Mountain Men

[ChrisJones 7,973]

If I ever get my shit together I intend to experience some US hunting for myself. Be nice to have a crack at some predator hunting as well as game. A mountain hunt and wolf hunt probably being the pinnacle for me. The US model for conservation, whereby hunting is a major consideration, has been massively successful. It's really something that should be commended.

 

Fish & Game, and the Parks Dept. Truly are examples of how I think people should manage natural resources. The work they do is excellent in my opinion.

 

Next season I'm looking at putting in for the bow-hunt. I have an experiment in the pipe-line and I hope to use this forums blogging feature to document it, but I also have to secure the necessary permits. Hopefully it will be happening, and I hope I have the skills to document it for others!

[Born Hunter 17,644]

Be very interesting to hear how you get on, keep us posted mate...

[ChrisJones 7,973]

Be very interesting to hear how you get on, keep us posted mate...

 

I'll do my best with my limited skill set!

 

It's not in the Mountain Man tradition because that requires too much instability and I can't do that with a family. I want to see if it's possible to secure enough meat via hunting, trapping, and fishing, without buying any from the shops. Essentially I want to see if it's not only possible but plausible for the average bloke, with a full time job, house, and a family, to secure all the protein requirements from wild game. No game caught it's fruit and veggies only.

 

I doubled down with the archery aspect because I'd like to learn a new skill in an environment where it's politically correct to take game with ancient tools!

 

I'm currently trying to negotiate an internship with the local butcher, so I can learn the skills and maximise the yields. Again another skill I need to learn.

 

Where I live now there are several good sized lakes, and more deer than people. Small game is also abundant but the hypothesis is that wild trout, and bass, will probably be the bulk of the protein.

[Born Hunter 17,644]

You'll have to forgive my lack of knowledge on US game etc but I'm guessing you don't have a lot of 'high reward' big game animals around you, elk, moose, bear etc? Having said that I would have thought white tail, muley, antelope size animals would go a long way when used optimally. What critters do you hope to hunt with the bow?

 

Sounds excellent mate.

[Accip74 7,112]

 

Be very interesting to hear how you get on, keep us posted mate...

 

I'll do my best with my limited skill set!

 

It's not in the Mountain Man tradition because that requires too much instability and I can't do that with a family. I want to see if it's possible to secure enough meat via hunting, trapping, and fishing, without buying any from the shops. Essentially I want to see if it's not only possible but plausible for the average bloke, with a full time job, house, and a family, to secure all the protein requirements from wild game. No game caught it's fruit and veggies only.

 

I doubled down with the archery aspect because I'd like to learn a new skill in an environment where it's politically correct to take game with ancient tools!

 

I'm currently trying to negotiate an internship with the local butcher, so I can learn the skills and maximise the yields. Again another skill I need to learn.

 

Where I live now there are several good sized lakes, and more deer than people. Small game is also abundant but the hypothesis is that wild trout, and bass, will probably be the bulk of the protein.

That's a good little challenge chris.......I reckon from the background you give, it won't be such a hard task to provide the wild protein, but a much greater task to resist the temptation of conventional protein like; beef steak, lamb chops, pork tenderloin, roast chicken etc.........now that's a challenge! ;-)

 

Good luck mate ;-)

Edited December 8, 2015 by Accip74

[ChrisJones 7,973]

That's a good little challenge chris.......I reckon from the background you give, it won't be such a hard task to provide the wild protein, bit a much greater task to resist the temptation of conventional protein like; beef steak, lamb chops, pork tenderloin, roast chicken etc.........now that's a challenge! ;-)

 

Good luck mate ;-)

 

Thanks mate!

 

That's what I'm hoping. The resources are there and I've shot quite a bit with .22LR but I've never bow hunted before and I've been gifted an almost perfect opportunity. My trapping skills from working pest control, are adequate, and my fishing skills are above adequate. I would agree on the conventional protein sources but I've been researching this for a bit and I conducted an earlier experiment, in preparation...

 

I went veggie!! ... but before anyone starts it was to see how I would react physically, and mentally, with an all plant diet. The initial plan was for a couple of weeks but I was able to extend it to 60 days with only positive results. Now I'm not going over to the dark side, by any stretch this was purely an educational exercise, but I found that I was able to live on that part of the experiment without detriment to myself.

 

As this concluded with good results I decided to supplement the plant based diet with only wild caught game, and fish. Essentially this rich protein source would be a bonus. Fish will be the easiest. Rabbit, and squirrel next. I've not decided on birds as I've limited my hunting to archery, and without using a shotgun (although I own a single barrel,) it would limit avian protein to birds on the ground.

 

Deer and elk would be huge bonus levels as I could secure a couple of hundreds of pounds of venison, and possible several hundred in elk. But the opportunity of taking them with a bow will require excellent archery skills and I have yet to try it.

 

It's all going to be trial and error, as it would be to anyone that was dropped into that kind of situation with only research, at that point.

 

I've set a goal that everything has to be hunted, trapped, or fished. All permits have to be valid and all game limits/seasons are respected. It has to be completely legal and be able to be replicated by anyone who's able to legally hunt where I'm living.

[ChrisJones 7,973]

You'll have to forgive my lack of knowledge on US game etc but I'm guessing you don't have a lot of 'high reward' big game animals around you, elk, moose, bear etc? Having said that I would have thought white tail, muley, antelope size animals would go a long way when used optimally. What critters do you hope to hunt with the bow?

 

Sounds excellent mate.

 

High reward game is also in abundance but it's limited to season, and harvest quantity. It's a huge bonus but to rely only on it would risk going without entirely. When the season comes around the hills are full of high powered beer, and rifles. The archery season would give me another month, to six weeks, before they get out there.

 

Using everything is why I'm trying to get in with the butcher. Maximizing the yield.

 

An elk would keep me in meat most of the year. Rabbit, and trout, is a meal. I know the one I want to harvest but if I focused entirely on that I could miss what's hopping around my back garden!

 

Edit to add I'm going to try and take any legal quarry I can with one! Squirrel all the way up to elk!

Edited December 8, 2015 by ChrisJones

[Accip74 7,112]

 

That's a good little challenge chris.......I reckon from the background you give, it won't be such a hard task to provide the wild protein, bit a much greater task to resist the temptation of conventional protein like; beef steak, lamb chops, pork tenderloin, roast chicken etc.........now that's a challenge! ;-)

Good luck mate ;-)

 

Thanks mate!

 

That's what I'm hoping. The resources are there and I've shot quite a bit with .22LR but I've never bow hunted before and I've been gifted an almost perfect opportunity. My trapping skills from working pest control, are adequate, and my fishing skills are above adequate. I would agree on the conventional protein sources but I've been researching this for a bit and I conducted an earlier experiment, in preparation...

 

I went veggie!! ... but before anyone starts it was to see how I would react physically, and mentally, with an all plant diet. The initial plan was for a couple of weeks but I was able to extend it to 60 days with only positive results. Now I'm not going over to the dark side, by any stretch this was purely an educational exercise, but I found that I was able to live on that part of the experiment without detriment to myself.

 

As this concluded with good results I decided to supplement the plant based diet with only wild caught game, and fish. Essentially this rich protein source would be a bonus. Fish will be the easiest. Rabbit, and squirrel next. I've not decided on birds as I've limited my hunting to archery, and without using a shotgun (although I own a single barrel,) it would limit avian protein to birds on the ground.

 

Deer and elk would be huge bonus levels as I could secure a couple of hundreds of pounds of venison, and possible several hundred in elk. But the opportunity of taking them with a bow will require excellent archery skills and I have yet to try it.

 

It's all going to be trial and error, as it would be to anyone that was dropped into that kind of situation with only research, at that point.

 

I've set a goal that everything has to be hunted, trapped, or fished. All permits have to be valid and all game limits/seasons are respected. It has to be completely legal and be able to be replicated by anyone who's able to legally hunt where I'm living.

It's great idea mate & I've thought of doing something similar for myself & my young family in the future.....although I'm not sure if it would be entirely legal haha.........but I really like the idea...:-)

I haven't gone veggie before, but I have restricted the amount of meat we eat recently....having set days, maybe 2 or more of non-meat days a week & it's really not that hard & it makes you appreciate the meat you eat more.........the enthuses being on quality not quantity ;-)

 

Have you set a time scale? Like a year or is it to be ongoing?

[The one 8,399]

double episode of duck dynasty tonight 10pm

[ChrisJones 7,973]

It's great idea mate & I've thought of doing something similar for myself & my young family in the future.....although I'm not sure if it would be entirely legal haha.........but I really like the idea...:-)

I haven't gone veggie before, but I have restricted the amount of meat we eat recently....having set days, maybe 2 or more of non-meat days a week & it's really not that hard & it makes you appreciate the meat you eat more.........the enthuses being on quality not quantity ;-)

 

Have you set a time scale? Like a year or is it to be ongoing?

 

 

It has to be legal here, fish & game, are ruthless with poachers not to mention a poaching conviction would ruin my career!

 

I was very surprised with the veggie aspect of it. It was an experiment but I was shocked by just how quickly I was able to adapt to. Definitely a quality, over quantity, feeling!

 

Time scale is a tough one. I have to gather permits and research seasons but I'd like to get as many as I can, and hunt all of them. Fishing will be the easiest because it's 365 days a year, on our lakes, and they're stuffed with bass and trout.

 

I'd like to say a full calendar year starting in April, with a view to extending it, depending on success. A lot of the start time will depend on securing the minimal equipment and permits.

[Lenmcharristar 9,187]

Thebossoftheswamp on YouTube has some good land and shows how to make the most of the meat you acquire. Somebody stick a link up

[j j m 6,483]

I watched it he does love a chase that bloke

[Francie 6,362]

Who doesn't lol

[MIK 4,755]

Gold rush is my favourite ...Parker is a lad and a half

[dytkos 17,537]

 

It's great idea mate & I've thought of doing something similar for myself & my young family in the future.....although I'm not sure if it would be entirely legal haha.........but I really like the idea...:-)

I haven't gone veggie before, but I have restricted the amount of meat we eat recently....having set days, maybe 2 or more of non-meat days a week & it's really not that hard & it makes you appreciate the meat you eat more.........the enthuses being on quality not quantity ;-)

Have you set a time scale? Like a year or is it to be ongoing?

 

 

It has to be legal here, fish & game, are ruthless with poachers not to mention a poaching conviction would ruin my career!

 

I was very surprised with the veggie aspect of it. It was an experiment but I was shocked by just how quickly I was able to adapt to. Definitely a quality, over quantity, feeling!

 

Time scale is a tough one. I have to gather permits and research seasons but I'd like to get as many as I can, and hunt all of them. Fishing will be the easiest because it's 365 days a year, on our lakes, and they're stuffed with bass and trout.

 

I'd like to say a full calendar year starting in April, with a view to extending it, depending on success. A lot of the start time will depend on securing the minimal equipment and permits.

Really interesting (and enjoyable, I would imagine) project Chris,

What job do you do if you don't mind me asking?

 

Cheers, D.