How much money do you spend?

[madgrad02]

I plead the fif... One...two...three...four...fif!

 

[awbowhunter]

Pretty well set up now. But years past it has be kinda, maybe, sorta ridiculous. I mean its possible I have a problem.....had.

 

[Customweld]

I must be the only guy that can walk into a sporting goods store with a gift card that was given to me, and walk out every time without buying anything because I couldn't find anything I wanted.

I'm right there with ya. I upgrade packs about every 5 years and new surplus woolies at about the same time frame. All that clutter used to be money, all that money used to be time.

 

[WCB]

For upgrades I don't really do much from year to year. Some socks, and general consumables from the pack like First Aid things I used, maybe change out water filter, I will add a couple shirts and maybe a new pair of gators this year but nothing major....I don't get how guys can spend thousands of dollars each year and change things up all the time. If anything I have reverted back or "downgraded" some gear because most "high end" gear is completely un needed. Things like pants...I back pack hunted 10days between the Bob Marshal and another range for elk. Besides my Kuiu rain gear, Attack pants (6 years old), and SG pack (7 years old maybe?) and Crispi boots....I had really zero "high end" clothing.

I'd say on average for tags and licenses (big game, upland, waterfowl, fishing in multiple states) for me and my wife $3500 a year.

"Gear" $3-$400

 

[Danny Hoey]

There is always something bigger, faster, lighter, quieter. Once you get past that, it's not too bad.

 

[rmelville]

I dive pretty hard into gear, so I spend to much. But I have what I need so I cut back a lot.

 

[UncleBone]

I must be the only guy that can walk into a sporting goods store with a gift card that was given to me, and walk out every time without buying anything because I couldn't find anything I wanted.

Happens to me too. But if its my money, I could spend 5x as much as I brought no problem.

 

[roadrunner]

At some point and time you'll have everything you need.

Im there.

Same here.

 

[UncleBone]

My next few months budget went down 3k in the last few days. Expensive vet visits aren't fun, but I will spend the money to keep my dog alive and worry about fun stuff later.

 

[jewbacca]

Besides my Kuiu rain gear, Attack pants (6 years old), and SG pack (7 years old maybe?) and Crispi boots....I had really zero "high end" clothing.

That's like $1500 of gear!!

 

[JStol5]

Shot a new bow out of curiosity. Huge mistake.

 

[Yoder]

I just spent about $400 on trout fishing. My cheap car is also paid off. A lot of people are spending twice that a month on a truck payment.

 

[thedutchtouch]

More than I "should" and less than I want to seems to work for me. Honestly trying to buy cheap gear and then replacing it when it breaks/wears out/disappoints you generally costs more than buying good gear from the beginning, regardless of the hobby. I don't total it up, I just make sure all the necessary stuff like mortgage and taxes and kids expenses etc are taken care of first. I'm sure if I did total it I'd be surprised, but can't put a price tag on happiness now can you?

 

[Laramie]

I spend maybe $100 per year to upkeep what I have or replace worn out stuff which happens rarely. I did spring for a new rifle for my son this year- his first "adult" sized rifle so that set me back a little under 2k after it was said and done. It is the only rifle I'll ever have to buy for him though so well worth it to me.

If I happen to have excess in the budget, I save some and then I take my family places to make memories. New gadgets generally just don't interest me.

 

[rtaylor]

I'm a minimalist so not much here. I've got to prioritize where my money goes so I'd rather go on vacation somewhere with the family than have a fifth hunting rifle that basically does the same thing my other 4 do. I've always told my wife we can have experiences or we can have stuff but we can't have both. I'll cash preference points in every few years and I buy a fair amount of seed for food plots. Annually for gear maybe $150 on average. If my kid's have outgrown their boots or camo that might bump it to $200.

 

[WCB]

That's like $1500 of gear!!

Not doubt...but the newest item were my Crispi Wyomings which Im going on my 3rd year and paid like $330 for them at the time. And that is after running my last pair exclusively for 3 years and still wear them early season or when waterproof and tread aren't a necessity.

Every thing else is 6 or 7 years old and well used. Raingear as been patched a few times. So average out $1500 over say 6 years $250 a year and that is at todays prices.

My point was there are guys that spend several hundred to literally thousands every year on "gear". Also, most guys realistically hunt 1-2 weeks a year/ gear up for their one hunt a year. I am hunting 100+ days a year. The majority of guys I talk to at trailheads that is their one hunt a year and they have honestly not counting weapon and optics, have probably $3000 just in clothing if not more. $600 pack. $300-$500 boots. Then add everything in it. Then think about what they have at home because every year they buy the new item or need a full suit for every season. I can count on one hand the number of these guys I have ran into that had clothes that didn't look like the tag was just taken off of it.

 

[Customweld]

The majority of guys I talk to at trailheads that is their one hunt a year and they have honestly not counting weapon and optics, have probably $3000 just in clothing if not more. $600 pack. $300-$500 boots. Then add everything in it. Then think about what they have at home because every year they buy the new item or need a full suit for every season. I can count on one hand the number of these guys I have ran into that had clothes that didn't look like the tag was just taken off of it

But that's how you tell they are hardcore hunters!

 

[DSO123]

I’m not putting that information out on the internet. Too easy for my wife to discover

 

[WCB]

The majority of guys I talk to at trailheads that is their one hunt a year and they have honestly not counting weapon and optics, have probably $3000 just in clothing if not more. $600 pack. $300-$500 boots. Then add everything in it. Then think about what they have at home because every year they buy the new item or need a full suit for every season. I can count on one hand the number of these guys I have ran into that had clothes that didn't look like the tag was just taken off of it

But that's how you tell they are hardcore hunters!

100% truth.....They probably look at me and think look at this poor bastard has no idea what he is doing. Hasn't he ever watched Hushin...ears aren't even tucked in.

 

[Axlrod]

I don't know exactly... But I was at the grocery store and they have ground Elk in the freezer section for $9/lb, I thought they are loosing their A$$ on that!