Is hunting becoming a rich man's sport?

[The_Real_TCIII]

I have a guy in the Rochester area that covers the depreciation on my bows


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[Grouse]

As long as hunting is open to anyone and everyone in the US, it will never be a sport that requires a ton of money to enjoy in this country.

If you want to see how it has become a rich man's sport elsewhere, look at England, Africa and a lot of European countries that have created costly barriers to entry that make it impossible for the average man to enjoy the sport.  The rich elites in those lands are the one's who installed those barriers too.  Gotta keep all the riff raff out of the sport ya know.

It is our responsibility to make sure similar barriers to entry are never allowed to happen here if we want our progeny to enjoy hunting in America.

[Skillet]

I'm lower middle class, but I make it work, mostly thanks to my wife who understands what it all means to me. It's pretty expensive for me, and it's 100% worth it. 

My gear is nothing special. A bear recurve, an old Excalibur, and a couple older deer guns.

Our land is what is expensive. My wife and I bought it from my family, which has owned it since 1968.

It's a lot between land payments, taxes and maintaining my trails, stands, and plots. 

I wouldn't have it any other way though.

Nothing like hunting the land I grew up on. I skimp in a lot of other areas, just to ensure that I can continue to do so.

If I didn't have the camp, I'm not sure how much I would be hunting.

I feel pretty blessed to have what I have, and hunt the way I do.

[Fletch]

As others have said you do not need a lot of money to hunt. But you sure can if you want to. The one thing I will pay more on is good boots and clothes. I froze my friggin azz off from the age of 10 for 20 plus years wearing 3 pair of cheap socks in snowmobile boots, two pair of jeans over cotton thermals, three sweatshirts under a 50 pound wool rich coat. My fingers and toes hurt just thinking about it. That said don't judge what you don't know. I'm wearing Sitka right now. Cost $0. Hand downs of a set my brother bought at half price 10 years ago lol.


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[Grouse]

Do they keep you warm, or are you just not able to keep warm?

[Five Seasons]

For me it’s a diagram of intersecting lines.

There’s passion
The guy who gun hunts a weekend or 2 up to the freak who saves his entire vacation for the rut and obsesses all year long on land management.

There’s means
Dirt poor to Elon Musk

Those lines can intersect in multiple spots and I think we can all agree that any can be successful. I doubt many would turn down good quality stuff if it was free, but they’re also perfectly fine without it.

At the end of the day I think we would all agree that you don’t earn awards for hunting frugally and you don’t win awards for spending tons of money. You do you.


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[airedale]

44 minutes ago, Fletch said:

3 pair of cheap socks in snowmobile boots, two pair of jeans over cotton thermals, three sweatshirts under a 50 pound wool rich coat.

I can see immediately what your problem was, "way too much cotton" I would be sweating bullets just wearing that stuff, throw in a long walk tracking or chasing Beagles on snowshoes hunting Hare I would be sopping wet, a sure fire way to freeze your ass off in cold weather.

Rule number one poly, silk or wool for the first layer, wicking moisture away from your skin is key. I spent many years hunting Hare every winter during the coldest months of the year and never got cold wearing the Woolrich PA Tux. Yes they are a little heavy but at 73 years old I still wear wool and can still get around as much as need be.

Al

[grampy]

1 hour ago, Skillet said:

I'm lower middle class, but I make it work, mostly thanks to my wife who understands what it all means to me. It's pretty expensive for me, and it's 100% worth it. 

My gear is nothing special. A bear recurve, an old Excalibur, and a couple older deer guns.

Our land is what is expensive. My wife and I bought it from my family, which has owned it since 1968.

It's a lot between land payments, taxes and maintaining my trails, stands, and plots. 

I wouldn't have it any other way though.

Nothing like hunting the land I grew up on. I skimp in a lot of other areas, just to ensure that I can continue to do so.

If I didn't have the camp, I'm not sure how much I would be hunting.

I feel pretty blessed to have what I have, and hunt the way I do.

I get this 100%. We are not rich by any standard. But co-own 700+ acres, with my lifelong friend, that I grew up hunting on. I have the best hunting rifles and equipment that I can afford. But when I see $1,500 in hunting clothes, or something on the farm, or my home that needs improvement, that's where my money goes. Between taxes, equipment, and upkeep, along with everything else, it all adds up fast. So I  guess I'm fortunate enough to be able to hold it all together. I hold no animosity towards anyone who spends more, or less than I. Always do the best you can, with what you have.

[Grouse]

You don't need much to stay warm when you're moving in the woods.  It's when you're sitting for hours on stand in freezing temps waiting for a buck that you require special clothes.  I'm wondering if Sitka gear works in that case.

[grampy]

11 minutes ago, Grouse said:

You don't need much to stay warm when you're moving in the woods.  It's when you're sitting for hours on stand in freezing temps waiting for a buck that you require special clothes.  I'm wondering if Sitka gear works in that case.

I can stay pretty warm using synthetic base layers and Smartwool socks, good gloves. Can definitely stay out much longer when the temps turn bitter, than I used to. But when I'm hunting, and get cold, I come out to get warm. I won't torture myself to kill a deer anymore. At this point in my hunting career, if I shoot a decent buck, it's just a bonus. I don't feel overwhelmed to kill them anymore. 

[wolc123]

I can sit comfortably for 8 hours in a stand when it’s 10 degrees outside in 30 mph wind as long as I have: 1) a 3 ft high wall/gun rest to block the wind, 2) a $40 pair of army surplus Mickey Mouse boots and wool socks, 3) a .29 cent hot hands in $ 9.99 muff., $ 20 thinsulate lined bibs, 4) cheap long underwear,  5) cheap face mask and wool hat 6) lined flannel shirt 7) cheap thinsulate lined jacket. 
 

Cold weather hunting is my favorite, especially the new Holiday ML season.  I can’t wait  for that, as I sit here in 55 degrees, on opening day of gun up in the Adirobdacks, with midges landing in my cider cup.

 

I am using a borrowed gun today that my father in law wants me to shoot him a bear with.  

[Chef]

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, why are hunting products getting so dang expensive? Yes I know inflation, current administration blah blah blah, I get that stuff is gonna cost a little more. but I still don't understand why stuff is so ridiculous. For instance some of the new cast aluminum treestands on the Market today. I think they are great products and would love to use them. But I simply can't afford to spend around $1000 for a stand and set of climbing sticks just to get into a tree, most of my older steel stands are either homemade or I got them for cheap or free.
Hunting clothing is the same way,can anyone really afford to spend $1-5k just to buy clothing. I know the stuff from Walmart or a discount store is probably just as effective as something like Sitka for killing a deer but why is it that the whole industry is moving towards you spending thousands of dollars per year just to be comfortable in the woods? Is it because we have shown we're willing to pay the price regardless of what they ask?

So these are high end items… if you want something less expensive buy that. One can drive a 1996 Nissan Maxima and one can drive a Lamborghini. It doesn’t mean driving is becoming a rich man’s game.


As far as the Sitka gear goes No the cheap Walmart stuff is not even close as far as function and comfort. But yes one can go out in their boxers if they want and kill a deer.


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[Lawdwaz]

12 hours ago, wolc123 said:

I can sit comfortably for 8 hours in a stand when it’s 10 degrees outside in 30 mph wind as long as I have: 1) a 3 ft high wall/gun rest to block the wind, 2) a $40 pair of army surplus Mickey Mouse boots and wool socks, 3) a .29 cent hot hands in $ 9.99 muff., $ 20 thinsulate lined bibs, 4) cheap long underwear,  5) cheap face mask and wool hat 6) lined flannel shirt 7) cheap thinsulate lined jacket. 
 

Cold weather hunting is my favorite, especially the new Holiday ML season.  I can’t wait  for that, as I sit here in 55 degrees, on opening day of gun up in the Adirobdacks, with midges landing in my cider cup.

 

I am using a borrowed gun today that my father in law wants me to shoot him a bear with.  

If the sun is out, you’re going to need some cheap sunglasses.    So go on out and get some cheap sunglasses……

[Five Seasons]

On 10/22/2022 at 9:23 PM, Lawdwaz said:

If the sun is out, you’re going to need some cheap sunglasses.    So go on out and get some cheap sunglasses……

my father in law is an eye doctor and he'd tell you that cheap non-polarized sunglasses can actually be harmful to some degree. But some here would say that's not true and a $5 pair from a gas station is just as good as polarized $130 raybans. 

[Fletch]

I can see immediately what your problem was, "way too much cotton" I would be sweating bullets just wearing that stuff, throw in a long walk tracking or chasing Beagles on snowshoes hunting Hare I would be sopping wet, a sure fire way to freeze your ass off in cold weather.
Rule number one poly, silk or wool for the first layer, wicking moisture away from your skin is key. I spent many years hunting Hare every winter during the coldest months of the year and never got cold wearing the Woolrich PA Tux. Yes they are a little heavy but at 73 years old I still wear wool and can still get around as much as need be.
Al

Your just enhancing my point. In 1970s I did not have access to moisture wicking, wind blocking waterproof quiet gear!!

My biggest expense was that wool jacket and it weighed 400 pounds wet lol. If I wanted only sweat wet feet I'd use bread bags over my socks lol.

The base layers and gear I use now insane compared to it.
And always pack my outer layers in.

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[airedale]

15 minutes ago, Fletch said:

Your just enhancing my point. In 1970s I did not have access to moisture wicking, wind blocking waterproof quiet gear!!

I was alerted to  moisture wicking base wear back when Joe Namath was still playing football, he caused quite the stir by wearing women's pantyhose  under his uniform playing games in bleak cold conditions. It was not a stunt and it caught on quickly as being something that was effective.

An outfit called Damart came on to the scene outfitting the players with long underwear made from poly and it was a huge success soon spilling over into the hunting wear world. I got some and loved it, I still wear poly today, the military stuff in different weights and dress according to the temps. I still wear Woorich outerwear when it is cold, I have found nothing better.

Al

Edited October 24, 2022 by airedale

[Lawdwaz]

1 hour ago, Belo said:

my father in law is an eye doctor and he'd tell you that cheap non-polarized sunglasses can actually be harmful to some degree. But some here would say that's not true and a $5 pair from a gas station is just as good as polarized $130 raybans. 

JHC it’s a music reference.    ZZ Top…..come on man.  

[Splitear]

On 10/21/2022 at 9:05 PM, Lawdwaz said:

I have a (big) handful of silver dollars and a Citizen watch........I know, bush league. 

 

I’m more of a wheat penny/Timex guy myself

[moog5050]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:17 AM, The_Real_TCIII said:

I have a guy in the Rochester area that covers the depreciation on my bows


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You are officially removed from my buyer's list after that comment Tacks!

[Kmartinson]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:07 AM, Grouse said:

As long as hunting is open to anyone and everyone in the US, it will never be a sport that requires a ton of money to enjoy in this country.

If you want to see how it has become a rich man's sport elsewhere, look at England, Africa and a lot of European countries that have created costly barriers to entry that make it impossible for the average man to enjoy the sport.  The rich elites in those lands are the one's who installed those barriers too.  Gotta keep all the riff raff out of the sport ya know.

It is our responsibility to make sure similar barriers to entry are never allowed to happen here if we want our progeny to enjoy hunting in America.

It's happening with the elk out west as we speak

[Five Seasons]

JHC it’s a music reference.    ZZ Top…..come on man.  

ZZ Top?

Ok boomer


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[mowin]

Ya can't be a sharp dressed man without cheap sunglasses...