OHbowhntr

Certainly a lot of hunting, especially trophy hunting is becoming less available to us "average Joe" type of guys. If fuel prices keep CLIMBING, out-of-state hunting will be hosted by Robin Leach, because only the RICH & FAMOUS will be able to afford a LOT of it.

tsoc

I agree with several folks here who have said it doesn't necessarily have to cost a lot to participate in bow hunting,you can equip your self well without spending a fortune and depending upon where you live or choose to hunt the land you hunt on doesn't have to cost you any thing.
You can get a very good used bow cheaply,you can get a lot of things dirt cheap on ebay and other like sources.You don't have to buy in to the marketing of the must havestuff.Bows are a good example,my six year old bow (Hoyt Ultratec) is quiet,fast,virtually vibration or hand shock free.There is nothing within the last six years that has come out that has made my bow obsolete and I love it and will keep using it.
I doubt this year including my license that I will spend over $100 on new bowhunting items.If I do it will because I chose to buy new arrows and some new broadheads neither of which do I need.

Tuco

You can buy cheap used equipment and hunt on public land for very little money. It is just like anything else, you can spend as much or as little as you want.

treboryerf

I don't know if you can call it a rich man's sport,but it really is getting expensive,exspeacilly for someone just getting into itand wanting the 'latest' in gear,could really be expensive,but like someone else said people will spend their money on what they choose to be the most important to them and to me it is hunting,to others it may be cars or whatever you get my point.Now with that said if you don't have private land to hunt,or public for that matter a club or lease can be costly,you just have to ask yourself if you want to spend 3000.00 or more per year to have a decent place to hunt or take your chances on public land that is avaliable.Luckily I don't have to make that decesion because I can hunt private land.Now if you want to kill the kind of bucks that we all see killed on tv and you don't have the land to hunt that produces those kind of deer then yea it could be a rich mans sport because the hunts to kill a trophy can easiely cost up to ten thousand dollares per deer.

jamaltwy

I agree this doesn't have to be a rich man's sport, only if you want it to be!! If you want trophy class animals that are seen on tv your gonna have to pay big time for it!! But if a trophy to you is the adventure , thrill of the hunt, plus just plain old getting an animal down, then it doesn't have to be expensive... I've done hunts on the cheap from hogs to caribou.. it can be done, I may not have record racks but i have record memories to last my life and thats good enought for me.. Meat in the freezer!!there are places to hunt that aren't thoushnds of dollars to be had just do the leg work example Tred Barta did a elk hunt in CO over the counter leftover tags got maps to public land right next to big name ranches on the cheap!!

MY point being if you are thrifty enough I don't mean cheap you can find 2 years ago eqipment on the cheap will work and kill animals and not get hooked on trophy animal shows as that is what you want to kill or have to kill and just enjoy what you have in your area or travel to new areas but look for left over tags or get 4-5 buddies to pool resources and go to alaska and bow hunt caribou spilt cost of camper, gas, and food 4 of us did this 4 years ago in AK cost of everything including tickets for airfare $1600/ person just takes time andeffort........but camo after season be thrifty cabaleshas a bargain basement put things on the cheap including bows...

just my .02

millerhunter13

come down here where i live and its still the blue collar sport

MichiganWhitetails74

I would say cost is NOT an issue...just my opinion.....I think with handme downs and such...guys and girls can get in the woods if theywant too....

millerhunter13

yep, same thing here, and almost everyone i know who hunts dosnt use the good stuff, i dont either, i was lucky to get my bear for a b-day present but everything else i buy my self, i work 4 days a week and i have bought all my hunting stuff plus a truck. IF you want to do it it can be done, even if your poor. in my opinion alot of the people who want to hunt dont know about the tradition they just want to kill something, not everyone is like that, but from the kids i talk to that is what it seems like.

virginiashadow

People pay money for alot things that over the course of the year dwarf the costs of bowhunting. Gym memberships, movies, dates, eating out, etc....its all about priorities. If you want to hunt, then cost is not really an issue as long as you prioritize.

MarquetteMagnum

it can be expensive and in my area there are lots of bow hunters. I haven't seen much change, the guys that get to old to go bowhunting are replaced by someone else. And I have seenmore trucks along the road sides during bowseason last year that ever before. so I would say after this season I will be able to give a better answer to the question.