I would always go to the supermarket, although there are many horror stories, most of the species killed for our food are killed quickly, if you hunt for your own food there is a potential that they won't be so fortunate, so you may risk making the animal suffer even more.
As Brysing has said, not only do you have to get licences, but many of these species may carry diseases that could potentially harm humans. Alongside that you have problems with e-coli, if you don't fully know what you are doing.
If you are interested in going down this path then do a lot of research, but many of the larger game, such as deer, may actually belong to someone who doesn't want them killed.
Widdica32 thank you for those words, that makes sense to me. yes its true there is mainly rabbits where i live but most of the farmers near me are more than happy with you hunting them. there is also grouse and other game birds roaming wild. I would never take down a deer as its only me and i could never consume enough of it before it went bad. It just seems like a more natural way to gain protein. somebody once told me that if the slaughterhouses had glass walls everybody would be vegetarian. i'm quite adept at gutting and skinning so that's not a worry but i do worry about having a bad shot one day and the poor creature running off and dying slowly. i'm still using supermarkets regularly but something about row after row of butchered meat puts me off.
Regarding hunting animals for food,from what I learnt in Wicca,the Horned God is a God of hunting (among many other things),so I don't think its bad,though hunt the animal in a merciful way,leagly of course!
If this is your only choice to obtain meat I recommend praying for the animal when you are done and thanking the Earth and the animal for giving its life for you (I'm aware that Native American tribes did this)
And like everyone else said be careful of disease,I'm sure there must be other ways for you to obtain meat without hunting however get the liscensces if you want to hunt!
As many have already said , there is legalities and disease to worry about. But I am not aware of anything that any form of paganism has against hunting to survive and live its no different from cutting up a tree to have heat yes some believe a blessing is in order upon such a thing ,it is my belief the same goes for hunting .
Tinyorbit, you have grouse and other game birds roaming wild? I doubt that! Most birds are protected in England; and grouse are specially raised for expensive "shoots".
I have seen beasts killed, both by a slaughter house and Halal. Both were humane. It's a supermarket for me!
If someone is going to shoot a Grouse for sport then i don't really care about the legality of it at all. How can one own a bird that belongs to the earth? if i shoot it then it will be to eat not for sport. Please don't make out that i am writing a falsity i know a Grouse when i see one friend.
Some Wiccans choose to be vegetarians or vegans, but many of us remain meat-eaters. After all, the Gods created us as omnivores with meat a normal part of our diet. And the Gods also created some animals as predators as well as prey.
Note too that the Wiccan Rede does not say that one cannot cause harm. That is a NewAge misunderstanding. What the Rede says is that we should attempt to find ways not to cause harm,l but that if necessary and if we accept the consequences then harm is permitted.
However, I also believe that if we should decide to eat meat we should also take on the responsibility of insuring that animals raised to be our food should be raised ethically and in conditions that are humane as possible.
Thank you Lark for an informative, well balanced response. Its just something i'm considering at the moment i'm not going to renounce supermarkets just yet and certainly don't think i would make a very good vegetarian although i'm not opposed to the idea. I am really just looking for a way to create a closer relationship between myself and the animals i want to consume.
Do not worry, it's a simple transfer of energy (Both scientifically and magickly) You should be able to eat with ease, but you might try eating just a bit more plants then you do animals though.
