ejpaul1

I started big game hunting just as I got married and as well took a job that paid noticably less money right before I got married. My previous job required me to fly every monday morning for a medium sized engineering firm and this didnt fit a married life too well.
I needed a rifle. My dad was a wanna be musician and part time hippie, he didnt pass me down a rifle or traditions of any kind so I had to figure it all out myself. My pals dad gave him a 700 CDL in 280, the mountain rifle. Beautiful. I could afford a 700 ADL synthetic stock chambered in 30-06. $319.00 when your on a real tight budget and your new wife is trying to understand why your working a second job at minimum wage just to afford this is hard to explain to your wife.
I would like to encourage all fellows (and ladies) in this situation to please inquire more from us here on what gear to get that will function well and last. It is tough to justify this gear on a shoe string budget but it can be done.
What gear did everyone here start with?

CamoCop

i started with hand me downs. just buy a little here and there and eventually you will be able to open your own sporting goods store

Wayspr

When I got married many moons back I desperately wanted to continue hunting but it was difficult to do so with only the regular paychecks. I decided to cut lawns to make extra money. One yard, then another and another and............... Before I knew it I was working 40-50 hrs at my regular job, cutting 25-30 yards a week and going to college full time. The first gun I bought was an A-bolt composite stalker in .280 and mounted a Leupy 4.5-14x50 AO just prior to the birth of my first son. I have had several guns come and go since then but will never part with my trusty A-bolt as I plan on passing it to my son. Hard work and sacrifice are qualities that most of the hunters I know possess. We tend to be passionate about our jobs, families and hobbies. We work hard so we can play hard.

BigTiny

I was lucky enough to have some guns already. I also had camo uniforms left over from my last couple years in the reserve, so I wore those. I have since picked up stuff as it goes on sale. End of season clearance sales, discontinued patterns, and discontinued models are the things I look for.

statjunk

Used my college loans to buy my first rifle. I was into bench shooting and I got a Winchester M70 HV with a fluted SS barrel. I've taken a lot of deer with that rifle now. Even though it looks ridiculous for a hunting rifle.

Tom

1SHOT_1KILL

I was lucky as well. My father was a hunter and gunsmith so I had firearms ever since I was big enough to shoot. Started out with a H&R .410 single shot shotgun when I was about 7 years old, had a marlin model 60 when I was 10, a Rem. 870 3" mag and a Win. M-94 30/30when I was 12. As I got older, I started working in the gunsmith shop, sweeping,cleaning, and stuf, to "earn" more firearms instead of money. Of course I got a few hand me down guns as well. The as I got old enough to buyfirearms, I started acquiring what I wanted and could afford.

I also started acquiring stuff like treestands, cammies, boots, and reloading equipment as I could afford them over the years. Today I have more stuff than I probably need but not nearly enough as I want!

cascadedad

This is a great topic. In short, ya do what ya gotta do. The internet makes it tough to keep this in perspective sometimes when young guys or even older guys for that matter get into hunting. See all the fancy guns, clothes, electronics, etc., etc., that EVERYONE else seems to have.

When I got married, I had a little stuff, but not much. I just bought a little at a time and made due with what I had. Remember, it's not about the stuff, it's about the experience. You don't need all the top of the line stuff to have the experience.

When I started raising kids, things got put on hold. My family comes first, WAY before my enjoyment of fishing and hunting. I have a 15 y.o. son and he loves all this stuff, so it has given me the opportunity/excuss, to get back into it. But, to be honest, when he is out of the house and possibly moves away andthe younger kids are his age, if they don't like hunting, my hunting days will go on hold again. Who knows what I will be doing, maybe going to ballet recitals, or whatever it might be. To me it is not MY wants above anything else. Kids come first.

stubblejumper

Gear does not have to be fancy to do the job.A stevens 200 is low priced and dependable and makes a good starter rifle.Better to be hunting with plain gear than to not be hunting.

stalkingbear

In some areas you can save a lot of money,but on major purchases,such as guns,bows,scopes,you should(in my opinion) save up to get exactly what you want/need for the intended purpose. If you don't,you'll always kick yourself until you finally do get what you wanted/needed and will be out more money in long run. In other words,you won't need to "step up".
The added confidence in the equipment will aid your ability overall.

mauser06

good post....

alot of people get caught up in buying the best and only recomending the best and dont realize "hey maybe this guy is new, has a family, isnt rich etc and doesnt NEED a 3000$ setup to shoot a deer"


myself...i started out with whatever dad gave me. clothes were almost all hand me downs...guns were used and not the greatest...but they were mine and i killed alot of game with that marlin 22lr and single shot 20ga. dads given me alot of guns throughout time now...but those are about the only 2 hunting guns.

now im 20...i work..i dont have a family or anything so when i want something i buy it. just spent about 1200$ on a groundhog rig. for goodness sakes...a gun to shoot groundhogs with...cant eat them...dont do nothin with them...most people would call me nuts...thats always been a dream of mine...a tack drivin varmint rifle...now i own it...i bought it because i can..making money...not much better to spend it on...figure i better buy my toys now while im young...(dont worry 1200 isnt where im stopping on that rifle!! lol)

but i'll admit...i still got a 4x 30$ tasco on my marlin 22..guess what...i havent had to resight it in in years...i can still headshoot squirrels all day...i do better with it than i do a shotgun alot of times.

still remember looking through the TV shaped 6x weaver scope on the borrowed winchester 88 when i shot my first deer..

i just shot that marlin 22 today. i was having a BALL. shooting clay pigeons 150yds away...still a tack driver!

expensive stuff is usually better....but the cheaper stuff can and does work....if you cant afford the leupold buy the tasco...just be easy on it and dont expect it to last forever...if you cant afford the 1200$ groundhog rig, use whatever you got laying around...i did for YEARS till this year...i used my deer rifle...guess what..it worked!