How do you afford it?

[bcimport]

If you have a trade or a needed profession immigrating to Canada isn't that hard. Even if you are early in your life and don't have a ton of marketable skills yet it's still doable. If you want to work in the oil patch their is no shortage of jobs.

 

[luke moffat]

I'm gonna try to be politically correct here Luke. For one, when and if you have a couple or four kids, trust me when I say you will cherish your reduced days afield. Sports, increased work load to support those kids, keeping the wife smiling, college funds, schools clothes and the thousand other resources the kids use up, will all affect your amount of days afield. You're blessed to live in AK where these animals are just a jump in the truck. Enjoy every minute. But that is not real for most folks. And I am sure the guys that only spend 7-10 days chasing sheep, are like me and chasing many other animals throughout the ENTIRE year, whether it be with a weapon or a camera. So don't feel sorry for us. Additionally, like you, I have been a "packer" on a few elk hunts when I didn't draw a tag and may have had a better time on those hunts. Sometimes its awesome to be in the back seat.

And we all HUNT for the same basic reason: to harvest an animal. If a person is searching a wild place, carrying a weapon and a tag, they are HUNTING. Pure and simple. But this may be a topic for a more philosophical thread.

Best of luck to ya this sheep season.

Agreed family would take precedence over hunting. In which case you love for spending time with your kids and family over hunting as your time spending with them shows you value that more which you should. Certainly nothing wrong with that. But to live your whole life only lookin for a 10 day window doing what you love to do each year is indeed IMO as sad existence. Not saying that is anyone here I just see it often elsewhere and wonder why is that the only thing they seem to talk about if they only spend so little time actually in the mountains doing it .

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I spend 4 months out of the year hunting 2-3 days a week or more but still spend the other 8 months talking and dreaming about it . I do understand your point Luke but we can't all be super cool Alaskans constantly living the dream. Post another spring mountain goat thread why don't you and add more salt to our wounds.

 

[mwhamm]

Luke,

I might be wrong, but you might laugh in 6 years when you look back and think about your post. Life changes drastically when you start having children. It's a wonderful thing, but it takes time and effort. I've found that my adventures have changed over the years as we have had more children. I still get out a lot, but it takes effort and balance. Most of my training hikes now are with the little boys along side or on my back. It's a fun change, but definitely a change from the DINK life.

I look forward all year to sheep hunting, but I also look forward to taking my 4 year old duck hunting and being exhausted laying in a tent sandwiched between two awesome little boys on a family raft trip.

That's my little rant, but life comes at you fast. I just try to enjoy each stage I'm in.

Mark

 

[rodney482]

Sheep just arnt on my list..

 

[goatboy]

I live in BC and can hunt all corners of it with a days drive. That being said it's still expensive and takes a lot of time, I'm lucky that I have a good job and can work OT when I "need" new gear or want to do a fly in. You have to make it a priority even if it takes time away from the rest of the season, when I do a fly in its usually the only trip I do all year and I definitely don't do it every year. I have kids and a wife and the hardest part is leaving them behind for two weeks while I go play. It is a selfish sport and just being able to find the time to get physically prepared for a sheep hunt is hard enough. Money is one thing but time is my biggest factor. I think the big alure about mountain hunting to me is the planning and prep that goes into it, it keeps me in hunting mode all year.

 

[luke moffat]

I am very sorry but I feel what i was attempting to say across misconstrued. I don't myself feel I "live" to hunt sheep even if I am blessed to be able to do it between 20-25 days a year annually lately. Something I enjoy to do and likely my favorite actual hunting. Yes I am blessed to get out and enjoy the outdoors but I still work 160+ days a year too and if I claimed I live to hunt that would be pretty screwed view in reality for me as I truly spend less than a third of the year hunting (roughly 100 days). We all try to get out and do the most we can given our obligations but I agree if I do have kids my priorities and how I spent my time afield would certainly change but I have never claimed to live to hunt or anything I would just continue to try to get out and enjoy creation as much as my life responsibilities would allow, which is no different than anyone else. I was hoping to be Sitka blacktail deer hunting this past week in the alpine but had family coming into town that changed that so certainly no stranger to life getting in the way.

We all prioritize how much time we are blessed to spend doing activities we enjoy and that varies person to person and even different amount if time during ones life doesn't cheapen that time at all. My point simply was that folks that claim to wrap their whole identity on who they are by saying they love to do this or that bit spend so little time actually doing it, if they truly live to for that yet prioritize their life that they only do it very little I would be sad. I am not saying any of you are that way and I certainly don't feel that hunting is my main priority, but if that is how I felt it should be I would look make that more of a priority by changing my occupation by being a guide or something. Like I said we all get out as much as we feel we can given what our main responsibilities in life allow. If hunting sheep at some point then you will scratch and save until it is a reality that is all. Just like I said a 30k stone sheep hunt would be cool bit fair from a priority so it's not something I will save for. If you feel it's enough of a priority you will take steps that give you the best chance of making that happen. I wouldn't personally pay 10-12k to hunt sheep but that's simply not that large of a priority for me.

Sorry if my previous post came across wrong as looking at the replies it seems as if it was not received as I had hope I was trying to convey. Hopefully above better illustrates what I was attempting to say.

 

[gelton]

I think this thread epitomizes the thought process of most western/ak hunters that actually live where they hunt. (not just Luke) This type of outlook assumes that only those that spend 20+ days in the mountains per year are the only ones qualified to speak on, write on, or be successful in the endeavor of mountain hunting. The constant references to flatlanders, fanboys etc. are evidence of this and again its not just Luke, in fact I rarely get this drift from him if at all.

This might not apply to sheep hunting but for backpack hunting in general, I would say that those of us that drive 18+ hours to a backpacking destination have to be more prepared and face much larger obstacles than those people that live there. For instance, I have never taken a weekend backpacking trip or even a 4 day backpacking trip - we dont have the luxury of driving home, working a 4-5 day week and then getting back out in the field. When we are there its usually for 10-14 days (or more) at a time making the hunt even more of a challenge and bringing a situation that takes more preparation and stamina than being able to drive home sleep for a few nights and then hitting it again.

So the next time that a fellow mountain hunter looks down on others that dont have the luxury of living where we LIVE to hunt, just remember the preparation, execution, and odds of success are heavily stacked against us so forgive us if we cherish the few days we can afford to spend doing what we all love.

 

[luke moffat]

I guess I still didn't get my point across and maybe never will. I certainly don't feel superior to anyone here. All my hunting is 3-14 hour drives away as well. We all just do what we can. I just don't get the mentality of some folks that claim to live all year for just such a short portion of their life. Oh well I guess I can never convey what I am saying. Just hope you guys know that I certainly don't feel superior or better than anyone here no matter how much time one spends in the outdoors so long as they enjoy it. Lord knows there are tons of guys that are blessed to hunt much more than I and I don't fault them as they prioritize their lives to accommodate that. And I have never used the terms such as flat lander, or fanboys as I don't believe I an better than anyone here and there are many on this very site that are blessed to hunt much more than most of us.

 

[gelton]

I guess I still didn't get my point across and maybe never will. I certainly don't feel superior to anyone here. All my hunting is 3-14 hour drives away as well. We all just do what we can. I just don't get the mentality of some folks that claim to live all year for just such a short portion of their life. Oh well I guess I can never convey what I am saying. Just hope you guys know that I certainly don't feel superior or better than anyone here no matter how much time one spends in the outdoors so long as they enjoy it. Lord knows there are tons of guys that are blessed to hunt much more than I and I don't fault them as they prioritize their lives to accommodate that. And I have never used the terms such as flat lander, or fanboys as I don't believe I an better than anyone here and there are many on this very site that are blessed to hunt much more than most of us.

Luke,

Anyone that has read your reviews or has seen all of the help you give to fellow hunters knows you certainly dont feel superior to anyone. And in case no one has thanked you in a while for doing it - Thanks. I just think you are speaking your mind in this particular instance and you cant fault anyone for doing that either.

I am only pointing out that most of us flatlanders spend half of our vacation time per year in the mountains and the other half working a second job or with our families and if we could spend more time in the mountains we certainly would. Sad? Kind of.

I understand what you are saying but hopefully you and other hunters that live out west can understand the other side of the story as well. We didn't have the luxury of being born in or haven't moved to Gods country yet and many of us spend 340 days per year dreaming about the 10-20 days we get to do what we love.

 

[luke moffat]

And we all HUNT for the same basic reason: to harvest an animal. If a person is searching a wild place, carrying a weapon and a tag, they are HUNTING. Pure and simple.

If this is the case I personally am only going on one hunt this year...

 

[mwhamm]

No worries Luke, I see what you are saying and intending to convey.

I agree with your statement though that it would be a sad life if your ONLY excitement for the year was a 10 day sheep trip.

 

[tipsntails7]

If this is the case I personally am only going on one hunt this year...

Luke I've got to agree with you. Harvesting an animal is icing on the cake on any hunts I go on. I actually eat my bear tag last fall because I passed on a couple and volunteered to help on 4 different bear hunts. Each hunt was awesome. I've said this numerous times and maybe even on here but if I woke up tommorrow and hunting was banned I would still head to the elk woods, every September just with a camera instead of a bow. The experience of being away from all that our society has become and getting back to the wilderness is therapy for myself and a lot of hunters I know.

 

[MattB]

One good way to realize the dream to hunt sheep is to pay yourself first. By that I mean set up a seperate hunting account and and auto-transfer from your main account (where your paycheck goes) just following payday. Once you adjust your spending to the slightly lower take-home amount, you probably won't miss the money. Many people (myself included, and I am a finance professional) don't have the discipline to save in more conventional ways. Too often when people see that extra money in their account towards the end of the pay cycle, they spend it rather than save it. By implementing my strategy, you are just saving that money before you have a chance to spend it.

Look at what a sheep hunt will cost (factoring in travel - flight/hotels/meals, tips, taxidermy, etc), figure out your time horizon and do the simple math on how much you need to take out of each paycheck to make that happen. Look at that amount and see if you think that level of weekly/semi-monthly/monthly savings is achievable. If so, get to work.

 

[gelton]

One good way to realize the dream to hunt sheep is to pay yourself first.

I was given this advice from a smart business man about 20 years ago and it is probably the best single piece of advice ever given to me. Pay yourself first.

 

[_Nick_]

I guess I still didn't get my point across and maybe never will. I certainly don't feel superior to anyone here. All my hunting is 3-14 hour drives away as well. We all just do what we can. I just don't get the mentality of some folks that claim to live all year for just such a short portion of their life. Oh well I guess I can never convey what I am saying. Just hope you guys know that I certainly don't feel superior or better than anyone here no matter how much time one spends in the outdoors so long as they enjoy it. Lord knows there are tons of guys that are blessed to hunt much more than I and I don't fault them as they prioritize their lives to accommodate that. And I have never used the terms such as flat lander, or fanboys as I don't believe I an better than anyone here and there are many on this very site that are blessed to hunt much more than most of us.

I get it Luke. Your point is a very simple one that people are seeming to not follow precisely. I think that is due to the fact that there are multiple possible inferences to be drawn about someone who claims to 'live to hunt' but then does not devote the majority of their time to that activity.

The logic is as follows:

1) If someone claims that X activity is what they "truly live for" then they should be devoting the majority of their time and effort to it.

2) If that person is not devoting the majority of the time to what they claim to live for, then there are a few possibilities:

a) The person does not truly live for X, but is simply making a rhetorical statement designed to indicate that they like X a lot. This seems most likely.
b) The person is somewhat confused about their priorities. They may nominally think they 'live for' X, but in fact if you look at their priorities, and press the person on them, it becomes clear that they instead 'live for' their family, their friends, or other activities. I think this is often common as well.
c) The person does indeed 'truly live for' X, but they are being irrational and structuring their lives such that things they care less about dominate their life. This is the situation that you referred to as sad. I agree. But I think this is probably the least likely situation.

You can pretty much insert any life activity for X in this logic, not just hunting. I think your point is a good one, but I think that the confusion about it exists because of the other possibilities under point (2).

Anyway, good discussion guys.

 

[AK Troutbum]

As much as I hate to say it, I guess I live to work. At least that's what I do more than anything else.

 

[PA 5-0]

As much as I hate to say it, I guess I live to work. At least that's what I do more than anything else.

LOL!!! I was just doing some math.

Sleep--365 days x 7hrs a night avg= 2920

work---52 weeks x 40hr avg= 2080 (for myself, multiply this by 1.6)

30 days afield hunting yearly(above avg) x 12hrs of daylight = 360

By the above referenced definition in post #36, I guess 99.99999% of us live to sleep and work. That is sad.

 

[ol490]

I live to hunt while I'm hunting,
Daydreaming about hunting, or reading about hunting. I live to watch my twin boys play hockey or football when they are playing hockey or football. I live to take my family to the movies when I'm taking them to the movie, etc. I feel lucky that the things that limit me to a couple of weeks hunting a year are things just as special to me. I feel blessed to have the family I have, and I know I'm damn lucky to have a wife that's supportive of the stone sheep hunt I leave for in 7 days.

 

[gelton]

I get it Luke. Your point is a very simple one that people are seeming to not follow precisely. I think that is due to the fact that there are multiple possible inferences to be drawn about someone who claims to 'live to hunt' but then does not devote the majority of their time to that activity.

The logic is as follows:

1) If someone claims that X activity is what they "truly live for" then they should be devoting the majority of their time and effort to it.

2) If that person is not devoting the majority of the time to what they claim to live for, then there are a few possibilities:

a) The person does not truly live for X, but is simply making a rhetorical statement designed to indicate that they like X a lot. This seems most likely.
b) The person is somewhat confused about their priorities. They may nominally think they 'live for' X, but in fact if you look at their priorities, and press the person on them, it becomes clear that they instead 'live for' their family, their friends, or other activities. I think this is often common as well.
c) The person does indeed 'truly live for' X, but they are being irrational and structuring their lives such that things they care less about dominate their life. This is the situation that you referred to as sad. I agree. But I think this is probably the least likely situation.

You can pretty much insert any life activity for X in this logic, not just hunting. I think your point is a good one, but I think that the confusion about it exists because of the other possibilities under point (2).

Anyway, good discussion guys.

Decent logic but a bit flawed in that:

1. I can say that I live to hunt because I spend plenty of time in the field here in Texas...BUT...to be honest the whitetails (which are a dime a dozen where I could literally tag out in my subdivided neighborhood), the hogs - which are also a dime a dozen and unlimited, the coyotes which are unlimited as well as the ducks and geese (we have a late season snow goose with no limits) that are also a dime a dozen, don't really excite me anymore.

2. So it would be more precise for me to say I live to hunt elk, which is the type of hunting that I enjoy most, but I only get to do it 15-20 days out of the year. (including scouting).

So to me, even though I love to hunt, its the mountain elk hunting that is the pinnacle of that so it would be more precise to say I live to hunt elk...but don't think for a minute that many of us that are still sub-40 yrs. aren't wishing, thinking, or planning on how we can move out there permanently so that we can do it more often and spend more time in the field.

It sucks paying 1000% more for tags because you are a non resident and having the draw odds stacked against you.