Freezer filler ideas

[BGGMKLR]

Fair enough.

Driving anywhere within 2,000 miles, less than $300 per night lodging, and tags less than $5,000.

A cow Elk, cow Bison or Nilgai is easily less than that, and most cull hunts also.

I have no problem going well above this, especially if it's a mixed bag hunt, with several species, plus bird hunting and fishing available. Whitetail I can and do hunt in my home State of Ohio, but that's the only large animal available.

What I'd like to avoid is a $10-15,000 bull Elk hunt type of thing. I already have 2 hunts planned this fall, including Red Stag and Chamois in Romania. Problem is, I don't think the U.S.D.A. will let one single scrap of that wonderful Red Stag into this Country as raw meat. This leaves my freezer empty, and my annual hunting budget spent.

Tina is pretty hardcore for a gal, but when I asked her to go on a horseback hunt in New Mexico for Mule Deer, she was all in.....till she found out it was tents, no showers, and only baby wipes for a week. She wants a bed, showers, food and a way to do laundry other than creekwater and a few rocks. She is a 62 year old woman that has had one hip replaced, and is in need of another hip replacement, so I can't blame her.

I count my blessings having a gal like her, so I'm trying to make it fun for her, filling the freezer, and staying within a reasonable budget.

Perfect clarity.
Nilgai in Texas with the option of adding Audad could be a great option.
Cow Elk tags in Colorado are very reasonable. Dollar for dollar, a quality ranch hog hunt in Texas will fill your freezer/freezers pretty full...and reasonably priced.
A ranch Bison hunt will do the same...but much more of a harvest than a hunt.
Best
Spike

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Fair enough.

Driving anywhere within 2,000 miles, less than $300 per night lodging, and tags less than $5,000.

A cow Elk, cow Bison or Nilgai is easily less than that, and most cull hunts also.

I have no problem going well above this, especially if it's a mixed bag hunt, with several species, plus bird hunting and fishing available. Whitetail I can and do hunt in my home State of Ohio, but that's the only large animal available.

What I'd like to avoid is a $10-15,000 bull Elk hunt type of thing. I already have 2 hunts planned this fall, including Red Stag and Chamois in Romania. Problem is, I don't think the U.S.D.A. will let one single scrap of that wonderful Red Stag into this Country as raw meat. This leaves my freezer empty, and my annual hunting budget spent.

Tina is pretty hardcore for a gal, but when I asked her to go on a horseback hunt in New Mexico for Mule Deer, she was all in.....till she found out it was tents, no showers, and only baby wipes for a week. She wants a bed, showers, food and a way to do laundry other than creekwater and a few rocks. She is a 62 year old woman that has had one hip replaced, and is in need of another hip replacement, so I can't blame her.

I count my blessings having a gal like her, so I'm trying to make it fun for her, filling the freezer, and staying within a reasonable budget.

You might think of a motel based pronghorn, mule deer, or bear hunt out west. Right outfitter could probably help you wet a line for a few days before as well.

 

[BGGMKLR]

That's pretty reasonable. I've done the Venice deal and it was 3x that

I fish Venice a couple of times a year...only for big Bulls...$900/day.
Regards
Spike

 

[BGGMKLR]

You might think of a motel based pronghorn, mule deer, or bear hunt out west. Right outfitter could probably help you wet a line for a few days before as well.

Those were the days. Sadly, other than Yogi tags, much more difficult (and expensive) now for Mulies or Speed Goats...almost everywhere here (out West)
OTC tags are getting more and more difficult. Landowner tags? A whole nother deal.. and the price goes up exponentially.
In my view...If meat is the primary goal... a Texas hog hunt on a first class Texas ranch (of which there are many) is pretty hard to match. Classy, top shelf, hunting lodge accomodations for the Mrs....(hot tub, pool, spa) and an extremely target-rich environment. No limit...open all year.
Best
Spike

 

[Altitude sickness]

I am NOT vouching for this outfit. Just using it as an example.

Add Watusi cattle to the Bison Cow elk category

Watusi - Mountain Meadow Hunting Preserve

WATUSI These African natives are huge; but the fact is, their horns are truly larger than life! Their horns never stop growing and can measure over 12 feet long! Watusis are referred to as the “cattle of kings” and “Royal Ox.” If you are looking for the ultimate trophy and conversation piece...

mountainmeadowhunting.com

 

[skydiver386]

I am NOT vouching for this outfit. Just using it as an example.

Add Watusi cattle to the Bison Cow elk category

Watusi - Mountain Meadow Hunting Preserve

WATUSI These African natives are huge; but the fact is, their horns are truly larger than life! Their horns never stop growing and can measure over 12 feet long! Watusis are referred to as the “cattle of kings” and “Royal Ox.” If you are looking for the ultimate trophy and conversation piece...

mountainmeadowhunting.com

Now that's a new idea.

 

[Altitude sickness]

the issue is they are similar to Bison. A lot of carcass weight. But net weight is less than domestic beef. More waste.

But the horns and hides are nice trophies. Shoot a smaller horned on for $2500

 

[Betterinthebush]

the issue is they are similar to Bison. A lot of carcass weight. But net weight is less than domestic beef. More waste.

But the horns and hides are nice trophies. Shoot a smaller horned on for $2500

Spot on. Watusi excel on a grass diet. It’s their genetic disposition. They do not marble well, even relative to their American long horn cousins. I’ve slaughtered a few longhorns for customers over the years. Watusi, i imagine, would appeal primarily to trophy customers. Hunters tend to be more liberal with their fat/lean ratio because hunters eat what they kill and most hunters have been eating wild/lean meat since being young children. The retail population’s tastebuds here in the USA have been spoiled with the taste of fat (which ain’t all bad, fat is brain food!), unless it’s in grinds, which is odd, but I don’t fight the trends.

A watusi hunt as advertised, on a smaller critter would come in close (probably a little more, but you get the skull and hide!) to buying a finished fattened angus off my rail ($3.50/lb. on the rail + $1.09/lb. custom processed and packed).

Great idea on the watusi hunt.

 

[skydiver386]

Those were the days. Sadly, other than Yogi tags, much more difficult (and expensive) now for Mulies or Speed Goats...almost everywhere here (out West)
OTC tags are getting more and more difficult. Landowner tags? A whole nother deal.. and the price goes up exponentially.
In my view...If meat is the primary goal... a Texas hog hunt on a first class Texas ranch (of which there are many) is pretty hard to match. Classy, top shelf, hunting lodge accomodations for the Mrs....(hot tub, pool, spa) and an extremely target-rich environment. No limit...open all year.
Best
Spike

Yogi tags?

 

[BGGMKLR]

Yogi tags?

Bear.

 

[Hunt anything]

Bear.

Evidently @skydiver386 is a young buck and not a child of the 60’s or 70’s cartoon era! LOL

 

[skydiver386]

Evidently @skydiver386 is a young buck and not a child of the 60’s or 70’s cartoon era! LOL

THAT Yogi!

I figured it was some acronym I wasn't familiar with.

BTW, Booboo would probably be nice & tender.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Those were the days. Sadly, other than Yogi tags, much more difficult (and expensive) now for Mulies or Speed Goats...almost everywhere here (out West)
OTC tags are getting more and more difficult. Landowner tags? A whole nother deal.. and the price goes up exponentially.
In my view...If meat is the primary goal... a Texas hog hunt on a first class Texas ranch (of which there are many) is pretty hard to match. Classy, top shelf, hunting lodge accomodations for the Mrs....(hot tub, pool, spa) and an extremely target-rich environment. No limit...open all year.
Best
Spike

With a little research he can have somewhere he could pronghorn hunt every year off left over or OTC licenses, and mule deer hunt every year with a landowner tag/voucher. It won’t necessarily be the same area and possibly not even the same state but there are still opportunities for both species should someone be willing to do the legwork. Both species also provide substantially better table fare than wild hogs IMO. I rarely if ever keep hogs that I kill.

 

[deewayne2003]

For fish.... COSTA RICA!

Last time I went out on a 3 day trip we each came back with $2,000 worth of Mahi Mahi and Yellow fin; we could have brought back more but our deck hand threw his shoulder out of socket on the last day when we were planning on loading up the majority of our take home catch.

If your looking for a place where you can fish out of and still have night life - Jaco

If your looking for a more fishing dedicated trip - Quepos = My favorite!

 

[BGGMKLR]

For fish.... COSTA RICA!

Last time I went out on a 3 day trip we each came back with $2,000 worth of Mahi Mahi and Yellow fin; we could have brought back more but our deck hand threw his shoulder out of socket on the last day when we were planning on loading up the majority of our take home catch.

If your looking for a place where you can fish out of and still have night life - Jaco

If your looking for a more fishing dedicated trip - Quepos = My favorite!

Exactly. Quepos is one of my faves. I'd be living there now if I could talk Mrs B into it.
If it's fishing that the OP wants that's a great destination.
Also...Yakutat Lodge in Alaska, for Salmon and world-class Steelhead on the Situk River, and a couple of ocean days for Halibut.
Regards
Spike

 

[Tex .416]

We eat only wild game meat since 2011. I have bought beef two times since then when my wife wanted a beef steak.

Hunting in Texas is a decent option for this time of year.

My recommendation would be to shoot a cull Scimitar Horned Oryx. It is the finest meat I have ever eaten bar none. The reason to shoot a cull, which will be one with a broken or odd horn, is it likely will be a younger animal and thus more tender and milder.

Our wild pig meat is superb and that is the number two recommendation.

It is late to shoot a nilgai, although it may still be possible.

Blackbuck or Bison are others to consider. Aged Bison is better than beef in my book.

Axis is another option. Most people rave about it. Personally I do not like it at all after trying five different animals.

 

[mdwest]

I rarely if ever keep hogs that I kill.

Im at the point that I pull the backstraps out of a handful of them every year, but leave the rest for the coyotes (and the other hogs... nasty bastards that they are...)... Im the only person in the house that will eat them.. If I processed all of the meat off of all of the hogs I shot every year, I'd have a dozen freezers filled and no one eating the meat.. I'll occasionally process one completely out and donate meat to friends and/or needy families, etc.. but that really depends on the time of year and how many hogs were taken in the sitting.. Im allergic to processing pigs at 11PM in August while sweating my butt off and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes...

 

[Tex .416]

Im at the point that I pull the backstraps out of a handful of them every year, but leave the rest for the coyotes (and the other hogs... nasty bastards that they are...)... Im the only person in the house that will eat them.. If I processed all of the meat off of all of the hogs I shot every year, I'd have a dozen freezers filled and no one eating the meat.. I'll occasionally process one completely out and donate meat to friends and/or needy families, etc.. but that really depends on the time of year and how many hogs were taken in the sitting.. Im allergic to processing pigs at 11PM in August while sweating my butt off and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes...

MD,

try having it ground into pan sausage similar to the Jimmy Dean type.

It is leaner and quite tasty for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Im at the point that I pull the backstraps out of a handful of them every year, but leave the rest for the coyotes (and the other hogs... nasty bastards that they are...)... Im the only person in the house that will eat them.. If I processed all of the meat off of all of the hogs I shot every year, I'd have a dozen freezers filled and no one eating the meat.. I'll occasionally process one completely out and donate meat to friends and/or needy families, etc.. but that really depends on the time of year and how many hogs were taken in the sitting.. Im allergic to processing pigs at 11PM in August while sweating my butt off and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes...

50-80lb pigs I might keep but I’ve got more meat in my freezer than I can eat and am often giving it away or donating it. I bet my parents take 50+ lbs every time they visit and I typically bring them a 50lb cooler when I fly home or near them for work.

I typically draw an elk/mule deer tag or two out of state most years. I’ll shoot a whitetail or two here and maybe one or two out of state. I do a bit of fishing. Last year included a trip to Venice, a week in the keys, a couple days walleye fishing in North Dakota and a few trips to the Texas gulf coast. I’ll kill several turkeys here in Texas and another state or two plus shoot some ducks, geese, and maybe some pheasants/quail each year. I’ve never hunted exotics in Texas but last year for instance I drew an Oryx tag in NM as well. I’m not married, have no kids, and spend 250ish nights a year in a bed other than my own.

In 3-4 hours at the new lease last week just doing odd things like marking potential stand locations and walking the property lines, I’ve shot 3 hogs that I stumbled into. It hasn’t been hunted in 4-5 years other than the odd Coyote or hog out the house window so I’m sure once the feeders get placed or I get out there with the thermal & NVG’s a bunch more will fall.

 

[shootist~]

My Nilgai guide says his favorite time to hunt is October or November - when the animals will be in the best shape. Even though it can still be hot in S. Texas.

This old guy is scheduled for mid December - when it will hopefully be a bit cooler. We were dodging the tail end of a polar vortex in January, but you never know.

Like most things hunting, it's best to book a year or so in advance.