How do you guys go on these cool hunts?

[Hnthrdr]

Everyone should be a tad disgusted at the monetization of hunting… heck half the reason this discussion is being had is that “western hunting” has become wildly expensive…. Huh I wonder why that is?!

 

[Q_Sertorius]

This is understandable I simply want to tell stories and have on film some of the craziness that has happened on my adventures during this time. I asked the question not out of greed trying to make money but out of true lack of knowledge on how to go about these cool hunts as all week long I had been thinking about how I don’t ever do any of the western hunts I’ve always wanted to do like black bear and antelope and mule deer and elk that everyone here seems to do. I legit am just today trying to figure out how to acquire preference points and enter draws. The channel is a dream of if I show people all the fun I have out here ( I’m no good at it) and people watch it a bunch I could possibly pay for these cool hunts simply by showing the world these adventures and in the end have a collection of one man’s adventures in the outdoors.

And you had eleven pages of sincere advice telling you how to avoid playing the expensive and frustrating game of preference points and draws before you mentioned your YouTube channel. Just go hunt.

Enjoying hunting does not require a rare or expensive tag or gear. It just requires going hunting.

The whole hunting influencer thing is a toxic cycle. Going on expensive hunts so you can make content to pay for expensive hunts so you can get sponsors to pay for you to pimp their expensive stuff while making content to go on expensive hunts and convince other people that what they want to do is buy stuff they don’t need to go on hunts they can’t afford. There’s a reason a number of those guys eventually get caught doing something shady, because the product they are selling demands constant attention and new content and they had to sell part of themselves to get there. It’s like doing coke so you can work harder so you can buy more coke. Just break the cycle by not starting it. Enjoy the opportunities you have and plan for the things you want.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Everyone should be a tad disgusted at the monetization of hunting… heck half the reason this discussion is being had is that “western hunting” has become wildly expensive…. Huh I wonder why that is?!

You’re just jealous!

 

[HuntHarder]

Tons of comments in here feel like excuses for why someone is not as successful as others in life.

OP- work hard early in your career to set yourself up to have plenty of discretionary income. There is often lots of personal sacrifice. Some guys are willing to, some guys choose not to. I devoted almost 4 years of my life to my profession, basically putting it first. My wife and I knew it was going to be a rough 4 years, but in the end, it would be all worth it. Fast forward 12 years and I live a pretty comfortable life and have been on some hunts many dream of going on. I still choose to not live my life above my means and have money for things I enjoy in life. I still live in my same house I bought in 2009. This affords me the money and time away from work to do the things I enjoy. I could work more hours and make considerably more money but at my stage in life, I look for a balance, leaning toward family time and experiences.

To each their own, but I rarely look at other people and assume they are in debt. I just don't care if they are, that is their choice and the only real reason to constantly say things like that are to justify your current situation.

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

This thread reminds me of something Joel Maxfield said in a video I saw last year or the year before when the opportunity for a big hunt came up. “Honey, how attached are you to your half of the 401k.” Thought that was hilarious.

Doing some kind of side hustle can be worth it. Handy man stuff, trades stuff. I’m an electrician and there is quite a bit of money to be made for pretty simple stuff. $100 an hour for 20-25 hours a week adds up.

 

[wind gypsy]

These cool hunts are harder to do because so many people were determined to do them so they could show off how adventurous they are. Lots of hunters wouldn’t be competing for these things if it wasn’t to feed their ego and show off how ‘core they are. Even if it’s just for social media likes and back pats. There’s a vibe attached to it and you’re throwin it off. That’s why you’re getting the reaction you’re getting.

 

[getcervid]

Some people have hinted at this, I’ll expand on an idea.

If you’re young (20s, and even 30s), you have a unique oppurtunity to build and accumulate wealth. Every year, your dollar is worth less and has less time to grow. Exponential growth is a huge boon to those who can save young.

If you’re making something like the nations median household income and planning on a “typical” career/retirement timeline, it is way easier to save for that now than later. Your savings multiplier is ridiculous in your 20s.

Starting at age 20:


Staring at age 40:


Your first $100k in savings/retirement will take about as long to accumulate as going from $500k to $1M. The sooner and more aggressively you start that journey, the easier it will be to fund and spend on fun, “expensive” dreams that you want to do in the future.

Spending $10k on a hunt when you’re worth $50k just isn’t the same as spending $10k+ when you’re worth $1M.

Spend a couple years buckling down on your budget, savings, and investing. Hone your skills and fitness. Watch your net worth grow, and start rewarding you and your spouse with fun trips, dream purchases, etc.

Cut expenses ruthlessly on anything that does not contribute to a handful of your biggest goals.

Consider whether you want to have a career/youtube channel that tends to put pressure on an already scarce resource- public land and wildlife.

 

[RME]

You just smashed any good faith you were getting with one post.

Yep!

 

[Hnthrdr]

If more people were content with hunting because they love it and not needing to make videos/ content I 1000% guarantee it would be easier to get tags and less expensive to hunt. There is not some insane influx of sportsmen in the U.S. since 2015 difference is insane numbers of hunters hunting 2,3,4,5 states a year wonder what that coincided with?

 

[WRO]

You want to make cool YouTube, do cool stuff around home, doesn’t even have to be hunting related.

The hunting space is already jammed with crappy content so much that I rarely watch it anymore.


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[NRA4LIFE]

You want to make cool YouTube, do cool stuff around home, doesn’t even have to be hunting related.

The hunting space is already jammed with crappy content so much that I rarely watch it anymore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, I agree, show me how to fix odd stuff.

 

[Marbles]

I used to live in Arkansas. I found a job in Alaska and moved. Didn't hunt the first year due to the cost of non-resident tags.

My hunts are still limited to cheap access options and the primary payment is sweat equity, but I can hunt deer, caribou, brown bear, black bear, moose, goats, and sheep reasonably. My problem now is time as my family comes first.

I don't have a side by side or a wheeler or a snow machine or a boat; they all cost too much. I did add a pack raft to my kit to expand options this last Black Friday.

No kids helps (I have kids). A wife that works helps (mine takes care of the kids).

Having gotten my master's degree helped a whole lot. If I was willing to leave my family for weeks at a time that would significantly increase my pay further, but I'm not willing.

 

[Sevens]

Some people have hinted at this, I’ll expand on an idea.

If you’re young (20s, and even 30s), you have a unique oppurtunity to build and accumulate wealth. Every year, your dollar is worth less and has less time to grow. Exponential growth is a huge boon to those who can save young.

If you’re making something like the nations median household income and planning on a “typical” career/retirement timeline, it is way easier to save for that now than later. Your savings multiplier is ridiculous in your 20s.

Starting at age 20:
View attachment 1020192

Staring at age 40:
View attachment 1020191

Your first $100k in savings/retirement will take about as long to accumulate as going from $500k to $1M. The sooner and more aggressively you start that journey, the easier it will be to fund and spend on fun, “expensive” dreams that you want to do in the future.

Spending $10k on a hunt when you’re worth $50k just isn’t the same as spending $10k+ when you’re worth $1M.

Spend a couple years buckling down on your budget, savings, and investing. Hone your skills and fitness. Watch your net worth grow, and start rewarding you and your spouse with fun trips, dream purchases, etc.

Cut expenses ruthlessly on anything that does not contribute to a handful of your biggest goals.

Consider whether you want to have a career/youtube channel that tends to put pressure on an already scarce resource- public land and wildlife.

Compounding interest was also going to be my recommendation. If I had invested the money I spent on “one last rifle” each year, could probably be doing a couple nice adventure hunts instead.

I can definitely understand the frustration though. When I was growing up, I belonged to a local SCI chapter and loved attending the “trophy room tours” they did ever so often. Saw some amazing trophy rooms, indoor mountains, full room dioramas, things that put the Cabela’s stores to shame. Common themes about the owners of those trophy rooms were:
- Owned their own business (they were plumbing, drywall, car dealership, and a law firm)
- Older
- When not hunting, they were working
- if their wife didn’t hunt, they were single (either divorced or never married)

Even if you become ungodly rich and can chase the Weatherby award, you’re going to end up single if your wife doesn’t like hunting.

 

[Aussie Dan]

I actually have a YouTube channel which is the reason for asking the question I was hoping the channel would pay for trips but what I realized is I need the trips first so the channel can have videos and I need money and time for the trips

Use your relatable struggles to produce content.
How i turned a pawn shop rifle into a cheap accurate DIY hunting rig.
Battle of the budget rifles- borrow cheap gear off friends etc.
Best bargain hunting gear finds.
Local hunts because im too poor to do xyz out of state.
Cheap camping tips and tricks.
Camping minimalism due to budget.

Im assuming youre fairly young, understand that being an influencer requires a ton of work behind the 30 sec tik toks and the instagram posts etc.

Also realise that nobody leaves high school and becomes ceo the next day. That's just not how life works, you have to work your way up to the good life of time/$$ freedom.

 

[rodney482]

I work

I dont smoke, drink, gamble or chase skirts

 

[B Harrison]

Here’s my advice, pay the house off, save your money, hunt local, spend only cash on you, and then the financial freedom will come.
I’m 45, with a very sick kid. Just now starting to spend cash on fun stuff.

My bills are paid, and my money guy says it’s ok.

That’s how I did it, if your wife has like goals that will help, mine just spends money, but she’s mine so, it’s on me.


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[Thess87]

Most important thing in my opinion is who you marry. Someone that helps you get to the top or someone that is just a ball and chain to drag around. I married up and with out her I wouldn’t be where I am.

Cool experiences take $. Hard work makes $. Do more of one and you get more of the other.

 

[Ecampbell25]

Comparison is the thief of joy.

If you are unhappy don’t let life pass you by.

I moved away 12 years ago from my dead end job.

Turned my passion for hunting and fishing into a carreer!

If I can do it anyone can!

 

[Steve300xcw]

I work

I dont smoke, drink, gamble or chase skirts

That sounds awful

 

[ez_willie]

Apologies if it’s been asked already, but you don’t need a new pair of binoculars or some gas station snacks by chance do you?