Guided hunt cost

[Bryan pinick]

A great perspective from Dan...  

[David Yukon]

+1 on what Dan said!! We don't have much in terms of $$, but we have a lot in terms of life!!

[Iron Man2]

Not trying to be disrespectful, judge or evaluate priorities...but what I think Bswear was offering as a stimulating observation or lament as to the amount of money needed for a guided hunt? I can tell you that for a "quality" 2 on 1 fully guided and outfitted elk hunt in Canada today sounds on the lower end of cost? I paid over ten years ago $4500, in AB, on a fully guided 2 on 1 hunt, and that did not include airfare, food in travel, and hotel stays, etc., to get to the outfitter. For me that was a once in a lifetime hunt and I did not even score a kill. I did however, learn, see new country, enjoyed hunting a remote wild area, met new friends and even hunted years later on DIY hunts with my new friend I teamed up with on that hunt. Also, as far as the money needed, I worked extra jobs, overtime and saved money that other people spend on that is only consumed by them and not the family.

As others have mentioned, a lot can be said about doing a lot of research, phone calls and putting together a DIY hunt. One note though, a DIY hunt does not always equate to cheaper hunt as far as the money needed. The main cost especially today is how remote and how difficult the access is. Not to mention that while every hunt has the potential to be dangerous, the more remote and the more you are on your own the cost and risk is higher and one can equate this to value or cost.

My 2 centavos...

JL
   

[Alvey]

Originally posted by KSdan:
Based on the original post:  I grew up hunting, I have pics of five generations now, raised 5 kids, a grandpa now. Most who know me would think of me as serious. . .  

But I too have other priorities in my life, as well as ordained limits. I have MANY friends who can afford it. At the same time, I see guys who sacrifice the wrong things for it.  

Learning to be content and thankful is a great gift. There are MANY things your daughters will remember as you fill their souls. . .  AND it will probably NOT be the elk you got!  

A good DIY public whitetail doe with a garage sale bow is a HIGH END trophy for many.  Nothing wrong with that!  

Dan in KS

[Iron Man2]

I thought the question was about elk hunting and cost?

JL  

[overbo]

For me it's mathematics,
$4000 DIV BY 5 = $800 A DAY,
Can you justify that expense to hunt.
I know if I was in a position where I could charge 5 or more people $800 a day for 5 to 8 weeks of the year,IT WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD LIVING.
I know about the so called unseen expense a outfitter has but my math says $20,000.00+ a week is smart buissness.

[Cory Mattson]

Good points all with some exceptional insight.

Elk $4000 is the lower end. We don't go on guided hunts and our Elk hunts on our own costs us about $1500 to $2000 each. We have our own equipment base camps trailers ATV coolers.

If you have no equipment or plan to do a hunt only once a guided hunt could be the lowest cost. When we pick a hunt we plan for 3 to 5 times doing the same hunt - like an elk hunt.

[Iron Man2]

Cory made very points as to the self guided and outfitted option with vehicles type of hunting. And I am willing to guess that he hunts in the lower 48 out west. I have hunted DIY in CO and WA but I flew in, backpack/camping type of hunting with the guy I had met in the AB hunt. We rented a small 4wd SUV and setup a base camp and hiked like billy goats. Etc, etc. this was least expensive way, yet it still amounted to a couple of thousands each. The cheapest cost was the airfare.

Another option is to do a semi-guided guided hunt. Whether its hiring an outfitter only for a team of pack horses or a drop camp. And here we are talking about remote free ranging not a ranch or fenced hunt which even though no equipment needed, is much more expensive even as much as 3X or more depending what the final score on the rack is.

Now before anybody gets all philosophical on me, I not defending outfitter's prices, just wanted to point out that elk hunting is not a cheap hunt no matter where it is or how go about it. The location, the tag and equipment needed if you do not all ready own it or live where the elk lives can be expensive to obtain, rent and maintain whether its vehicles or beasts. So if you think about it, even if you were hunting a squirrel where the elk lives (all things being equal) it would cost the same only the tag would cheaper but the satisfaction is the same.
 My 2 centavos  

JL
     

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Great points here guys! I too thought there was lots of money to be made in outfitting until I became an outfitter. I run a VERY small outfit and had $16,000.00 in repairs alone last year.  Add in the types of hunts that require bait and add a ton more of money. Guides wages, thousands a week for fuel, thousands weekly for food, governmental permits and licences. That's not even touching the purchase of equipment and upgrading of equipment yearly as well. If it's not a couple new trailers, or generators, or tents, a truck,  atv's, or other things that wear out, it'll be the maintenance of all the stuff that kills you. The ongoing expenses while still making the payments on the business purchase and equipment purchases is tough.

All this said, I know that some outfitters lack in equipment or maintenance, as well as skimp on bait etc. but my point is that you don't know the 1/2 of it until you run an outfit.

I LOVE outfitting, love meeting new people and helping them in their pursuits. If I didn't have a good career I couldn't do it as a sideline. Perhaps the issue for me is that I have so few tags and still have the expenses of larger outfits. Either way, I've got a good taste of financial aspects of outfitting over the last couple years.

Ryan

[KSdan]

I would like to add to my previous: I in NO WAY am suggesting that all outfitters or prices are out of line.  As Ryan just stated- I think  for the work, etc many of these types of hunts can be a special thing- and probably even a bargain.  

My point for bswear- considering all the factors, there are many serious hunters who never get this type of opp due to the place they are in this life. It is quite OK! Be thankful and enjoy what you have been given.  A good bunny hunt with friends or a great doe hunt can be VERY special.

Hope that encourages. . .


Dan

[Kingsnake]

I've been shopping elk hunts myself the last few months.  Almost started to think it was a possibility, then the gov't started saying some of us DoD types might need a 30-day furlough to help balance the federal budget.  Well . . .cut 8-10% of my salary for a year and any discussion of the $$ needed for an elk hunt, guided or otherwise, goes right out the window.

But I'm not bitter . ..     :mad:  

Kingsnake

[Bowwild]

While we are near this subject, I would recommend to all the younger folks here (20's-40) pick a state or two where you can afford to apply for sheep permits to build points.

When I was in that age group I didn't feel comfortable even paying application fees or tying up license fees until a drawing so I didn't apply. I also knew that if I did draw I would need to hire unaffordable local expertise because I lived so far away.

Now, just a year short of 60 I soooo wish I had aquired those points.

[Panzer]

I don,t think I would feel right paying $4000.00 to hunt any animal. I would be thinking about all of the other things I could have used the money for, especially if I came home empty handed.

[Iron Man2]

Have not killed one yet, gotten close and passed some, however, I look at it this way...it was a great trip; a great experience; met new friends; learned; and took off two weeks from work and city life. If I looked at every time I hunt as killing something, I would be sorely disappointed.

I paid about $350.00 for the Elk tags (a bargain), and the other $3650.00 plus or minus, was for my once in a lifetime vacation that I busted my as* for two years saving!

Just my 2 Centavos,

JL
   

[stickandstring]

I suppose its supply and demand. I also cringe at the prices and regret not doing more exotic hunts 10 -20 years ago when prices seemed more reasonable.  Recently, I looked at an african lion hunt and maybe I got confused, but, the ad said $80,000.......maybe there were some other animals involved but the wife is not going to understand.

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by stickandstring:
  Recently, I looked at an african lion hunt and maybe I got confused, but, the ad said $80,000.......maybe there were some other animals involved but the wife is not going to understand.

It's all about how you sell it to her.  Take out a home improvement loan.  You cannot say it would not improve the coolness of the home having a longbow killed lion mount in the house.