How do you guys go on these cool hunts?

[Will_m]

Wealth is subjective. Millionaires envy billionaires.

But nobody envies the guy wondering if he can make ends meet at the end of the month, can’t get his kids why they need or can’t handle an unexpected large life expense. It’s not that subjective.

Wealth isn’t everything but it’s damn sure something of significance.

 

[Will_m]

I need some help and I don’t know who better to ask than the guys doing it so here goes. How do you guys achieve the time freedom and the financial freedom to go on these cool hunts. I’m in Arkansas working at a factory I have no kids but I have a wife and a mortgage and I pretty much only get to hunt what’s local to me like whitetail and ducks. I’m looking for adventure.

Don’t forget this is the internet.

 

[Rich M]

We're talking about the same kinds of numbers, my man. We had a big financial setback a few years ago where we had to live on my "hunting fund" for a couple months while I recuperated from an injury, so the 6kish I had set aside for a hunt rapidly shrunk, and we've been scrambling to replace it ever since. I've probably made a few rash purchasing decisions along the way, too which doesn't always help.

I'm finally back to a point where I can think about small hunts and do some cool stuff more locally or save all my pennies and never do a hunt until I'm too old to do the hunts I want to do.

Those little setbacks are always significant. Glad you had the hunting fund to draw from. We did something similar but wife's health while making low income. It was long enough ago that just an expensive memory.

Nothing wrong with hunting local.

I used to build duck hunting boats and trade em for deer hunts. Only 1 guy actually put me on a deer - forkhorn. The rest just couldn't or wouldn't show a single deer. Stopped doing it when I realized could get on a hunting lease for less than building the boat and going on these adventures. Also sold plans for a while and paid bills with the income.

But I'm still faced with the same dilemma of having a group to go with or paying someone to shepherd me around. This is pretty much a non-negotiable with my wife. Solo hunting is a hard no far from home.

my wife is same. Just be careful who you go with. Most folks should fall into the uh, no category.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I think you should both come out here, drive around a bit, do a little hiking and realize that it's not quite as dramatic as you're making it out to be. Plenty of people who can barely walk around the block can cruise up in the hills in the fall and look for critters near the roads or within easy/flat hike distances.

It doesn't have to be a weeklong solo backpack hunt in the thorofare in order to be an adventure.

Working on that and I understand what you're saying.

I keep trying to plan a local 'backcountry' trip but life gets in the way when seasons are short

 

[Jpsmith1]

Those little setbacks are always significant. Glad you had the hunting fund to draw from. We did something similar but wife's health while making low income. It was long enough ago that just an expensive memory.

Nothing wrong with hunting local.

I used to build duck hunting boats and trade em for deer hunts. Only 1 guy actually put me on a deer - forkhorn. The rest just couldn't or wouldn't show a single deer. Stopped doing it when I realized could get on a hunting lease for less than building the boat and going on these adventures. Also sold plans for a while and paid bills with the income.


my wife is same. Just be careful who you go with. Most folks should fall into the uh, no category.

Yeah, I didn't mean to come off as angry. Better to have the money than not.

My wife has her own health concerns that can prevent her from tagging along even on scouting and shed hunting hikes. She might come out mushrooming with me this spring and I'd be happy to have her along.

 

[.204smokechaser]

Work hard play hard.

6 years ago after I finished college (paid it all via cash from working) and went into my field to now, I make 5 times more a year. That required moving around and making a lot of friends via networking in my field.

I don’t say no to overtime except in the fall. 800 to 1000 hours of overtime a year at my regular job with leave accrual and working on the weekends in the “off season” of my regular job doing private forestry stuff allows me to screw off during hunting, trapping, and ice fishing seasons. I take on average 30 days off paid a year to hunt/fish and try to keep 20 days of leave built up for other things that come up. I budget $15k a year for play money.

I don’t go into debt for fun toys or pickups to look cool. No payments to my name and you don’t need to look like a typical social media content creator to go on out of state hunts.

 

[fngTony]

If you have even a decent local economy go find a way to make money while you can. It’s almost covid slow economy around me right now so very little opportunities. That way if a recession hits your area you have the means and time to go hunt.

 

[Rokbar]

Make your on cool hunt in Arkansas! I have been fortunate to go deer hunting to Montana and Wyoming. But I enjoy the rut in NC more than anywhere else.

 

[Mr. October]

Yea see that’s the thing I’d like to do this without divorcing my wife and being dumb with my money. You could be on to something about the better job part.

Smart choice. Throwing financial responsibility aside to pursue hunting is a world class dumb decision. People see what Lee Lakosky did and think it was a good decision. 99% of the time that isn't working out.

I've done a few hunts over the years. Like anything else, you just have to find a way to scrimp and save here and there. And then shop around. Don't just go with the cheapest deal on the cheapest trip. You will almost certainly be disappointed. And don't plan on running out every year.

 

[loganwayne]

Me personally I stuck my head down and built my career. Im 34 now have a position that I make good money and enough freedom to go if I want, also means I have to say no to some trips to keep things running. Married, house and a 1 year old.

Biggest difference in me and my piers that are in similar positions, they have 750-million dollar houses and drive new vechicles every year. We live in a 1300sf farm house that was left to us and I gutted and redid for 150k. My wifes car is paid for and mine will be this year. Both are 2019s. We are living well below the level we could be but also dont have ourself leveraged to the max.

 

[Rich M]

Yeah, I didn't mean to come off as angry. Better to have the money than not.

My wife has her own health concerns that can prevent her from tagging along even on scouting and shed hunting hikes. She might come out mushrooming with me this spring and I'd be happy to have her along.

You came across fine - was something I could relate to, 100%.

It is always better when the wives come along.

 

[Kernal1985]

Me personally I stuck my head down and built my career. Im 34 now have a position that I make good money and enough freedom to go if I want, also means I have to say no to some trips to keep things running. Married, house and a 1 year old.

Biggest difference in me and my piers that are in similar positions, they have 750-million dollar houses and drive new vechicles every year. We live in a 1300sf farm house that was left to us and I gutted and redid for 150k. My wifes car is paid for and mine will be this year. Both are 2019s. We are living well below the level we could be but also dont have ourself leveraged to the max.

This is the way, lots of people get wants and needs confused. Live within your means and make it a priority to set aside some money. If you still find yourself coming up short find a way to make more money whether it’s a job change or a side hustle, make a plan and stick to it. And don’t forget to involve your spouse and kids in the planning. I’d love to use every second of my vacation to be hunting out of state but I’d be divorced, lol.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm gonna keep her.

So what I do is...when I want to do something and my wife doesn't want me to do it...I ask myself "is she willing to leave me over this?" and if the answer is no then I do it anyway. This is how you build trust to do the things she doesn't want you to do.

 

[S.Clancy]

So what I do is...when I want to do something and my wife doesn't want me to do it...I ask myself "is she willing to leave me over this?" and if the answer is no then I do it anyway. This is how you build trust to do the things she doesn't want you to do.

This is the way. I'm always shocked at the number of men that let their wives completely rule their life.

If you are legitimately putting in work in the off season and not a degenerate drinker/smoker/gambler/womanizer there should be no reason you can't get after some cool hunting/wilderness opportunities in the fall.

For those saying "my wife doesn't want me going solo", to me that sounds like you don't want to go solo and you are using your wife as an excuse. Get an InReach and some skills and get after it.

 

[White Falcon]

Keep this in mind for next year. " The Javelina Hunt." Youcan bring your wife if you want, lots of woman go. https://thejavelinahunt.com/
Great hunt for $300.00

 

[justinspicher]

Live in a place with better opportunities. I live where I hunt, that really helps. Being able to get out all year makes a huge difference. Resident fees vs NR fees are huge.

Hunting is like life, it’s what you make of it. If all you do is compare your situation to everyone else you’ll just be miserable. Figure out what you want and get after it.

 

[Mr. October]

Me personally I stuck my head down and built my career. Im 34 now have a position that I make good money and enough freedom to go if I want, also means I have to say no to some trips to keep things running. Married, house and a 1 year old.

Biggest difference in me and my piers that are in similar positions, they have 750-million dollar houses and drive new vechicles every year. We live in a 1300sf farm house that was left to us and I gutted and redid for 150k. My wifes car is paid for and mine will be this year. Both are 2019s. We are living well below the level we could be but also dont have ourself leveraged to the max.

That's how to do it. You'll be in much better shape than your peers if the bottom falls out of things like 2008.

 

[Dos Perros]

For those saying "my wife doesn't want me going solo", to me that sounds like you don't want to go solo and you are using your wife as an excuse. Get an InReach and some skills and get after it.

You can start small! Take a summer fishing trip. Fly to Bozeman and rent a car and piddle around fishing on your own. Learn to navigate and exist without a Winn Dixie across the street. Layer in some hike-in stuff. When you come home with some pictures and a smile and lessons learned you demonstrate your ability to not die (which, to my knowledge, we have all demonstrated to this point).

 

[Duckhunterbrad]

I wish the OP would give us a little more background on what he currently does and his abilities to branch out into other lines of work. In today's world, a young man with a great work ethic is a highly desired commodity in the workplace! However, I do recognize that it's easy to get down on yourself and lose sight of what is out there for opportunities. Take a moment and honestly reflect on your abilities and identify what you do best, exploit those abilities! I would caution against going the youtube route right away, to do it at any level takes a tremendous amount of time and equipment that you most likely don't have the money for now. For quick money, use that strong back!

 

[loganwayne]

This is the way, lots of people get wants and needs confused. Live within your means and make it a priority to set aside some money. If you still find yourself coming up short find a way to make more money whether it’s a job change or a side hustle, make a plan and stick to it. And don’t forget to involve your spouse and kids in the planning. I’d love to use every second of my vacation to be hunting out of state but I’d be divorced, lol.

Oh I still have my wants. But instead of going and buying a new 125000 boat I went and bought an older one. I still have toys they just aren't brand new