Is hunting viable in large scale SHTF

[pathwinder14]

So is hunting actually viable in a large scale SHTF? Many people say no, yet many people plan on it. Here's my prediction:

Yes it is viable. The current US Deer population is over 20 million. The US population of humans is over 300 million. Wait, that doesn't make sense. Hear me out.

Let's look at the US demographics. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States

It states that 20% are children and 12% are 65+ years old. So most of them will not compete for food as many will die. It sucks, (I fear most for my 5 year old) but in a large scale SHTF event it's the truth.

As per the CDC www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm
"In 2005, 133 million Americans – almost 1 out of every 2 adults – had at least one chronic illness."
That number has only grown.

Let's do some simple math. 300 million minus 32% (children and elderly) is roughly a 3rd. That leaves 200 millon competitors for game. Of those, statistically half have a chronic diseases requiring meds and limiting their abilities. Now we're down to 100 million. Of those the CDC predicts disease comebacks like yellow fever, TB, legionaire's, Hep A, Cholera, Typhoid which will kill a large percentage. Let's guess about 25%. That leaves 75 million people. I have to guess less than half of those even know how to hunt/gather/survive. That leaves 37.5 million. If we add all forms of viable species to hunt (squirrel, beaver, moose, bear, fox, pheasant, fishing, foraging, coyote, opossum, etc.) there should be plenty of game.

This estimate does not input all factors such as obesity, healthy children, healthy elderly, smokers, or random events (disaster, animal population die offs of disease, or animal blooms like wild packs of dogs) as many cancel each other out. However, it does get the brain going about approximations of sustainable food in a post large scale SHTF event.

[northernbc]

i most definatly plan on hunting/fishing.i do not see how it will work otherwise.

[fenster]

It's viable and a great skill to have. Most urban and suburban folk don't know how to hunt, let alone dress, skin, and prepare wild game. That's one skill I have that I can use. Wild game will not only help feed my group, but could be used to barter as well.

[orly152]

Good post...I do think as well that is viable. I'm also planning on hunting and fishing when the time comes to do so.

[offtrail]

I like your post good job. What you are failing to account for is greed and wastefulness of people. Game management and large tracks of soy beans and corn make it possible to have large numbers of deer. Without this the deer population will fall back in rhythm with what nature provides. Weather will play a big roll as to how much wild food will be available to feed wild game, drought, floods, long cold winters will all effect game population. Greed and wastefulness, we know how that works and I believe people will be shooting more then they need and without the means of preserving food you can only eat so much before it spoils. History shows us that it don't take lone for people to decimate the game population.

[Redneckidokie]

I think it depends on if what ever killed off all the humans also affected the animal populations.
Short term I believe hunting or scavenging might to possible, but as time passes the large animals will be hunted out quickly. There may be pockets that humans on foot are less likely to venture into.

Oklahoma was hunted out early in the past century and the population was way less than now.
The hunting pressure has dropped off heavily in the past 30 years along with increased food availability has led to massive numbers of deer, and turkey. Though I don't think it would take long to reduce them back to rarities. Even a bad winter and hot dry summer really shows up in the harvest numbers yearly.

Wild dog packs, coyotes, bobcats and even cougers will grow in numbers with out people to keep them in check.

This is only from my experiance here in my state, others my fair better.

[Deleted]

For me, it's a part of regular every day life...so yes, to me it will be viable. At first it will be much like it is now, then for a while it may be harder as wildlife populations suffer and become more wary of everything...but as the human population falls and hunters decrease, the animal population will recover and be less wary, making hunting easier...its doable as long as I live through whatever the mess may be!!

[kutkota]

How long do you think it would take to revert back to the days when everyone hunted and fished for survival. I can't imagine it would take more than a few years at max for everyone to either learn or die off.

[offtrail]

The only reason game population has a chance to rebound is due to game management and no hunting season. It don't take a trained hunter to shoot a deer at night with a spot light. People will be hunting day and night with no concern to mating season or pregnant deer. Don't fool yourself there are many hunters out there that will be competing for food. One alternative to hunting big game like deer would be to hunt small game and that will include mice rats snakes grubs worms any thing that will give you nourishment.

[pathwinder14]

Less than that. Once all 4 seasons come and go (especially Winter) without power or modern convenience (heating, cooling, medicines, clean water, or easy acces to food) a majority of the population would be gone.

[Redneckidokie]

It is hard to guess with out knowing what put us into shtf. If it was a non nuke, or bio event and only a restructuring of government and financial issues leading to social fall out, I would think maybe ten years to get back to normal. Nukes, EMP, Asteroids or attacks by Mayan aliens, who knows???

[geron]

I think it depends on where you live. Around here the human population would definitely decrease (Lots and lots of Senior's and "Snow Birds" (FL part-timers). But the local (native) hunters could possibly decimate the deer population. One local confided in me that season before last he and his son put 20 does in the freezer and that's with so called regulation/management/policing by DNR. A small percentage of the folks around here are already in a "survival" mode. SHTF would bump that number up dramatically and lots of them are prepared to "do what's necessry." Lots of these "country boys will survive." They already are!

[swamprat1]

Geron your reply is almost exactly what I was going to say. We have so many idiot rednecks it's ridiculous. Without any management the wildlife would be decimated in a matter of months. I also agree with offtrail. I see many carcasses during hunting season where only the back straps have been cut out and the rest dumped.

[woodyz]

Geron me too. Where you are and who is around, will make a difference. Everything that crawls, flys or runs will become hunted by some. I also see some very hungry people out hunting who skip 50 meals looking for a "deer" to shoot.

Hunting animals and plants is in my plan, but some like the ones I planted or raised will be a little easier to hunt that others

[WILL]

The longer I think about it, the less likely I see a Mad Max type disaster happening. I could definitely see another depression taking place in the near future. With that, wild, edible animal populations will be wiped out just like they were before.