To Drive or Fly? Fuel Costs Predictions for October

If you do decide to fly, look at Turo for truck rentals, generally a lot cheaper and get better outfitted vehicles (actually know what you are getting instead of the rental car desk run around). I’ve had good luck with it, but imagine if something went wrong it would go real wrong, just a risk you have to figure out if you are comfortable with. If you are flying and then driving back, uhaul rentals will be your cheapest and best option, you’ll save a ton over a one way rental.
 
Unless the price difference is huge, or drive time is going to be a limiting factor, I’d drive.
Flights are moved, delayed, connections missed. You’ve still got to pay for a rental once you get there, and fuel to get (typically) pretty far from the airport.
We burnt a day on our bear hunt last month (we flew) because one of the guys’ bag didn’t make it. All the guns, the ice chest, and everyone else’s gear made it, but his one bag with shelter, food, all his clothes and camping gear, and ammo got lost. Airline made it right but we still lost a day of hunting.
Less logistics involved in getting meat/antlers back home if you drive, and you’re less limited on gear/spare gear you can bring.
 
I’ve drove whenever I had the choice before. I’ll fly this year, less flexibility with time. I have miles so cost for each is within $300. I think if flying goes ok it is better, if it has hiccups it’s terrible. Guess I’ll find out
 
I almost always drive if I can. Most areas out west for me are 18hr or more one way. I usually hunt solo and pack small game stuff and in some areas fishing gear. Oftentimes I've tagged out early and chased grouse, quail, or trout depending on locations. Hard to fly with all that stuff on top of my big game gear. Its nice having a lot of flexibility, my own vehicle, and not being tied down to a specific flight.

I honestly haven't put a lot of thought into gas prices and heading out west. I never get a year back and going is important to me.
 
Some of our crew flys and 3 of us drive. Guys will all fly on the same day, rent a truck and drive the 3 hours to camp. From my place to where we hunt in Idaho is around 2100 miles one way. The last several years we have burnt 170-190 gal of fuel one way. Figuring if diesel hits 9.00 a gal, will cost us each 400-500 more. Small price to pay in my eyes.
 
Flying doesn't make much sense for me on a hunting trip. By the time I fly and pay for a rental car I'm going to have WAY more money that just driving. If I drive at least I can bring what you want and not get treated like a second class citizen by those hateful communist TSA employees....
 
I work in the O&G industry and you won't see $7/gal unless you live in CA. I would suspect a worst case scenario of $5 and change. It'll most likely be less than $5.
 
Thanks for all of the response.
My buddy and I talked about it the other night and roughed out overall costs. Think we're going to drive. He's got an aunt in Albuquerque we can crash at for a couple of hours.
Plus side is that we can stop at all the Bucee's on the way to get our trail mixes!!!!
 
dr.mooseknuckles said:
Thanks for all of the response.
My buddy and I talked about it the other night and roughed out overall costs. Think we're going to drive. He's got an aunt in Albuquerque we can crash at for a couple of hours.
Plus side is that we can stop at all the Bucee's on the way to get our trail mixes!!!!
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Buccees tips the scale!! They dont serve beaver nuggets on planes
 
I'm in the same boat, from north georgia to Colorado in September. I called different taxidermists and processors, they all ballparked between $1800-2500 to ship meat and a euro mount of we decided to fly.

Considering flying out and planning on renting vehicle to drive back, still up in the air. Certainly will be cheaper to drive just torn because of drive time not hunting. 3 guys wouldn't be bad we could do 3 back to back shifts pretty manageabley, but just 2 guys would be tougher
 
Prices are getting crazy no doubt we just got back from an Oregon beach vacation the minivan rental was $1300 for 10 days and we booked 6 months ago. Booked airfare to Alaska in February for September and the same flight is up $500.
I would drive I can’t stand being shackled on hunting trips.
On our western adventures from Wisconsin, we leave at 4am and drive til 10pm the first day, then stay at a motel and we’re on the road by 6pm. This can usually get us in country before dark depending.
I’d push it the first day and on the return trip and cut 2 days out of your travel.
I’m blessed to have travel partners that are great drivers so we have no issues.
I have driven multiple trips straight through 22hours from Colorado. Listening to podcasts and downloadable books helps me a ton
 
I have flown and driven , we last went to Colorado in 2020. It’s a 32 hour drive and we drove straight through switching driving between the two of us at each fill up. We got there in time for breakfast and scouted all day. We slept well that night but I don’t think I’ll ever go through the hassle of flying again.
 
I'll be flying again for my upcoming Coues hunt in Arizona. Isn't worth the hassle to drive roundtrip from Alaska to Arizona and back again.
 
I prefer to drive but have done both. We are flying this year. I flew last year and killed an elk. Had it processed at a local processor and shipped back home to Virginia from CO with a specialty meat courier who transports wild game for hunters. It cost $6 per lb to ship plus about $400 for the head which was done as a euro mount. Won't be doing that option again. I could have bought a whole beef for the price of shipping alone.
 
Since you have a partner to split expenses and wheel time, I would drive. Flights are high and unreliable, and car rentals are through the roof! Plus freight costs to ship meat home is costly.

Much less stress involved with driving, as long as time is not a consideration.

Good luck on your hunt.
 
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Jstumbaugh said:
Car rental pricing seems to be dropping at least here in upstate NY. Reordered our rental yesterday and saved 55% from when I booked in March.
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Funny, after I posted, I checked again on a rental for an Oregon blacktail hunt. Not only were prices much cheaper now, but free cancellation was now included as well. I jumped on it.

A 50+ hour drive from Florida is just too much for me to do alone, so I'll deal with the stresses of flying.
 
Rental car market has been crazy last two years. Sometimes they don’t have what you reserved.

But can maybe find an off brand smaller company that has a few trucks or large passenger vans to rent.

Gotta ask yourself what your time is worth? Either way good luck. I’ve done flying and driving. Sometimes always so exhausting driving back after a long hunt.
 
At that cost your fuel bill will be almost $3500
Fullfan said:
Some of our crew flys and 3 of us drive. Guys will all fly on the same day, rent a truck and drive the 3 hours to camp. From my place to where we hunt in Idaho is around 2100 miles one way. The last several years we have burnt 170-190 gal of fuel one way. Figuring if diesel hits 9.00 a gal, will cost us each 400-500 more. Small price to pay in my eyes.
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snowymtnwolf said:
Rental car market has been crazy last two years. Sometimes they don’t have what you reserved.

But can maybe find an off brand smaller company that has a few trucks or large passenger vans to rent.

Gotta ask yourself what your time is worth? Either way good luck. I’ve done flying and driving. Sometimes always so exhausting driving back after a long hunt.
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Rent with Turo, $1300 for full size 4 door truck, with a tonneau cover for 11 days. My group decided to fly this year. Airfare and rental ends up at $900 per man and we pick up two full hunt days.
Our best estimate to drive this year with diesel costs and the crazy tolls coming from the east coast was $775 per man.2 extra hunt days for $125 is well worth it. Assuming no lost luggage or cancelled flights
 
Mdfowlman2 said:
At that cost your fuel bill will be almost $3500


Rent with Turo, $1300 for full size 4 door truck, with a tonneau cover for 11 days. My group decided to fly this year. Airfare and rental ends up at $900 per man and we pick up two full hunt days.
Our best estimate to drive this year with diesel costs and the crazy tolls coming from the east coast was $775 per man.2 extra hunt days for $125 is well worth it. Assuming no lost luggage or cancelled flights
Click to expand...

What will it cost you to fly the meat home if you all were successful?
 
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