If I put a dollar amount to the deer and elk in my freezer, it would be a major loss compared to store bought meat infused with growth hormones and whatever they get at the feed lots.Exactly. I tend to overlook my total cost when raising animals on my small homestead/hobby farm
For example we raised 2 feeder pigs and put them in the freezer this year. Is it really good pork and a great experience? Yes. Is it cost effective? No… I can buy factory farm raised pork at the grocery store cheaper than I can even raise my own. But you can’t put a price on the satisfaction of raising your own food.
Sometimes I get frustrated when people gripe about food prices and they think that meat/dairy products should be absolutely dirt cheap. In this fast paced modern civilization, we have lost connection with our food so much that we don’t respect it.
I'll take my wild game every day in a trade.