I’ve been learning about the ins and outs of hunting and was wondering which is better, big game hunting or small game hunting. So, after doing some research here’s what I found.
Big game is hunting is better for getting a lot of meat at once, and making trophies. But, small game hunting is easier and is generally more fun. However, both have their drawbacks, and it depends on your unique situations as to which you will like more.
Read on to discover the pros and cons of each to decide which one is better for you.
What are the pros and cons of big game hunting?
I’ll first explain the pros and cons of big game hunting, and then the pros and cons of small game hunting. And how to decide between the two.
The cons of big game hunting are:
- The prey are more spread out
- The prey are further away from where most folks live
- They can be dangerous to hunt
- It’s harder to transport the meat
The pros of big game hunting are:
- You get a lot of meat at once
- You can use them to make trophies
- You might have a taste preference for the kind of meat
1. The prey are more spread out
Big game animals are more spread out because their territory is large. Bigger animals need more room to graze or hunt for food. Which means they fight over bigger areas of territory.
So, when you find a herd of deer, if you miss the shot and they run away. Or you make a noise that startles them and they run away, it will be a very long distance before you run into another herd. Often many miles.
Which means you have to walk really long distances. You need the element of surprise when hunting big game animals. So, you can’t just drive up to them in a 4×4 truck. Which means you’ll have to camp out overnight and cover a lot of distance to catch them.
On the other hand, camping is really fun, and most people enjoy it. Walking can be very tiring. It’s a similar case when hunting big game like mountain lions which are notoriously elusive, and hard to find.
According to Bowhunter.com, the 10 hardest big game animals to hunt are:
- Whitetail Deer
- Mule Deer
- Roosevelt Elk
- Coues Deer
- Columbian Blacktail Deer
- Grizzly Bear
- Alaska Brown Bear
- Black Bear
- Cougar
- Bighorn Sheep
They are either incredibly alert, have very good noses, or live in terrain that is very difficult to traverse.
I recently wrote an article about the easiest big game animals to hunt. You can read it by clicking [here: link What Is the Easiest Big Game to Hunt?] to save you some time when thinking about what big game to go after.
2. They are further away from where most folks live
Some big game are in huge numbers and will make their way into residential areas, where they need to be killed before they attack a human, or do damage to property.
Here’s a video of giant moose walking down the middle of a highway in Alaska.
But, other than that they live out in the wilderness far from civilization. So, you have to travel long distances to hunt them, which makes it more time consuming and difficult.
3. They can be dangerous to hunt
Regions where big game are located are remote you are more exposed to the elements. This means you need to be careful and plan so that you don’t get dehydrated, hypothermia, or get lost in the remote wilderness.
Also, big game are… well, big. So, they can easily kill you if you get too close to them or they sneak up on you. If you miss your shot and they decide to charge you, it is a very life or death situation. For example, if you’re hunting bears, moose, and cougars.
Small game can hurt you and attack you, but they are generally more skittish, and it’s very difficult for them to kill you.
4. It’s harder to transport the meat
When you down a big game animal, it’s difficult to transport the entire carcass. You generally have to strap it to your back and lug it for many miles. Or, you skin it, cut it up, and put it into your pack, and carry it back to your vehicle or property.
However, you can only take parts of the meat and leave the rest for other animals to feed on. But, if you’re hunting primarily to get a lot of meat, because of how remote places are where you can find big game animals, it’s a mission to transport it all back.
Now, onto the pros of hunting big game
1. You get a lot of meat at once
When you hunt big game, you get a lot of meat once you kill just one animal. Which means you can store a tonne of it in the freezer and have enough meat for an entire year. Leaving you more time to do other activities.
2. You can use them to make trophies
Some people like to put up trophies of big game animals they have hunted in their homes. Small game don’t look as impressive as an elk with its massive horns or a rug made out of a bear pelt.
3. You might have a preference for the taste of the meat
Certain big game animal meat tastes really nice, and you might love the taste of it. For example, a lot of people like the taste of wild board (javelina). Others might love the taste of bear meat.
Bowhunter360.com put together an interesting article about which game meat tastes the best, and in their opinion, it is white-tailed deer.
But, depending on your taste preferences and what you like to eat this can be an advantage of hunting big game animals over small game animals.
What are the pros and cons of small game hunting?
The cons of small game hunting are:
- You have to spend more time preparing the meat
- They can be hard to hit
- You can damage the meat more easily
The pros of small game hunting are:
- There are more of them in a given area
- You get to take more shots so it’s more fun
- They can be closer to residential areas
1. You have to spend more time preparing the meat
Because each of the animals that you hunt is small, you have to spend more time skinning them and removing the entrails to get the same amount of meat as a big game animal. For example, each squirrel you catch you have to skin it, remove the head, the paws, and the guts. In the end, you’re only left with about a handful of meat.
2. They can be harder to hit
When shooting small game the target you need to hit is smaller than on big game animals. And they can also move a lot faster and change directions more quickly. Which makes them harder to hit.
3. You damage the meat more easily
The amount of meat on a small game animal is less. So when you shoot them it can ruin a greater percentage of the meat. And be inedible. Whereas, with a big game animal there is so much meat that you will always have huge chunks that are untouched by the bullet.
Now, onto the pros of small game hunting
1. There are more of them in a given area
Small game animals in general have smaller territories so they are more concentrated in an area. Once, you find a place where there are a few small game animals there are usually heaps of them.
This means you can stay in a small area and get a lot of them, and if you miss it’s not as big of a deal. For example, if there are a bunch of trees that squirrels like to hang out in, you can stay in one spot and shoot half a dozen or so without having to move very far.
2. You get to take more shots so it’s more fun
Much like playing paintball or laser tag, it can be really fun to hit many targets in a short amount of time. Unlike, big game hunting where you normally only shoot once or twice. With small game, there are generally a lot of them around and you can have lots of chances to shoot them. Which most people find more fun than waiting long periods of time in between shots.
3. They are closer to residential areas
Small game such as raccoons, birds, rabbits, and squirrels are comfortable getting quite close to residential areas. So, you don’t have to travel as far into the wilderness to come across them. You also rarely have to camp out to hunt them.
In conclusion
There are multiple pros and cons to either hunting big game animals or small game animals. In my opinion, small game hunting is better suited to beginner hunters.
But, if you go with a friend or family member who is experienced then big game hunting is also good for beginners. At the end of the day, it’s up to you what you feel like doing, and both have benefits and drawbacks.