Cost to go deer hunting

[mdslngr594]

Five years ago when i started it costed about $110.
Borrowed 30-30 win ( no i have a rem 7600 30-06 paid $300)
Cheap hunting coat from Walmart $35 ( just as warm as my $100 rem coat)
Long underwaer top and bottom $20
wool socks $4
Hat $10
Ammo - $20
Browning knife $20
Jeans
Boots

No fancy stuff but i got a deer so it worked

[Coop650]

...you can get a used 30-30 or milsurp for about 100 bucks + ammo.

If you find any .30-.30's for $100, I'll take one . I started with a single shot shotgun, but my first rifle was a Winchester 94. I gave it to my brother and he sold it a year later. I have been looking for another one and they are ALL $250+.

But I agree with starting on the cheap. Borrow as much as you can. My niece decided she wanted to hunt and my brother-in-law bought her all new stuff, including a gun. She hunted once and decided she hated it. So he wasted a heap of money.

[Hokkmike]

License - $20.00 (in state)

Gun - $300.00 (this should get you an adequate basic rifle)

Warm boots - $100.00 (a decent bargain brand ala Wally World)

(you supply a warm orange hat, gloves, pants)

Orange vest - $5.00

Ammo - $30.00 (one box would a minimum) (please sight in)

Misc - $20.00 (for coffee, food, snacks. etc.)

OPTIONAL - $75.00 (here-abouts anyway, to have deer processed)

GRAND TOTAL $475

THE VALUE OF THE EXPERIENCE - PRICELESS!!!

[TXDMERC73]

best bet for hunting all day is get good warm clothing not those cheapies from Walmart, i nearly froze in them the year before, best bet is get a good set of hunting boots and hunting overalls and a very warm coat.

i was stand hunting my ass froze to death i had to end it early(no buck last year) thanks to walmart cheapies made in the shittiest country in the world-China.

best to spent between 500-1000 bucks if you already got the rifle , you also need scent blocker and scents so when the wind changes the buck will smell your ass a mile away , dont forget some food and drinks and a backpack to carry it in , most hunters who can afford a GPS would be very grateful cuz you can be walking and stalking in new territory for a trophy buck you can get lost very easy.

i aint going hunting this year cuz i dont have the funds and i sold my hunting rifle to buy my Bushmaster so i hope i have better luck next year (if i cut down buying more guns and ammo).

[NP1724]

I agree to spend money on quality boots especiall, but you don't need to spend crazy money for scent blocker suits.

The way people talk about the scent elimination clothing is that you have to have it otherwise you won't get a deer. WRONG. Before 10 years ago how in the hell did anyone bag a good buck then? More importantly know your wind, and scout for different locations depending on wind conditions.

A $10 bottle of scent elimination will last you a good while, so that coupled with knowledge of weather and a plan will save you a ton of dough on scent blocker. I've been within 10 yards of buck and doe alike without scent blocker, but just by executing a good plan and paying attention to the weather.

During a doe only season last year I was archery hunting on the ground 8 yards away from a 6 point who came to eat crabapples. I couldn't shoot him due to the season, so I just sat there for 30 mins until it was dark watching him eat without him noticing me until I had to get up and leave. No scent blocker needed. I have nothing against the clothing and I would buy anything if I had the money, but I just don't buy into the hype that you don't have to pay attention to the wind.

[Dredly]

In case anyone is interested make sure you take a look at my Cheap gear thread.

100.00 for boots is pretty outrageous, the trick is to look and watch the sales closely. My dad recently picked up a pair of boots form Cabelas, normally 125 - 130, he got them for 50.

The boots I wear are Winchester, got it from Sportsmansguide.com - 800 gram Thinsulate, apparently whoever makes them over made and a change was made 3/4 of the way through the year (new camo pattern?) so they had to dump the old ones... think they ran me 35 bucks, normally 115+

Hunting gear is insanely marked up, buying on the cheap is the only way to go.

When I walk out into the woods I've probably got a minimum of 1k worth of gear on me, just my 7in1 MT050 parka was around 400 new (got it for 250 from the baragin cave).


Never buy retail, never pay full price...

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/b...113&c=11&s=364 (don't buy Rocky - they are garbage)

[jcabin]

In case anyone is interested make sure you take a look at my Cheap gear thread.

100.00 for boots is pretty outrageous, the trick is to look and watch the sales closely. My dad recently picked up a pair of boots form Cabelas, normally 125 - 130, he got them for 50.

The boots I wear are Winchester, got it from Sportsmansguide.com - 800 gram Thinsulate, apparently whoever makes them over made and a change was made 3/4 of the way through the year (new camo pattern?) so they had to dump the old ones... think they ran me 35 bucks, normally 115+

Hunting gear is insanely marked up, buying on the cheap is the only way to go.

When I walk out into the woods I've probably got a minimum of 1k worth of gear on me, just my 7in1 MT050 parka was around 400 new (got it for 250 from the baragin cave).


Never buy retail, never pay full price...

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/b...113&c=11&s=364 (don't buy Rocky - they are garbage)

great information, thankyou.
my only concern is each boot fits differently.
I might be an 10 1/2 with one brand and a 12 in another.
Where would you recommend going to "fit" these boots in person so you can then order them online?
I'm thinking cabelas is the best bet, then you can do some real price comparing because I'm sure everything at cabelas sells for top msrp.

ETA: Whats a good amount of thinsulate for here in the cold pocono mountains where it can dip well below freezing during the season?
I have a solid pair of timberland work boots I've been using and planned on wearing them out hunting but a few things just hit me.
for one, the tread. It's held up over the 3 years I've had them so thats not the issue, its the tread pattern that offers absolutely no grip.
Also, I'm remembering back to last winter, and they didnt keep my feet warm at all after I was out in the snow shoveling for 30 minutes, my feet were freezing AND wet.

[soup]

I've gotten great deals @ Dicks and Cabelas when things go on sale. Check out Sundays circular for dicks, they have a lot of their hunting stuff marked down.

I took my cousin to Cabelas 2 weeks ago to pick up some stuff for the upcoming season. He picked up a really nice pair of boots from the bargain cave, orig $165.99 cave price was $79.99. Gortex Waterproof, 800 gram thinsulate etc

Dicks had a lot of Rocky boots on sale. Orig $130 or whatever going for $70 but they were limited to what sizes they had left. I've noticed that every Dicks sporting goods carries different items. The selection between Pottstown, Downingtown, and Reading varies greatly (all stores I'm close to often) The products are there in retail stores for cheap but you have to look and wait for sales.

I do like the coupons you get when you have a rewards card for dicks, $10 coupon + $10 off purchase of $50 or more + 250 points (which will most likely give you another $10 gift card) Recently I picked up a $110 tent for $40 after all my coupons
and sales
I've only ever really paid for one or two things at full price and that is because I wanted them and I didn't want to wait.

As far as boot insulation I have 9" Rocky Boots with Gortex and 800 Gram Thinsulate. I wear a pair of heavy socks and I'm fine. I was walking through streams in January after a snow fall and my feet stayed dry and warm the whole time. My dad looked at me like I was crazy until I showed him when we got back how my feet were still dry

[Al-Mumit]

Thats a pretty extreme estimate.

Assuming everyone already has a good pair of boots, all you need is a rifle, which you can get a used 30-30 or milsurp for about 100 bucks + ammo.

Good layer or two of long johns from walmart, 50 bucks, if you're worried about keeping warm.

This. I've been out with an 8mm mauser & $15 worth of german surplus winter gear. To be fair I didn't see anything that even looked like a deer... but I was pretty warm and spent under $150 total.

[wis bang]

I grew up w/ a family that always bought hunting gear on clearance. I bought a Browing 4 in 1 Hydro fleece suit on clearance at Dicks a few years ago Got the bibs for $65.00 and the shell/parka for $95.00 and at the time the same gore tex/thinsulate/fleece was selling for $475.00 on Browing's website. The next year's edition added scent lock which isn't really needed. Right place at the right time as they only had two sets on the rack!

It's the only way to buy gear!