Is Hunting for Meat Cheaper Than Buying It?

Have you ever asked the question: is hunting for meat cheaper than buying it? My man and I did, just after we set a big financial goal for ourselves! We wanted to buy land, build a simple home and start a tiny farmstead…all in 5 year’s time! But in order to do this, we needed to be very conscious about where our money went.

 

Is Hunting for Meat Cheaper?

Raised in hunting families, our natural instinct was to carry on with this traditional way of putting meat on the table. However, in light of the fact that we needed to save money, the question had to asked: is hunting for meat cheaper than buying it?

We needed to know for certain. As a result, we came up with a chart (shared below) that tracked our expenses. In the end, we had our answer!

Before you scroll down to grab your free copy of this chart, let’s briefly touch on the expenses that most hunters encounter.

 

Cost 1: Your Hunting Courses

Minimal though it may be, this is the first thing a hunter (or would-be hunter) has to take into account. In both USA and CA, you have to take and pass a paid, Hunter’s Education Program before you’re allowed to hunt rifle or archery.

In Canada, rifle hunters are required to have a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) that must be renewed every 5 years. With a fee, of course!

Yep, we’ve got it tough up here. 😉

 

Cost 2: Your License and Tags

Every year, hunters face the cost of a hunting license. They must also purchase tags for each type of animal they wish to harvest. Most of the time, prices are quite reasonable! If these were the only two expenses a person needed to consider, hunting for the table would be very cheap indeed!

 

Cost 3: Hunting Equipment You Need

Rifle hunters not only face the cost of a rifle, but they also have to think about a good scope, ammunition and maintenance gear. Archery hunters have the cost of a bow, good sights, arrows and tips, plus a few other odds and ends.

Depending on where you hunt, you may also need binoculars or a spotting scope, quality camping gear, a tree stand or special clothing. All these things add to the actual price of your harvested meat! Our all-time favorite hunting knife is this one here.

 

Cost 4: Time on the Road

In a lifetime of hunting, the majority of us will spend the contents of our pocketbook not on equipment, tags or gear, but on fuel for our vehicles. If you have to drive even 30 minutes to reach a location where you can hunt, the cost of the animal you (hopefully) harvest is going to quickly add up!

My man and I are fortunate to have good hunting within a 10-15 minutes radius of our home. You probably imagine us bombing down back roads in an old truck, don’t you? Guess again! Truth is, we sport a mini-van and have hauled numerous deer in the back of it!

Go ahead. You can laugh! We do.

 

Cost 5: Taking Time Off

Not everyone takes time off work to go hunting. However, those who do have to stop and consider something important. When you look at hunting from a financial perspective alone, taking time off work only adds to the price of your meat.

How much money do you make in a day? How many work days did you skip for the sake of hunting? This amount needs to be added to total cost.

Cost 6: Meat Processing Expenses

Even after you harvest an animal, there are still expenses looming on the horizon. Are you going to let it age and do you have a cool place to hang it? Will you process the animal yourself? Do you have (or at least have access to) proper equipment? If not, what is the cost of having it done at your local butcher shop?

These things affect the actual price of your meat and should be calculated into the final cost!

Are you a hunter who loves to eat? Grab “The Vension Cookbook” by Kate Fiduccia (one of my favorites) and try the roast recipe on pg 23! Its the best!

 

A Reference Chart

And now, I’m going to show you my man’s hunting expenses for last year. You’ll notice that instead of lumping all set up costs into the first year of hunting, we chose to divide them up over a 10 year period. You can do it however you like on your chart!

Set Up Costs	Amount	10 Year Break Down for Set Up
Hunting Education Program	$175.00	$17.50/yr
Rifle	gifted to us	N/A
Scope	gifted to us	N/A
Binoculars	gifted to us	N/A
Gun Lock & Accessories	$60.00	$6.00/yr
Hunting Knife	$60.00	$6.00/yr
Reoccurring Purchases
5 Year PAL Renewal Fee	$50.00	$10/yr
License	$36.00
Whitetail Tag	$16.80
Whitetail Tag	$16.80
Black Bear Tag	$20.00
Fuel for Travel	$60.00
Ammo	$10.00
Processing Costs
Bulk Butcher Paper	$30.00	$3.00/yr
Freezer Tape	$10.00	$3.33/yr
Totals
Set Up Costs	$29.50
Yearly Purchases	$169.60
Processing Costs	$6.33
Total Hunting Cost of 2019	$205.43
2019 Harvest	Meat Pkg Weight
1 whitetail doe	40 lbs
1 whitetail buck	60 lbs
	Total lbs: 100
Final Cost: $205.43/100 lbs=	$2.05 per lb

 

Is Hunting for Meat Cheaper Than Buying It?

When my man and I realized that grass fed beef sells for $6 lb in our area, there was no longer any question in our minds. We love the taste of venison, have good hunting nearby and who doesn’t want a savings of $2.92 per lb when it comes to their meat supply?

That’s our story. And now, it’s time to discover your own.

 

How to Calculate The Cost of Your Harvest

Wanna discover the cost of your wild game harvest? Click this link to download your free copy of my chart in PDF form!

Did you click on the link? The chart should be found among your downloads. Print, fill it out and then let me know how it goes! Is hunting for meat cheaper than buying it?