I often see it written that deer meat is the most expensive food per pound that you can buy. I understand that it is meant in jest as we hunters spend a lot of money on stuff and often are not successful in bringing home meat. Of course most of us do this for intangibles that we can't figure into the equations.

I consider myself frugal and hunt to fill my freezer. I pay a great deal of attention to hunting expenses. Here is an example from yesterday's hunt.

My brother and I hunted in Parke County. We were a little late in getting set up about 10 minutes after first legal light. No matter though as a deer showed up 10 minutes later and I killed it with a double lung shot that just grazed the front of the off side intestines and tainted the insides. It turned out to be a button buck. I weighed the pieces. Here are the results:

10# of offal (does not include bowel and stomach contents)

32# bones and hide (rib meat and tenderloins were not recoverable and are included here, This also includes a bit of fat trimmed from the meat).

30# boneless meat.

Total weight 72#.

Of the boneless meat, 18# were steaks and roasts.

Assuming average beef price of $5 for good cuts and $3 for ground or stew meat, the deer is worth $126.

My expenses for yesterday included 4 gallons of gas at $14 (I drive a Toyota Corolla at 37 mpg) and one slug at $1. Grand total is $15.

Net value of yesterday's hunt to my freezer is $111.

The glory of spending a day in the woods, hanging with my brother, and providing for my family are worth the expenses alone. The meat is a bonus. But a tasty one

Thanks be to God. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Knowing where your red meat comes from...priceless

John, you are fortunate to live close to where you hunt. My cost of deer meat would be alarming if I were to put a number to it. But, as you suggest, its about the other things that matter to me.

Nice information to share.

Spent 2 hours w/ Luke in a blind and had a mouse jump from ceiling and run down my back.

Giggling kid: priceless

And priceless. Great post

I always heard you get around 40% meat back from a deer.

That's about right. 72# x.4 = 29#

I often get closer to 45% when I can get all the rib meat. I spend a good deal of time on a carcass.

Cost of meat goes way up if you add the cost of the weapon, clothing, boots, stands, blinds, binoculars, etc. If you figure the cost of everything, its hard to justify the cost to put meat on the table. If you figure the enjoyment, time alone, personal satisfaction, etc. it makes it all worth it ... at least to me.

Trust me that old 870 has been fully depreciated for a long time I suppose it's killed 30+ deer. It cost less than $300 new and is still worth close to that I bet. But let's assume it's only worth $200. So my per deer cost for the gun is $3.33.

Nearly everything else, except the 4 stands I've purchased (mostly on clearance)in 30 years, is not hunting specific. I would own it anyway so it isn't really counted. Even if I had to tally the equipment, it would total very little and if pro-rated, would maybe count for $50 per year. I kill 4-5 deer per year so worst case, $12.50 per deer. I can spend $12.50 on a nice 6 pack of porter

But your point, and all the others, is that the intangibles make it all worth it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I always figure I am going to deer hunt as my recreation/hobby, the added meat is a bonus. Our farm was bought for recreation with investment being secondary, if I added that in the cost per deer the price per pound would skyrocket.

Now if we tally my elk cost per pound we would be in trouble. 6 hunts, and maybe $5K and no elk But you should see my pictures, and have my memories of those hunts.