In all seriousness, put that $500 in the bank and turn it into $1000 or more over time. If you need to ask us how to spend it then you really don't need to spend it that bad! Ha!
Banks are a joke.
$500 won't cover a decent shoulder mount.
Trail cams are a lot of fun--pick your brand and you can get at least 3, maybe even 4 (with spring sales) for $500
Depending on your style of hunting, a Lone Wolf climber or Lone Wolf hang-on with some sticks are handy things to have around during deer season.
Try to find a used traditional bow--also a lot of fun. Frustrating as hell, but a lot of fun to play with.
I like knives, pretty ones with good wood--look at Bark River knives. I love mine
Other than these things, I get a lot of use out of merino wool clothing, and my binoculars.
A few years back I decided to put $150 a paycheck into an account (2 checks a month), heck after a few years of saving, a guy could do a lot of things.
Don't have a car payment and put that in...
I agree with buying trail cams. Best bang for your hunting buck. I love the excitement of checking cameras. I get the same feeling checking cameras that I do climbing up in the stand. You never know what you might see!
JMO, the most fun you could have for about that kind of money would be a couple of Maddog bows in kid-and beginner-friendly draw weights, then get a coupla kids involved in archery. Or a whole raft of 'em.
Best possible way to get more fun for your dollar is to share it as widely as possible!
If you don't have it already a nice kit for backpacking as well! I need to get me a tent and stove.
Take the wife out for a super ... "out on the town night"
Find something nice to put a bunch of roses in - not a cool whip container either - have them in the middle of the dining room table - with a couple candles going of course.
Take her to dinner - not Mcdonald's of course - I'm talking with all the bells and whistles, even dress up.
Then a movie of your choice - should be a real tear jerker with lots of romantic shit in it.
When you get home, run a bubble bath, even sneak a few rose petals in the tub - that would really blow her mind.
Take a big bath towel and heat it up in the dryer for her for when she gets out.
After her bath give her the best rub down ever .. begin at the toes and all the way up to even massaging her scalp - be nice, no handy panky yet (unless she initiates it of course).
Then, if it's not to late in the evening cuddle on the couch, watching some real romantic lovey dovey shit on the TV (if that's what she likes to do).
Then wait a few days to ask her if she thinks it would be doable for you to go on an elk hunt with your buddies for a few days .... how could she possibly say no?
MikeC
But I've been married too long and wife would see this coming before I even thought of it. Instead, I love to explore new places and would agree with Lost Man. Get in the truck and drive someplace new or hunt something you never have before. You never know what is over that next hill!
I got lucky several years ago and won $1,000 for a single big fish. My friends were all talking about what to spend it on. I gave 100% of it to my wife and told her to do the ONE thing with it that would make her happiest. A few weeks later we had club memberships and season tickets to our college football team. That started a run of season tickets and club memberships that we both enjoyed over the years. And you know...today I can hunt as much as I want and pretty much buy what I want. If I'd spent it on an item I probably wouldn't even remember what it was by now.
Opening eve, the remaining 2 show up at camp to find the 3rd already there. "Thought you said you couldn't come this year!?"
"Well" answers the 3rd "I got home from work to find my wife in a slinky outfit. She leads me to the bedroom, hands me some silk ropes and says 'Tie me up and do whatever you want' so here I am!".
Don't be that guy!!! LOL
Seriously, use the $500 wisely. If there is a piece of gear that you need to hunt more effectively, then get it. If it's gas for the truck to scout, fine. If it's saving it for a rainy day, all the better. And if it's something for your wife, you can't go wrong. We get caught up in buying things that are touted to make us more successful hunters, but in most cases we'd be better off spending more time at the range or practicing shooting with our hunting gear on in real-world situations.
It's easy to rattle off a bunch of things to buy, but we have no idea what you have or lack. For me, gamechanging hunting gear that performs includes:
Sitka Gear Ascent Pants & 90% Jacket; Havalon Piranta knife; Jetboil Stove; Slick Trick Vipertrick broadheads; IQ Retinal Lock bow site; carbon trekking poles; MeatEater recipe books; Field Optics Research Rapid-Release Binocular Adapter; Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad; OnXMaps state chip; Vortex Razor HD 10x42; Sitka Youth line - make a kid comfortable in the outdoors.
Best of luck!
Just my $.02 on how to wisely utilize $500 "hot money" !!
Go grab some top notch jacket or gear. King of the Mt and KUIU are two of my favorites. Good stuff will pay long term dividends!
You get to hunt all season in the cold/frigid temps and stay toasty warm.
TD's Link
Never mind, was going a different direction again....
Thinking about it... in that price range you could get a really quality bow press like the Bow-a-constrictor.
I'll take the fun of watching a kid get buck or turkey fever for the first time over about anything I've killed, and then the look on their face when they pull it all together.
And it doesn't have to be a bunch of kids. Find one that likes the outdoors and dedicate your time to helping them.
Inshart...if you're as "romantic" as your post...you wife has to be smart enough to see right through it.
MikeC
Yup. Shoulda quit after one.
JMO, anybody who thinks it's "un-manly" to pamper his wife a bit should spend the $500 on a good shrink to help him get over himself.
I wouldn't want to be married to a woman who wasn't smart enough to see through all of that.
We talk things out, and 95% of the time I get my way,....and so does she.
For all we know, the OP's kids are educated and out of the house, his retirement's fully funded, he has $10 mil in the bank, he's killed the NA29, Big Five, etc. etc. etc.
But he just got a $500 gift card from his loving and supporting wife, and he wants to get something fun . . .
:) :) :)
I love assumptions
back to the show $500 bucks is a nice down payment on a out of state hunt
Mike
1 year gym membership and STICK TO IT.
Donate it to a good hunting-related non-profit.
How the heck do you think I get my hands on that magic plastic card??? My Chris Hemsworth (without the locks...) good looks?
Well, OK, get it after she's asleep, but with the right treatment she sleeps really sound.....
"Just a gigolo and everywhere I go...."
Was this supposed to be hunting related?
