Outdoors

TOM VENESKY

August 6, 2008

Seeing some added value in hunting, fishing TOM VENESKY OUTDOORS

Decades ago, what came out of the woods via hunting and trapping was the main table fare for many families.

The Great Depression was in full swing and times were tough.

Some families depended on the wild game and fish because it was the only meat they could afford to put on the table. Men took time off from their jobs – if they were lucky enough to have one back then, to hunt deer and provide some valuable venison for the table.

Farm kids spent their time between chores shooting rabbits, squirrels and other small game.

Traplines were common back then as they not only provided income from furs but sustenance in the form of muskrats, beaver and even raccoon and opossum.

One old-timer once told me that his mother could make anything taste good – raccoon and opossum included. She had to, he said, because sometimes it was all they had to eat.

When it came to fishing, there was no such thing as catch and release. A stringer of bullheads, bluegills or trout could feed the largest of rural families. Back then, to release what you caught could mean going hungry for the night.

But the woods and streams supplied more than just meat. Watercress leaves made a refreshing salad, wild mushrooms were prized and grapes blackberries were transformed into jam and pies.

As the decades progressed and the country realized better economic times, the reliance on the woods to provide food decreased.

Hunting, fishing and trapping evolved into hobbies, and collecting edible plants and berries was something people did for a seasonal treat.

But now, it seems more people are ready to use their outdoor pursuits as a means for sustenance again.

I’ve had several people tell me they use venison from the freezer in place of beef, cook trout on the grill rather than hot dogs and will even start small game hunting again to add rabbit, pheasant and grouse to their family’s dinner menu.

The reason? The same one as 80 years ago – the economy.

With fuel prices hitting all-time highs, people have less money to spend.

Consuming wild game rather than spending countless dollars at the grocery store makes sense. Not only is wild game healthier than beef and pork, it is more economical.

Think about it. Ground beef at a local grocery store costs $3.59 per pound. A rib eye steak will set you back $8.99 per pound.

Boneless pork chops? About $4 a pound.

Boneless chicken at one store is $3.99 per pound.

On the other hand, a single resident adult hunting license that allows you to shoot one deer along with four rabbits and two pheasants daily, among other things, will cost you $20.

The same comparison can be made with fish. You can go to the store and spend $10 a pound for a rainbow trout fillet, or you can buy a fishing license and trout stamp for $32.40 and catch five a day.

Spend $6 a pound for farm-raised catfish, or use the same license to catch up to 50 daily of the wild variety.

When it comes to an outdoors menu versus one from the grocery store, the savings can be significant when it comes to beef compared to venison, chicken to pheasant, and trout wrapped in plastic as opposed to those swimming in the Lehigh River.

There may be more value to a hunting and fishing license than just the recreation it offers.

Tom Venesky writes about hunting, fishing, trapping and the outdoors for The Times Leader. He can be reached at tvenesky@timesleader.com or 829-7230.

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