“We’re All Born Hunters” – Americans Turn To Hunting Game Amid Pandemic Food Shortage Fears
The slowdown or even the shuttering of meat processing plants due to coronavirus outbreaks has led to meat shortages and soaring food inflation. Supermarket chain Kroger reported Friday that it has put “purchase limits” on ground beef and fresh pork at some of its stores following growing concerns of food supply chain disruptions. We noted last month that meat shortages could be seen at grocery stores across the US in the first half of May. The pandemic and all its chaos have led some Americans to purchase a hunting rifle and venture into the wilderness to hunt big-game to put food on their tables.
Reuters interviews several Americans and reviews hunting license data on a state level to determine that a growing number of people are hunting food big-game to feed their families during the pandemic.
David Elliot, an emergency manager at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, New Mexico, said the pandemic had given him the urge to fill his freezer with free-range, super-lean meat that he will obtain through hunting elk. He recently received his elk license and plans to borrow a horse and rifle, and roam the vast plains in Taos, searching for big-game.
“I understand some people might be driven by like antlers or some sort of glory. I don’t want to do that,” said Elliot. “I want to make sure it’s a clean, humane shot, as much as possible, and get a bunch of food.”
Game and fish agencies in Minnesota to New Mexico have noticed a surge in either hunting license sales, permit applications, or both in the last several months.
Indiana reported a 28% jump in turkey license sales in the first week of the season that started on April 22, said Marty Benson, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Natural Resource.
