Wild Game Meat

[CatTreats]

Kind of a newbie question. I'm in Northern California, and having a bit of trouble finding wild game meat. I did find one seller in San Francisco that has a decent variety, species-wise, but not a lot of different cuts. Mainly just the popular cuts like steaks, loin, and ribs.

Does anyone know of any local Farmers Markets or butcher shops in general that have quality game meat? I'm also curious about how diet comes into play. I'm always very serious about pasture-raised animals, but it seems like most are fed some type of grain. I'm also okay with ordering online if there is absolutely nothing local. But again, most sites have grain-fed animals. :/

[eveheart]

I'm in the SF (South Bay) area. My experience has been that places that sell "game meat" are selling farm-raised animals. I can't cite the exact law, but there is one that says that a retail meat establishment cannot sell animals that have been bagged by a hunter.

So, find a hunter! That might be easier said than done... all the hunter-husbands of my friends make jerky or sausage before I can blink an eye, even when I ask in advance. If you go up north a-ways and know people, you can find more of what you are looking for. I used to do this when I lived in Lake County where I could get road-kill deer in pristine areas from old-timer neighbors who all knew the rangers. Don't try this on your own or they WILL arrest you, handcuffs and all.

I have better luck finding fish caught off the coast, but there are issues with Fukushima and local fish, plus there are bans on some seafood, even mussels, because the waters have been too warm.

[CatTreats]

I'm in the SF (South Bay) area. My experience has been that places that sell "game meat" are selling farm-raised animals. I can't cite the exact law, but there is one that says that a retail meat establishment cannot sell animals that have been bagged by a hunter.

So, find a hunter! That might be easier said than done... all the hunter-husbands of my friends make jerky or sausage before I can blink an eye, even when I ask in advance. If you go up north a-ways and know people, you can find more of what you are looking for. I used to do this when I lived in Lake County where I could get road-kill deer in pristine areas from old-timer neighbors who all knew the rangers. Don't try this on your own or they WILL arrest you, handcuffs and all.

I have better luck finding fish caught off the coast, but there are issues with Fukushima and local fish, plus there are bans on some seafood, even mussels, because the waters have been too warm.

Ewww, so we're pretty much out of luck then? Are we able to order online, or will they not be able to legally ship real wild meat here?

I had no idea that taking road kill was illegal hahaha. I wasn't exactly planning to right now, but it was a thought! But really, what are my options? I've already done some digging around online, but I have no idea how to find any real hunted game meat. :c

[eveheart]

Ewww, so we're pretty much out of luck then? Are we able to order online, or will they not be able to legally ship real wild meat here?

Ask that question to the company you are thinking about ordering from.

I had no idea that taking road kill was illegal hahaha.

Yeah, but think about it... deer staring into your headlights, your foot gently slams on the accelerator... dinner. Then, you tell the rangers that you "found" the deer already dead. The rangers just got tired of hearing the same old story.

But really, what are my options? I've already done some digging around online, but I have no idea how to find any real hunted game meat.

My son hunts, but the season is short and the tags are expensive. He fishes instead. My red meats are grass-fed beef from good supermarkets or online, and pasture-only lamb/goat from halal butchers, farms, or online. Once you get good at finding what you want, keep that skill because sources can and do change. I was buying good beef that was coming from a Petaluma processing plant that got shut down recently (details unknown), so back to the drawing board. It gives new meaning to the phrase hunter-gatherer. No hunting spear, but bring your own recycled shopping bags.

[Iguana]

Yeah, but think about it... deer staring into your headlights, your foot gently slams on the accelerator... dinner.

It would make a very expensive dinner by severely damaging your vehicle!

[TylerDurden]

Check out eatwild.com and search under your State to find genuine grassfed meat farms you can order from. On a national level, there is even grassfed bison available from NorthStar bison with all the innards available(though one stupidly has to provide a doctor's prescription in order to order raw thyroid).

[CatTreats]

I already have access to grass-fed beef and bison actually. I'm looking a little more for stuff like elk, wild boar, and rabbit. I've only seen mixed ground versions (something like 90% elk 10% beef) and I don't even think they're raised well. Rabbit is available at Asian stores, but I can't get info. None of these are actually wild.

[cherimoya_kid]

but there are issues with Fukushima and local fish...

No there aren't.  That's mass hysteria.  Get a Geiger counter and test it yourself.

I suppose there's more fish for people like me, though, if everyone else is too afraid of fake radiation to eat it.  ROFL

[Iguana]

See "Fukushima and California"

[eveheart]

No there aren't.  That's mass hysteria.  Get a Geiger counter and test it yourself.

Yes, there are (issues about Fukushima)... I said issues (as in "an important topic or problem for debate or discussion"), not radiation. I can justify the use of that word not only because we have a pertinent topic on this forum, but because the local, national, and international news media uses this topic regularly as a focus for their news-as-entertainment productions.

One advantage to eating Pacific fish and seafood if you are in California is that you can get whole, fresh fish. Fish that has to be shipped is either gutted (not whole), frozen (not fresh), or enormously expensive (truly fresh).

[CatTreats]

Well, I tried the only two hunters I know. One is going to get back to me (my friend), and the other one, my step-dad, doesn't hunt much anymore. Sighh.

[eveheart]

Well, I tried the only two hunters I know. One is going to get back to me (my friend), and the other one, my step-dad, doesn't hunt much anymore. Sighh.

Why not learn how to shoot? You even have time to learn between now and the beginning of the big game seasons later this year. If you snoop around, you can even find women's groups who do various kinds of hunting and they can guide you regarding how to learn.

[cherimoya_kid]

See "Fukushima and California"

Show me a Geiger counter reading of West Coast fish. Otherwise, there's nothing else to say.

[Iguana]

The quote in the post I linked above says (excerpt):

"My motivation was concern over fear-mongering on the Internet about allegedly high levels of Fukushima radiation in the coastal waters of California. I am a radiation oncologist, more familiar than most with radioactivity, and it seemed highly likely that the vast dilution of radioisotopes from Fukushima by the Pacific Ocean would result in a barely (if at all) measurable rise in counts," Doctor Roger Gilbert, a radiation oncologist in Mendocino, Calif. who also raised money for the cause, said in the news release.

The samples Buesseler has taken so far have been determined to be negative for new cesium-134 (an isotope released by the disaster) contamination.

[CatTreats]

Why not learn how to shoot? You even have time to learn between now and the beginning of the big game seasons later this year. If you snoop around, you can even find women's groups who do various kinds of hunting and they can guide you regarding how to learn.

Money is one issue. You do have to invest quite a bit just into the learning and equipment, if I'm not mistaken?

I would also highly prefer hunting with a bow versus a gun. Not really anti-gun or anything, but for hunting I've always loved the idea of a bow and arrow. Probably because it's more "natural."