It would seem that the situation would determine whether or not you would need to hunt. If you know where you are and where you need to get to, you probably don't need to waste time and energy hunting. If you are lost and need to hunt for food that moves, you will probably discover that hunting takes a lot of time and effort, and even with that, you may come up empty-handed. Hunting sounds a lot easier in your living room than in the middle of the Mohave Desert.

I would tend to think that it probably isn't necessary if it's likely that someone is looking for you. If it's a matter of waiting until you're found, park your butt, build a fire, collect some moss or green leaves that will make a smoke signal and set it beside the fire for when you see/hear someone.

However, if no one knows you're gone or even where to look for you if they figured out you were missing, the chances are probably pretty good that you have nothing to build a fire, have nothing to use to catch any kind of game, have nothing in the way of signaling device, and are planning on surviving by sheer dumb luck. It happens. Or not.

The advantage that the guy traveling with the locals had, was that they probably knew the country and knew that if they sacrificed eating for one extra day, they would know where to find a community with food. Knowledge counts.

Sue