Husker hunter
Active member
Just start saving $ 40 each month & wait til next year. By then u will have enough saved up to have an enjoyable trip.
Cutting costs...
- Thread starter Gunner46
- Start date
2 things: brymoore nailed it, more disposable income and are you a Vet with a VA rating? Idaho is where to go if you are: you can hunt deer & elk, req hunt license and 3 days of fishing for same as 2 lope doe tags in wy (under$100) its not cheaper just a lot more oppurtunity. on a side note time to upgrade that ranger...lol
Summitthunting
Well-known member
Sell plasma, that was my main source of beer money in college.
BlakeA
Well-known member
This. I can't imagine driving all that way and being stressed out counting pennies the whole time. Start saving and go in 2019.
Washington Hunter
Well-known member
Put it on the card.. then pay for it later. Get your dam priorities straight.Seriously, I wouldn't put it off.
Agree 100%! He's 63! You only live once, go hunt NOW. Waiting until 2019 is crazy talk.
One more thing I can suggest, in trying to keep costs down, is choose an area that is open in September, so you can hopefully have warm and dry weather. You'll be more comfortable if you're camping out and you can camp right where you hunt, saving on both fuel and lodging. The only downside is you might need to buy more ice than if you were hunting later in the season.
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midwesthunter
Well-known member
Get a second or part time job, pack your food, rent a compact car, shorten the trip. Most rental companies have better deals for a week rent. Change something in your normal life financially, give up cable/satellite.
If you go doe tags you should be able to do trip solo for under $1K. But I will also say, don't take any offence to this since no one knows your financial situation. IMO if anyone can't save up an extra grand from now until say Oct, they probably should put the trip on hold. My thinking for this is, if you can't really afford it, what are you going to do when something happens to your vehicle or house or a medical situation? Just my thoughts.
If you go doe tags you should be able to do trip solo for under $1K. But I will also say, don't take any offence to this since no one knows your financial situation. IMO if anyone can't save up an extra grand from now until say Oct, they probably should put the trip on hold. My thinking for this is, if you can't really afford it, what are you going to do when something happens to your vehicle or house or a medical situation? Just my thoughts.
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
Don't rule out flying. Last year, I flew from NY to Denver and back for a total of under 300 bucks. I flew Southwest and got my tickets well ahead of time. Then, if you rent a cheaper car, you're looking pretty competitive, especially if you take a friend with you. You won't need to ask to use their truck and you can split gas money with them. With such a long trip planned, do your own processing out there, then find a way to freeze it and take the cooler as checked baggage. I did that last year, it was just an extra 75 bucks for the cooler (on Southwest).
Something to think about, anyway. I hope you figure it out. I wish I were going back this year. I'm scheming up a way to take my oldest son out the next year to hunt pronghorn. He'll be 12. I'm hoping I can do it for the same price as going elk hunting myself.
Something to think about, anyway. I hope you figure it out. I wish I were going back this year. I'm scheming up a way to take my oldest son out the next year to hunt pronghorn. He'll be 12. I'm hoping I can do it for the same price as going elk hunting myself.
Keeptrying
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2016
- Messages
- 678
Flying is an option.
Pro-tip. DO NOT drive out of Denver during rush hour.
Pro-tip. DO NOT drive out of Denver during rush hour.
If I really wanted to go on a budget, I would get two doe tags instead of a buck tag, that should put enough money in your wallet to cover the cost of gas for the trip out and part of the way back. If you spike camp it, cut up your own animals, and pack food for the entire trip, you can do this hunt for next to nothing. If you are really into collecting horns, let me know. I've got five or six sets on a shelf in my garage that you can pick from.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Sell meth and do porn :hump:
Addicting
Well-known member
I thought we were not talking about that! # fight club
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Oops
VAspeedgoat
Well-known member
Food is an easy place to cut some costs. If a hotel is necesary then raid the breakfast bar. Sausage and ham warm up nicely for days with minimal refrigeration required. They usually have bread and/or biscuits too. I can get a couple of good meals from one descent hotel buffet if I am pushed. Also peanut butter is the cheapest source of calories I can think of. Again, minimal or no refrigeration. Its good on granola, bread or even celery if you can gag that crap down. If you want something warm then do gas station hot dogs. Most of the time they are only a buck and you have access to serve yourself sauerkraut to cover some vegies. Drink water from a big thermos which again you can fill from the hotel. Do fountain drinks, they are cheaper than bottles.
Ship your stuff to a post office and take a greyhound bus. Rent the cheapest car you can to drive around but make sure it has enough room to sleep. It may be worth looking at a regular cab mid sized truck. Throw a tarp over the bed and now you have an rv. Just make sure you have a good bag and descent mattress pad. You can rent them for probably what it will cost to ship. Check on the bus thing it may be easier and cheaper to take your gun and stuff with you.
Or.......take johns advise and do porn
Ship your stuff to a post office and take a greyhound bus. Rent the cheapest car you can to drive around but make sure it has enough room to sleep. It may be worth looking at a regular cab mid sized truck. Throw a tarp over the bed and now you have an rv. Just make sure you have a good bag and descent mattress pad. You can rent them for probably what it will cost to ship. Check on the bus thing it may be easier and cheaper to take your gun and stuff with you.
Or.......take johns advise and do porn
Travel expenses and food are easiest ways to cut costs. Find your cheapest rental or fly and rental rate. If you drive out spend your sleep time in Walmart parking lot. Bring your own food either precooked and frozen or ready to cook. Camping is free on BLM and FS land when you get here.
Walmart parking lots are the go to spots for traveling motor homes and campers across the west for a quick sleeping spot while traveling, it is very common and I believe the company welcomes it. Some areas it may seem strange but it is common across Wyoming and I believe other western and mid western states. They park out away from the entrance and are not bothered.
Walmart parking lots are the go to spots for traveling motor homes and campers across the west for a quick sleeping spot while traveling, it is very common and I believe the company welcomes it. Some areas it may seem strange but it is common across Wyoming and I believe other western and mid western states. They park out away from the entrance and are not bothered.
mevertsen
Well-known member
What is wrong with your current truck? Why not put a few hundred into it and just take that?
uncle sage
Member
Here's how i been having to cut costs yet still go hunting. Don't have new stuff and don't spend money on going places other than hunting, fishing, to make money, or to go buy food. I'll do what i have to to go on at least one big trip on a good Buck hunt every year. Some years i've had to buy and/or sell something but have always saved or did what it took.
I'll scrimp like a mad man but my goal will be to have enough to buy a few things i need before each year's trip, nothing crazy, but maybe a set of bino's or a new parka,.. like that. Then i want to have enough to do the whole trip right out of my old but maintained camper truck, be able to stay, go to and where as long as i'd like, eat good from camp,.. kinda like i'm on vacation rewarding self when money shouldn't be an issue.
Then i come home and start scrimping for the next years hunts. Not really recommended for everyone but that's how i been doing it cause things been tight for me too, longer than i want to remember, but i still have the burning desire to go as i've had since i was a kid..
For you, i might suggest you to buy a point this year and start looking around for a older but maintained campered 4x4 rig that you can travel, camp/sleep/hunt from in the 2019 or 20 seasons. Be a little picky but decent rigs are out there for little $. my $.02
I'll scrimp like a mad man but my goal will be to have enough to buy a few things i need before each year's trip, nothing crazy, but maybe a set of bino's or a new parka,.. like that. Then i want to have enough to do the whole trip right out of my old but maintained camper truck, be able to stay, go to and where as long as i'd like, eat good from camp,.. kinda like i'm on vacation rewarding self when money shouldn't be an issue.
Then i come home and start scrimping for the next years hunts. Not really recommended for everyone but that's how i been doing it cause things been tight for me too, longer than i want to remember, but i still have the burning desire to go as i've had since i was a kid..
For you, i might suggest you to buy a point this year and start looking around for a older but maintained campered 4x4 rig that you can travel, camp/sleep/hunt from in the 2019 or 20 seasons. Be a little picky but decent rigs are out there for little $. my $.02
Gunner46
Well-known member
So, here is what I've been able to put together. Last trip was around $2400 for a 10 day, on my onesies, adventure. 1st time to the area, F150 truck rental, 7 day stay at a bare minimum hotel. Food costs is mute to me because I'm a bachelor and it's actually cheaper in the long run to just buy frozen & nuke it!
~ If I go with a 'Pay Now/ Pick Up Later' plan & only do a 7 day round trip, I can get a Jeep Compass for less than half of what I spent last time. (-$300)
~ 17mpg vs 30mpg (-$185)
~ No motel at hunt site and extra day getting back (-$375)
~ No deer tag (-$350)
That puts at $1190 and 3 days to hunt.
If I can cut another $2-300 I it's a GO. Just need to get the time off....
~ If I go with a 'Pay Now/ Pick Up Later' plan & only do a 7 day round trip, I can get a Jeep Compass for less than half of what I spent last time. (-$300)
~ 17mpg vs 30mpg (-$185)
~ No motel at hunt site and extra day getting back (-$375)
~ No deer tag (-$350)
That puts at $1190 and 3 days to hunt.
If I can cut another $2-300 I it's a GO. Just need to get the time off....
LCH
Well-known member
4 days of travel from Ohio? Splurge a few bucks on some redbull,1 day there 1 day back.
Good luck with your plans!
Good luck with your plans!
VAspeedgoat
Well-known member
Were you still planning on a hotel for one night out and back? If so, you could cut about 150-200 there. Although you may not smell as nice and you can't mooch food from the breakfast bar. Any independent trucker friends or hunt talkers that you can catch a ride with? That would.cut down on vehicle and gas cost.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Gunnar...get ahold of Tony
