I don't buy fancy hunting clothes or boots, my bow is cheap, and pretty old. I go thru a few arrows and blades each year. I cut up my own deer. tags cost me about 70$ and I shot 6 deer. I am pretty confident my meat is cheaper than beef. I can cook it such that you'd never tell the difference between the 2. Not all recipes allow for this but some. I haven't bought beef in years, but for a package here and there.

A one year, buy all the gear, shoot one or 2 deer and it's the most expensive meat out there. But a practical hunter who shoots many deer and cuts them himself, it pretty cheap.