Yes from dharmic point of view eating meat is a sin only in some circumstances. For dinner if we require one duck and land hunting three then for the extra two killed, we have sinned and shall be punished by god. To meet our basic requirement if we eat meat it is not a sin.
People living in tundra region where there is no vegetation and every place is snowbound, how could eating meat be a sin? Other than eating even for their clothing, hutments they have to kill. Eating meat in such climates is not luxury, but the only source of livelihood.
For those indulging in spirituality Hinduism forsakes consumption of meat. Hinduism primarily divides human beings into three broad categories, Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Those who were purely vegetarian and ate food for the sake of body, living were sattvic. Those who relished eating, lived for the sake of food were Rajasic and those indulging in non-vegetarian food were Tamasic.
As tamasic eating did not promote spirituality, spiritual travelers primarily were sattvic by default. To maintain purity in our thought process, consuming vegetarian food is necessary.
However everything in Hinduism directly relates to laws of karma, as we sow so shall we reap nothing less or more.
I distinctly remember buying a pair of leather sandals and whenever I wore them I could distinctly hear sound of weeping. I was always very uncomfortable wearing those sandals. Slowly I realized from within that these sandals were made from hide of a cow or buffalo that was killed in front of the young calf and hence the crying for the calf became motherless.
I had to give away these sandals soon after I purchased them.