Game is any animal Animals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently. All animals are also hunted Hunting is the practice of pursuing living animals for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law. The species which are hunted are referred to as game and are usually mammals and for food Food is any substance or materials eaten or drunk to provide nutritional support for the body or for pleasure. It usually consists of plant or animal origin, that contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and or not normally domesticated Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. A defining characteristic of domestication is artificial selection by humans. Some species such as the Asian Elephant, numerous members of which have for many centuries been used as. Game animals are also hunted for sport.
The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate Climates encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time. Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present condition of these same elements and their variations over periods up to two weeks, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or cannot be legitimately hunted. Sometimes a distinction is also made between varieties and species of a particular animal, such as wild or domestic turkey A turkey is either of two or three living species of large birds in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The other species, Meleagris ocellata, known as the Ocellated Turkey, is native to the forests of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Common Pheasant The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is native to Russia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe (where it is naturalized), it is simply known as the "pheasant". "Ring-necked Pheasant", widely introduced and hunted as game.
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By region
In some countries, game is classified, including legal classification with respect to licenses required, as either small game or large game. Small game includes small animals such as rabbits, pheasants, geese or ducks. A single small game license may cover all small game species and be subject to yearly bag limits. Large game includes animals like deer, bear, and elk and are often subject to individual licensing where a separate license is required for each individual animal taken (tags). Big game is a term sometimes used interchangeably with large game although in other contexts it refers to large, usually African, mammals (like elephants) which are hunted mainly for trophies, not for food.
Africa
In some parts of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population, wild animals hunted for their meat are called bushmeat Bushmeat is the term commonly used for meat of terrestrial wild animals, killed for subsistence or commercial purposes throughout the humid tropics of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. However, originally the term was usually used to describe the hunting of wild animals in West and Central Africa. To reflect the global nature of hunting of wild; see that article for more detailed information on how this operates within the economy (for personal consumption and for money) and the law (including overexploitation Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. If sustained, it can lead to the destruction of the resource. The term can be applied to various natural resources such as wild medicinal plants, grazing pastures, fish stocks, forests and water aquifers and illegal imports). Animals hunted for bushmeat Bushmeat is the term commonly used for meat of terrestrial wild animals, killed for subsistence or commercial purposes throughout the humid tropics of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. However, originally the term was usually used to describe the hunting of wild animals in West and Central Africa. To reflect the global nature of hunting of wild include, but are not limitied to:
- Various species of antelope Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species found all over the world in places such as Africa, Asia and North America. The term refers to a ‘miscellaneous’ group within the family encompassing the old-world species which are not cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison,or goats. A group of antelope is called a herd
- Duiker A duiker is any of about 19 small to medium-sized antelope species from the subfamily Cephalophinae native to Sub-Saharan Africa
- Various species of African primates A primate is a member of the biological order Primates (/praɪˈmeɪtiːz/ prī·mā′·tēz; Latin: "prime, first rank"), the group that contains prosimians (including lemurs, lorises, galagos and tarsiers ) and simians (monkeys and apes). With the exception of humans, who inhabit every continent on Earth,[a] most primates live in like mandrills The Mandrill is a primate of the Cercopithecidae (Old-world monkeys) family, closely related to the baboons and even more closely to the Drill. Both the Mandrill and the Drill were once classified as baboons in genus Papio, but recent research has determined that they should be separated into their own genus, Mandrillus. The Mandrill is the world' or gorillas Gorillas are the largest of the living primates. They are ground-dwelling and predominantly herbivorous. They inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of a human, between 95 and 99% depending on what is counted, and they are the
- Rodents Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing like porcupines Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about 25–36 in long, with an 8–10 in (20–25 cm) long tail. Weighing between 12 or cane rats The genus Thryonomys, also known as cane rats, grass cutters, or cutting grass, is a genus of rodent found throughout Africa south of the Sahara, the only members of the family Thyronomyidae. They are eaten in some African countries and are a pest species on many crops
Some of these animals are endangered or otherwise protected, and thus it is illegal to hunt them.
An African Buffalo Bull.In Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population, animals hunted for their pelts or ivory Ivory is formed from dentine and constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals such as the elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, mammoth and narwhal are sometimes referred to as big game.
Also see the legal definition of game in Swaziland.
South Africa
South Africa has 62 species of gamebirds, including guineafowl, francolin, patridge, quail, sandgrouse, duck, geese, snipe, bustard and korhaan[1]. Some of these species are no longer hunted, and of the 44 indigenous gamebirds that can potentially be utilised on South Africa only three, namely the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Delegorgues Pigeon and the African Pygmy Goose warrant special protection. Of the remaining 41 species, 24 have shown increased in numbers and distribution range in the last 25 years or so. The status of 14 species appears unchanged, with insufficient information being available for the remaining 3 species.[2]. The gamebirds of South Africa where the population status (2005) was secure or growing are listed below;
- Helmeted Guineafowl
- Crested Partridge
- Greywing Partridge
- Redwing Partridge
- Orange River Partridge
- Cape Francolin
- Natal Francolin
- Swainson's Francolin
- Common Quail
- Harlequin Quail
- Namaqua Sandgrouse
- Double-banded Sandgrouse
- Burchell's Sandgrouse
- Rock Pigeon
- Rameron Pigeon
- Red-eyed Dove
- Cape Turtle Dove
- Laughing Dove
- White-faced Duck
- Egyptian Goose The Egyptian Goose is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only extant member of the genus Alopochen. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data suggest that the relationships of Alopochen to Tadorna need further investigation (Sraml et al. 1996)
- Yellow-billed Duck
- Red-billed Teal
- Cape Shoveller
- Southern Pochard
- Knob-billed Duck
- Spur-winged Goose
Australia
- Deer Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. They include for example Moose, Red Deer, Reindeer, Roe and Chital. Male deer of all species but the Chinese Water deer and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned animals such as antelope; these are in the same order as deer and may
- Duck Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. The ducks are divided between several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be
- Magpie Geese
- Rabbit Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. There are seven different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European rabbit , cottontail rabbits (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, an endangered species on Amami Ōshima,
- Feral Cat Feral cat is a term used to describe a cat that has had very limited, if any, human contact. Feral cats are the "wild" offspring of domestic cats and are primarily the result of pet owners' abandonment or failure to spay and neuter their animals, allowing them to breed uncontrolled. Feral cats are sometimes referred to as strays. The
- Red Fox The Red Fox is a small canid native to much of Eurasia and North America, as well as northern Africa. It is the most recognizable species of fox and in many areas it is referred to simply as "the fox". As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but there is a naturally occurring grey morph known as the “silver” fox;
- Wild Pig The wild boar or wild hog, colloquially referred to as "the Boar," is a species of a pig in the biological family Suidae and the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. It is native across much of Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia as far south as Indonesia, and has been
- Wild Goat The wild goat, Capra aegagrus, is a widespread species of goat, with a distribution ranging from Europe and Asia Minor to central Asia and the Middle East. It is the ancestor of the domestic goat
- Kangaroo A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country of Australia. The smaller macropods are found in
- Emu The Emu , Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is also the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. The soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds reach up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. The Emu is common over most of
- Crocodile A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), or even the Crocodylomorpha which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and
- Pacific Buffalo
- Scrub Bull
- Wild Camels
- Wild Horse The wild horse is a species of the genus Equus, which includes as subspecies both the domesticated horse as well as the undomesticated Tarpan and Przewalski's Horse. The Tarpan became extinct in the 19th century, and Przewalski's Horse was saved from the brink of extinction and reintroduced successfully to the wild. The most likely ancestor of the
Species of Deer include:
- Red Deer The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red Deer have been introduced to
- Sambar Deer The Sambar is a large dark brown, maned Asian deer. It attains a height of 102 to 160 cm (40 to 63 in) at the shoulder and may weigh as much as 546 kg (1200 pounds), though more typically 162-260 kg (357-574 pounds). The coat is dark brown with chestnut marks on the rump and underparts. The large, rugged antlers are typically rusine, the brow
- Rusa Deer The Rusa Deer or Sunda Sambar, Cervus timorensis, are native to the islands of Java eastwards towards Bali, and Timor in Indonesia. This species of deer is similar in ecology to the Chital of India, occupying open dry and mixed deciduous forests, parklands, and savannas. Rusa deer are also found as an introduced species on the Australian mainland
- Chital Deer
- Hog Deer The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia. There are two subspecies of hog deer: Axis porcinus porcinus which inhabits much of the Indo-Gangetic Plains of Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, southwestern Yunnan Province in China, all the way to western Thailand
- Fallow Deer The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae
People's Republic of China
In the PRC there is a special cuisine category called ye wei, which includes animals in the wild.
North America
See also: Upland game birdIn the U.S. ^ b. English is the de facto language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language, Mexico In Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica many cultures matured into advanced civilizations such as the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, the Maya and the Aztec before the first contact with Europeans. In 1521, Spain conquered and colonized the territory, which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain which would eventually become Mexico and Canada The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, along the Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years' War. In 1867, with the union of three, deer Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. They include for example Moose, Red Deer, Reindeer, Roe and Chital. Male deer of all species but the Chinese Water deer and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned animals such as antelope; these are in the same order as deer and may are the most commonly hunted big game. Game species in North America include:
Bobwhite Quail, an important North American gamebird.- American Bison The American bison is a North American species of bison, also commonly known as the American buffalo. Some consider the term "buffalo" somewhat of a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffalo," the Asian water buffalo and the African buffalo. However, "bison" is a
- Black Bear
- Common Snapping Turtle
- Deer Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. They include for example Moose, Red Deer, Reindeer, Roe and Chital. Male deer of all species but the Chinese Water deer and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year. In this they differ from permanently horned animals such as antelope; these are in the same order as deer and may (mule deer, white-tailed deer)
- Dove Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general parlance the terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably. In ornithological practice, there is a tendency for "dove" to be used for smaller species and &
- Duck Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. The ducks are divided between several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be
- Elk The elk, or wapiti , is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America and eastern Asia. In the deer family (Cervidae), only the moose, Alces alces (called an "elk" in Europe), is larger, and Cervus unicolor (the sambar deer) can rival the C. canadensis elk in size. Elk are almost (wapiti)
- Frog Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin salere (salio), "to jump"). Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits (fingers or toes), protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Frogs are widely known as exceptional jumpers, and many of the anatomical characteristics of frogs,
- Goose The word goose is the English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller
- Groundhog
- Grouse
- Moose White-tailed Deer
- Opossum
- Partridge
- Pheasant
- Pronghorn
- Quail
- Rabbit
- Raccoon
- Snake
- Squirrel
- Turkey
- Wild boar (feral pig)
- Woodcock
United Kingdom
Game birds at Borough Market in LondonIn the UK game is defined in law by the Game Act 1831. It is illegal to shoot game on Sundays or at night. Other (non-game birds) that are hunted for food in the UK are specified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. UK law defines game as including:
- Black grouse (No longer shot due to decline in numbers)
- Red grouse
- Brown hare
- Ptarmigan
- Grey partridge and red-legged partridge
- Common pheasant
Deer are not included in the definition, but similar controls provided to those in the Game Act apply to deer (from the Deer Act 1991). Deer hunted in the UK are:
- Red deer
- Roe deer
- Fallow deer
- Sika deer
- Muntjac deer
- Chinese water deer
- and hybrids of these deer
Other animals which are hunted in the UK include:
- Duck, including Mallard, Tufted Duck, Teal, Pintail and Pochard
- Goose, including Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Pink-footed Goose and in England and Wales White-fronted Goose
- Woodpigeon
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Rabbit
- Golden Plover
Capercaillie are not currently hunted in the UK because of a recent decline in numbers and conservation projects towards their recovery. The ban is generally considered voluntary on private lands, and few birds live away from RSPB or Forestry Commission land anyway.
Iceland
In Iceland game includes:
- Reindeer
- Ptarmigan, which is a popular Christmas dish in Iceland.
- Auk
- Goose
Nordic countries
Game in Norway, Sweden and Finland include:
- Moose (elk), Alces Alces. Moose hunting season in October is close to a national pastime.
- Deer
- Boar in southern Sweden. Once hunted to extinction, boars were re-introduced in the late 20th century and are now considered a pest by farmers, but an asset by hunters.
Preparation
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Once obtained, game meat must be processed. The method of processing varies by game species and size. Small game and fowl may simply be carried home to be butchered. Large game such as deer is quickly field-dressed by removing the viscera in the field, while very large animals like moose may be partially butchered in the field because of the difficulty of removing them intact from their habitat. Commercial processors often handle deer taken during deer seasons, sometimes even at supermarket meat counters. Otherwise the hunter handles butchering. The carcass is kept cool to minimize spoilage.
Traditionally, game meat used to be hung until "high", i.e. approaching a state of decomposition. The terrible sounding term 'gamey', 'gamy' refers to this usually desirable taste (haut goût). However, this adds to the risk of contamination. Small game can be processed essentially intact; after gutting and skinning or defeathering (by species), small animals are ready for cooking although they may be disjointed first. Large game must be processed by techniques commonly practiced by commercial butchers.
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