Deer and Dollars

[mainbutter]

So, here's a straightforward question with, I'm sure, less than straightforward answers.

How much $ do you spend on hunting deer every year?

I'm sure that answers are as wildly variable as if I asked it about fishing, but since I'm thinking this might be my first season to try to take a deer, I'd like to know what my wallet is in for if I end up as addicted to hunting as I am fishing

[paceman]

Between a new portable stand or two, lumber for stand repairs - rebuilds, liscense, ammunition, gas, food, scents... 500 for sure maybe up to a grand.

[uptracker]

I hunt on public land out of state, so my numbers may be a little scewed:

Scouting trips in May and October...$600 (mostly gas).

November trip...$400

I buy two treestands a year...$200.

Tags.....$140-$300 depending on how many states.

I bought a new wall tent this year too....$1500.

Is it worth it? YUP!

[WalleyeGod]

Since I am not positive my wife doesn't look at these forums. $20.

Add clothes to the prior list too and I am in there with Pace. Pick up a rifle to shoot six and eight pointers then the next year one to shoot ten pointers and like you said it can be addicting and the sky is the limit. You do need a bigger gun to shoot bigger critters is what I was told......Some whitetail hunting guru told my wife it is best to have one gun and learn to shoot it well. I am still looking for that guy!

Seriously though, it isn't what you spend that makes the experience worth it. Get ready to make some good memories.

WG

[mrklean]

changes from year to year, this year i bought all new camo, but bought all on gift cards, last year i went on a trip, bought a new climber last year to, i would say between $150-$1500 a year

[96trigger]

Bare minnimum,

$30 license

$20 shells.

I will assume you have boots and blaze orange for hunting other things.

Throw in a $100 comfortable stand to make it a little more enjoyable, and there you go, your hunting. This is what I would spend starting out, and depending on where I was hunting, I don't even know if I would buy the stand.

Thats how much I would spend, and probably all you NEED. However, if you ask me how much I have invested over the last 20 years, it is well over $10,000.

I don't include gas as I don't know how far you are from where you hunt, you should be able to figure that out.

[hockeybc69]

I have no clue, and I might be scared to continue hunting if I really knew. LOL.

Soooo many things. My biggest expense by far is food plots.

Then add in 2 kids as well.

Heck its worth it at any price.

[TooTallTom]

96trigger has it pretty well nailed price range wise. In an inexpensive year, I spend about $100 on gas, $25-$30 on license, $5 on shells (Couple rifle-verification shots and one or two more in the field.) and whatever pro-ration I give for the clothes, stands, etc. and about $5-$10 for some candy bars that I wouldn't otherwise eat. I won't mention the expensive years, because I know some people's spouses are reading...

Just like fishing, you can spend very little and have a successful (on many levels, including harvest) experience. Or, you can buy all the latest, greatest, expensivest gizmos and clothes, which may or may not enhance the experience or harvest rate at all. And it's all up to you.

[Bear55]

It's getting to be less of a problem now that I have most everything I need but man it was a long expensive road to get here. Honestly I don't want to know the number, it is probably massive.

[mainbutter]

Cool responses so far, keep 'em coming

One thing none of you guys have mentioned yet.. What do you spend on deer processing costs?

[mrklean]

all depends on what you want back, if you grind it to burger its cheap, if you want jerky and sausage its more expensive, if you quarter and debone its cheaper also.

[TruthWalleyes]

$70 in licenses (Firearm and Muzzy + Bonus tags)

$500+ in gas...easy

$50+ processing (Seasonings and process my own)

$300 Food and housing(I hunt no closer than 1.5hrs from home to 8hrs away)

$150 Misc hunting supplies

$Bar Money Excluded

_______________________________

$1,070 and i'm lowballing

Love the time in the woods!!

Going to try to keep the expenses lower this year however...if possible.

[Boar]

Bout a thousand dollars less than i do bear hunting.

[TRZ II]

There was a time when I hunted public land when I spent about 200$ total and shot several deer every year, so it was an economical food source. Now I own 80 acres, built a cabin and spend about 300$ a month on deer hunting. Luckily i was also able to spend 500$ on the mounting of a monster 10pt I got last year. When I hunted public land i shot a spike 3 yrs in a row and one year shot 5 deer. I would much rather be in the situation I am now spending thousands a year on my own land and harvesting trophies, not just meat.

[picksbigwagon]

This should be scarey:

Iowa doe tag $200, plus habitat fee $5, plus small game license (required by law in Iowa) $110, plus a 3 dollar online fee since no one in Minnesota can seem to do an out of state license down there.

Gas (split with a buddy) so $75

processing: we do it down there as a group, sausage fee's run about $65 bucks.

bullets: 15 bucks a box, gotta love Sabots

miscellaneous funds for food and stuff: 80 bucks.

Grand total 500 bucks or there about.

I go for one weekend, always get a deer, always have meat. I have hunted in Minnesota for two weekends (349b) and it almost breaks even.....

[jerkbait]

Bout a thousand dollars less than i do bear hunting.

X2. I thought I spent a fair amount of money on deer hunting. That was until I started bear hunting. Holy C R A P!!! I spend any where from 400-800 at hunting camp. Depends on how many trips to the bar. Also we process our own deer and depending on how much pork we buy to make the sausage varies the amount spent. Wouldn't miss it for the world though.

[Double D]

I have milked my clothes and boots about as far as possible. I will have to break down and get at least new boots this year, $100 I suppose. Orange clothes may have to wait until next year.

DD

[bigbucks]

I'm in there with paceman & whoever said up to $1500. I bowhunt WI & MN every year, as well as firearms & usually muzzy in MN, so roughly $275 for licenses. $200 bucks gas to WI, most of the rest is around home, but still adds up. Buy at least one new stand most years, $30-$200. Scent, shells, handwarmers, new arrows &/or broadheads. If you only gun hunt a weekend or two assuming you have a gun & some warm clothes & boots. You could get started for $100-200 depending on if any of the clothes are orange.

[John478]

You can spend as little or as much as you want. How much you spend will probably have little affect on your success.

[GRH]

Licenses

27 bow

27 rifle

27 muzzy

15 bonus tag. at least one

500 leased land

125 cabin

500-800 Gas

150-300 processing

100 misc.shells,scent killer ext.

1450-1900 a year.

[pumper317]

1000 easy with everything... Hows that for straight forward?

[Stratosman]

Yeah about that... man it goes fast doesn't it?

[certified jumbo]

Interesting topic, great responses......

well it depends on how i look at it...

200 acres - yearly land taxes

propane - one year

cabin, outhouse, sauna yearly upkeep

graveling driveway every couple of years

foodplots (planting, discing, spraying, cutting, etc)

220 acre hunting rights lease ($1000)

hunting equipment

licenses

gas costs

arrows, broadheads, etc.

well, it doesn't really end. its hard to put a dollar amount on that but its a lot.

[BoxMN]

My usual rifle trip...

$26 + $15 = $31 for tags

Ammo = about 3 shells per year, so moot, but say $10

Rifle I have

Camo I have

Boots I have

Land - we hunt buddy's land, about 4 parcels, they are farmers, so each of 8 hunters kicks in $10 each for dinner club certificate - farmers sons hunt with us, so just more token of appreciation than truly value to the landowner.

Blinds - we each throw $10 in each year for repair, but I did buy a nice blind a few years ago for $150 that is community stand. so figure $50...

Cabin - we stay at a hunting camp that others own, a member cooks for them during duck season, and we close it down when done, and friends take care of it during off season, and they let us use it for our deer camp. This is really awesome, as nice place and cost us nothing. big win here.

Food - basically the "cook" buys everything for 9 guys for 5 days, adn we split it up. We also eat some vension from the previous year that he keeps for camp. $35

Case of beer $20

We butcher our own, no $

total = $206

plus gas, is about $100 for me, so $300 a year

...but this year I also started bow hunting... heh. No idea yet, but all of it will be walking from my cabin, so after stand ($200), bow and arrows ($600) and target ($50) it looks like $850 to get started, and $26 per year after that.... but wife thinkgs it is just $26 per year for both

[Boar]

Now if ya wan ask how much on icefishing, then were talking serious samoliens