Hunting: Elk/Deer; while vandwelling?

[SoulRaven]

Hi folks,

Are there any vandwellers on here that hunt during hunting season?  Not really talking about Rabbits or Squirrels. 

I live in Colorado, and plan to spend most of my time here, especially during hunting season...
I hope  to be able to still buy an Elk or Deer tag once a year.   

I'm just wondering if any one else has experience with this... cleaning and prepping meat 
prior to taking to a butcher... storing it till you get there... 

I'd love to hear any feedback from anyone who has experience with this regarding their experiences 
and possibly any advice or gotcha's to consider.  

Thanks in advance,

Pat

 

[Van-Tramp]

I've considered small game hunting, but one problem is that I rarely sit in one state for too long and out of state licenses are cost prohibitive. As for big game...

The big hurdle I would have to get over is where to store a deer/elk/moose? I simply do not have the capability, even after it is butchered, to store any more than a few pounds of meat. So, killing a 200-1000 pound animal to keep only 2-5 pounds of meat, at a cost of hundreds of dollars per pounds just doesn't sound appealing to me as much as I would love to be more meat-self-sufficient.  The only idea that I have to make it worthwhile is to donate all the meat I can not keep in my tiny freezer to a homeless shelter.

Just not easy being a full-time nomad.

 

[SoulRaven]

I've considered small game hunting, but one problem is that I rarely sit in one state for too long and out of state licenses are cost prohibitive. As for big game...

The big hurdle I would have to get over is where to store a deer/elk/moose? I simply do not have the capability, even after it is butchered, to store any more than a few pounds of meat. So, killing a 200-1000 pound animal to keep only 2-5 pounds of meat, at a cost of hundreds of dollars per pounds just doesn't sound appealing to me as much as I would love to be more meat-self-sufficient.  The only idea that I have to make it worthwhile is to donate all the meat I can not keep in my tiny freezer to a homeless shelter.

Just not easy being a full-time nomad.

Hi, I certainly agree that wasted meat would be bad... in fact, I personally think it's a sin.... 

Since I currently live in Colorado, and plan to be here at least once a year...as well as try to maintain my Colorado residency...
Not only would I donate to a homeless shelter or other Non-Profit, but also to share with friends and family who still live here. 
Also, i hope to be able to dry some of it. 

Being a full-time nomad may not be easy... But I'm definitely going to give it a try. 

Thanks for the reply,

Pat

 

[SoulRaven]

To reiterate my original post, I'm hoping that there is someone who participates in this forum who has hunted "large" game while living as a full time vandweller. I.E. Deer or Elk.

If not, I'll figure it out on my own.

Additional info: I'm not a trophy hunter, I'm interested in meat...Therefore, I usually go for a Doe tag/license.

Thanks again in advance,

Pat

 

[TrainChaser]

Have you ever considered canning some of it? Before I hit the road, I'm going to can more meat and take it along with me. Ten pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast bought on sale ($2/lb) produces about ten pint jars of meat at $2 each.

St. Paul Mercantile sells a kerosene stove that is suitable for canning: it is a Butterfly 22-wick, 14,000 BTU unit for only $80 (+shpg, I assume)
http://stpaulmercantile.com/index.p...ducts_id=227&zenid=gee4j10pp0ik7ufc3gpc7kgm64

A decent pressure canner can be had for $100 or less.

 

[mockturtle]

I don't know about Colorado but hunting--especially elk--in WA is ridiculously pricey. You could buy a lot of meat for what you would pay for license. Not to mention tag & ammo.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Exactly the reason why I never took up hunting.  Wander for miles through some bug infested woods, shoot an animal who never said a bad word about my mother,  have to gut it and clean it, then drag it (hundreds of pounds) back through the woods for miles, up and down hills . . .

SO much easier to drive to a nice air conditioned supermarket and just buy my meat.

 

[SoulRaven]

I don't know about Colorado but hunting--especially elk--in WA is ridiculously pricey.  You could buy a lot of meat for what you would pay for license.  Not to mention tag & ammo.

Well, it's not expensive if you don't hire a guide.  AND if you're local...my tag cost $40 this year.. out of state tags are more expensive.  

Ammo?  Really?  How much ammo would you need?   

When my friends and I have gone hunting we bring along maybe 5 rounds... WHEN we're actually hiking out.  I brought 20 rounds in the Jeep with me.

 

[SoulRaven]

Exactly the reason why I never took up hunting.  Wander for miles through some bug infested woods, shoot an animal who never said a bad word about my mother,  have to gut it and clean it, then drag it (hundreds of pounds) back through the woods for miles, up and down hills . . .

SO much easier to drive to a nice air conditioned supermarket and just buy my meat.

Ok, so you have never hunted while van-dwelling either.  

Thanks for your input.

 

[highdesertranger]

well I don't have any insights but if you have a plan to distribute the meat I say go for it. let us know about the outcome, how it works out, etc. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

Have you ever considered canning some of it?  Before I hit the road, I'm going to can more meat and take it along with me.  Ten pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast bought on sale ($2/lb) produces about ten pint jars of meat at $2 each.

St. Paul Mercantile sells a kerosene stove that is suitable for canning:  it is a Butterfly 22-wick, 14,000 BTU unit for only $80 (+shpg, I assume)  
http://stpaulmercantile.com/index.p...ducts_id=227&zenid=gee4j10pp0ik7ufc3gpc7kgm64

A decent pressure canner can be had for $100 or less.

That's actually a decent idea... 

But not really what I'm asking... 

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Hippiechk]

You seem to just want simple answers to a simple question. For my part no, I have not hunted while vandwelling. I move around too much and don't have storage for that much meat & carrying a lot of sealers isn't happening either

Since you don't seem to want much of the meat but the thrill of the kill I guess it doesn't matter if anyone else has done it or not.

This can be a real friendly bunch although you tell enough of us our opinion isn't welcome it does tend to rile up some of the others.

Happy Hunting! & don't bother thanking me for my input as I rarely check back unless a thread is a viable or informative. You can just hit the thanks button, its a bit less dismissive!

 

[SoulRaven]

[snip]

Since you don't seem to want much of the meat but the thrill of the kill I guess it doesn't matter if anyone else has done it or not.

[snip]

Ok...well it seems like  did something wrong here.  I can tell that Hippiechk won't be reading my replies... but I will clarify the point... I'm new here, and I guess I stepped in something untoward.  I apologize for offending anyone.  

For others, I will not let that quoted statement stand... I do NOT kill animals for thrills... someone jumped to that conclusion.  You don't know me at all.  If you did, you would know that the exact opposite is true.

I am not a trophy hunter.   I want ALL of the meat, but Van-Tramp made a very good point regarding the amount of meat I could carry with me.   Since he pointed that out, I will say that I will NOT waste any meat, because *I* think that is wrong.   Thus, I would be willing to share with the Springs Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Marion House, etc...  

As a new person to this , I have gotten many very helpful responses in the past for the many questions I've asked.  For which I am very thankful for, and have always thanked people for their help.   

Thanks to all of you, and again, I apologize for any offense. 

Pat

 

[mockturtle]

Ammo?  Really?  How much ammo would you need?  

Depends on whether or not you do some target practice before you go.   Or maybe you don't need to. :sleepy:

 

[SoulRaven]

Depends on whether or not you do some target practice before you go.   Or maybe you don't need to. :sleepy:

Ok... where I've been no one does that... Sorry, just didn't understand the context.   I put a lot of holes in paper targets before I go outdoors!
at the local shooting range.

 

[SoulRaven]

TrainChaser, I thought about the canning idea.. I apologize for being dismissive.

I was just being impatient, and there's no excuse for that.

That's potentially a very useful idea.

Thanks again

 

[highdesertranger]

didn't offend me. of course that might be hard to do. you know if you are in the same area for an extended amount of time you could rent space in a frozen food locker. talk to your butcher about this, they will know your options, this is quite common. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

. . .  you know if you are in the same area for an extended amount of time you could rent space in a frozen food locker.  talk to your butcher about this,  they will know your options,  this is quite common.  highdesertranger

They still have those?  We used to rent one when we butchered a cow.  I would have thought they went away when home freezers became common.

 -- Spiff

 

[Txjaybird]

Hello,  Some of your posts on this thread seem to indicate you have hunted deer in the past,  If not I'd like to suggest that you go on " You Tube" to Jnull0's channel , he is a homesteader, prepper, hunter, biker, and family man.  Very down to earth and a very handy fellow.  He is in Ohio and part of a group that hunts and shares the meat with the "elders" and others in the area.  He has a pig named Pork Chop!!  That's just wrong  
  My husband hunted deer while I stuck to dove and quail hunting ocassionly.  Hope you find the info you're seeking.                                  Jewellann

 

[highdesertranger]

Spaceman yes they still have them just find a true old time butcher. Jaybird hahaha pork chop that's a good one. I knew a guy with a steer called T-Bone. highdesertranger