Hunting Tips and Tricks to SAVE money and hunt more

[Ashy Larry]

You don’t need a custom rifle to hunt big game.

 

[canyonhunter47]

Reduce the costs of the trip by cutting where possible (avoid hotels and fast food, DIY meals and processing) and splitting the costs if you can

Also make a plan for the gear to buy to make sure you don’t buy stuff that your not really gonna use. Buying sales and used is good but if it doesn’t fit with your hunting in the reasonably near future you’d be better off saving it for later

 

[zacattack]

1. I recently discovered a 20lb bag of ice is $1.99 at Costco. Saves me alot of money.
2. Investing in meat processing equipment.
3. Buying a Dehydrator to save costs on food while hunting.

For those of us that like to sleep places for free try allstays.com it has lists and user reviews of free places to park/sleep/camp overnight. Me and my wife have used it several times with good success. I think camping in a tent or truck has probably saved me the most out anything I do. Although some nights get a little rough in my $20 Coleman tent.

 

[Michael54]

I think my biggest money saver was when i started trading hunts with other people. I run beagles alot and have met people from all over the country. Trading a whitetail archery hunt on our farm in pa and a few days of rabbit hunting with the dogs for a mule deer hunt on a guys ranch in wyoming was a game changer for me personally. It also was the start of a really good friendship and the addition of a new hunting buddy.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My biggest money saver was moving to Alaska. I can hunt sheep like I’d hunt deer back where I’m from. Moose??? Same thing. No guides fees, 94.00 license....

of course all the 4 wheelers, boats, snow machines etc etc add up.

 

[Boarmaster]

Buy once , cry once , but cry when equipment is on sale.
I vacpak leftovers and freeze. Toss them in the cooler and eat them rather than go out for dinner. If I buy a ham or cook a turkey breast I hack off and freeze some for sandwich meats.

 

[S.Clancy]

I think my biggest money saver was when i started trading hunts with other people. I run beagles alot and have met people from all over the country. Trading a whitetail archery hunt on our farm in pa and a few days of rabbit hunting with the dogs for a mule deer hunt on a guys ranch in wyoming was a game changer for me personally. It also was the start of a really good friendship and the addition of a new hunting buddy.

I would be careful about your wording here. Techically, "trading" hunts classifies as outfitting without a license in many states because there's an implied agreement and compensation. Just FYI, don't want you to get nailed for it.

 

[wyosam]

My biggest money saver was moving to Alaska. I can hunt sheep like I’d hunt deer back where I’m from. Moose??? Same thing. No guides fees, 94.00 license....

of course all the 4 wheelers, boats, snow machines etc etc add up.

Not quite the same, but having a friend in Alaska to join for hunts is a cheap way to get the adventure, without the high cost of tags/shipping meat/etc. I can fly up on points and spend a week or two having a blast for practically nothing. Fly up with some elk meat, fly home with a little supply of copper river kings and some caribou/moose/sheep meat.

Key to making it cheap is to live in the middle of it. I hunt elk for a month plus, usually put two a year in the freezer, all within a 20 mile radius of the house. The “trailhead” (unofficial) for my favorite spot is close enough that if the windows on the truck are iced up, half the time I just walk from home.

Don’t buy a bunch of stuff you don’t need. Good hunting gear lasts a really long time, don’t replace everything just to have the latest and greatest of every thing. Actually, keep doing that, since it keeps the classifieds full of gently used stuff for when I do need to replace something.




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[16Bore]

Cracking a joke is 24 HR Campsite kinda BS??? Hmmmmm.......I might have to check it out. People get wound a little too tight on here sometimes.

They don’t mind the “N” word either. Black people and poor people don’t hunt you know.

 

[16Bore]

What is a good economical dehydrator that you would recommend?

Your oven.

Set it on low, use a wooden spoon to crack the door open. Use cookie cooling racks placed on sheet pans to catch the drippings.

 

[GregB]

They don’t mind the “N” word either. Black people and poor people don’t hunt you know.

Damn dude chill, there isn't much on here that doesn't seem to set you off. Being constantly upset at what people put on a forum seems like a miserable way to spend time.

 

[16Bore]

Not quite sure what you’re referring to...

 

[GregB]

They don’t mind the “N” word either. Black people and poor people don’t hunt you know.

I saw the like button, but couldn’t find the “ignorant response” one.

Welfare, food stamps, and social justice.....very nice.

Then we should be under par, that’s 24 HR Campfire kinda bullshit.

 

[16Bore]

Oh, gotcha. Yeah. It’s just words and the internet. Doesn’t matter.

Thank you.

 

[Michael54]

I would be careful about your wording here. Techically, "trading" hunts classifies as outfitting without a license in many states because there's an implied agreement and compensation. Just FYI, don't want you to get nailed for it.

Never knew that. Its more of a you can come hunt my property this year and ill come hunt yours next year deal between new friends.

 

[SWOHTR]

Never knew that. Its more of a you can come hunt my property this year and ill come hunt yours next year deal between new friends.

I don’t think you have to worry about a LE agency busting down your door.

Do you have an outfitting license?
Are you in it for money? No? Ok. Can only imagine that someone would try to stretch that to hunting a rancher’s land. “Be careful Mr Rancher, you’ll be ticketed for providing semi-guided drop camp hunts without an outfitting license.”

“But the guy just asked if he could hunt my property and I said yes...”

It’s about as ridiculous a notion as people fretting about transporting a legally taken animal across state lines and worrying that a LE Officer will ticket them for illegal take in that state.

 

[Michael54]

I

I don’t think you have to worry about a LE agency busting down your door.

Do you have an outfitting license?
Are you in it for money? No? Ok. Can only imagine that someone would try to stretch that to hunting a rancher’s land. “Be careful Mr Rancher, you’ll be ticketed for providing semi-guided drop camp hunts without an outfitting license.”

“But the guy just asked if he could hunt my property and I said yes...”

It’s about as ridiculous a notion as people fretting about transporting a legally taken animal across state lines and worrying that a LE Officer will ticket them for illegal take in that state.

I have almost had that happen to me over a bobcat lol. I filed my harvest report online for the west virginia kill and forgot to print out the slip. Luckily the guy was willing to look at my phone screen for proof that i took it in west virginia. He didnt care about the antlers in my truck bed but that bobcat paw sticking out of the back put him on high alert lol

 

[Dmartin88]

I never shoot an elk. Saves a lot of money on processing fees, celebratory whiskey and food saver bags. Plus I get way better gas mileage driving home in a cloud of shame, as opposed to being loaded down with elk meat.

I know the feeling!