Blue Collar Support Group

[greatwhitebuffalo]

About four years ago (when I realized I was about $60k short) of being one of the "real" big game hunters, I confessed (mostly to myself and God) that I'll never be one of the "cool guys" and will just have to self-guide on general tags. Any others?

 

[diamond hitch]

Sorry! You are one of the real hunters. None of us have ever had the $60,000 to really hunt elk. I gave up $20 K/yr and a federal job to move back to Montana so I could hunt elk every year. Life contains lots of choices. For me, my lifestyle was the most important. My only vacation time has always been elk hunting. The family on a ranch to have horses to hunt elk has always been the only choice. Money has never been an option.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

I used to run into these fat-assed slugs from alabama, Michigan, etc. who told me that they "hunted" elk. It took years for my stupid arse to realise that they were writing checks to pull triggers.

 

[Pucky Freak]

One of the many things I enjoy about this site is the diversity of means among members. It’s fun to read about the adventures of the multimillionaire and the avg. Joe hunting his backyard just the same.

For many years I had put off many hunting opportunities as too unrealistic, or too expensive, so I mostly sat on the sidelines. But the reality was that my $ was going all over the place, much of it going to “ok” experiences. I wrote down all my activities, and rated them. All of the top 5 were hunting-related. I was determined to make better use of my time and my money.

I scoured the internet and discovered HT, and was amazed to see so many people with similar means elk hunting and going on all kinds of fun adventures. I was in.

I all but quit funding my other hobbies (except fishing), I quit buying alcohol, I rarely eat out, I spend less on clothes. I budget for hunting 12 months in advance, and I set aside $800 a year for tags.

This translates to a couple of self-guided public land camping trips out West a year and lot of local hunting. Nothing glamorous, and it’s the most I can stretch my $. It only starts to look like something “less” when I start comparing it to what some others are able to do who have more hunting $.

My wife and I are aggressive savers and investors and we sacrifice a lot of lifestyle (mostly vehicles), and in about 15 years when I’m in my early 50’s we’ll be in a position to expand our recreation budget. In the meantime I plan on having just as much fun as when I’m able to add more frequent mostly public land self-guided camping trips

 

[Clam]

I've only been on guided waterfowl hunts and fishing trips. Although I probably shoot a few more geese or catch a few more fish being guided, It is more enjoyable for me to be unguided.

Sure, if seeking trophy animals is your thing, and you are short on time, a guide is probably quite an asset.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Right there with you... I have dreams of a stone or dall hunt, but in reality...

Its amazing what you can do with $1000 and some creativity.

 

[Gerald Martin]

As I sit in my ivory tower and sip 100 year old scotch from Swarovski crystal I am bemoaning the fact that for the first time this year my Stone Sheep Hunt and my Big Five African safari have been kiboshed by the Corona virus. Every other year it’s been my finances that have kept me from going.

I’ve always found the most satisfaction on focusing what I can do within my financial abilities and not measuring my achievements by comparison to what people with more disposable income choose to do with their money.

I don’t hang around with those who do either. I’ve shared camps with friend who are in several tax brackets higher and friends just barely making ends meet. In camp all that matters is sharing the experience of time in the woods and what happened during each days hunt.

 

[StHubert]

I have always enjoyed doing everything DYI. If you get something it is just that more rewarding and you always meet great people. Just like the people on this site!

 

[geetar]

As I sit in my ivory tower and sip 100 year old scotch from Swarovski crystal I am bemoaning the fact that for the first time this year my Stone Sheep Hunt and my Big Five African safari have been kiboshed by the Corona virus. Every other year it’s been my finances that have kept me from going.

I’ve always found the most satisfaction on focusing what I can do within my financial abilities and not measuring my achievements by comparison to what people with more disposable income choose to do with their money.

I don’t hang around with those who do either. I’ve shared camps with friend who are in several tax brackets higher and friends just barely making ends meet. In camp all that matters is sharing the experience of time in the woods and what happened during each days hunt.View attachment 145891

Can’t fool us. We know if you had that kinda money you’d just blow it on several top notch goat hunts.

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

Understanding that you don't NEED it or "have to have it" is the first step; finding value beyond the object/experience is more valuable than the money itself. Nevermind what it might have purchased.

 

[geetar]

Some hunts have to be unguided to me. I want to shoot a bison in my lifetime but I’m only doing it for the historical and nostalgia factor of it so I’m gonna have to wait till I draw a tag. I can’t bring myself to pay a bison ranch to go on a guided hunt to check that one off the list. It wouldn’t be the same.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Can’t fool us. We know if you had that kinda money you’d just invest it on several top notch goat hunts.

FIFY.

 

[Treeshark]

Right there with you... I have dreams of a stone or dall hunt, but in reality...

Its amazing what you can do with $1000 and some creativity.

Very true. I bet I could do every single dream hunt bouncing in my head for under $2k per (including $$ spent on points). I almost never fantasize about having more money, but I admit that I do dream of having more time fairly often...