If you have succumbed to the call of the wild and want to get out and hunt for your own consumption, there are few things healthier to do in this life. Hunting is outdoors exercise at its best, and the meat is lean, tasty and nutritious.
However, be mindful of the fact that bringing the beasts down is but one part of the whole ceremony involving game hunting. Once the animal is dead, it must be soon skinned and gutted. While happiness may indeed be a large gut pile, that subject is for other forums. We shall head to the post butcher stage here.
After the initial dressing of the animal, with any luck you will have a large quantity of meat pieces to deal with, and larger ones at that. At this stage you can forget about the usual kitchen knife set you use at home. You will need something substantial in order to convert the big chunks of meat in to smaller and more manageable chunks.
When chopping up the big pieces into little pieces you will want a much larger and heftier knife set. Sporting goods stores and butcher supply shops may have what you will need. This is serious work, cutting a quartered animal into steaks and chops and loins and roasts. You will need serious tools for the task. Set aside some fresh tidbits for your first banquet and freeze the rest.
For your first meal of wild game you will want to go simple. Simple does not mean boring however, and you can make a stew that will wow everybody at the table. First thing to do is find a roasting pan to cook up the grub in. Now place the meat chunks in it and add some water and maybe a dash of salt.
And some solid root vegetables, like potatoes and carrots. You can add green things if necessary, but it will not be necessary. This is simple and hardy fare, and too much vegetation in it may ruin it. Cover the mess with water and set it to boil. Add plenty of pepper, a wee bit of salt, and as much spicy hot goodness as you can stand.
When the pot is boiling, turn it down to simmer and let it sit for a good while. Keep an eye on the water level, which will reduce and thicken along the way, and keep the level high enough to prevent the stuff on the bottom from burning. When everything is soft to the tines, it is ready to eat. It is that simple, and simplicity never tasted so good.