How do you guys go on these cool hunts?

[IDVortex]

Oh yea self employment.. All the free time in the world that way

I had better time off (paid time off) working for a local public road department then I do working for myself. With less stress.


OP. Want a job with a better chance of PTO? Look into goverment jobs, firefighting or LE. Or even become a nurse.

The other thing ive started to do, is it might not be able to afford to do some hunts, and im waiting to draw my OIL tag for some species, I do some volunteer work for the RMGA so I can still chase the animals, and be in the country they are in. Even if I dont get to kill one.

As many and I mean many have said.

Comparison is theft of joy.

Move to AK if you want a better opportunity to hunt exotics. Thats what I would do right now, but I dont want a divorce so im choosing my wife over Goats and Sheep. And moose.

 

[AZDC]

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

This is how I am now. Classifieds scavenger, it almost feels wrong to buy anything that’s not on sale or used. Shoot I even pick out the discount stickered eggs lol.

 

[IDVortex]

It has its own rewards. But just locking the door for a month or so...Thats a hard thing to do

As a single employee of my business, the complete max i could do is 2 weeks. But goal is to try to hire 2 guys this year, if I can pull that off, ill be messing more with sales and admin to where I could go longer.

 

[Shadowbuck]

There are actually a surprising number of hunts you can go on that aren’t crazy expensive. I’ve been lucky enough to hunt most of the western states and Alaska multiple times—but they’ve all been DIY hunts. At this point, that’s honestly how I prefer to do it.
It really comes down to priorities. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me how I afford out-of-state tags… and then I see they’re driving a brand-new $80k+ truck with $1,000-a-month payments. Drive an older truck. Don’t buy the biggest house on the block. It’s all trade-offs.
I’d also recommend everyone have some kind of side hustle. It’s really not that hard to make an extra $3–5k a year. That’s your western hunt right there—or save for a couple years and go on a big trip. The best part? You’re not putting financial pressure on your family for your hunting. I look at my side hustles like a game I get to play instead of sitting around watching TV.
Now, sure—if you really want to save money, not having kids definitely helps. But my kids are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, so I wouldn’t change that for anything. And honestly, nothing beats sharing the outdoors with them.
For most people, these bigger trips don’t happen until later in life. You might be surprised what you can afford in your 40s and 50s if you plan well and stay consistent.
It also helps to choose a career that gives you time off and flexibility—nurse, doctor, pilot, firefighter, aircraft mechanic, etc. There are a lot of solid paths out there that make adventure more doable.
And sometimes you can experience incredible hunts without paying full price. I helped out on a Dall sheep hunt in Alaska a couple years ago, and it was an amazing experience. It also made me realize it’s not something I personally need to spend $40k on—even though I’m at a point in life where I technically could.
Work hard. Be patient. Make deliberate choices about what matters to you. I don’t think it’s selfish to have passions. In fact, I think a lot of people end up unhappy because they never chase their dreams—whatever those dreams are. That kind of regret can turn into resentment over time.
You can provide for your family and still live a life you’re excited about. It just takes intention.
I also personally refuse to live somewhere I don't love, life is to short.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I moved to a state that offers some epic hunting opportunities, but it usually costs a fair amount to access most of the places I hunt. So, that said, I usually only go on one big (10-14 days), hunt a year. Some years I’ll combine that “big” hunt with another hunt or two that I can access more affordably, and are usually shorter in duration.


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[11boo]

Gotta be a big chunk of us who live in elk country and get to go yearly.
Don’t try and compare yourself to that. Our resident tags are cheap, self guided is cheap.

 

[loganwayne]

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.

I work in a market of construction that caters to extremely wealthy people. Most pay cash. So it is somewhat insulated from things like 2008 happening again, not that it cant. But we are also very close to a point where if it happens I could go work at Walmart and make ends meet. Wouldn't be doing what we do now but could easily survive.

 

[travh879]

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.

This industry has gotten very expensive and door knocking has fewer and fewer results due to leasing agencies. It's officially a pay-to-play world now unless you have access to some good public land. I've hunted some amazing public land in Ohio with views and experiences that you would pay a lot of money for if guided.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Gotta be a big chunk of us who live in elk country and get to go yearly.
Don’t try and compare yourself to that. Our resident tags are cheap, self guided is cheap.

Yep, until this year when the prices got jacked up, I could buy a combo elk-deer-bear-cougar for $96. Now I think it's about $138. Still pretty cheap. All OTC with some limitations, spike elk only on the east side and 3 point min on mule deer. All cool hunts to me with my buddies.

 

[loganwayne]

Yep, until this year when the prices got jacked up, I could buy a combo elk-deer-bear-cougar for $96. Now I think it's about $138. Still pretty cheap. All OTC with some limitations, spike elk only on the east side and 3 point min on mule deer.

Dirt cheap compared to out of state. I'll spend more than that on fuel just to get to the Mississippi.
Then again I can go to the adjoining states and push killing 20 whitetail if I wanted to

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dirt cheap compared to out of state. I'll spend more than that on fuel just to get to the Mississippi.
Then again I can go to the adjoining states and push killing 20 whitetail if I wanted to

Yes, I realized a few years ago I could buy all my permits here in WA, plus 3 in Mo and 1 in WI for less than 1 deer tag in MT. I don't hunt in MT anymore.

 

[Mr. October]

This industry has gotten very expensive and door knocking has fewer and fewer results due to leasing agencies. It's officially a pay-to-play world now unless you have access to some good public land. I've hunted some amazing public land in Ohio with views and experiences that you would pay a lot of money for if guided.

Where I live, landowners mostly just slam the door in your face if you are asking about hunting. They've been asked so many times they don't want to hear it anymore.

 

[iamthenick]

I play the powerball every once in a while... only need to win one time!

 

[Pausekey]

I think the single most important point is to not try and compare yourself to the snapshots you get of other folks' lives. People at different income levels will do things differently. This comes down to available money, but mostly time.
People in the top 5% of tax filers don't have the time to screw around with stuff. They may not have time to scout over summer, or plan a long hunt to get a feel for an area. So they leverage $ to maximize their time and success.

If you fall into a different income camp, take advantage of your resources. Maybe you do have time as a resource, so use it to plan and scout for cool hunts.

Also a bit of a nuanced point here, but debt is not evil. Debt is a tool that can either hurt or help, depending on use. I completely understand those who avoid debt because they do not trust themselves to avoid getting trapped. But too often the mantra just becomes debt is bad.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

This industry has gotten very expensive and door knocking has fewer and fewer results due to leasing agencies. It's officially a pay-to-play world now unless you have access to some good public land. I've hunted some amazing public land in Ohio with views and experiences that you would pay a lot of money for if guided.

Expensive is no joke, went out squirrel hunting on a small piece of public here in Idaho today, neighboring property has signs for a duck club with website on the bottom. Out of curiosity I looked up the club. For the low low price of $15000 you can hunt 10 days a season, or if you want a real bargain you can up your membership to $25000 and hunt 20 days. Assuming you limit every day out that’s only $214.29/duck for the 10 day membership or $178.57/duck for the 20 day


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[Howdoyoulikemenow]

Been big game hunting every fall since I was fourteen years old. I’m sixty seven. I couldn’t afford to hunt more than my resident state until my early fifties. Even then I only used my overtime funds that I earned. Wife, two kids, mortgage etc. I worked hard. Took some college courses. Learned new skills. Got promoted several times which greatly increased my income. This was a thirty year span… not overnight. Now I’m retired. Some years I’ve hunted three states. Almost always at least two. My point is to not wish your life away and stay in your lane until you can merge into better jobs/better pay. If you work hard this will come to pass young man.

 

[ddowning]

Unless its making money, I will never understand that kinda money on a rig

I feel like that will always be a lot of money to me. I am 8 years almost nine into business. I have a friend/mentor that is 23 years into business in the same industry. He makes enough that it isn't a lot of money to him any more. He still remembers when he didn't have any money. The first truck I bought for business was $5k. I asked him if I was stupid to not just buy a truck with a warranty and make payments. I could afford it. He said to me, "Do you know the best kind of truck?" I said, "I'm not sure I do." He said, "Paid for."

 

[ddowning]

You work with guys who dont prioritize their marriages that are dumb enough to keep getting married anyway.

You beat me to it. People that have no morals or ethics have no business being married. A lot of those people work construction. If you run a construction company based on morals and ethics and the premise of underpromising and over delivering you can do pretty well. I'm not very smart, or hardworking, but I manage to get it done. Also, I have been with the same woman for nearly 20 years and our relationship is solid. It is downright disheartening to see people speak about women in the tone of the poster above.

 

[Slugz]

Lots of great info here already. So much its worth reading twice and taking notes.

Ill offer this. Take all the great advice here and come up with a plan. A five year plan to meet a goal/hunt you want to do. Most people dont realize its critical to do this. These things dont just happen overnight and require details. Last minute planning and purchasing results in a way higher cost for everything.

I personally have a plan for the next 12 months to execute a 3 year and 5 year plan. The 3/5 gets modified as needed.

I need to acknowledge I grew up back east and during my military career I was lucky to figure out I'm staying out west. Makes things a ton cheaper when living out here. For me screaming elk in September was a life priority for me.

 

[peterk123]

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.

We moved and retired. Like you, I could not fathom taking off two weeks, going across the country to hunt, nevermind pay for a guide. So at age 54 we said screw it, Massachusetts blows, the people there blow and the hunting and fishing blows. Life is too short, we are getting old and only have so many years left where our bodies will be able take the physical abuse.

Best decision of our lives. Even our kids came out here. I have lived a lifetime during the past five years. And it's practically free. I had a spectacular year this past season. Beautiful bull elk on bow opener. My first antelope buck. My first bear. I could drop dead tomorrow and have zero regrets

We are also in the best health of our lives. We are much happier together. Ya, we earn much less, but we also require much less. You need to get to a certain point in life to make a major change but the tradeoffs are worth it. Well being trumps everything. And for us hunting is a huge part of that. I'm actually amazed at what a huge part of our lives it is today. We are not hard core backcountry, it's gotta hurt, trophy hunters. We are meat hunters so it's become part of our daily life. We now hunt year round. Just got a rabbit the other night. I will be chasing coyote tonight.

Funny thing. My wife never hunted. Then wanted to try it three years ago. She had been shooting for years though. First time out she was hooked. This year she came on every single hunt, except archery. She got the largest deer this household has ever seen this year!