The cost of hunting....a discussion..

[stan]

I remember paying $75.00 per year to hunt a 2000 acre premium lease in central Georgia, 30 or so years ago. Never heard of a 4 wheeler, used a hand me down Remington 30-06 and stayed in an old farm house with no water or electricity as a camp. I would complain that I had to drive almost an hour to get to the lease.
Now I pay $2000. To hunt a decent 1600 acre lease, stay in a 30’ camper with A/C, microwave, hot water and flat screen TV. I drive 2 hours to my lease in a new Ford Lariat F150 and drive around my lease in a late model, Polaris ranger.
30 years ago my income was substantially less than it is now so I guess it’s all relative. Considering inflation and the cost of living increases, the percentage of my income I spend now verses then on the greatest sport in the world is still close to the same. It’s still too high!!

Just curious sir: Do you enjoy hunting more now, with all the nice amenities, or in the "old days"?

[BIG IRON]

Either the price is too high or you are not real good at justifying said price

The one thing that does get me when I see the rants mentioned is some guys feel hunting is their "right" and land owners are greedy for getting the most money possible.

[Farmdog]

200 to stand around a sunflower patch for a weekend? be enough whine to get me drunk I imagine

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Come on Smart, 30 years ago you didn't even have pimples yet.. I know you weren't worried about the cost of a deer lease..

[Smart]

Either the price is too high or you are not real good at justifying said price

who is that directed at?

[Punkin]

It never bothered me to pay for my now ex-lease until a couple years ago. It was a great family lease and you couldn't ask for a better place to hunt/fish. But when the landowners family wanted to get involved the price started gowing up. they turned it into a business and are slowly starting to push us off the lease. You can't blame them for wanting more money when they know they can get it from someone else. Just sucks for those of us that had something great and then had it taken away from us. I can't afford to pay more $$$ so yea, I'm one of the ones who complains about it now. The public land thing may be in my future and thats okay too. My biggest issue with it is the fact that I lost something near and dear to me: quality time with my father! I wanted my son to spend time up there with me and his PawPaw but that's just not going to happen. Such is life and it will go on. People complained 30 years ago, people complain now, and people will complain in the future.....that's just the way it is.

[Txjourneyman]

if it gets too expensive I'm moving to East Texas. It's free to hunt at night

No way! a good spotlight costs way too much these days! I remember when I moved to east Texas. I could get a 1,000,000 candle power spot for $9.99 Now?!?!......

[TMC50]

This is true.... people complained then and continue to complain now.... it happens..

The owners are realizing its a money making business...

Glad I hunt on family land!

[Smart]

Come on Smart, 30 years ago you didn't even have pimples yet..

This is true. Although I was **** close at 12.....

I did specifically state I read it in an article this past deer season from a magazine that was published 30 years ago when you were what,... 60?.....

For the record, I am not comparing my experiences nor am I complaining about the costs. I don't do that........I just found it ironic, that seemingly, the same complaining that goes on now, went on then...



.

[TAMU Hunter]

as long as we keep leasing land from the land owners they will keep raising prices to try to get more out of us. Supply vs. Demand. It is an inevitable cycle that wont be broke until we all give up our addiction.

[BIG IRON]

who is that directed at?

Oh, no one. I was just making the point that we can talk ourselves into spending money that might not be rational. Example; it is not rational for me to set aside $1500 to go hunting in Missouri this fall when I can hunt public land for free. But if I can justify that expense then it will be ok to go.

If we step back and think about it, we do put out a ton of $ and effort to kill a dang deer or a few dopey birds.

[Coach W]

I did my senior thesis on the evolved history of hunting, pointing mainly at adds in Field and Stream to the newer main stream hunting shows and their adds...

It is interesting, but theres nothing you can do about it!

Learn to adapt and overcome!

From the other post but holds true for this one too!

[systemnt]

if it gets too expensive I'm moving to East Texas. It's free to hunt at night

hey hey hey!!! you'll get in line in the back of the truck like everyone else, mister....

[BIG IRON]

hey hey hey!!! you'll get in line in the back of the truck like everyone else, mister....

I thought newbies had to pay their dues by holding the spot light

[Coach W]

There is nothing rational about Hunting.... Its a disease! I was born with it.... I do not know a cure, so I will feed it every chance I get, regardless of price I will find a way to get out in the woods and take in mother nature.

My Wife hates it because she thinks I love it more than her.... she may be right some days... Hunting never whines or makes me take out the trash... its always there, just waiting to make me happy! Now If my wife was more like hunting I might have a harder time choosing!