I’ve been hunting most of my life. When I was growing up, I’d often walk about 1,000 feet from my house and find myself in rabbit, squirrel, and grouse habitats. As soon as school ended, I’d grab the old bolt action .410 shotgun and head out. Sometimes, I came home with something, sometimes not. Everything taken became part of a meal.
To this day, for me, hunting is all about feeding my family and sharing the bounty with others. You won’t find deer heads or stuffed birds on the walls of my home. After 10 years in the army, I find no thrill in killing anything. Hunting isn’t a sport for me. Baseball is a sport; hunting is not.
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Hunting Is a Learned Skill
Hunting isn’t just a matter of getting a license, going into the woods, and shooting something. To be a great hunter takes years of practice and working with some really good teachers. It’s about learning respect for the animals you’re hunting, respect for the environment, respect for other people’s property, and, above all, respect for yourself and your abilities.
I was lucky to have many good teachers over the years, starting with my mother. My mother taught me how to hunt, but long before I was allowed to actually hunt, she taught me about respecting wildlife, how to read signs, and all those other things one needs to know to be a hunter. All of these skills were taught to her by her father. I’ve since passed those skills down to my daughter and granddaughters.
Other teachers guided me as well. My two brothers-in-law took me under their wings and helped me perfect my shooting and stalking skills. By far, the greatest teacher I had was the late Jack Hanley.
Jack was the best wingshooter I’ve ever known, but he taught me much more than just my way around a shotgun. Jack taught me to be humble, to help others when needed, and to be overall respectful. Jack never bragged, though he rightfully could do so, but he didn’t have to. His skills spoke for themselves. He didn’t have to prove anything to anyone. I miss our morning grouse and woodcock hunts, his advice, and his friendship. I try to honor him by teaching others the skills of the woods.
Firearms Training and Practice
Jack once called me an “instinctive shooter,” meaning everything seemed to come naturally to me. I do believe some people have certain talents, but taking advantage of those talents requires constant practice. A good marksman is one who knows the firearms they’re using and practices so much that those firearms become an extension of themselves. Why is this important? Because the ability to make one shot count and the need to make a clean and humane kill is essential to being a good hunter.
I practice as much as possible. I prefer outdoor shooting ranges, but when the weather is bad, I move indoors. I also work with people, including my daughter, looking to improve their firearms skills. I often tell new shooters that it’s better to expend a few rounds on the range than it is to make a poor shot in the field. I firmly believe this.
Hunting Is a Lot of Work
There’s a misconception that hunting is simple. If you’re hunting to put food on the table, be prepared for a lot of hard work. You’ll spend many hours in the field scouting without your firearm. This is where your woods skills will come into play. You’ll need to find those areas where your intended prey frequent. Find water sources, food plots, and bedding and nesting areas. Look for signs, such as tracks, scat, tufts of hair; anything that’ll tell you animals are present. Take notes and plot the locations on a map or hand-held GPS. Visit these areas at different times of day and in different weather conditions. All of this will take time and effort, but if done correctly, it’ll pay off in the end.
Hunting Has Changed
I left home for the Army at 17, and when I came back, everything had changed. The once-open fields and woods where I’d hunted were gone. In their place stood homes, and most of the remaining woodland was posted with “No Trespassing” signs. The farm where I’d once worked and hunted was gone as well. Rows of condos and a golf course now stood where rows of corn and squash had been.
Not only had the landscape changed, but the mindset about hunting had changed as well. People don’t seem to hunt to put food on the table anymore. Hunting has become a sport. Instead of grouse and woodcock hunting, people were hunting for stocked pheasants, with the goal of “taking your limit.”
Fees, regulations, and other costs have also changed. Where once your one hunting license covered everything, now you have to purchase separate turkey and pheasant tags, as well as pay additional fees, some of which have nothing to do with hunting. Where you could either walk or make a short drive to your hunting spot, you now need to figure in driving longer distances and the fuel costs that involves (and fuel isn’t cheap). At one time, ammo was literally a “dime a dozen.” Not anymore. Ammunition has become a major expense in today’s world.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is another factor to consider. CWD can affect and be found in venison in North America, and should be taken seriously. Testing prices vary, ranging from free to $80, depending on the state.
The Cost of Hunting
At first glance, you’d think that once you’ve invested in a firearm, then it would all be downhill. I hate to say it, but you’re just getting started.
- Licenses. Every year, you’ll need to purchase a license. You’ll start with just a basic license. Currently, a Resident license in New Hampshire will cost you $32 and covers deer and small game. If you want to hunt bear, pheasant, turkey, or waterfowl, there’s an additional fee for each. If you want to hunt moose, you’ll pay a fee to enter a lottery. If you’re lucky enough to win the lottery, you’ll then need to pay a separate fee for a moose permit. Some states have separate licenses for large and small game, and even break it down by species of large game.
- Fees to Hunt. An archery license will cost an additional $32, and a muzzleloader license will set you back another $16. A pheasant permit costs $31 and allows you to take two birds per day, up to a total of 10 birds throughout the season. A bear license costs $16, as does a turkey license, though you’re allowed two turkeys per year. Not looking so good anymore, is it?
- Fees to hunt. Every year, more and more land is closed off to hunting. The land that’s left open is often privately owned. In some states, you actually have to pay a fee to hunt the land, charged by the landowner and sometimes by the state. Some require you to hire one of their guides.
- Travel. With more land being posted, you’ll have to travel greater distances to hunt, often on less-than-ideal parcels. Travel means more expenses you’ll need to figure into your hunting budget.
Out-of-State Hunting
On long trips, I try to make the most of it by hunting at least two days. That means lodging. Lodging rates in the U.S. average about $212 per night. A two-day trip adds another $424 to your budget. You’ll have to eat, and if you’re like me, you’ll have to stop for coffee, so figure about $200 for food and beverages.
If you plan to hunt out of state, the price just goes up. Vermont is one of my favorite states to hunt in, and if you want to hunt there, plan to pay $102 for the basic, Non-Resident hunting license. This is before any other permits. This actually isn’t a bad deal, as many other states charge much more and offer less than Vermont does with just its basic license.
The next thing you’ll need to figure in is how you’re going to get your harvested game home. Many states have rules regarding bringing game in from other states. Make sure you know the rules. You’re more than likely going to have to have your game processed in the state it was taken and then shipped to your home address. If you’ve spent the money for an elk hunt in Montana, you’ll want to bring your game home, but it’ll cost you between $200 and $600 on average. Find out these costs well ahead of time.
Cut the Costs
We have no control over license and permit fees, the cost of ammunition, or the cost of fuel. With that said, we can cut costs in other areas.
- Only purchase the permits you actually intend to use. If you only plan to hunt pheasant once, don’t bother buying a permit, and concentrate on the upland game your basic license covers. The same goes for any of the other permits.
- Travel costs could be some of your largest expenses. Cut lodging costs by hunting with a buddy or two who can share the costs. If you travel together in one vehicle, you can save money by splitting the costs of fuel. Plus, hunting with a buddy makes the experience more enjoyable.
- Drop food costs while on the road by bringing your own. Instead of stopping for coffee, bring your own in a thermos. Make sandwiches or bring other food items from home. Meat snacks or other snacks will see you through while in the woods.
- Hunt public land instead of paying fees to hunt private land. When hunting public land, plan your hunt for weekdays when other people are at work. Avoiding the weekends will cut down on the chances of running into crowds of other hunters or people hiking.
Conclusion
Things aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days of simply, selectively harvesting game for the table. The costs of sustenance hunting have risen to a point of making it almost beyond many people’s budgets. I refuse to pay $31 for the privilege to put pheasant on the table for my family. With a limit of 10 birds per season, and assuming you’re able to get all of your birds, that equates to about $3 per bird, but chances are you won’t get your limit. When you figure in all the other costs, it’s cheaper to visit a local poultry farmer or even the grocery store and purchase 10 chickens.
Hunting is still a great way to provide your family with all-natural, healthy food, but you’ll need to do your homework and make it cost-effective. Balance things out and do the best for your family.
Dana Benner has been writing about all aspects of the outdoors and sustainability for over 35 years, with his work appearing in regional and national publications.
Originally published as “Hunting to Put Food on the Table” in the September/October 2023 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
