Hunting for meat is the No. 1 reason many sportsmen and women take to the woods each fall.
Photo: Pixabay
It’s not all about mounted heads on a wall.
In fact, for growing numbers of American hunters, it’s not about that at all.
Hunting for meat is increasingly what drives sportsmen and women to pick up a bow or a firearm and head to the woods.
Changing attitudes
Responsive Management is a Virginia-based public opinion and attitude survey research firm. It specializes in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues.
Notably, it’s tracked hunting participation for almost three decades.
And annually since 2008, it’s asked hunters to choose “their single, most important reason for hunting.” Choices include for a trophy, to be close to nature, to be with family and friends, for the sport or recreation, or for the meat.
This year’s survey found that hunting for meat ranked first (and it’s something we’ve explored previously, as you can see here).
Thirty-nine percent – or roughly two in five hunters nationwide – said meat was their top consideration.
“The percentage of hunters who hunt mainly for the meat continues to grow,” the firm added.
A decade ago, just 22 percent chose that answer.
Sport and recreation – the top reason for hunting in 2008 — finished second this time around. It was chosen by 27 percent of hunters as their top priority.
To be with family and friends finished third with 18 percent. To be close to nature was fourth with 11 percent and for a trophy fifth with 1 percent.
What’s changed
That’s all reflective of a trend.
According to Responsive Management, hunting for meat first became the most common answer in 2013.
“And while the percentages of hunters naming one of the other three reasons have declined or remained flat over the past decade, the proportion of hunters who say they hunt mostly for the meat has almost doubled,” it said.
There are potentially several reasons why.
It may be partly economic, Responsive Management said. In times of economic hardship, hunting increases.
The locavore movement is also likely playing a role, it added. Increasingly, people want to take actively procure their own food – especially if that means collecting free-range, chemical- and hormone-free meat.
The trend is so noticeable that many state wildlife agencies are targeting a educated, urban millennials as potential customers.
There’s even a documentary about hunting for meat and how that’s attracting young people.
Titled “An Acquired Taste” – you can view a trailer — it follows three teenage locavores as they learn to hunt as a way of connecting with their food.
Together with the survey, it showcases a return to hunting’s roots in some ways, Responsive Management said. Hunting for meat, the reason for hunting in the first place, is back in vogue.
“This latest research on hunter motivations reconfirms the value of hunting as a source of sustainably harvested organic meat, in addition to its economic, recreational, social, and naturalistic benefits,” the polling firm said.
