NPO GUEST BLOG: Sharing your Bounty

NPO GUEST BLOG: Sharing Your Bounty

         The Hows and Whys of Helping Others Enjoy Your Wild Game Harvest

By Almo Gregor

       https://pixabay.com/en/wild-venison-restaurant-1583158/

Years ago at my sister’s wedding rehearsal, we put out a spread of appetizers for the 30 or so people in attendance. Alongside all of the other “normal” food was a plate of elk summer sausage. As people came through and filled their plates, the summer sausage was gone before anyone could suspect it was anything other than beef. After all of the sausage had been eaten it was brought up that it was elk. There were a handful of people that would not have fancied themselves wild game eaters that were rather surprised at just how tasty it was. Not everyone is open to the idea, but there are many benefits of them coming to like it. Here are a few reasons why and how to help someone discover the joy of eating wild game.

1)     All across the country, our gun and hunting rights are under attack. The number of non-hunters in most places far exceeds those that do hunt, which poses a serious problem when it comes to hunting related lawmaking. Introducing people to eating game meat is one way to develop support of people even if they do not choose to hunt themselves.

2)     Many people object to hunting because they feel like it is killing for sport. Showing them that the meat is way beyond just palatable will help dispel that image of hunting.

3)     On a more personal level, if you have a significant other that is not super-supportive of your hunting hobby, helping them to develop a taste for your harvest may cause them to be more encouraging of your outings.

4)     One of my favorite parts of fishing and hunting is sharing my harvest with friends and family. Finding new people to share with may increase your enjoyment. It also helps to assure that none of your harvested meat goes to waste.

 Hopefully, those are enough reasons to try to convert some friends or family. I am sure if you are a hunter, you have had some folks initiate the conversation about trying game meat on their own. Either way, once the door is opened, follow these steps to try to enlighten them:

1)     The initial step is to have a conversation about game meat. Some people simply have not had the opportunity to try it. Objections you do discover are likely to be any combination of three: they object to the idea of eating a hunted animal, they do not eat meat at all, or they expect they will not like the taste.

2)     If you can identify an objection, consider how to overcome it.

a.     If they object to the idea of eating a hunted animal, explain the benefits. Wild game is as natural and organic as meat comes. Most big game animals have much leaner meat than beef and other livestock. Finally, wild animals live an arguably better life than their livestock counterparts, and ethical hunters strive to make their death quick and humane.

b.     If they do not eat meat at all, you may be up against a real challenge. If they are against the mistreatment of animals before they become meat, then you can revert to some of the arguments mentioned above. If they are hardcore vegans or vegetarians, you might just be better off finding another candidate.

c.     Someone thinking they will not like the taste is, in my opinion, the easiest to overcome. Make a bet with them you can serve them something they will like, and then proceed to step three.

3)     If you get someone to agree to try game meat for the first time or give it another try after previous bad experiences, make sure you pick your offering carefully. Consider the following factors:

a.     Start with the best-tasting meat you have. I would not recommend serving them a roast from the neck of a rutty buck that had been on a sagebrush diet. Think about a nice whitetail or antelope that has spent its life sneaking into crop fields, or elk, which have a reputation for being less gamey than some animals. 

b.     As I mentioned before, summer sausage is a good bet for first-timers, as is jerky. Both are heavily seasoned and taste much like beef varieties. I tend to serve someone game meat as a part of a dish that they would enjoy if it were beef-based like spaghetti, tacos, fajitas, stew or sloppy joes.

c.     If someone is a big fan of red meat steaks, you can try starting them off with a good steak off your harvest. Again, start them with the best- backstrap or tenderloin.

As is true with all foods, game meat is not for everyone. Even among the category, some people may love the meat of one animal, but not another. However, in most cases where people like red meat, I have had good luck serving them game meat that they enjoy. With the huge movement towards natural and organic foods, now is the perfect time to get out there and create some new fans of game meat and supporters of hunting.   

About author:

Almo is a firearm enthusiast, an avid hunter, and a strong lifelong 2nd amendment supporter. Outdoors, hunting and shooting were a big part of his childhood, and he continues with these traditions in his personal and professional life, passing the knowledge to others through freelance writing. Almo is also an editor for Outdoor Empire.

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