What is waste?
I often spend too much time musing. One of the things I've wrestled with over the years is the definition of waste.
I've always hunted in order to get food. From an early age, I've been fascinated by the ability to get food from nature. I've always tried to "not waste" animals I kill, but where to draw the line?
First, how much of the animal are we ethically required to use? There are plenty of deer parts that are edible that end up in the gut pile each year. What about bones for soup? If we were in a true hunger situation, would we use more of the animals we kill, and what implications does that have? I try to use the heart, liver, kidneys, and tongue of deer I kill, but it doesn't always happen and I sometimes feel guilty for it.
The second big example is pests, varmints, or invasive species. The most stark example of this is wild pigs. Many folks I know do not eat the pigs they kill. I will eat many of the pig that I shoot, but there have been some stinky old boars that I didn't want to mess with. I know how to make those boars edible, it just takes time and effort. Am I obligated?
On top of that, what about raccoons and possums? I've had both prepared in delicious ways. There are other animals in the "varmint" category that can be eaten, as well.
Lastly, nothing we kill really goes to waste. There will always be buzzards, maggots, and other carrion eaters who return carcasses to the earth.
The hunting community doesn't seem to want to face up to the fact that we don't eat everything we kill. It's the kind of thing that we just don't talk about much. However, I believe that the antidote to those who would attack us because of it is to have an answer for the fair question: What is waste?
On the flip side, as someone who's never been on a lease, and mostly hunts through connections with friends, my cost per pound for venison is almost nothing. I guess I could calculate fuel, ammo, and time, but I still feel like I'd be at or near store prices.