Cost of hunting

[Red Fox]

It all comes down to how do you want to spend your time and money. I want to spend my time with my son in the woods or on the water. You don't need to best gear out there just need to know how to use what you have.

 

[Red Fox]

This pretty much sums up my experience as both a son and a father:

View attachment 131900

So true

 

[Mudder]

Kind of location-specific but a lot applies to hunting in general. IMO there are conflicting agendas and policies as far as hunting goes.
There are various agencies all having conflicting agendas and the agencies that control the dollars are usually the ones that win, milk as much out of the situation as possible.

I've watched it play out pretty much on my doorstep. The county manages the local forest and the county collects fees to hunt. They have pretty much priced the blue-collar types out of the market. One county agency (land management) complains there are way too many Boar around that damage the forest and adjacent farmers fields. Then another agency that generates income from hunting. And even a third agency that oversees animal rights. The high prices keep the animal rights types happy, keeps the Hunting managers (and bean counters) happy and the land management types pay crop damage claims from taxes, which in a way even keeps the land management types happy because it bloats their budget. Different agencies with conflicting agendas.

Kind of funny watching the hunting guides send the weekend warriors out to hunt an area with no hogs a dozen times, then eventually send them to where the hogs are at. Kind of like playing a fish, they milk as much cash out of the situation as possible. Making money and sound game management are different things completely.

 

[np307]

It's a simple principle like most have stated. You find a way to do what you want to do. I think most people also overlook the hunting opportunities they have in their own area. I dont pay much attention to the people who say they want to hunt out West when they wont even take advantage of what's around them. We get 6 deer tags, 2 turkey tags, national forests across the state, a September Canada goose season with lessened restrictions, lakes and rivers full of fish. And yet I know people who talk about wanting to go out West (especially after we got back from our antelope trip) to chase elk who hunted 0 days last year.

 

[Mudder]

It's a simple principle like most have stated. You find a way to do what you want to do. I think most people also overlook the hunting opportunities they have in their own area. I dont pay much attention to the people who say they want to hunt out West when they wont even take advantage of what's around them. We get 6 deer tags, 2 turkey tags, national forests across the state, a September Canada goose season with lessened restrictions, lakes and rivers full of fish. And yet I know people who talk about wanting to go out West (especially after we got back from our antelope trip) to chase elk who hunted 0 days last year.

I'm just as happy hunting small game as large game. I really enjoy shooting, Rabbit, Hare, Varmints and birds. I personally find Deer hunting kind of boring, most Deer are pretty stupid, all instinct and no brains. I find Fox and Hogs to be much more challenging. An older Fox or 5-6 year old Sow can be pretty darned smart and difficult to hunt.

 

[Europe]

Had a thought after reading another post and thought Id add a few of my thoughts, I have a few friends always want to go hunt out west and never make it happen mostly due to $ issues
A bit about me 57 yrs old and was raised by a man that lived through the depresion and fought in WW11
Yes hunting is expencive Yes we all have family obligations ,Homes, cars and lots of other things we need to spend our hard earned dollars on
But do we need new $1000 phones every year ,$75,000 trucks that has the same payment as my house,big screen Tvs $250 dollar a month cable bills
One of the guys that always complains of the cost of doing this or that spends $ like water
I work very hard every day love my life but live very simple, homes close to being paid for no credit card balances if I dont have the cast I just dont need it
I just wonder if we are getting lost in buying this or that and keeping up witth the Jones'es any more and lossing sight of the important things Family, Friends ,Faith
And using our time and $ to buy memories with them not a new phone
Just a Sat morning post from a old fart that didnt understand what his Father was trying to teach him when he was 20 and wishes he was still here so I could tell him I get it now

What a great post and in my humble opinion so true. I agree with both your points or even all three of them.

1. Yes, I wish my parents, grandparents and spouse was around so I could say, "thank you"---for the life lessons, life adventures, and the memories.

2. No debt ! I am old enough to have some memories of the end of the great depression and of course vivid memories of the start of WW II. Although the official end of the depression was over in 1939, the economy did not improve until after the war. Unemployment figures went down because so many young men went to war, and manufacturing ramped up, but for war products.

But I was one of the lucky ones. I was raised on a farm, so I never knew hunger or homelessness. One of the things that always stayed with me throughout life was my parents and grandparents explaining the importance of us not having any debt and therefore we did not lose the farm, which allowed us to never go hungry ( --garden, animals, and by products--eggs, milk ).

As an aside, when we went to town we "traded", literally. If we traded for grain, we traded for the grain that came in sacks made with designs on them. Grandmother used these sacks to make our dresses and shirts. We always knew what the neighbors were feeding or planting by looking at the clothes their children were wearing when we went to school, the Grange on Sunday. ( or special occasions, then the Grange on Sat nights )

3. Hunting and fishing has been a part of my life for a long as I can remember. As soon as the chores were finished, we would head to the creek, pond, woods. First fishing pole was a tree limb, with some fikshingline tied to it--add a bobber, weight, hook and a worm and your good to go. That little Stevens combo brought rabbits, squirrels, ducks, quail, even an occasional goose to the table. If we struck out, we would grab a chicken, cut off its head, put it in some hot water, feather it, gut it, fry it --and then ask if we could make ice cream (-;

Fast forward to today. Some of my best memories involve hunting and fishing with grandparents, parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, great grand children and I am not talking about trophy hunting. In some cases we didn't bring back anything at all. But the memories of hunting and fishing in the mountains, plains, rivers, and oceans with members of my family are forever pressed lovingly between the pages of my mind and in my heart.

Those who still have young ones at home like my friend Pat does ( four daughters ) listen to the song sang by Trace Atkins, Just fishing

 

[Randi]

love that vid and song April. I bet that fits the thinking of many fathers, mine for sure.

It is a toss up for me between horses and hunting. Horses, the cost of and upkeep are far more expensive than local hunting. Hope I never have to give up either and I hope the memories are as fresh in my mind as I get older as they are for April and dgc1963

 

[dgc1963]

What a great post and in my humble opinion so true. I agree with both your points or even all three of them.

1. Yes, I wish my parents, grandparents and spouse was around so I could say, "thank you"---for the life lessons, life adventures, and the memories.

2. No debt ! I am old enough to have some memories of the end of the great depression and of course vivid memories of the start of WW II. Although the official end of the depression was over in 1939, the economy did not improve until after the war. Unemployment figures went down because so many young men went to war, and manufacturing ramped up, but for war products.

But I was one of the lucky ones. I was raised on a farm, so I never knew hunger or homelessness. One of the things that always stayed with me throughout life was my parents and grandparents explaining the importance of us not having any debt and therefore we did not lose the farm, which allowed us to never go hungry ( --garden, animals, and by products--eggs, milk ).

As an aside, when we went to town we "traded", literally. If we traded for grain, we traded for the grain that came in sacks made with designs on them. Grandmother used these sacks to make our dresses and shirts. We always knew what the neighbors were feeding or planting by looking at the clothes their children were wearing when we went to school, the Grange on Sunday. ( or special occasions, then the Grange on Sat nights )

3. Hunting and fishing has been a part of my life for a long as I can remember. As soon as the chores were finished, we would head to the creek, pond, woods. First fishing pole was a tree limb, with some fikshingline tied to it--add a bobber, weight, hook and a worm and your good to go. That little Stevens combo brought rabbits, squirrels, ducks, quail, even an occasional goose to the table. If we struck out, we would grab a chicken, cut off its head, put it in some hot water, feather it, gut it, fry it --and then ask if we could make ice cream (-;

Fast forward to today. Some of my best memories involve hunting and fishing with grandparents, parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, great grand children and I am not talking about trophy hunting. In some cases we didn't bring back anything at all. But the memories of hunting and fishing in the mountains, plains, rivers, and oceans with members of my family are forever pressed lovingly between the pages of my mind and in my heart.

Those who still have young ones at home like my friend Pat does ( four daughters ) listen to the song sang by Trace Atkins, Just fishing

Great add to the post thank you, I grew up working on farms as a teenager and as a kid every chance we got as kids we were down at the creek or pond I never had kids but because of my fiance I have an 8yr old grandson and have taken him fishing many times and am starting to take him hunting I really want him to get a spring turkey this year and trout opens up soon here in Pa too, he caught a 19 inch brown last year at one of my spots for Pa thats big ! My brother never had kids either so when this ride is over for us my fathers name goes too but maybe his life lessons,values and character will be passed on
This last yr Ive lost great friends and it seems like everything is going a bit crazy maybe that why Ive been doing some reminiscing

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Hunting/Fishing will never cost too much money! I will make sacrifices elsewhere if I need more money to go....
Matt

 

[Panda Bear]

dgc1963, We hunt and fish to eat, so one way or another we will keep hunting and fishing .

But you also mentioned reminiscing, as well as wishing I had listened to my elders when younger and I agree. I did come back to the simple life after college, but most dont these days ( Inuit children ) I am glad I did. It is a hard life, a lonely life, but, for me, a good life. As to reminiscing, for sure. Remembering specific events from the past is usually triggered by a current event, but yes, I understand .

April, we still fish with no pole, just the line and a hook. I see some of the fancy ( expensive ) fishing stuff and sometimes smile.

I like Vikinsguy's graph