Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Annual cost of YOUR deer hunting

This is getting pretty far off the OP question, but when has man not sought to exclude others from his hunting grounds? Natives made claims to their territory and excluded other tribes in no uncertain terms. Then when the European scourge came forth to the Americas the natives were displaced. One can apply terms with moral implications like greed and selfishness and be correct to some extent, but I believe it economic reality is the "culprit". When something has value and has some level of scarcity a price will be placed on it. I know that many, myself included, like to think of hunting as something pure and maybe even spiritual not to be tainted as so much of life is by money. What hunter doesn't prefer some exclusivity to "their area". For me one of the main attractions of hunting is to get away from the crowd. Economic reality means I will "pay" for exclusivity by traveling further, hiking further, or going somewhere the hunting may not be quite as good to get away from the crowds. If I wanted a crowd I'd go to a ballgame. Of course I'd sit in the cheap seat-wouldn't want to exclude anyone. Even Big Brother excludes people by limiting the number of tags in certain areas- I don't see this as greed or selfishness because BB doesn't hunt, too lazy perhaps.

On the other hand, I do appreciate blackhearts position and think that limited access to hunting areas is the biggest threat to the future of hunting because it discourages prospective hunters. One partial solution I think serves landowner's and hunters are walk in programs sponsored by some states.

Sorry for participating in the hijacking of this thread.

Well stated and I agree with you. Cost and access are irrevocably combined.

My father still holds the land - so I am not on the hook for the taxes yet. That said 260 for licenses (give or take). I don't count gas because if I wasn't driving up there to hunt, I'd be driving somewhere to do something. I don't count food because I gotta eat regardless what I'm doing.

So less than 300 bucks. If I had to carry the taxes - it still would be less 3 grand which isn't bad, considering you own the land.

In PA, I buy a license and hunt back of the house. $40 for the license and the cost of ammo. When I want to hunt the big woods, add a tank or two of gas and it's off to public lands.
I've been doing some hunting in Virginia the last couple years and I'm going through sticker shock and a lot of frustration. Where I'm at, there is almost no public land and hunt clubs control it all. A neighbor suggested I sell my guns and take up fishing. That's what he did. I might try another year of so, but it's not much fun and not cheap.
Bfly

Sounds like the hunter's in that area schitt in their own cornflakes pretty bad. It'll end up that way everywhere there's not alot of public land eventually. Then the only ones who'll be able to hunt there will be the rich and their hunting experience will still suck and not really be much like real hunting anymore, what with all the stifling club rules and all. Sucks for them I guess but honestly, they will have brought it on themselves through their own short sightedness and stupidity. Thankfully, it won't effect me because there are millions of acres of state land here and I'll still be able to hunt all I want for FREE !

There is no actual price I can put to hunting. I get to enjoy the company of our Darlin daughter, her fantastic husband, and the greatest German wire haired pointer. I kill, I don't harvest I kill, about 9 deer a year and spend 2 1/2 months with them. I have the basement all to myself, private bathroom, and a mud/dressing room. All i need do is cook which is a hobby of mine. Deer lease is 3 AC/DC songs away, with great deer box stands. God has granted me a HEAVEN-ON-Earth situation.

I'm in this boat (hopefully someday w/ my daughter). Everything I've spent I used and will keep. Tags are what they are. Can't save money there. Last year was pricy - bought a davis tent set up. Year before it was the polaris sportsman. This year, a new BLR. Next year, who knows. Every year includes tons of diesel (used to live in MI and drive to CO and back) fuel for the jeep and quad. Food.... Whatever else I "need".

This is the time I get to spend up in the mountains, not behind a desk or in a courtroom. This is priceless. I just hope one day I'll be able to share it with my daughter...

(thanks for the pics) Just remind both barbies to wear their blaze...

Dale, that's just not even fair man. Heck, I own my own stinking camp within spitting distance of you, and it costs me at least a grand to do the trip down from Minnesota!

total cost for me is usually $500. Myself and 4 other guys own our property and the house,We divide up the costs for food,drink and electric.
My license costs $98,the food and other bills $175,the rest is Deisel fuel costs for my traveling back and forth over a 4 week period.

My wife has it calculated at slightly about $75 per pound.

$50-$75.00 a year. But, the truck, boats, clothes, stands, licenses, boots, guns, ammo, four wheeler, etc. are all paid for and have been for years. OK, I did buy a new pair of hunting boots 2 years ago. One tank of gas would last all year if I only drove the truck deer hunting. Its 2 miles RT to the hill stands parking spot (where I walk 1/2 mile to the nearest stand and over a mile to the fartherest) and 1/4 mile to the creek where I paddle the pirogue a couple of miles to get to where I hunt.
I belonged to hunting clubs where I used to live, but when we moved it wasnt necessary. Just lucky I guess!

Next time you're down, I'll make it $302 and buy you a beer

Dale

If I don't go any place else, like out of State, my Connecticut Deer Hunting will set me back 406 dollars this year. Property taxes is going up 5%. I don't count cloths, because I don't wear anything special. My guns well my newest one I had for 6 years now, my favorite deer rifle I had for 35 years. If this years deer runs the same size as last year, I will end up with 35 lbs of boned out meat so its $11.60 a lb. About what Rib Eye Steaks sells for here unless you catch a sale. That is the dollar and cents of it, the time I get to just sit on stand and hear almost nothing in the way of noise, is priceless. Going to be doing a food Plot this year, I am in the planning stages right now, so my costs could end up more.

My primary hunting activity is elk hunting and all the gear that I buy for elk hunting can also be used for deer hunting. I've not added any new gear for a while and all my gear has long since been amortized against previous hunts. So I don't count anything for the cost of gear in my deer hunting expenses.

All my hunting is self guided, fair chase on public land. So I don't pay for a hunting lease or for outfitters/guides.

I usually setup a base camp or backpack camp. So there's no cost for lodging.

I don't count food since I would be eating even if I weren't hunting.

Resident Deer License $34
3 tanks of gas $263 +/-

A deer is small enough that I do the processing myself.

So I guess it costs me about $300/year to hunt deer.

KC

This year is probably about normal, though just one out of state venture planned so far. Wyoming is $376 with preference point fee. Colorado is $34. Already had two scouting trips to Wyoming and my Colorado unit, though those could be considered optional. Call it $400 in gas so far. Add another $300-$400 in gas for additional Wyoming scouting trips and scouting for whichever unit my girlfriend draws. Then add about that again for the actual hunts. I don't count ammo or gear into my deer hunting expenses because they get used on other things too.
Sooooo, this year is going to be about $1,500 or $1,600 to hunt public land in my state and a neighboring state.
I do all my own processing, though I will purchase pork butt to add to my grind.
Only going to be hunting this state for elk this year, but will have a horse rental fee for about $450, plus some more gas money. We usually throw some extra cash towards my buddy's fuel and feed bills because he owns the horses we normally use. He can't make the backcountry hunt this year, and we still want to go, so, hooray for a couple hundred more to our costs.

So, in the end, probably in the neighborhood of $2,500 this year for public land hunting.

Free

I poach deer, bears, and cows. I use a bow and arrow that I make. I also made my own knife, clothes, and shoes from the cows.

License ( say $40.00) plus fuel... 2.5 miles from the house, 5 miles round trip on public land..load my own ammo...

friggin deer processing costs tho are ridiculous...

Well, I tend to save a lot by not shooting anything; so I save money on ammo and processing. So pretty much just license, fuel and sammiches.

I'm lucky enough to have family land behind my home where I've done all my deer hunting for the last few years. My only expense is my hunting license at about $65. I did buy a shooting house last year for $200. Guess my per pound cost for venison works out to be pretty low.

On the other hand I'm a member of a duck camp in Arkansas. That is one expensive animal to hunt! I bet caviar cost less per pound than my duck meat!

I would be scared to figure what I put into deer hunting alone each year. It would have to be at least 10k if not more. I live and breath the stuff year round and constantly throw money at it. Guess it's better than chasing women, cheaper too