These are the good old days for hunting. Full stop.
Public access will shrink. Tag prices out West for non-residents will rise faster than inflation. Draw odds for non-residents will get tougher out West. Outfitted hunt costs will go up. Private land access cost will go up.
If you can live in a state out West which has plenty of public hunting land and lots of dates to hunt then that will make hunting more affordable.
General life advice. Live below your means. If you find internal peace that you “have enough” then saving money is possible. If feel deserve more things then paycheck to paycheck living is a brutal way to go through life. I have had colleagues earn $500,000 a year and go bankrupt from lifestyle inflation of cars, travel, clubs, nannies for kids, watches, etc.
Once have a safety net of savings for emergencies then invest in buckets of stocks. Time invested in picking investments is best if kept minimal. You only need to match the overall stock market growth so don’t chase the hottest stock or sector as studies show your odds are you will not outsmart the overall stock market. Buy a big bucket of stocks such as VTI which has 1000s of publicly traded companies and the associated fees are very small. Set dividends to reinvest. Read up on Bogleheads approach to investing.
Avoid excesses whether food, booze, drugs, vaping/cigs, gambling, gaming, death-scrolling, etc. Any endorphin rush from an excess is followed by a crash in mental outlook or health or both.
Be ready to encounter things that are not “fair” such as a health issue or loss of a loved one or betrayal or your employer goes under or you see someone get what seems an undeserved career break, etc. These setbacks or hurdles are what make life a journey worth taking. Curveballs are not fun in life but resiliency and internal confidence you will emerge over these hurdles whether takes a week or decade of effort. On what seems a crappy day, there are likely a long line of people willing to trade places with you. Have that awareness.
Realize that watching a vibrant sunset or hearing a child laugh is a bargain. The wealthiest person may have less opportunity to enjoy those simple moments than you have. Wealth can flatten a lot of issues since can tap resources to make most issues in life go away which absolutely reduces stress and stress kills. What wealth does not magically dispense is happiness, loyal friends, a loving companion, health, good parenting, respect by others, etc.
I plan the work and work the plan. That covers career, budgeting, family interaction, etc. Opportunity seems to favor those with a plan. Opportunity often looks like hard work, too, so taking on a grind for a few years may reduce social interactions but jump start success.
Finally, there will be two instances in life where your inner moral compass will be tested. The day you discover you seriously have too little money on hand. And, the day you realize you have too much money on hand. The choices you make during those two moments will test your character. Be ready.
