Deer and Dollars

[katophil]

You guys are WAY low

Even if you do your own cutting freezer paper is not free.

I'm way north of all you guys not counting the gps, 4 wheeler, scope, handgun, beer, trailer, beer, topo maps of area, beer, trail cams, beer, three "scouting" trips, and ...

[HunterLee]

Well, just in tags this year I got $286 for nebraska. $215 for ND bow, 27 mn bow, already been on two 3 days trips to nd and one day trip, plus 5 trips preseason to ND. Bought 5 more tree stands this year 30 steps, new cables and sights and new drop away rest, many hours hanging stands, thought i needed another 2 trail cams for about 230, and 150, batterys and memory cards, replacement blades that were on sale, had all my clothes, but did buy a cheap $50 pair of boots, new back pack as mine was done for at $30. Planted two new food plots for around $100 in seed./

That is what i can think of on top of my head, this year it will be probly over $3000, but that didn't include last years $800 in taxi bills that i just got back this summer.

I used to beable to do it for the cost of a gun tag and one weekend as I hunt within ten minutes of home. Now its a 3-4 month adventure that only stops when I run out of tags.

Now bear hunting.... fairly cheap for me as I hunt very close to home, but still have $300 plus into that this year, gas and bait, just need to get him to come in before dark. lol

[creepworm]

I am basically in the exact situation as Boxmn. Hunt a friends land and stay there so that is free. Food is maybe $20 a person, permanent stands were almost free and spread out over the life of the stand it will be about $5 a year and we process our own deer. Gas is $100 and then licenses, beer, and bullets it is about $300. Add another $300 this year for a western SD deer hunt and it will be about $600 total for the opportunity to take 6 deer. Almost cheaper per pound than buying beef.

[bottom-bouncer]

Lets see this year there was no new bow! So that helps but $269 for a new stand $210 for a new range finder $369 for a new ground blind. $125 dozen arrows couple packs of broadhead $70 new boots $150 new headlamp $35 tags $27 plus 4 bonus tags $64 processing about $300 food plot cost about $300 misc stuff scents odor spray $100. So about $2000 and I havent left the house yet. Then figure in the wife and kids and Im sure it exceeds $4000. And thats just for deer. Some will say you dont need all that new stuff every year but you will always find something you just gotta have. I think my wife figured We average about $5000 a year in our house chasing deer.

[matchset]

priceless! but between 500-1,000 a year in gas, tags, misc food.

[walleyeking19]

I dont really want to think about it. But one day in the stand bow hunting, I counted up how much everything costs and I figured I bring with and wear about $1500 worth of stuff everytime I hunt deer. So add that on top of licenses and everything and its a lot. It's addicting and expensive, but I will do everything in my power to not miss a season!!

[nofishfisherman]

Quick you guys need to delete all of this, this is what we call evidence and it all must be destroyed.

I am actually in the same position as I am just starting out at the age of 30. I went for the first time last year with all borrowed stuff, except I built my own "portable" stand.

Right now I'm in the process of purchasing all of the stuff I need and also trying to keep my wallet intact as much as possible.

There are ways to keep it cheaper if you need to depending on where and how you'll hunt.

You can build a ladder stand easy enough to get you through a few years. That way you don't need to buy everything right away. I used 2x4's for the legs and 2x2's for the rungs of the ladder. At the top I built a 2'x2' platform with a v in the back that rests on the tree trunk. Attach the ladder to the platform at a slight angle and it works great. I then use a ratchet strap to hold it tight to the tree. Its rock solid and probably costs $10-15 in lumber. Its not the easiest thing to move around but I carried mine about a half mile to and from my hunting spot.

Blaze is cheap if all you go with is a sweatshirt or vest and hat. Probably $20-30. Again you can invest in more expensive stuff as you have money for it.

If you need to buy a rifle thats not cheap but its a one time cost as long as you avoid the temptation to buy more rifles. I went with the Savage 111 for $399. Of course then since its a new rifle you'll want to shoot it a lot so figure a few boxes of ammo at $20/box.

Gas and lodging are pretty variable depending where you'll hunt. I hunt 3-4 hours away but have cabins I can stay in or I also slept in my SUV one weekend last year to save money when I didn't have access to a cabin.

As for processing its variable but I think I've seen Von Hansens price listed at $75 so we'll use that as a baseline price.

If you are starting with absolutely nothing you'll probably be atleast in the $600-700 range (excluding gas/lodging) your first year if you get a cheaper rifle. After that you can get by with your $30 license, $20 box of ammo, $75 for process and then gas/lodging.

I figure 3-4 days of hunting in northern MN is probably about comparable to a 3-4 fishing trip once you have the basic gear purchased, maybe a tad more if you need to pay for processing.

[HNTNBUX]

Oh boy I hate to add it up.

MN Archery 27

MN Firearms 27

MN Muzzle Loader 27

Intensive harvest 4x13=52

SD Black Hills 300

SD West River 335

Iowa Deer Buck/Doe 500-600? I don't remember

Lodging for Six days in SD about 400

Lodging in IA for Six days maybe 400

Five Rage Broadheads minimum 80

Broken Arrows ?

Rifle Bullets three boxes Remington Premium 150

Shotgun Sabots 15 a box three boxes 45

Gas ???

Two new tree stands/steps 300

It goes on and on.

[katophil]

so figure a few boxes of ammo at $20/box.

try 65 to 85... less if I load it

you must shoot those baby bullets

[katophil]

oh and dillion 550, trips to range, and on and on

[nofishfisherman]

so figure a few boxes of ammo at $20/box.

try 65 to 85... less if I load it

you must shoot those baby bullets

Remington Core Lokt are $19.99 a box for 30.06 and any other standard caliber.

[candiru]

Blind post - I don't want to know.

[gurkster]

Expect to spend about the same hunting as you do fishing, assuming the addictions are equal. Scary I know . A decent rod/reel = a decent tree stand. All the unused plastics in your bass bag = some decent hunting clothes. Your trolling motor = a nice gun. All the $5+ cranks you have laying around = scents, calls, and a bunch of $5 hunting items laying around. All those shinny new lures you can't pass by are replaced by all the cool blaze orange and camo items you can't pass by. You get my point.... It can be expensive, endless, and just about the best thing I can think of to waste my money on.

[bigbucks]

How does that work for the majority of us hunters that fish just as much as we hunt when it's not hunting season?

[LightningBG]

For me, some years its $1000+, but most years its way way lower.

Last year, I'd say I spent maybe $50-$70 total for deer hunting. Bow and Gun.

I hunted locally, had a stand, gun, clothes, camera, ammo, bait (JK ).

Spent 0 on lodging, pretty much nothing on gas (was on my way to work), had 1 broken arrow and 1 lost broadhead (after going though a deer) which I didn't replace. Shot a couple bullets but never bought any. Didn't use any scents. processed the deer myself.

So it can be cheap. But it can be really expensive when you have to start driving, paying for lodging, out of state tags, or want to load up on gear, etc.

[reinhard1]

costs fluctuates over the years. have everything exept a licence and extra tag in my area. food [i do all the cooking] is my cost. have my two son-in-laws with me so they cover for the gas [north of duluth]. i bring my camper up there a week before opener. bullets if needed [none this year]. 2 propane tanks [20 pounders] [my cost]. so i would probably be below $250 on my part for 4 days of hunting in firearms. my brother comes up there for the day [he lives in duluth]. he brings adult beverages for the evening story telling. good luck.

[JBone]

more than I would like to think about

[archerystud]

$1100 - taxes on hunting land

$600 - gas

$200 - tractor repairs

$300 - seed

$300 - processing

$300 - (tags, new equip, scents)

$$$$ - More if I add in an out of state hunt.

Not a cheap addiction.

[leech~~]

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

Your first year will not be much. But, once the "hook" is set the costs go up every year after!

[picksbigwagon]

I apologize, I looked at my prices for the doe tag in Iowa for a non-res. it is not the 212 I paid two years ago, it is now 298.......I expect an ice cold beer and a hot chicken pot pie from the local CO when I get to the farm......

[mnguy152]

does it really matter memories last for ever. Something to chat about when we are sitting inthe nurseing home and the deer keep getting bigger and better every year.

[skee0025]

Cool responses so far, keep 'em coming

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

Lets see $65 per deer for cutting and vacuum packing, so between $195 and $250

[bigbucks]

$1100 - taxes on hunting land

$600 - gas

$200 - tractor repairs

$300 - seed

$300 - processing

$300 - (tags, new equip, scents)

$$$$ - More if I add in an out of state hunt.

Not a cheap addiction.

I hear you man I put a new spindle in my tractor for $97.20 or something like that last week that broke jumping a log mowing trails...

[fishuhalik]

i shoot the rifle my uncle gave me for a grad present 10yrs ago-$0

he also gave me 200 handloads-$0

i hunt out of my parents back yard on public land so lodging & lease costs-$0

still using same clothes/boots as i have since i was 16 and my dad bought that for me for my bday-$0

stands have been up since before i was born and we repair them using cut-down trees-$0

dont drink at my folks house so booze-$0

food-maybe $20

tags-$27+$15

gas-$35

ya, i get by pretty dern easy!

[archerystud]

I hear you man I put a new spindle in my tractor for $97.20 or something like that last week that broke jumping a log mowing trails...

bigbucks I hear ya. I don't know what you do for a living but I'm a computer geek. So to take some vacation, sit on a tractor (WHEN IT'S RUNNING) is somewhat therapeutic to me. Now when it breaks 1 hour into the vacation day I took to get things done.......well that's a different story.