[moodyhound]

Not sure if this is the right spot for this, but...Here's the question. What animal do you think would be the most important after SHTF, for food purposes? Something you would raise, something wild? Specifically which one, and why?

 

[Deen Macheen]

Porcupine.

Not kidding. Slow moving. You can kill them with a rock. Very nutritious. Just watch out for quills when skinning. Takes a long time to cook (4-6 hours) so go stew pot over a camp fire.

 

[Crochunter]

Mealworms

You are going to get the usual trifecta of rabbits, goats, and tilapia from most preppers, which I am inclined to agree with. However, you asked for wild.

Mealworms are worthy considerations for many reasons. One: Easy to raise. Lots of us reptile owners have raised our own for sometime.
Two: The rearing of mealworms requires very little room. They are generally raised indoors which suits OPSEC just fine.
Thre: They are a nutritional powerhouse. As a grub ( immature beetle ) they are growing and putting fat in storage for eventual pupation where after a certain period of time they hatch as a mature adult beetle. An easy cure for the dreaded 'where do I get fat from?".
Four: Cost of food to raise mealworms is minmal. You simply put about two to three inches of oatmeal,or oat bran, or wheat bran, or cornmeal, or whole wheat flour some calcium, as growth stimulate which can easily be from bone meal, Brewers yeast, or readily available reptile powders from pet stores.

So there is a significant source of easily raised, cheap, OPSEC friendly and nutritious source of food. Oh, and the taste? If pan fried, alot like popcorn .

 

[prepgal]

So there is a significant source of easily raised, cheap, OPSEC friendly and nutritious source of food. Oh, and the taste? If pan fried, alot like popcorn .

Ewwwwww.

Keeping domestic animals - chickens, rabbits, ducks
Wild animals - if you live in the country and have any land, grow foods that will attract wild birds and leave salt licks out for deer.

Also, if you're in the right area, learn to fish & buy minnow traps and gill nets.

Most food tastes OK if prepared properly. I'd suggest getting a smoker - good way to preserve whatever you kill and something you can use both now and in the future.

 

[Deen Macheen]

Yeah I'm not going to eat worms either, if it can at all be avoided. I still gag up over Green Beans & Spaetzle

 

[IronBeard]

As much as my EEeeuuuuu factor kicks in at the thought of it, you do pose a good argument for meal worms as a good source of protein. Hmmmmm, I'd give it a try....fried you say?

 

[RickVA]

If you are looking for just one, I would say chickens. Daily supply of fresh eggs, hatch some out for meat. They basically feed themselves if you let them free range, compost the manure for the garden, and you have multiple purposes for the feathers.

I would not count on wild animals. If you need to depend on an animal for food you need to have control over them.

 

[sigmund]

guinea pig

 

[moodyhound]

Porcupine.

Not kidding. Slow moving. You can kill them with a rock. Very nutritious. Just watch out for quills when skinning. Takes a long time to cook (4-6 hours) so go stew pot over a camp fire.

Although we don't have them here, I kinda wish we did. I hear they are good eating. :thumb:

 

[Jerry D Young]

West of the Mississippi free range American Bison

Hardy, huge, few predators, better tasting than beef, better for you than beef, good fat, great hides that make great throws, blankets, coats, and leather goods. Can be ranched

Just my opinion.

 

[silverstate88]

Id have to go with quail... the eggs they lay are packed full of good vitiamins ... not to meantion they are a smaller bird which doesnt need a whole ton of space to run around..

 

[Crochunter]

Yeah guniea pig is good one.....

As they can be raised indoors. Mealworms are an eewww factor but....if your hungry you'd be suprised what you will eat . I am a former wilderness survival instructor and I can tell you I will take mealworms over alot of critters we foraged for . Yes, pan fry them. Peanut or extra virgin olive oil is best.
Mealworms are easy to aquire. Every pet store has them. Just buy a few $1 containers of them and allow them to grow, pupate, emerge, breed and lay new generation. Move the adults over to another conatainer and repeat.

The OP did say wild . Chickens are labor intensive plus in a true SHTF situation they can make you a target. Ditto for goats/sheep/cows/etc. Maybe go the llama route? And get some livestock protection dogs.

Most wild animals are best foraged for not raised nor farmed. Wild boars being a definate exception. Known people personally whom have. When it comes to foraging in between checking snares/trout lines energy conservation is paramount. Don't overexert yourself. Turn over every log have a grab bag at hand and gather grubs, salamanders, and whatnot....likewise go through a meadow with some sort of netting trailing behind you brushing the meadow plants. You will snare tons of bugs for live bait and for throwing into oil. Insects are an important protein and fat source in many a third world country.

An simple internet search will give recpies for cooking with insects.

 

[fishuntr]

How about Pork; as in wild pigs. In at least the southern half of the US they are
a huge nuisance. They cause a lot of damage and are almost impossible to con-trol. They are also very edible; probably not the finest meat, but nutritious.

 

[moodyhound]

I think I need to add something. In the original post I meant something you would raise or something wild. Either one, you choose. I really am surprised no one has mentioned cats yet. :

 

[ShellbackBill]

The one that's in your sights.

 

[RandiTS]

As much as my EEeeuuuuu factor kicks in at the thought of it, you do pose a good argument for meal worms as a good source of protein. Hmmmmm, I'd give it a try....fried you say?

Had in Korea - they aren't bad. Just don't tell people what you are feeding them... which is kind of hard because you can tell by what they look like so turn it romantic and feed them with a blindfold :

 

[Rembrandt]

Domestic animals would be the easiest.....hogs can mature faster to a market weight than cattle. Side benefit to cattle is the dairy products however the down side is the amount of hay needed to get them thru the winter months. One cow could produce 400-to-600+ lbs of meat.

 

[Rob86]

Has anyone had coyote?

 

[TENNGRIZZ]

Possum makes a fine meal!

 

[treepotater]

It depends... on where you're at. If you can reasonably raise cattle, great. But most people won't have the land or skills to keep a self-sustaining herd. And buying just one calf and raising it would be a great load of meat, but also puts a lot of eggs in one basket so to speak. Sheep or goats are a bit easier land wise, rabbits and chickens easier yet. Heck, backyard chickens are becoming common even in suburbia now. Whatever the choice, be prepared to defend it because if others see it, someone will want to take it.

As for wild game anyone east of the Mississippi can expect the animals to get scarce real quick due to poaching at all hours. Not a dependable source in the long run IMO.