Cost of Deer Hunting!

[new2xbow]

Let's see, New axiom SMF $500, license 35, Base hunting license $25, warm weather hunting gear (first year hunting archery) $40, new stand for new hunting spot $70, corn so far $75, adding another $125 to the corn pile this week, extra arrows and broadheads about $125, range finder $150, Excal accessories about $150 (S5, extra string, stringing aid, etc.), new scopre for rifle $95 (on clearance at outdoor stores last day of business) ammo to sight new scope $40, deer cain, salt blocks and other misc $100.......

My wife continuing to think venison is free meat... PRICELESS

Love you hunny!!!!

[xbhntr]

Purchased a new Remington 1100 shotgun , after customizing stock and sights ( $1,500.00 ) and deer licence . Ray

[Pydpiper]

Deer tags for both the wife and I, but no other expenses this year, considering some new arrows though. Pretty sure I have our cost of venison down to a manageable $200-$300 per pound.

[wabi]

If I figure the cost of the Phoenix on an annual basis it's not much really. I've had it since the Phoenix was introduced by Excal (4 years?) and already owned most of the accessories needed (arrows, quivers, etc.), so I'd estimate $100./year for equipment.

I don't spend much on clothing as I usually hunt in my work clothes and also work in my camo clothes, and don't spend money on scents, soap, and other gimmicks.

The game cam is a big part of planning my hunts, so I'll include it @ $50/year.

Looks like the corn for the feeder is going to be the big expense this year. Right now it's costing me about $30-$40/week.
$70. so far, and with about 4 weeks to go 'till season it looks like it might take over $200. just to get me to opening day.
When the acorns drop corn consumption always drops, so I'm hoping it will do it again this year.

Hunting license $24., but I also hunt small game and would buy it whether I hunted deer or not.

Deer tags $24./ea for up to 3 "regular" tags good for buck or doe and $15./ea for up to 3 "antlerless only" tags. I usually buy one of each for the opener ($39.) so I'm covered if a nice buck shows up, but can take a doe on an antlerless tag and not use the regular tag.
I usually take 2-3 deer a season trying to do it on one regular tag and 2 antlerless tags, so I'll figure $54. for deer tags.

The tree stand(s) and ground blinds don't amount to much expense as they last for years and what I've got out now probably have cost me less than $25./year.

My best guess at this point would be $500. - $700. for the season, and much of that depends on the price of corn.

[DaveShooter]

sitting in the bush in my ground blind away from the wife....priceless!!!!!!

Big Amen to that one---Funny as all get out! Give that hunter a cigar.

[sumner4991]

I'm waiting on Boo to calculate his costs . . .

[wayne]

For me asking the cost of hunting, (deer or anything else) is much less then the cost of NOT hunting.


I hunt, (deer is my prefered), etc. to clear my head from work.
I work to buy more things to hunt, fish, etc. with.
It's just a natural circle, around & around it goes . But forgive me I enjoy it so.....

It's not the shooting or the killing of the deer, or any other game. It's the hunting, that if missed would cost me more, then any amount of money/time spent to hunt.

I don't need to shoot, (but it's nice if I do ) but I have to go hunting from time to time

I can not put a cost to something I have to do

[j.krug]

Brand new Exomax..$900.00, extra arrows...$50.00, Broadheads....$30.00, License...$35.00, new cammo clothes....$200.00; sitting in the bush in my ground blind away from the wife....priceless!!!!!!

I won't tell her I read this next time I'm over!!

[bob1961]

my venison only cost me 1.40 lb last year for the 62 lb i got....my lic cost was 86.00 in pa.........bob

....

[Cossack]

I'm guessing that the venison costs about 20 times the finest fillet Mignon but, hey, It's ain't about the cost, eh? It's about LIVING, anyone can buy beef.

[vixenmaster]

I'm guessing that the venison costs about 20 times the finest fillet Mignon but, hey, It's ain't about the cost, eh? It's about LIVING, anyone can buy beef.

Yup you can buy beef. but who wants that stuff ?

[bartbouse]

This could get depressing. $15 k in land payments, $3.5 k to fix the hunting vehicle, $300 in new camo for me and the kids, new bolts and broadheads, haven't checked the game cameras to see which ones are not working, haven't bought corn - use about 5000 pounds a year, haven't bought new batteries, gas for the vehicle, etc. Good thing I bought three Excaliburs last year and the girls both have lifetime hunting and fishing licenses purchased a couple years back. Well, $20 k or so. Good thing we killed six deer last year so the cost is only about $95 per pound (avg. 35 pounds meet x 6) of deer not counting the jerky spices. Guess I own the land but I have friends who spend almost as much on leases and guided hunts.