How Much Money Do You Spend

Dakotazeb

Dakotazeb

Well-known member
How much money do you think you spend on pheasant hunting in a typical season? Off the top of my head I really don't have a figure for myself. Just thought it was an interesting question, something to give you guys something to think about. Let's leave the cost of new guns out of the equation. Include travel costs (gas, etc.), motels, meals/food, shells, dog expenses, trespass fees and anything else I might have missed. Have fun! :)
 
Doing some real quick calculations I would guess I spent about $2,000 in 2011. With about $1,300 of that being gas. The rest a few motel rooms, food and hunting supplies (shells, etc.) But then being in SD I don't have real far to travel. Still gas was the biggest expense.
 
I have no idea, but it doesn't matter, even though I'm very blue-collar with no extra money. It's part of who I am, what I do, what I love!
 
My partner and I drive 1200 miles each year from Northern Michigan to East Central SoDak to hunt wild birds for 4-5 days. This year I'm adding another three days with my son and his best friend from CA with an outfitter. We always bring nice gifts for the landowners, etc.

I would really hate to think what each pheasant dinner actually costs.:eek: Fortunately, I do some consulting on the side which pays for my bird hunting addiction. It's what we do in the fall and I'll keep at it until the end.:thumbsup:

NB
 
I am afraid that if I tell what I spend my wife might see it :) and my hunts might get reduced :eek: drastically. She still believes I only spend about $100 a trip to S.D. plus gas. I have been putting back a couple of bucks every month every year.
 
copheasanthunter said:
I am afraid that if I tell what I spend my wife might see it :) and my hunts might get reduced :eek: drastically. She still believes I only spend about $100 a trip to S.D. plus gas. I have been putting back a couple of bucks every month every year.
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you took the words out of my mouth.

"Oh, about $90 or $100, we split the trip 4 ways......"
 
copheasanthunter said:
I am afraid that if I tell what I spend my wife might see it :) and my hunts might get reduced :eek: drastically. She still believes I only spend about $100 a trip to S.D. plus gas. I have been putting back a couple of bucks every month every year.
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My wife doesn't ask because it is the one thing in our twenty years of marriage i may not be straight about. If it wasn't for some side work it wouldn't happen. All I know is chicken is a lot cheaper,
 
I usually go on 2-3 out of state trips averaging $400/trip. Hunting MN I probably spend another $500+ on fuel, $100 on ammo (I get manufacturer employee pricing through a friend), and maybe average $300 on gear per year.

Don't make me add up my costs on dogs....
 
Shells $200
Gas $1500
New Stuff $400
Motels $200
Food $400
Off the top of my head thats close. Its a good thing the wife does not know. :thumbsup:
 
Well my wife knows, because she is there, along with my girls? If I could drive past a Dairy Queen in every small town, ( they have them marked on every route, and ranked), it would be cheaper! Do we calculate dogs?, travel, new gun, travel expense. Egads! Besides I am reminded by a quote from Charlie Dickey, the quail hunter supreme, " The tenth doctor I sought out, said hunting was good for my health", and left it at that!
 
carptom1 said:
My wife doesn't ask because it is the one thing in our twenty years of marriage i may not be straight about. If it wasn't for some side work it wouldn't happen. ,
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I too rely on side work to funding me & the boys hunting adventures & farm payments. My wife knows better than to ask how much I spend. As long as I take her somewhere warm and sandy after the season:D

Kick'em up!
 
Gas..$400 (my 1/3 share from SC to SD)
Food..$300
Lodging..$250
Hunting License..$110
Bird Processing..$50
Cabela’s..$100 (just can’t leave there empty handed)
Poker..$100

Total : $1310
That’s about $85 a bird.

Reminds me of the $300 rainbow trout I once caught and had to release.:eek:
 
Dang, what do you guys do for a living? I need to get in on that action!

I spend a ridiculous amount on dogs, training them and driving them to places. But other then that, my gun isn't super expensive, I don't buy many shells, I have a good pair of boots that a friend and the gf helped me buy... The rest is just older stuff that I've accumilated.
 
I don't spend as much hunting as it takes to put a Kid though collage. :eek:
Didn't keep track of that and I don't keep track of my hunting expense.:confused:
Yup, food and beer is the same.
Don't spend much time in town, sleep and eat in the back country, don't pay to hunt. I have a thousand dollars worth of licenses. 4-5, 15 hour trips one way. Diesel $4 or more.
I'm guessing 4 thousand about total?:cheers:
 
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If I honestly count all costs including a per mile cost for transportation (not just gas & oil), the extra vet bills that arise from time to time, periodic replacement of clothing and equipment, and then the lodging, licenses, and ammo every season, it's probably about $7,000.00 a year just for pheasant.
 
kick them up said:
My wife knows better than to ask how much I spend. As long as I take her somewhere warm and sandy after the season:D
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I HEAR that, KTU.

Last years tribute trip, was two weeks on the beach in Cancun, at a high end hotel. Wonderful dinners at the best resturants, sightseeing trips, airline tickets, etc etc.

When I add up what that little junket cost, maybe my hunting trips arent so expensive after all!! :D :10sign:

NB
 
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