Dale P. is a hunting guide in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
One day, Dale came face-to-face with a grizzly bear that was notorious for harassing campers in the area.
The grizzly bear attacked Dale, but he fought back against the grizzly barehanded.
Dale was able to shove his arm down the bear’s throat while at the same time pinching the bear’s jugular.
Amazingly, these moves caused the bear to pass out and slump to the ground.
While the bear was passed out, Dale found a large piece of wood and beat the bear, with the wood until he was confident it was dead.
The taxidermized bear sits inside the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole.
A plaque next to the bear says that the bear was killed without modern weapons, and that the feat was verified by a wildlife biologist.
I don’t know many people who would take on a bear without any type of weapon.
But when life or death situations occur, its human nature to either fight or run away – and Dale decided to fight.
And in a survival situation, you might find yourself in a similar situation, with no choice but to take an animal’s life.
These days, many people depend on hunting to provide food. During a disaster hunting might be the only way to survive.
However, when you kill large animals (like a bear) it can be hard to keep the meat from spoiling before you can consume it.
The reality is, whether you are hunting for sport, or for food to survive, the easy part is taking down the animal.
Once you have killed the animal you have to harvest the meat and prevent it from spoiling.
Considering this, here are a few things you can do to keep meat safe and edible during a disaster to help your family fed.
Think before taking the shot:
Animal meat can start spoiling as soon as the animal’s heart stops beating.
So, if you are hunting, make sure you get to the animal as soon as possible after it’s shot.
For instance, you don’t want to shoot an animal as it’s standing at the top of a large hill or ravine.
If the animal falls over a cliff and it takes hours to get to the animal that is precious time lost to spoiling.
Also, the longer it takes to get to the animal the more risk there is that a predator will get to it before you.
This is also a reason that shot placement is so critical when hunting. If you can’t make a kill shot in the heart or lungs you might not want to take the shot.
Keep in mind that it’s better to go hungry than to eat meat that will make you sick.
Watch the weather:
The weather can play a huge role in how long meat will stay fresh when hunting.
If the temperatures are cool, the meat can stay edible for up to 24 hours.
But, if it’s above 80 degrees and the sun is bright, you likely have about 12 hours before the meat begins to go bad.
Preserving spray:
Game-preserving spray is a must-have if you plan to hunt for survival. These sprays have citric acid in them which helps slow down bacteria.
The spray leaves a crust on the outside of the meat to help prevent flies from laying eggs.
In addition, the preserving spray will help the meat retain water, helping to keep the meat more tender.
Ideally, you want to use preserving spray as soon as you are done field dressing the animal.
Consider adding a product like Dickson Game Preserve Spray to your hunting gear.
Game bags:
Another important part of your hunting gear is a game bag.
These are bags made from polyester, cotton, and nylon. The bags are built to provide ventilation and keep the meat cool.
The fabric will also protect the meat from humidity and keep it dry and help keep out bacteria and bugs.
Game bags will also make it easier to carry your meat, especially if you have to drag it back to your campsite.
If you are hunting with other people, you can divide the meat among the bags to make it easier to transport.
One game bag to consider is the Koola Buck Game Bag.
The bottom line is, during a survival situation you might not have any choice but to hunt for food.
These ideas can help keep meat fresh and give you enough time to get back to camp to cook it properly.
