Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Works for me Hodgeman, not as many guns anymore but nicer ones mostly.
Do you spend more on firearms or hunting trips
- Thread starter alaska100
- Start date
JD338":27oc9vh6 said:
Me too. I usually hunt around home and go on one trip per year out of state. My budget on those trips is always tight though. I've been building one custom gun/year lately and have cleaned out my safe of everything I accumulated that I don't use or have a sentimental attachment to so I can fund the customs. My arsenal is 4 rifles away from completing my list made when I started this project. I'm only in a hurry for one of them, and then I plan to start going on some trips further from home that will incur more costs. I've been upgrading my bino/spotter option to and hope be done this fall buying them for a while. Once I have all the toys, it will be time to play with them!
I still want:
custom 270 win (parts are all purchased, just waiting on the barrel)
Remington R25 in 243 win to finish my yote shooting arsenal
300WSM or WM for a dedicated elk rifle, leaning toward a Browning A bolt mountain TI
375 Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan, in case I ever decide to go after anything the 300 is marginal for
- Thread starter
- #24
Aleena, I enjoyed your post and was sorry to see it gone. I am sure I know why but everybody does not feel the same way. I am sure several would have enjoyed your post, and I am sure Charlie, Jim, Scotty and others would have. But, I understand. I want you to know that I for one enjoy hearing about hunts I may never be able to go on and guns I may never own. For those that missed her post, in a nutshell she said Jerry spends more on guns but she spends more on hunts. Tell Jerry I might also attempt to trade in my wife for the gun he would trade you for LOL
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Hey, if you can't live out all your dreams because of circumstances, live vicariously through others! That has always been my motto. To me at least, it is a shame to be deprived of other's testaments and stories of their adventures just because a few immature and overly jealous people can not stand to hear about anyone having better fortune than they do. What a crock!
I started out as a kid reading Jim Corbett and other's adventures in India and exotic places which I figured I would never get to hunt. I never did hunt in India and the subject is moot now but I spent a lot of time in India helping others by producing better, safer medical devices for the Indian people. What is wrong with reading about other's adventures, that is if you can be humanly interested about that subject and not be controlled by the green eyed devil of jealousy.
I started out as a kid reading Jim Corbett and other's adventures in India and exotic places which I figured I would never get to hunt. I never did hunt in India and the subject is moot now but I spent a lot of time in India helping others by producing better, safer medical devices for the Indian people. What is wrong with reading about other's adventures, that is if you can be humanly interested about that subject and not be controlled by the green eyed devil of jealousy.
Guess it has to be more on firearms. Wasn't much opportunity to hunt in California where I gre up. It was either Cow Mountian in lake County ot the Rockport Redwood Logging Company. Cow Mountain had all kinds of yahoos hiding behind every clump of Manzanita and Rockport was a rain forest jungle where a 25 yard shot was a long one. I did find one spot down the Coast Highway shortly before I left that liberal/commie heaven but deer were scarce there. So I bought guns. Back then no wait on rifles and shotguns and a 3 day wait on handguns while the cops came to your house to see if you were really you.
Then, in 1970 I escaped California and moved to Nevada. Got in quite a few good deer hunts until they went to a draw. A friend and I did a couple of over the counter elk hunts in Oregon and one in Washington on the Olympic Penninsula beffore they went to a draw. Got a job transfer to Arizona and all hunts were on the draw. In 33 years, I've never drawn for antelope, 5 times for elk and maybe 9 times for deer. I bought and played with one hell of a of of guns during those tagless years. Bought several J.C. Higgins M50s for donors and finally got one done. A 7x57 mauser. 8) I have a whole forest of Ruger #1s in various configurations. I even hunt them on occasion. In 2009, for my 71st birthday, I broke down and did a guided antelope hunt. What the hell, Arizona wouldn't give me a tag so why not? In 2010 I did a cow elk hunt and finally got to see just what a .35 Whelen in capable of. 8) With some luck, the wife and I will score on a couple of deer this year up in the Kaibab, her with my M70 .257 Bob and me with either my M70 7x57, both rifles Featherweights or my custom Mauser. All three need to be blooded as all they killed so far is paper. My wife has always hunted with me but never to shoot game. She just likes to tag along which it great as she has the best game eye of anyone I've ever seen. This year she will try for the first time to take an animal. I'm just gonna be back up.
I've been renting a table at our local gun shows to raise money for future hunts for the two of us. Sales are very slow thanks to the economy and I may croak of old age before any sell. :roll:
I took my first deer at age 11 with my Great-grandfather's old M94 carbine in 30-30. I was hooked. :grin: I definitely want to thin the herd and go hunting.
Paul B.
Then, in 1970 I escaped California and moved to Nevada. Got in quite a few good deer hunts until they went to a draw. A friend and I did a couple of over the counter elk hunts in Oregon and one in Washington on the Olympic Penninsula beffore they went to a draw. Got a job transfer to Arizona and all hunts were on the draw. In 33 years, I've never drawn for antelope, 5 times for elk and maybe 9 times for deer. I bought and played with one hell of a of of guns during those tagless years. Bought several J.C. Higgins M50s for donors and finally got one done. A 7x57 mauser. 8) I have a whole forest of Ruger #1s in various configurations. I even hunt them on occasion. In 2009, for my 71st birthday, I broke down and did a guided antelope hunt. What the hell, Arizona wouldn't give me a tag so why not? In 2010 I did a cow elk hunt and finally got to see just what a .35 Whelen in capable of. 8) With some luck, the wife and I will score on a couple of deer this year up in the Kaibab, her with my M70 .257 Bob and me with either my M70 7x57, both rifles Featherweights or my custom Mauser. All three need to be blooded as all they killed so far is paper. My wife has always hunted with me but never to shoot game. She just likes to tag along which it great as she has the best game eye of anyone I've ever seen. This year she will try for the first time to take an animal. I'm just gonna be back up.
I've been renting a table at our local gun shows to raise money for future hunts for the two of us. Sales are very slow thanks to the economy and I may croak of old age before any sell. :roll:
I took my first deer at age 11 with my Great-grandfather's old M94 carbine in 30-30. I was hooked. :grin: I definitely want to thin the herd and go hunting.
Paul B.
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
russ808":11a6dvyd said:
Good one! I just got rid of a real nice 9' 2" Murry Ross longboard that could got you around on your hunts :lol:
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
"Can't walk, shoes get mushy. Can't drive, no gas stations on the way."
Russ, that is some funny stuff! :grin:
I've spent a fair amount on my rifles, scopes, new barrels, bullets and loading components.
Looks like this year I'll be spending quite a bit more on hunting and fishing than on stuff. Unless I count the new Jeep as "stuff."
I think if a guy stays in-state, and goes on "DIY" hunts, expenses are minimal. Fuel, food, license & tags, maybe some meat processing and maybe some taxidermy.
If an out-of-state hunt is undertaken though... It gets a lot more expensive in a hurry, and even more so if there's an outfitter or guide involved. Travel expenses, out of state tag fees, etc... It just plain adds up. I won't be surprised if I dump something like $5k into the Wyoming mule deer & pronghorn hunt after it's all totaled up. Ouch. Ah well.... Can't take it with me.
Enjoy the hunt!
Guy
Russ, that is some funny stuff! :grin:
I've spent a fair amount on my rifles, scopes, new barrels, bullets and loading components.
Looks like this year I'll be spending quite a bit more on hunting and fishing than on stuff. Unless I count the new Jeep as "stuff."
I think if a guy stays in-state, and goes on "DIY" hunts, expenses are minimal. Fuel, food, license & tags, maybe some meat processing and maybe some taxidermy.
If an out-of-state hunt is undertaken though... It gets a lot more expensive in a hurry, and even more so if there's an outfitter or guide involved. Travel expenses, out of state tag fees, etc... It just plain adds up. I won't be surprised if I dump something like $5k into the Wyoming mule deer & pronghorn hunt after it's all totaled up. Ouch. Ah well.... Can't take it with me.
Enjoy the hunt!
Guy
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
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Wincheringen
Handloader
- Jan 10, 2012
- 931
- 1
Way more on guns...
I shoot a lot more than hunt, and probably have about $60k invested in firearms and related equipment. Thats not to say I don't hunt a lot too, although the majority is varmint shooting, I just don't draw the tags to hunt everything I want. I can't see the value in a $10k-$20k out of state hunting adventure (yet).
I shoot a lot more than hunt, and probably have about $60k invested in firearms and related equipment. Thats not to say I don't hunt a lot too, although the majority is varmint shooting, I just don't draw the tags to hunt everything I want. I can't see the value in a $10k-$20k out of state hunting adventure (yet).
hunternyny
Handloader
- Feb 6, 2012
- 362
- 0
Oldtrader3":3m3vjksx said:
+ 1 Well said charlie. I also saw her post and was sorry to see it gone today when I read this thread. I dont know if people get upset with the type of guns and trips, her gender, her humor or all three. But I for one enjoy her posts. I was on a different forum with charlie and we saw this kind of thing happen until both the ladies that were on that forum disappeared.
we spend more on trips than on firearms. My wife hunts with me and we go on at least three trips every year. One to Montana and one to Texas. Plus one trip for turkey hunting, and we try to go somewhere different for that each year. We hunt birds locally as often as possible.
As to firearms, we are happy with what we use for the most part and probably only add a gun or scope to the collection once or twice a year. We love the outdoors and tend to save for "more" hunting time and trips than for "more" firearms and scopes.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
I didn't see Aleena's post - and am probably poorer for missing it. Always enjoy reading about her hunting adventures! Who the heck got upset about it this time? Doggone it!
Wincheringen - for me, I think it's simply a choice between "doing" or "having."
"I shoot a lot more than hunt, and probably have about $60k invested in firearms and related equipment. Thats not to say I don't hunt a lot too, although the majority is varmint shooting, I just don't draw the tags to hunt everything I want. I can't see the value in a $10k-$20k out of state hunting adventure (yet)."
I understand exactly what you're saying about shooting more than hunting - which I think is true for most of us. Let's take $50k though - and look at how it could be spent:
One brand new decked out pickup that will be worth half that in five years.
Fifty decent quality rifles. Twenty five decent rifles with good scopes, loading equipment and enough components to build a case of ammo for each.
Five premium, top notch, backcountry horse-pack trophy bull elk hunts. The kind of hunts where you're going to hunt some remote country in the Rockies and likely come out with a big 6x6 bull after a lot of effort.
Two hunts with a top-ranked guide in Alaska for huge, trophy class Alaskan brown bears. At $20k for each hunt, you'll have some change left over, but you'll need it for taxidermy and travel.
Three top notch hunts for Alaskan moose with the same super-guide, and again, you'll have a little change left over for taxidermy, travel and the price of one beer in Alaska... :grin:
Ten - twenty good guided mule deer hunts "out west."
Fifty years of do-it-yourself deer hunting...
It's all about choices - like the choice I made last night when I was exhausted so I didn't set the alarm, and so now I find myself at daybreak having a cup of coffee and chattering online instead of watching the sun come up from high atop a ridge, opening day of bear season. I needed the rest. Will toss my rifle & lunch in the rig and head out shortly, but I already missed the best time of the day to take a bear... Sigh... Choices.
Lots of ways to spend $50k - I'd rather have a few good rifles and spread the rest out hunting.
My buddy still drives a 1997 Ford - but he's in Australia right now - hunting water buffalo. With a bow! :shock: Choices...
Regards, Guy
Wincheringen - for me, I think it's simply a choice between "doing" or "having."
"I shoot a lot more than hunt, and probably have about $60k invested in firearms and related equipment. Thats not to say I don't hunt a lot too, although the majority is varmint shooting, I just don't draw the tags to hunt everything I want. I can't see the value in a $10k-$20k out of state hunting adventure (yet)."
I understand exactly what you're saying about shooting more than hunting - which I think is true for most of us. Let's take $50k though - and look at how it could be spent:
One brand new decked out pickup that will be worth half that in five years.
Fifty decent quality rifles. Twenty five decent rifles with good scopes, loading equipment and enough components to build a case of ammo for each.
Five premium, top notch, backcountry horse-pack trophy bull elk hunts. The kind of hunts where you're going to hunt some remote country in the Rockies and likely come out with a big 6x6 bull after a lot of effort.
Two hunts with a top-ranked guide in Alaska for huge, trophy class Alaskan brown bears. At $20k for each hunt, you'll have some change left over, but you'll need it for taxidermy and travel.
Three top notch hunts for Alaskan moose with the same super-guide, and again, you'll have a little change left over for taxidermy, travel and the price of one beer in Alaska... :grin:
Ten - twenty good guided mule deer hunts "out west."
Fifty years of do-it-yourself deer hunting...
It's all about choices - like the choice I made last night when I was exhausted so I didn't set the alarm, and so now I find myself at daybreak having a cup of coffee and chattering online instead of watching the sun come up from high atop a ridge, opening day of bear season. I needed the rest. Will toss my rifle & lunch in the rig and head out shortly, but I already missed the best time of the day to take a bear... Sigh... Choices.
Lots of ways to spend $50k - I'd rather have a few good rifles and spread the rest out hunting.
My buddy still drives a 1997 Ford - but he's in Australia right now - hunting water buffalo. With a bow! :shock: Choices...
Regards, Guy
- Thread starter
- #34
Mr Miner. I agree whole heartedly !
At the moment we find outfitting four of us ( myself, wife, son, and daughter) is costing more than hunting, as long as we stay in Alaska. Obviously if we started paying for fishing charters and hunting guides it would then be more for hunting. But so far we have been able to use horses, small planes, snowmobiles, ATV and shoe leather to get to where we want to go.
However as Mr miner pointed out for 50000 dollars, you could do all the items he listed plus a couple of others
Red Stag and Tahr hunt in New Zealand for 10000
Two Red Stags and Dove hunting in Argentina for 10000
Ten day, Father and son Safari in Africa for eight different plains game animals for 10000 and you could add a buffalo for an addition 10000 for a total of 20000 plus travel for you and your son ( or daughter or wife ) to take a ten day hunt in Africa
For 50000, you can take a 14 day Lion, Buffalo, Zebra, Eland and three other plains game hunt
It is without a doubt all about choices, but I agree with Mr Minor, I think I would prefer to have a few good rifles and spend the rest using them on a hunt somewhere, anywhere
At the moment we find outfitting four of us ( myself, wife, son, and daughter) is costing more than hunting, as long as we stay in Alaska. Obviously if we started paying for fishing charters and hunting guides it would then be more for hunting. But so far we have been able to use horses, small planes, snowmobiles, ATV and shoe leather to get to where we want to go.
However as Mr miner pointed out for 50000 dollars, you could do all the items he listed plus a couple of others
Red Stag and Tahr hunt in New Zealand for 10000
Two Red Stags and Dove hunting in Argentina for 10000
Ten day, Father and son Safari in Africa for eight different plains game animals for 10000 and you could add a buffalo for an addition 10000 for a total of 20000 plus travel for you and your son ( or daughter or wife ) to take a ten day hunt in Africa
For 50000, you can take a 14 day Lion, Buffalo, Zebra, Eland and three other plains game hunt
It is without a doubt all about choices, but I agree with Mr Minor, I think I would prefer to have a few good rifles and spend the rest using them on a hunt somewhere, anywhere
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Okay, having been OCD for a living, I keep a spreadsheet on guns and optical devices, just for insurance and for ha-ha's. I presently have about $9K in rifles and shotguns, $7K in optics and $4K in revolvers, plus $2K in binoculars and spotters. This number is discounted by having bought and/or had built my custom rifles in the early 1970's when they cost 1/3'rd what they would today. This does not count probably $3K in fly rods, reels and fishing tackle.
Considering this is a lifetime of collection, hunting and shooting, plus having given away much to the kids et cetera, It only transmutes to about $500/year spent on me during 40 years. This, of course. does not include the 4WD truck or loading equipment, outdoor clothing and other goodies.
I was lucky enough to live, work and hunt in Utah for 18 years. Plus, I non-resident, hunted Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona. I resident hunted Washington and to a lesser extent California in the west and Quebec, Ontario, Maine, Georgia and Texas while living in the east. I have only paid for and gone on three, one-on-one guided, 10 day deer hunts in 50 years. This does not include a two day, guided pig hunt in Texas. These guided hunts were in Colorado and Wyoming and were all for trophy mule deer at about $2500 each. I only was successful on one of these hunts and did not shoot on the other two because the deer I saw were too small in antler size.
Despite this, I have managed to kill probably close to 100 deer, 1 pronghorn and 6 elk in 50 years of hunting. I also still drive a 1999 Ford Explorer, 4WD which kind of looks like me (ragged) with 100,000 miles on it.
Considering this is a lifetime of collection, hunting and shooting, plus having given away much to the kids et cetera, It only transmutes to about $500/year spent on me during 40 years. This, of course. does not include the 4WD truck or loading equipment, outdoor clothing and other goodies.
I was lucky enough to live, work and hunt in Utah for 18 years. Plus, I non-resident, hunted Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona. I resident hunted Washington and to a lesser extent California in the west and Quebec, Ontario, Maine, Georgia and Texas while living in the east. I have only paid for and gone on three, one-on-one guided, 10 day deer hunts in 50 years. This does not include a two day, guided pig hunt in Texas. These guided hunts were in Colorado and Wyoming and were all for trophy mule deer at about $2500 each. I only was successful on one of these hunts and did not shoot on the other two because the deer I saw were too small in antler size.
Despite this, I have managed to kill probably close to 100 deer, 1 pronghorn and 6 elk in 50 years of hunting. I also still drive a 1999 Ford Explorer, 4WD which kind of looks like me (ragged) with 100,000 miles on it.
hunternyny
Handloader
- Feb 6, 2012
- 362
- 0
Guy Miner and Sean
You guys have obviously done a lot of thinking about some serious hunting. As stated previously we also save so we can hunt more than for guns.
We always wanted to go Alaska, and still do, but I had my wife read your two posts above and it might be cheaper to go to New Zealand, Argentina, or Africa than what they are asking for a guided brown bear or sheep hunt in Alaska. Like Guy says it is all about choices
You guys have obviously done a lot of thinking about some serious hunting. As stated previously we also save so we can hunt more than for guns.
We always wanted to go Alaska, and still do, but I had my wife read your two posts above and it might be cheaper to go to New Zealand, Argentina, or Africa than what they are asking for a guided brown bear or sheep hunt in Alaska. Like Guy says it is all about choices
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
There are less expensive Alaskan hunts for sure.
The $20k brown bear hunt and $15k moose hunt are with one of the most respected guides in Alaska, and he guides hunters to some incredible beasts. He isn't the only one with those prices though.
Also, while shopping around (haven't done it yet) I've found prices for a grizzly hunt in the interior are considerably less expensive.
It is indeed all about choices. I'm going back to Alaska again next month, fly fishing the silver salmon run. It's incredible. I figure the fish I bring back cost about $50 - $100/pound... :grin: But it's worth every penny!
Regards, Guy
The $20k brown bear hunt and $15k moose hunt are with one of the most respected guides in Alaska, and he guides hunters to some incredible beasts. He isn't the only one with those prices though.
Also, while shopping around (haven't done it yet) I've found prices for a grizzly hunt in the interior are considerably less expensive.
It is indeed all about choices. I'm going back to Alaska again next month, fly fishing the silver salmon run. It's incredible. I figure the fish I bring back cost about $50 - $100/pound... :grin: But it's worth every penny!
Regards, Guy
I ended up in a place that has good hunting, but pretty much, only for deer. Most of my "formative" years were spent in places someone else decided I needed to be. I have no regrets, however. I have spent a lot of $$ on guns over the years and only after explaining to my (very understanding) wife that I needed to do some traveling to hunt things I never had before, did I understand, she was fine with it!! I love my guns and have more than a couple. I have also sold guns to go on trips and still wonder what might bring me more "life experiences".
I might say that my "best" years were given to another cause, where my present years are only about my family, guns and hunting, in that order. I cannot change my past, and looking seriously, I would not, should I have the chance. I would, however like to stuff as much hunting into my late years as I possibly can!! :mrgreen:
I might say that my "best" years were given to another cause, where my present years are only about my family, guns and hunting, in that order. I cannot change my past, and looking seriously, I would not, should I have the chance. I would, however like to stuff as much hunting into my late years as I possibly can!! :mrgreen:
Wincheringen
Handloader
- Jan 10, 2012
- 931
- 1
I've got more time to 'do' now, and my 'have' is waning a bit, so I'll be spending my entire vacation this year hunting. I'm looking forward to pheasant opener with the english setters. I'll also be chasing elk and whitetails & mulies in November.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
Wincheringen, sounds like a pleasant fall season for you. Best of luck on your hunts.
