From Georgia to Colorado budget. Mainly for gas

[Kwa_bena]

Hello, I'm new here. 2022 will be my first elk hunting season and my second hunting season overall. I currently live in Georgia and I'm trying to come up with a travel budget for going to Montrose. getting few moments of rest and to stretch my legs and then going out to the unit. I'll have a tag with me for archery but I'm just going there to look around with some of the areas that I looked at on OnX. I'll be there around the last full week of the season.

As for my budget, I have $2000 set for gas and bringing my own food for the most part. Is this an over estimate or is this a good amount for a round trip? I'm accounting for gas prices going up between now and the time I'll be heading out. The first $1000 would be me getting there and back. The other thousand would be for when I change locations if I don't see anything which hopefully won't happen too much. I may increase it by another $200-$500.

Thanks for your time to read through this!

P.S. I forgot to mention this, if I don't go the DIY route, would the money be better spent on a guided hunt since I have next to no experience with elk hunting and then I can just learn from the guide?

 

[Billy Goat]

You going in a Subaru or a lifted f-trefity

 

[Kwa_bena]

You going in a Subaru or a lifted f-trefity

In a 2002 Mercedes because it's the only car I have

 

[Billy Goat]

Well you likely won't be burning a bunch of extra fuel up and down forest service roads.


It should be relatively easy to figure fuel costs. You can map the miles, add in several hundred more for driving around out there. The food costs are all about what you want to eat.


I have always done diy, but I think if you pay attention going guided will cut some learning curve from it. That's of course coming from someone who hasn't been guided, just who realized it's a different game. Takes a few weeks to figure out just what you are doing.

 

[-bowfreak-]

1,600 miles to Co

Vehicle avgs 17 mpg (which I'm assuming is a low estimate

Fuel at $4/gallon

$375 to get there and $375 to get back. Another $150 for driving around to hunting spots (probably be a fraction of that) and you are at $900.

In reality fuel will probably be closer to $3 than $4.

If I had $750 budgeted I'd be extremely comfortable with that.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[dtrkyman]

It seems high for fuel, bring it anyway for extras!

 

[cnelk]

Go to GasBuddy and log your trip.

Gas Trip Calculator. Find lowest fuel prices & save - GasBuddy.com

Estimate how much your trip will cost in fuel with our handy Trip Cost Calculator, including diesel costs. Select destination and vehicle type for accuracy.

www.gasbuddy.com

It will show you where to get gas and the price for the trip

 

[BRTreedogs]

Google maps the distance.
Dived the average mpg of your rig into the distance to get the total gallons and multiply by $5 gallon.
I average food at $30 day

 

[Newtosavage]

In a 2002 Mercedes because it's the only car I have

I like the way you think. Just do it. $2k is more than enough. I did my first two trips in a pickup that got 17 mpg back when the gas prices were $3.50+ for less than $1200 including tags. Randy Newberg did a good write up on how to go elk hunting diy for $1k It's a good starting point. My pickup now gets 20-22 mpg and I will spend less than $1k on my CO muley hunt this fall. But I'm 600 mi. closer than you are too.

 

[Jethro]

Maybe some tolls to add to your travel budget too. But your fuel costs are not going to be $2K. We drive from PA pulling a 16 ft trailer getting approx 10mpg and our fuel bill is never that high.

 

[aquanologist]

I think i spent about $700 last year FL panhandle to northern NM and back. That's in a 2011 chevy PU getting 15MPG ave.

Hope this helps.

 

[accountantsanonymous]

For $2k, I'd rent something more comfortable, and fuel efficient, and drive that. Some of these SUVs these days will get upwards of 30mpg. It would almost pay for itself.

 

[Kwa_bena]

I think i spent about $700 last year FL panhandle to northern NM and back. That's in a 2011 chevy PU getting 15MPG ave.

Hope this helps.

That's rather helpful. I did some calculations on the calculator that was suggested here and that seems to be the range coming from at Atlanta. But like I said earlier in the thread. I might turn around and use it towards a guide service and try to learn the basics and what sign look like from a guide since it'll be my second year of hunting if I am able to go. Provided that if I decide to do the guided hunt, that money is going toward the guide and tips.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Just wanted to say kudos to you for having the initiative and drive to make this trip solo from Atlanta, especially being so new to hunting. Your future self thanks you. Good luck and please write a report for us when you get back

 

[sneaky]

For $2k, I'd rent something more comfortable, and fuel efficient, and drive that. Some of these SUVs these days will get upwards of 30mpg. It would almost pay for itself.

You haven't checked rental car prices lately I see

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[Indian Summer]

If you have 2 grand take it! You might end up actually killing an elk and finding someone to pack it out for a couple hundred. You might decide that you need a good night sleep and a shower and a steak dinner before the drive back home. You might use it to have your elk processed. No such thing as extra money when you’re on the road and elk hunting. Good luck!

 

[prm]

1600mi each way
2 days each way. (1 night hotel enroute each way, 1 night upon arrival, 1 prior to leaving)
$130 night hotel x 4 nights = $520
200mi while there
20mpg
Gas average 3.35 gal.
Food. Roughly the same as being at home.

3400 mi/20mpg = 170 gal x 3.35 = $569.50 for gas

$520 + $569.50 = $1089.50

Adjust the variables as you see fit.

 

[Sapcut]

One difference in flying and driving is the time it takes to drive there is time you could be and need to be acclimating to no oxygen air by sitting, walking and relaxing. Rather than driving, getting there and rush up a mountain because you have just spent two days of your trip driving.

 

[VABuckHunter]

@Kwa_bena use the gas buddy website. its helpful. https://www.gasbuddy.com/tripcostcalculator

 

[prm]

One difference in flying and driving is the time it takes to drive there is time you could be and need to be acclimating to no oxygen air by sitting, walking and relaxing. Rather than driving, getting there and rush up a mountain because you have just spent two days of your trip driving.

I’ve done both ways many times. The challenge is flying with everything you need to camp/hunt. If you are staying in a hotel while hunting I guess it could help. Though I never did that. But you will require a rental car which is nuts right now, and then if you get an elk you have a real logistical dilemma. Driving does take one additional day getting there but it is well worth it to me in terms of cost and piece of mind. For the trip home, many leave the trailhead and stay in a hotel prior to catching flight and then get home the next day. That ends up close to just driving straight from trailhead home (one night in hotel halfway). In general though, flying is certainly faster. I agree some acclimatization is important and I do arrive to spend one night at ~8,000’ before going up into the mountains. That combined with the time driving the day prior slowly gaining elevation has been fine for me. I grew up at 8800’, but I’m not sure if that helps now.