Hunting Price Estimates

[Tiredofthebickering]

I've always been a bit curious why so many people are willing to spend $2k to come out west to hunt mule deer, but have never even tried to back pack hunt their home state... I mean sure back east is more crowded, less deer, etc. but NC has 2.1 million acres of public land... what gives?

Similarly, New Hampshire doesn't even have regulations about meat care because the idea of killing a deer further than dragging distance from a road is completely unheard of...just seems like there is a ton of cheap, local hunting opportunities that many overlook.

I've seen plenty of guys from back east come out west and hang their tag on a forky, and when you talk to them they have never hunted public land at home... and while I'm completely ignorant of hunting back east I can't imagine you can't find a forky to shoot on public land in Arkansas.

Depends on the state The deer population and opportunity where I live is pretty limited. Most of our public units don't even allow you to stay in the unit overnight, let alone backpack hunt through it. And there's certainly no options for elk.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Most of our public units don't even allow you to stay in the unit overnight, let alone backpack hunt through it.

State land, because dispersed camping is almost universally allowed on USFS lands... so you have 1.1 million acres to camp on in Florida. To be clear not car camping, not camping at a designated camp site... full on tent camping 1hr plus hike from a road.

Had a conversation with a guy I met in AK at an airport about this... he was from Arkansas, was hunting caribou, he talked about his trip camping in tents in the wind/rain, complained about the bugs, the wet, etc... the AK experience. He had never tent camped in Arkansas, never hunted a deer on public land. Like WTF... don't give me wrong I totally get wanting to hunting AK, been twice... it's awesome, go... soon. At the same time, there are tons of opportunities across the country to have back-country experiences that don't require you to drive 36 hours or fly 1600 miles.

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

State land, because dispersed camping is almost universally allowed on USFS lands... so you have 1.1 million acres to camp on in Florida. To be clear not car camping, not camping at a designated camp site... full on tent camping 1hr plus hike from a road.

Sorry, I meant most of the WMA's that are open to the public for hunting. Backpack hunting is what is difficult. We have the Florida trail that you can backpack and camp along all you want, but not while you're hunting lol. Shoot, many of the WMA's near me could probably be hiked completely across over the course of a few hours.

 

[geetar]

You're not wrong about guys not backpack hunting or fully utilizing public land here in the east, but the motivation for hunting out west is not just to get a big one or have more opportunity. I will shoot a forky mule deer out there and may not at home because
1. I made a trip and am not going home empty handed,
2. I came for the opportunity to hunt a different species in a different place and landscape,
3. I came to hunt a different style of hunting

The other thing to realize is that hunting whitetails in an eastern national forest is a lot different than many places in the west. Think of it more like the timber country in the pacific northwest. There is no such thing as spot and stalk in most of the eastern public lands. The closest thing I have experienced may be setting up on a power or gas line where I can see a 50 yard wide clearing for 600 yards.

You’re right about spot and stalk being non existent in the East. Shoot I’m about scared to try it because it was just be too dangerous sneaking through an area with that many guys on stand ready to shoot at the first thing that moves.

 

[jmveverka]

You’re right about spot and stalk being non existent in the East. Shoot I’m about scared to try it because it was just be too dangerous sneaking through an area with that many guys on stand ready to shoot at the first thing that moves.

Actually that is a terrible attitude to have--and leads into those same fears that we hear from non-hunters when talking about not being able to share the forest and needing Sunday hunting closed so that they have a day they can walk without fear. Nobody shoots at movement without ID-ing the target, that is just an old wive's tale...(now knowing whether its a buck/doe/bear with cubs/etc, thats a different story, there are many if its brown its down hunters). My reference to not spot and stalking in the east is due to not being able to "spot" game. You can still stalk, or "still hunt", your way through the woods without fear. It can be a successful tactic if you have the patience to creep slow enough and keep your eyes up. I'm terrible at it.

 

[geetar]

Actually that is a terrible attitude to have--and leads into those same fears that we hear from non-hunters when talking about not being able to share the forest and needing Sunday hunting closed so that they have a day they can walk without fear. Nobody shoots at movement without ID-ing the target, that is just an old wive's tale...(now knowing whether its a buck/doe/bear with cubs/etc, thats a different story, there are many if its brown its down hunters). My reference to not spot and stalking in the east is due to not being able to "spot" game. You can still stalk, or "still hunt", your way through the woods without fear. It can be a successful tactic if you have the patience to creep slow enough and keep your eyes up. I'm terrible at it.

I guess my real fear is I don’t want to walk past people with loaded guns if they don’t know I’m there and are hidden up a tree where I don’t know they are there. I also don’t like the idea of a guy putting in a lot of effort to get a stand way back in there and then I come stalking right by him but I see what you mean by it not being a good attitude to have. Chances are if I tried to still hunt or spot and stalk on a weekend in my local national forest I’d pass by a lot of stands with guys in them that would feel like I blew their hunt and not be happy about it. Stand hunting is pretty popular here

 

[LaSportsman]

Nobody shoots at movement without ID-ing the target, that is just an old wive's tale...(now knowing whether its a buck/doe/bear with cubs/etc, thats a different story, there are many if its brown its down hunters).

Had a high school buddy killed by someone shooting through bushes at movement. I know of others. My dad wouldn't let us hunt WMA's for that reason.

Now that I bow hunt, I've considered going to back to hunt some of the WMA's in archery only season.

 

[Twolftg]

Really depends, in general the more uncomfortable/logistics work you are willing to do the cheaper any hunting trip becomes. All NR tags are a draw, see the MT website for details, if you drive and camp along the way cook all your meals, do meat and trophy prep yourself (euro), I think you could do it all in for $1500.

Gas alone depending on what he was driving would approximately $400 one way. No way he could do it for $1500.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Gas alone depending on what he was driving would approximately $400 one way. No way he could do it for $1500.

I drive a corolla so $400 would get me from VT to California and back... don’t road trip in a truck if you have a tight budget...(probably half way back)

The point of my comment was not what is the average cost of a hunt out west for an elk, it was what is the cheapest you could possible do it for; just the elk tag, drive in a car, camp/ sleep in your car, pack all of your food, butcher and do a euro yourself... etc if you are willing to be uncomfortable to cut down on costs you can make it happen.

 

[Ethan Gurganus]

Gas alone depending on what he was driving would approximately $400 one way. No way he could do it for $1500.
[/QUOTE
my calculations put me at around 1400 if I bring a buddy to split the cost of driving. That's with a Cow elk tag tho.

 

[Ethan Gurganus]

I drive a corolla so $400 would get me from VT to California and back... don’t road trip in a truck if you have a tight budget...(probably half way back)

The point of my comment was not what is the average cost of a hunt out west for an elk, it was what is the cheapest you could possible do it for; just the elk tag, drive in a car, camp/ sleep in your car, pack all of your food, butcher and do a euro yourself... etc if you are willing to be uncomfortable to cut down on costs you can make it happen.

im thinking 1400 would get me a cow tag and get me me there and back with food while sleeping in the truck for 3 nights or so. not bad. im gathering up my money now to make this happen this season! ill post more for sure before I leave!

 

[Twolftg]

im thinking 1400 would get me a cow tag and get me me there and back with food while sleeping in the truck for 3 nights or so. not bad. im gathering up my money now to make this happen this season! ill post more for sure before I leave!

Are you going solo? I spent about 700 on gas and tag for bear hunt splitting gas costs from Minnesota. We put on some miles driving around once we got there. But my half of the gas was about $300 and the tag was just shy of $400.

 

[Ethan Gurganus]

Are you going solo? I spent about 700 on gas and tag for bear hunt splitting gas costs from Minnesota. We put on some miles driving around once we got there. But my half of the gas was about $300 and the tag was just shy of $400.

im going with a buddy that will have a cow tag as well! im a little high on my estimate I know but id rather have extra money to sleep in a bed if need be or for emergencies.

 

[LCH]

I drove a rented Fiesta to AZ and back for a Coues hunt. Surprisingly it held up fine. Fuel savings paid for the rental.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I drove a rented Fiesta to AZ and back for a Coues hunt. Surprisingly it held up fine. Fuel savings paid for the rental.

Did you get the Ken Block Gymkhana package...

 

[Twolftg]

I drove a rented Fiesta to AZ and back for a Coues hunt. Surprisingly it held up fine. Fuel savings paid for the rental.

I was thinking of doing the exact same thing for my Montana bear hunt next year!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I was thinking of doing the exact same thing for my Montana bear hunt next year!

Something to factor into your planing... you can easily get a black bear back (hide/head/meat) and your camping gear back on a plane without a ton of baggage fees. Duffle + Gun case + backpack as carry-on... something to consider.

 

[Twolftg]

Something to factor into your planing... you can easily get a black bear back (hide/head/meat) and your camping gear back on a plane without a ton of baggage fees. Duffle + Gun case + backpack as carry-on... something to consider.

I want to stay flexible based on the weather and of I look at last minute flights they generally run almost 800. I can do the car rental and drive for way cheaper.