and surely not hunting.

I really hope that people don't plan on going the path of hunting the hunter or anything like that. There are many, like I, that will be ready for such things and doom on those that try it.

I would have no problem with going on, doing my thing and providing for my family first, then my neighbor second. But yes, it is hard work. On the other hand will be to look to FEMA to solve your woes.

reply to post by SavedOne


Bagging a deer is NOT hard. I know alot of hunters go to extremes, trail cameras, off season scouting, etc, but if you're just after meat, all you need is a good gun and patience. Most of the hunters who do go to those lengths are after trophy racks, not JUST meat. I can go to my father-in-laws house, set on the front porch and get several a day. If you live in the city, I can see the problem. Most [ by no means all ] who live in the city, just don't know how to hunt. NOT saying they're stupid or anything like that, they just don't have the opportunity to learn.

hunting is easy, you only need woods where you can find animal trails, especially around highways, deer love highways and road ways...you can hunt them at night with a flashlight, they are very curious animals, you can lay in the grass with a 22 rifle and a flashlight on the edge of a field and click the light off and on and eventually they will come close enough to shoot them in their great big glowing green eyeballs
hunting in the day is pretty much the same thing, just go find a comfy place to set upwind and wait for the deer to mosey in, just make sure you don't make any sudden moves or accidentally catch their attention.

hunting bunnies is best at dusk, they like to come out and nibble around and you don't have to chase after them, same goes with squirrels, put a peanut butter sandwich out under the trees in the woods and sit back and be quiet early in the morning or at dusk. they love scurrying around doing their dailies and as long as you don't make too much noise when you take them they'll keep coming

you don't have to walk 100 miles to get a meal, you just have to find a good spot where animals frequent, its not like they are an enigma or anything, just have the gear to harvest them with and get your ass out in the woods. field dressing them is another story all together. if i'm in a hurry i just cut them from the back of the neck to the tail, then fillet all the meat from their back to their hind quarters and leave the rest for nature to enjoy no muss no fuss

and the cool part about deer meat is you can eat it fresh and raw right off the kill