The $6,000 deer hunt?
Whitetail Deer
I was talking to the guy who owns a local archery shop tonight. He also outfits with a group in central Iowa for deer. By the time you went on the hunt, go there and back, it would cost about $6,000.
Sure, I would like to shoot a 180 class deer, but I wouldn't pay $6,000 for the chance.
What do you think?
TMBB
I would go to Kansas and hunt public and walk in hunting private land for 4-5 years and spend less than $6000 all in.
Some guys earn $500,000 per year and can only get away for 6 days to hunt. (Not me of course). A hunt like this is a great solution!
And probably put more inches of antler on the wall and pounds of meat in the freezer!
Don't care what my income is, to pay that kind of money for a whitetail deer hunt is foolish IMO. Now, I am living in Illinois so I guess I'm a bit spoiled with whitetail. Free country, if someone wants to spend that kind of green on a chance to kill a deer have st it, but most of the guys I know who go on guided hunts come back with deer they could kill on public land.
What Charlie said. There are many guys who love to hunt but because of job constraints dont have the time or resources to do DIY anymore. But $6K is a drop in the bucket to have a good hunt with nice accommodations, even without the trophy aspect.
It ain't foolish if you can afford it. That's ignorant to say anything different. They may have more money then time, you don't know! Or more money then they know what to do with. Ever thought of that? Its out there for some folks, don't begrudge them for it! $6k aint chit to a lot of people.
I remember saying that about swarovski binos. I told everyone that would listen, I don't care if you can afford it or not, that's a ridiculous amount of $ to spend on glass. Well......fast forward a few years, I pulled the trigger on a pair. Best purchase I ever made. Wish I would have opened my mind to that option years ago.
To each his own but what Charlie said is spot on. To a guy making $500k a year, $6k for a deer hunt aint no thang! More power to em.
I spend more than that every year on WT hunting .......plus.Many here do the same
I think its called the Outdoor Channel, Pursuit TV, etc and of course bowhunter TV,,,,
If 6k for a WT hunt is in ones budget, go for it. More money can always be made, but our time here is finite. Whatever your passion, prioritize and enjoy life.
Half that. If thats what turns you on.
Some of the opinions expressed on this thread remind me of the lyrics of a very old song, "'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!"
What someone else can afford to pay or wants to pay for something that does not affect me. That is none of my business.
Just what market hunting is these days, the market that is trophy hunting. Just another notch on the way to the North American 39 slam, or whatever. With enough disposable income $6k is but a pittance to keep up with the big buck Joneses. Then the "industry" can't figure out why we can't recruit the kids that live down the road whose dads hunted that whole square simply because that was the community norm a generation ago before big antlers were commoditized.
That deer has droopy ears. Lol
Non taken, Dirk. That ain’t no lone ranger. ;-)
Same goes for leases, trucks, hunting gear, etc... if you got the money, and that's your bag, spend it.
It’s all in who you know.
I manage a big fishery and have 20" trout within walking distance of the house. But its winter and I'm going down to the southern tip of Chile to fly fish for trout, and it'll cost as much as a premium deer hunt.
Lost a wife and five friends in the past year. Another in a wheelchair forever. As my late rancher friend told me once, "Life is for the living".
And why would anyone buy a $100,000 car when a $15,000 one gets you there just as well? Commercialization of transportation is the devil
This one is more to my liking though. Bow kill off local WMA. $30 permit, state license, and whatever he has tied up in equipment. Which ain’t too much for a high schooler. :-)
Yes i would pay that.. Ben Cockel of northern Alberta Outfitters Cody this much bit it’s a ten day hunt for monsters. He’s booked for years to come. These were regular joes who save for this hunt because it’s amazing..
Monster hatchery trout are on the same playing field as farmed bucks—doesn’t give me a thrill but it’ll make others feel like an expert outdoorsman and look great in their social media posts. To each their own, I guess. I get it, Jaquomo. Go find a little señorita while you’re at it down there. Safe travels.
I’d pay it. Maybe not for 5 or 6 days. What I’d like to find is a 14-18 day premium Iowa hunt for $7500-$8000. I got the points. Just don’t wanna spend 4500 for 6 days. Just not enough time for the caliber of buck I dream of . . .
Crap, I don’t even care about food and lodging. I’ll bring a camper and cook my own dang food
Kscowboy, thats why I only fish for the small wild browns and brooks in the streams here. I'd rather make a perfect cast to a 12", 8 year old brown under the log than drag a streamer for an eighteen incher in a lake that I may have stocked two weeks before.
As with hunting, its it's all about personal perspective.
There are guys here that have 6 pair of $400 boots 3 pair of Swarovski binoculars and $3000 worth of Kuiu clothing.
$6000 isn’t a big deal to many.
Land grab leasing and greed will be the demise of hunting as I once knew it....
Agree with Charlie. Trading time for money and vis versa is the world we live in and not something to be spiteful of (not that I’m suggesting anyone is).
I relish the days back in HS that I got to spend after class hitting the woods 30+ days.
Now I’m lucky if I have a solid time in the woods between a week in the west and a 3-4 days archery hunting and 2 days rifle hunting. I’m blessed for the time I have and I promise that every day i’m not out there, I am thinking about it. Makes me appreciate it a heck of a lot more, I can tell you that.
Have you looked at outfitted hunt prices lately.....the numbers are mind boggling. $6000 on quality ground in a Midwest state sounds like a deal.
Me too ohiohunter, reason I brought it up... With the displacement of locals, the local kids don't get the opportunity and the future for those not wealthy enough doesn't look bright...
The over monetization of wildlife(hunting) will be our downfall. We are already past the of no return.
If folks were willing to ascribe a reasonable $ amount to their free time, they might look at relative value differently.
The equation is very different depending on whether you make $15/hour or $150/hour.
Lou, I'm not scared of those hatchery trout.
I don't understand the pricing guys/kids out of hunting. The amount of info available now is second to none, we plan hunts every year with nothing more than a computer and a cell phone.
I also don't understand guys complaining about stuff they can't afford, get out and work. I'm not in the position for a 6k deer hunt, but I'm trying like hell to get there. Once I'm there the goal will be sheep, then???
I'm in the same thinking of Lou, life is short. Reading this post got me thinking about some of my buddies who aren't here anymore, never regretted spending money on a fishing or hunting trip. That's including the ones I really couldn't afford at the time.
never count another man's money.
APauls, I thought Foosball was the devil.
Living in the Midwest all my life, I personally can't imagine dropping $6k on a whitetail hunt. That said, I can absolutely imagine dropping $6k on an Alberta mule deer hunt. Both are deer species. One I have plentiful quality hunting access, the other I don't.
I personally wouldn't,and have the funds to do it. But don't begrudge the guys who do. Do what makes you happy if you can afford it. Life is too short not too!
Funny how people think other people should conform to their ways or opinion of what’s right or wrong.
You can drive a Cavalier or a Cadillac. A Conalt or a Corvette.
Both get you from A to B. Your priorities are your business. There are deer hunts selling for more than that partner.
Plus you said “by the time you go there and back”. So the hunt itself isn’t 6 grand.
Most people spend or waste 6k per year on fast food and eating out. Throw in the drinkin and all it takes is a little sacrifice and your there. When you reach down to grab that 180 incher you will realize it was worth it. I live in Illinois so I’ve been spoiled but If I didn’t have the opportunity here I would be spending the money to get it done
I honestly don't begrudge anyone who does an expensive outfitted hunt. What I would hate is not being able to figure the animals out myself. That's why I like DIY. It's my fault if I'm successful and my fault if I blow it. To me that is what hunting is all about. And I'm thrilled to get a crack at a 3 or 4 year old buck on public land. Would I like to shoot a 180 on an outfitted hunt? Sure, but if I'm hunting out of a guide hung set, what did I accomplish really besides aiming right or sitting the appropriate amount of time to get it done?
All depends on what you want, and if you have the money. For some, the chance of even seeing a book buck is 0%. Some places the chance of seeing ANY deer from a stand on a given sit is small. Some just REALLY want that chance at the big buck, but don't have the vacation time/resources for DIY and scouting far away. What's the difference between $6K for a whitetail and $6K for an elk? Nothing, when you don't have it local, you have to go for it remote, and pay.
If the 6k actually put a guy onto a 180 I think a large majority here would save up and do it. But I’d be surprised if there was a whitetail outfit that could produce that consistently. I wouldn’t be interested mostly because it’s out of proportion with my income, I have fantastic deer hunting and I really enjoy the chase from the beginning to the end.
If I figure in equipment, seed, fertilizer, taxes, etc, etc., I’m probably considerably north of that amount. That doesn’t even figure in my time in it. BUT, I do get to hunt the entire season!
I don't see any changes in the future,I know kids getting out of college and starting jobs over 100K a year,far cry from 5.00 an hour back when.
It all depends on what you want and what you are willing to spend. If you really want a top end buck you have to hunt where your chances will be the best. And you will usually pay top dollar to hunt there since big, mature bucks are not found everywhere. I can find you much cheaper deer hunts...but your chances of killing a nice buck will be much lower.
You made it, you spend it anyway you want.
I worked almost 30 years in Law Enforcement and many, many night shifts. Driving around patrolling, I would see the same vehicles almost every night at the same watering holes, spending 5 or 6 hours. Many of these people I knew, some friends, some ... not so much. Add up how much it costs to drink for 5 hours (average 5 days a week) and almost all of them (the ones that I knew anyway, also smoked). I think if you put a dollar figure to that, you could go on a damn good hunt EVERY year. Spend it on what you want to spend it on .... booze and cigs, if that's what floats yer boat, have at it.
We lost a super good piece of land that my group has shotgun hunted here in Iowa for like 60+ years (obviously not me, i'm not even 30). It was owned by the grandpa of one of the guys in our group but they sold it due to some farm struggles in the late 80s. The new owner didn't hunt much so he let us hunt it because of the history which was nice of him. Some guy from Cedar Rapids came along and offered him $5000 to lease it for first season shotgun. A buddy of mine shot a pretty nice 140" out of it bow hunting so the guy paid another $3k to lease it for bow season too just to keep my buddy out. That's basically 8k for 5 days of hunting. If you've got the money to spend on a $6k deer hunt and the perks that come with an outfitter, go for it. I'd blow that much on an elk hunt and quite a bit more for a moose hunt if I had it. Sometimes I wish it wasn't the direction things were headed but I'd pry take that kind of cabbage for a lease if it was offered to me too. To each their own.
I'm forever grateful to live in a free country where we get to make decisions such as how much to spend in order to go hunting.
A guy bought my old public-turned-private (land trade) elk spot for $4.5 million just so he and his best friend would have a place to bowhunt for elk. The only thing it is good for is elk hunting and some marginal stream fishing. If he ever wants to sell it, it will be a challenge because its inaccessible from November-May.
They could go on every hunt on earth for that $$, but what matters to them is bowhunting DIY on a place they can figure out themselves. They're old guys and know their bowhunting days are numbered, and one of them had the money to do it from the sale of his business. I just wish I was the "best friend" instead of just a friend. ;-)
I spend way more than $6 grand a year on hunting. But doubt I’d spend that on a whitetail hunt. If I could have a shot at a 130 size deer for say $2000 or one much larger for the $6000, I’d take the smaller one and spend the difference on another hunt.
I know people who wouldn't think twice about a $6000 whitetail hunt. They would take their kids too. It's all relative. If you make enough it's like monopoly money.
On a personal level....spend your money as you see fit....go for it. With that said...in the bigger picture if you're going to buy hunts for big dollars, don't complain later about high costs, reduced opportunities and the ugliness of the horn-hunting market.
I might consider it if the odds of a shot opp were more like 50%. By shot opp, I mean a decent buck within a 30 yard radius, even if I could not shoot for some reason.
Last few outfitted hunts the odds were more like 10-20%, so you can do the math. 2 years at 50% = $12,000. 10 years at 10% = $35,000!
It's only money and I bet most of us here are "pros" at "wasting" (depending on perspective) on something.
Had a guy in camp this year show up in a brand new F350 Crew diesel loaded to the gills ... probably a $70k truck. Been drooling over them ... but that is something I am having a tough time adjusting to ... 50-70k trucks, but that is what the nice ones are these days.
But then again ... eff it ... my only excuse is that it would get better mileage than my Tunda :)
$6,000. , not even the price of a decked out ATV.
Auction tags for for close to $300,000 every year......
is it a hunt or a kill ?
there is a difference
I agree with 12yards. I don’t care how people spend their money and if they want to go on a hunt like that no skin off my back. If you crawl into a tree stand a guide set up and shoot a 180 I am not going to personally think that makes you a great hunter. But what I think doesn’t really matter to that peson.
Different strokes for different folks. I'd never spend that on a whitetail hunt. But, I'd spend that plus some every year elk hunting and going to Alaska if I had it to spend and, the time to do it. Without blinking an eye.
Remember in 1979 working in a hunting camp in Alaska that a gent came in to complete his hunt, Dall, moose, caribou, deer Kodiak, elk Fognak and the cost was $15000+ I knew him from hunting waterfowl in S.W. Ia. where we were staying at the Tall Corn Motel from previous years, he said this was his once in a lifetime hunt and was going for it because he was still young and in shape. I just thought $15K was a lot of money at that time for heads on the wall, but it was his dream and doing it.
Remember in 1979 working in a hunting camp in Alaska that a gent came in to complete his hunt, Dall, moose, caribou, deer Kodiak, elk Fognak and the cost was $15000+ I knew him from hunting waterfowl in S.W. Ia. where we were staying at the Tall Corn Motel from previous years, he said this was his once in a lifetime hunt and was going for it because he was still young and in shape. I just thought $15K was a lot of money at that time for heads on the wall, but it was his dream and doing it.
$15K in '79 is equal to $52,073.97 in 2018.
You couldnt do half that hunt for 52k
You guys have no idea how much money my wife makes haha just kidding. As for $6000 I'm going on my 4th point for Iowa $50 a point and $550 for the tag so there alone is near 1000. I personally wouldn't do a guide as the last 2 times I have been to Iowa I just show up and start knocking on doors. Pretty easy to find land for bowhunters not sure about gun
Would you either spend $6K on a whitetail hunt when you are able, or $6k on ONE month in a nursing home when you aren't?
You can't own a decent property with a chance at quality whitetails for $6k a year. Besides that you have upkeep, chasing off trespassers, having gear stolen, putting up and taking down stands, travel to and from, equipment purchasing and maintenance, time to scout that some don't have....
In many ways a $6k hunt is a bargain. Show up, hunt however hard you want, enjoy your time off with no stress, and go home.
My mom's nursing home costs $9000 a month. WhitetailHtr helps even more with the perspective.
I think you’ve made me see the light, skookumjt!
Anybody interested in buying a farm??!!
That’s like questioning a guy who spends 20K on a moose hunt.
I’ve personally have hunted with guys who have saved for years to d their very expensive dream hunt... they saving for another.
Time constraints and home location don’t exactly give most whitetail guys the opportunity even for a 130” buck..
6K isn't bad just make sure he has 5" bases though
I'm happy with a 1K extra fancy February Hog hunt.
I wouldn’t spend that in my current financial status but would love too. Heck u could blow that kind of money on a vacation trip to the islands and have nothing to show for it. Come home with a 150 plus inch deer that’s on the wall and you’d remember that trip daily.
I’ve got four points for Iowa and I’m trying to figure out what to do. If any of you guys got land up there I’ll let you shoot all the hogs you want to and I’ll take you fishing for snook and redfish :)
My Iowa Zone 5 tag cost me right @ $2,000.00 DIY, some Private, some Public.
That includes tag co$t ($50 a year for 4 years in points), August scouting trip~~fuel, lodging, eats. Yes, lodging was more pricey in August than in November.
Actual hunt in mid Nov,~~ fuel, lodging, eats and some Tourist Shopping.
HInd-sight, I would do 3 hunts DIY and break even $$ vs $6,000.00 and feel a ton more Self appreciation, one would think
Good luck, Robb
Well I've come to spend money on hunts every year out of state and here's my thoughts. I don't have a lot of time to spend scouting and it's easier for me to take off 1 solid week of work than multiple weekends or weeks---family and kids obligations too. I have a farm in my home state I can hunt throughout the rest of the season and load the freezer and just get out. I feel like I have a better chance at a great deer if I let someone that manages the land all the time, scouting, food plots etc. I agree it's not always as gratifying than doing it on your own place, but I still really enjoy it. Plus I like getting out of state and seeing new areas and people. Of course I also do some elk and other critters too, but there are a few states I've always wanted to kill whitetails in and it makes me happy. I work hard all year and don't spend on hardly anything just to have these opportunities each year.
A smart guy once said I should take the trip of a lifetime every year. Do what makes YOU happy and let others do the same. You'll live a happier, fuller life not worrying so much about what others are doing.
I don't have any problem with guys spending their own money, and agree that for some this is not even a drop in the bucket. However, sometimes I think about how others are impacted and in the grand scheme I do believe that the increasing monetization of hunting erodes what we have in the NA Model. Now the types of things we are discussing on this thread are of course in very small increments, but nonetheless, it is still there. I could pay cash right now to do this type of hunt for a number of years, but what if the neighbor kid who lost his father wants to do some hunting some day?
It's all relative to the individual. I know guys that won't pay a dime to ever go on a guided whitetail hunt anywhere, because they have access to land and whitetails are something they can hunt locally. That money is used for hunting species that aren't available locally.
Then on the other hand, I know guys that have spent anywhere from $50k to $1M+ for whitetail property, and that's just the purchase price of the land. That doesn't take into consideration everything skookumjt listed above each and every year. Running those kind of numbers, $6k is a bargain. Again, everyone's situation, priorities, and happiness are all different.
I would not spend 6k on a whitetail hunt. Not even for a lease. If I had a ton of extra cash, I'd buy my own property, set up my own camp, friends and family would be welcome under strict supervision. It's on the lotto list.
There are two distinct layers to this discussion
1) Personal. No. Hell no, I would not spend $6k on a whitetail hunt. Never been and I don't see myself ever doing an outfitted or guided hunt. Not my cup of tea. Also no judgement if you do. I spend zero time whatsoever worrying about how others spend their money. I am impressed by animals are killed DIY, if there's a good story to enjoy. For a brief time. Then I forget about it and move on with life. Not impressed by stuff killed on outfitted hunts. Just don't care. But also why anyone would care what I think in that regard is beyond me.
2) The theoretical/abstract - where I went with my first post. High dollar hunting and the resultant land issues are destroying the fabric of hunting and conservation in North America....change my mind. I also have no great ideas how to fix what is broken, so I say enjoy the ride and go down with the ship if that's what tickles your pickle.
"You couldnt do half that hunt for 52k "
Trial, you could do all of it for under 52K and several of them twice... Dall, say 20K guided...the rest just go DIY and you're in and could do them more than once.
"A smart guy once said I should take the trip of a lifetime every year."
Ever since that young man told me that in a motel room while on my first western hunt, a pronghorn hunt in Limon Colorado, I've been doing just that. Best advice I've ever been given and it came from a Bowsiter, imagine that!
I'd pay lots more to hunt if my income would support it. My hat is off to those that can pay those type of amounts. This means they typically have set themselves up financially through hard work.
There are so many layers to this conversation. If you live in IL as one poster mentioned, hunting in IA is not that big of a jump forward. Since I live and hunt in west Michigan, there IS a pretty big leap forward.....but not enough to entice me to shell out 6K of incremental personal savings. I've been blessed to take a few "trip of a lifetimes".....moose hunting in Newfoundland and then a couple years later in Alaska. Neither produced the stunning wall covering 55-65" massive animal I dreamed about, but the memories and photos are something you can't necessarily encompass with a pricetag.
I personally would not spend that kind of money hunting whitetails because I killed a pretty decent buck literally in my backyard this fall......$20 Michigan combo tag and my gear that I have acquired over the years. No travel, no lodging, no outfitter fees or tips....of course the true "trophy hunter" would scoff at the size of my buck in comparison to what they see on an episode of "The Crush" with Lee and Tiffany. Instead what I save to pursue with my bow are species that I cannot see out my back slider with my Zeiss binos.....speaking of species rather than a few giant racked bucks that most rarely encounter outside a magazine or TV screen. It really boils down to disposable income, goals and priorities.
" I would not spend 6k on a whitetail hunt. Not even for a lease. If I had a ton of extra cash, I'd buy my own property, set up my own camp, friends and family would be welcome under strict supervision. It's on the lotto list."
Along those lines....take the $6000 and put it towards a small plot and stage off of that. You always have a place to go, it's yours and you can sell it anytime you want and get your money back.
How many seasons would it take for a serious whitetail hunter to spend $6000 the way they hunt now, with little to no real hope of seeing or killing a 180" deer? Not very many, I imagine. As many have already said, it's a matter of priorities and personal choice.
It's all about priorities. Some guys would rather drive a $60,000 truck and live in a $500,000 house. I'd rather drive a $35,000 truck, live in a $200,000 house and go hunting. My money, my choice.
I don’t post on this site. I read. I listen. But you folks attacking others for how they spend their money is ridiculous. Who are you to judge? The problem with hunting is not just the money, it’s the judgment. And shame on you.
Not judging here, or telling anyone how to spend their $$$. Here is one of my priorities though, I'm 56 years old, and if I add up all the vehicles I have bought my entire life, that total would be less than $35,000.
When it comes to "dream hunts"....life is short, so write the check.
I can't take credit for the quote, but endeavor to follow it ;-)
I have a place to hunt WTs and that’s where I prefer to hunt them. That said, if a guy wants to hunt the big ones in IA or KS it’s going to cost some $$. Why would anyone judge or knock someone for doing that?
I SMH at lots of these “holier than thou posts”. There are simply a bunch of guys on the hunting forums who live out west, make hunting their #1 priority in life, and look down on anyone who doesn’t do it their way. It’s ridiculous. For someone who doesn’t live out west and/or have weeks or months at a time to scout/hunt outfitted hunts are the only realistic option. It’s as simple as that.
Christ you don't want to even know what my trophy fees were on my last trip lol
If you lived in the east with a billion other deer hunters, didn’t have any private land to hunt (or even if you did) and spent your entire life sitting in stands shooting 100 inch deer and dreaming about the buck of a lifetime a 180 incher is probably priceless.
You could go on a $2000 dollar hunt but what would you realistically hope to kill? You could do a $3000 hunt and hope for 150s. Then shoot a 125 and go back again with the same hopes.
Or you could be a quality guy instead of quantity and save your money instead of doing 2-3 $2000-$3000 hunts and book the hunt of a lifetime.
Lots of scenarios depending on your priorities but everyone has different priorities which aren’t really anyone else’s business.
$6k, just not that big of a deal for many in 2018. Lot's of guys spending $5-7k on DIY moose hunts in AK or $8k+ on semi guided elk hunts out west every year. If you live in an area with lots of 140" deer that might seem like a lot but there are lots of whitetail hunters that will never kill a 120" deer on their home turf. If they'd rather kill a big deer than an elk or moose who cares?
Spend your money the way YOU want.If you want to go on 6k or 12k whitetail hunt go for it its your money.
drycreek has it right.Don't want to be in some hospital bed sayin" I should have done this and I could have done that" You can't put a price on the moment.
I'm in the early stages of research for a southern Iowa whitetail hunt. I have killed a couple 150+ bucks in my state, and several 130 class bucks.....pretty decent track record for my area of ND. 150-160 is realistic top end. And by realistic, I mean there might be one around.....
I guess my point is, I want the chance to hunt where B&C class deer roam on a "regular " basis.... I know, if I go on this hunt, the odds of killing (or even seeing) one of these bucks is on the low side. I still want the chance. Sure, it'll be in someone else's stand, relying on their knowledge of the area, and deer in their areas....I have no issues with that. I'm ok with the fact I won't be the one who scouted the deer, hung the stand...I don't look to call someone out as being "led by the nose" to a deer. It's all kind of relative. I'll be in an area I know nothing about, that the guide/outfitter knows intimately.
The money part is big.....I don't have it lying around, but like most things in life...if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. The only part I wrestle with a little is, traveling and spending $$$ on something I can hunt a 1/2 mile from my door....at least the species, anyway. I know my wife says "go"....but I'm pretty sure she looks at it the way I just outlined it.
Life is short, your the one who has to live with your decisions. Do what your conscience allows.
The Hashknife in KS is probably $10-12K by now, for a WT hunt. I remember speaking to a North Dakota WT outfitter that charged six grand for a six day hunt, and that was 4-5 years ago, not sure what he’s getting now, but the rub was, he only hunted evening stands, no mornings. So you hunted six afternoon hunts for $1000 a piece! The guy’s clients shot giants, of course, and returned year after year. He has his deal dialed in, or he’d never be getting that kind of coin for the hunts. Big animals make guys do funny things but Whitetails make guys completely nuts. That’s said, I spent well over six grand all in this past November to hunt the Edmonton Bow Zone during prime time, I saw some great deer including a solid net BC 5x5 twice, but never drew my bow, and neither did the other three clients in camp the week I was there. But it was a privledge to be there and the highlight of my season. Now I’m back in New Jersey shooting hundred pound pregnant does over corn piles. Go figure.
Time is priceless... That is where my value is.
I could care less if someone wants to spend 6K if they can.
Some cannot.
Genesis / Busta ^^^^^^^^
Why do some care so much if a guy pays 6k to hunt deer. His money not yours. Some guys don't want to sleep in there car and hunt public land.
Once upon a time I was a dumb kid running around the woods in Idaho with a bow in my hand just hoping to stumble on something. I couldn't have imagined having the money to pay anything for a hunt, let alone $6000. Later on, I became a fishing guide and those guys that could became my clients. I realized that most of them are nice people, just like everybody else. They chose a different lifestyle where they had more money than time. I couldn't disagree with their choice. All of the old fishing guides I knew drove beat up trucks, their skin looked like leather and they barely had a pot to piss in. That experience, and the urging of my girlfriend - now wife - turned me off the guide life and into corporate world. Fast forward 15 years and I have 4 kids, own 3 businesses and a wife in a PhD program. I certainly have more money than time, but I love my life, my family and most of the people who work for me. I don't regret the choices I made.
I've only spent money on a hunt one time and that was to go to Africa. So far, everything else has been do it yourself. I've spent quite a bit more on great fishing trips and don't regret it for a second. I did buy a 40 acre piece here in Nebraska to hunt whitetails on and I've considered adding to it because there's just something about owning your own dirt. However, I could have purchased 50 amazing trips with the money I paid for that 40 acres. Today, I'm taking care of an aging relative who has dementia. We've cleaned out her house and moved her into a facility. Going through all of her stuff you realize that at the end of the day most of it's worthless and it's all going to salvation army anyway.
We are all on a journey largely influenced by our own decisions. Embrace what you've chosen and don't look back. If you've got the money for trips take them, if you've got the time get out there. Above all....do it with your family and friends who are like family. It's the most rewarding thing you can do. Don't be jealous of others, there's always somebody better or worse off than you.
So to answer the question. Hell yes I'd spend the money on a good trip if I wanted to take it. I hope to do it dozens of times and mix in a bunch of DIY trips also.
One guy from Iowa this year shot a 171 on public and drove to Kansas and shot a 161 on public..... oh yeah, they were both diy and shot from the ground.......
I hunt zone 10 in Iowa,,,,, 6000.00 is affordable for a lot of celebrities, and others who have sponsors, and others who can easily do that,,,,, that is a reality,,,,, I know a guy who leases his dads farm, for so much money, he hunts Alaska and beyond on the funs
You don't have to be rich to hunt, but it helps
I know you said you wanted to hunt big WT. But let's look at this from a slightly different angle. You could shoot a big WT next year in your own state. Why not spend the money on a hunt you do not have easy access to. Say for example a Cdn moose hunt, AK diy moose or bou hunt. I think all 3 examples give you a better chance of tagging than a IA guided deer hunt. By the way, I enjoy hunting too much to book a hunt for afternoons only. Might need that one explained.
Some guys make 100$ a day some guys make 1000$ aday and pay the other guys to take them hunting....
In my mind, I can't justify spending that much on a WT hunt just due to the fact that every time I sit in the stand I have an opportunity to see a 170-180. It's a very slight opportunity, but it's there. I certainly don't begrudge anyone who does spend that much though. Hell, I hope to spend triple that on a sheep hunt one day!
It’s only money fellas relax you have 1 mortal life and no one has figured out a way to take it with you yet so spend it on whatever makes you happy.
Its' so funny. $20,000 for a sheep hunt is a bargain, so no judging that guy. Meanwhile what if a guy wants a big deer more than a sheep? What if sheep just don't turn his crank? Same guys spends $6,000 and goes on a whitetail and people think it's overpaid?? Who the heck cares what other people spend. Spend your money enjoy your life. Or don't, beauty is thank goodness we still have the choice to manage our own $
Primetime, some free range muley-whitetail November bowhunts in eastern CO cost that much and don't include lodging or meals, so you stay in a grimy local motel and eat at the diner on top of the grand a day, plus tips.
Price of the hunt aside, I find as I get older and as my career continues to grow I find myself with less time every year. I’ve reached a point where a reasonably priced outfittted hunt is not that big of a deal. Family and career obligations take up a lot of time I previously had. My time off now is really valuable and days in the field would be worth a fee to me.
When a few can spend a lot, it diminishes the ability of a lot to spend a little. You are all correct in that we shouldn't care what some one else spends, but to ignore how it affects all of us is just naive.
I don't believe it affects anybody that doesn't have the means to spend $6000 on a deer hunt. There is cost associated with guiding that's a fact nobody's going to do it for free or lose money on it. If you can't afford it you don't get to do it.
JusPassin, any suggestions on how to fix it? Have the government put a cap on how much an outfitter can charge?
Rocky. I’m guessing these “Locals” that were pushed off the land were in all likelihood freeloaders that hunted for free, never helped out the landowner in any way, offered any thanks for hunting the property.
$6,000.00 would be a great down payment on land to buy for hunting or pay for a lease for a few years.
I would never pay 6k for something I can hunt out my back door. But it all comes down to choices.....
Awe it sounds like we have some liberals here. Why can’t everything just be fare and equal. It’s not get over it or work harder. This is life. There is always someone that has more and can do more. Be happy with your existence or change it. Lou mentioned have the government get involved. Are you nuts Lou ?
Slate, no, I'm a free market capitalist. But it sounded like JusPassin is bemoaning the fact that outfitters can charge whatever the market will bear, so I asked what he would do to fix it. I suggested a Bernie Sanders solution, which as we all know, is the solution to all perceived inequality.
If you have it, spend it. I don’t have it. My fishing license in Newfie is $12. You can camp just about anywhere for free. Ferry, to and fro, $500 Canadian, gas from home to our land and back including side trips, $500. Food, $60/week for 6 weeks. We eat a lot of fish and berries. Money from playing gigs, $2200. The free gigs always involve free beer and food - shed parties. That leaves us with some cash to eat out occasionally and buy wool mittens and t-shirts for the grandkids. Gorgeous scenery, incredible fishing, and not a care in the world with incredible people, free. Poor man’s vacation.
Think of all the local farmers ranchers and guys that have been working their asses off their entire life and how they are benefiting from the price of leases and the price of land going up.
I don't begrudge people who spend their money on guided hunts - they are overjoyed by that experience and I am happy they can afford it. Thankfully, I live in the Midwest which affords me a chance at a big buck, even on public land. Personally, I can't think of a single sporting item or hunting experience that I would spend $6000 on. Now a kick butt vacation with my wife - sign me up!
Those that don't have the time to "hunt"... Don't ever really "hunt". JMHO
I purchased 200 acres with a livable house on it over 15 years ago and my expenses are and have been around + $10,000 a year with the land/house loan, but we do at least shoot one nice whitetail buck every year between son and myself.so paying $6 or 7 thousand for a 6 day hunt with a chance at a nice buck might be worth it to some ,plus would be a lot less work too ! but I do get to hunt 90 days and someday will triple my money on this land.
I know guys that would buy two of these weeks back to back 12 grand total just to ensure that they saw the deer they were looking for.
If I was wealthy and had the time, I would pay for a whitetail hunt under one condition, no guide, no bait, no tree stand. Show me the woods, give me a topo map, and plan on picking me up at dark. I prefer snow for tracking but still hunting in a high deer density area would be a blast.
Priorities for money: 1) Take care of family, give to others, take care of health/reduce stress 2) Plan for the future 3) Enjoy my time on earth What else do I need to do?
