I guess it depends. A couple of weeks ago I was visiting family in my native CO where I'm still a resident. I had 2 deer tags in my pocket and they cost about $30 each. I hunted private land and burned a tank of gas in my ranger (12 gal @ 1.79 a gal) going to the hunt and back to my relative's house. I shot 2 big does and did all the butchering myself. Had to buy a 2-pack of vacuum bags from Walmart for $18.00. I ended up with right at 150 lbs of meat.

So lets do the math:
2 tags - $60.
Fuel - $21.48
Bags - $18.00

Total Cost - $99.48 which means the meat cost me .67 cents a pound. I can't buy meat for that. But I didn't have expensive tags, didn't hunt non-resident, didn't hire a guide and didn't buy any gear since I already have everything I need.

One thing about some of the cost mentioned above, buying a bow or a rifle is a one time expense and you don't incur that every year. Same with vehicles. You can't figure the cost per pound based on an item you may use for a long, long time. I use the same 7mm Rem Mag I got when I was 13 and I'm 52 now. I handload my ammo so that cost isn't much and I've got enough loaded ammo to keep me hunting at least 20 years. All my vehicles are paid for etc...So when it comes down to just hunting, I get by pretty cheap.

I agree with you about the memories part quigley, but not on the cheap part. 1st off the price of grass fed, organic raised beef, or Red deer venison in the local grocery store, it is pricey! Next put your rifle investment away, and deduct that expense. For us deer hunting is our family vacation we go deer hunting(locally). Now compare that to taking the fam to Disney/ Sanibel island, the kids prefered hunting. Quality venison, that my fam and i process, is cheaper than commercial red meat, in the short, or long-run, for us anyway.

I figure I spend anywhere from 500 to a thousand each year. the majority of that expense is the cost of gas. some years I kill a deer(or elk or whatever I am after on any given year)opening day, some years I hunt entire season and kill nothing(though very seldom). I would pay ten times that amount before I would stop hunting.

in fact, I would go a step further and state that I would not even wish to live in a world where hunting was not an option.

Good to hear that...memories for a lifetime. :wink:

Time, equipment and expenses certainly do drive up the price of wild game but I can't imagine not doing it. Nice to have a full freezer of the best meat, fish and garden produce.

X2, with the money invested, if I eat everything except skunks, fox's, coyotes, and possums that I shoot (and by god I ain't eatin them) including coons (gag!) if they don't have worms, meat only costs me around 100.00 bucks a pound, wouldn't have it any other way!
RR

+1

You're Damn right........................ Priceless !!! :kt: