How far do you drive for a diy trip

[ThisIsMyHandle]

So I’m in the planning stages for a DIY mule deer hunt next January in Arizona. My plan is to base camp with a vehicle and hike in everyday. My original thoughts were to drive there(I live in Connecticut) since traveling by air at that point might still be questionable. It’ll also not overly limit what I take with me or how I bring back meat and antlers(god willing). But I’m struggling with the idea of driving across the country for a hunt, even though it’d be a fun road trip(2500 miles one way). So my question, how far are you all willing to drive or how far have you driven for a diy hunt?


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[Finch]

28 hours from Virginia to CO 4 times now. I've done the drive 3 times with my buddy and this past fall with the wife and 2 kids. It is a haul but almost a necessity to drive instead of flying.

Good luck!

 

[Buckshotaz]

If Canada is open, I am driving from Arizona to Fairbanks in September

 

[Fullfan]

From Pa to Idaho, been doing it for years. Takes about 38-40 hours one way. The drive out is never bad, coming home is always rough.

 

[fatlander]

The old adage is do you have more money or more time?

With the way fuel prices are rising, I’d lock those cheap plane tickets in right now. Pack like it’s a backpack hunt in a bush plane. Reserve your rental from a non airport location. Check cheap coolers with the meat for the return leg. Ship your gear home if necessary.

5000 miles round trip, solo, is a ton of time not hunting.


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[Billy Goat]

Depends on your work schedule. You can fly in a day, depending on how much your taking the cost varies. If you have plenty of time to burn the driving might not be bad, but it burns you out. If you have limited time to hunt I'd be flying. I have only flown one time. I'm a driver, I like having the options of leaving early, both home and from a hunt. Haven't left early from a hunt yet tho. Anywhere from 28-36 hour drive time. Works really well if you have someone else with you and you rotate and go straight thru.

 

[FLAK]

20-22 hrs for me to go to Southern NM, which is my closest option.
And thats about my limit, not sure how much longer I'll keep doing it.
I used to fly to other states but finally decided I couldnt carry enough
on the plane to keep my aging body comfortable for a week.
So I drive. It's a pain in some ways, better in others.
Starting to look at closer options here in the Southeast.

 

[zacattack]

I like to stop and see stuff along the way so it always takes longer but I think the drive is part of the experience, being stuck in a plane to go experience the great outdoors just isn’t my vision of a good time. So I’ll drive pretty much everywhere.

 

[justinspicher]

Nope. I hate road trips, like to fly even less.

 

[150plusB&C]

34 hours. It sucks but at least you for everything you need.

Hell, I drive 4 hours, hunt daylight til dark then drive home. At work next morning. You only get so many hunting seasons in your lifetime. Die with memories not dreams.


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[Finch]

Die with memories not dreams.

Never heard this but love it!

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

Drove 32 hours this past year to hunt elk and muleys on the west side of the continental divide in Colorado. Northwestern PA to there, left at night slept 2 hours, I don't even remember driving monarch pass, gotta die of somethin lol

 

[bozeman]

25 hours and love every minute of it! Always go out and return a diff way to see more countryside.......safe travels!

 

[TX_Diver]

15 hours last year. 22 the year before. 4 the year before.

Varies wildly depending on what I draw and where I live at the time.

 

[Bobbyboe]

Flights to AZ are cheap. Fly, rent a truck and hunt. If you kill, cancel your flight and drive home.

 

[MtGomer]

Flying hasn’t been questionable for some time. There are regular flights to just about anywhere.

the only thing about renting a vehicle is that you get shitty 4 ply tires. Turo might be worth checking out for alternatives.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

I like to stop and see stuff along the way so it always takes longer but I think the drive is part of the experience, being stuck in a plane to go experience the great outdoors just isn’t my vision of a good time. So I’ll drive pretty much everywhere.

I thought about this as being a good reason to drive also. I’m sure there’s plenty of awesome bbq joints to stop at along the way.

Time isn’t really a issue because I’m laid off every winter. I’m guessing it’s about a 24-30 hour drive so it looks like a lot of people do that length also.


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[ThisIsMyHandle]

Flights to AZ are cheap. Fly, rent a truck and hunt. If you kill, cancel your flight and drive home.

True. Thought about this also but I think it would cost me more money than just flying home.


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[mlgc20]

I love road trips. Between hunting and fishing trips out West, I will typically do 3 road trips per year. They will be between 16 and 24 hours each way.

 

[as.ks.ak]

18-30 hrs. And that’s driving from AK to AK. Just goes to show how big AK is compared to the loWer 48.


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