What Effect will the HIGH Gas Prices Have on Hunting Trips?

[Nala]

Hey all,

Every time we go to fill our tanks up we see it and get madder, I am talking about the INSANE high gas prices.  Knowing that most hunters will be driving trucks or SUV's, I started thinking about how these HIGH GAS prices are going to affect the hunting habits this year and from now on if the prices stay at this level or get higher.

I don't think it would have too much of an impact on local hunting, but what I am curious about is whether it will have an impact on the numbers of hunters that are going to go to Canada and out west to Colorado, Montana, Idaho or even Alaska for those Elk, Moose, Bear, Caribou, Deer and other hunts.  Do you think those states will sell as many NON-Resident permits as they did before all this nonsense?  Do you think people will still keep putting in for draws in these far away hunting locales?

I don't think it will have animpact on the guy that's been saving for a few years to go on his drea Elk hunt in Colorado.  If he's saved that long and planned that much, a few hundred extra for fuel isn't going to keep him from going.  I am wondering about the hunters that seem to make it out to those hunts every year or every other year.  Will those hunters stay home and hunt their areas for a while?

As for the states, I think they are already seeing a drop in hunting licenses due to the decrease in the younger generation moving away from hunting.  If these gas prices further erode their license revenue I think they'll have to RAISE fees to compensate.

What do you think the rise in gas prices is going to do to the hunting industry and those that are in the business of offerring guided hunts?

Nala

[ozy clint]

i live in weipa on cape york,queensland, australia. (700 km's by dirt road from the nearest city) the diesel here costs AU$2.05/litre. hunting here means travelling long distances. hence you really want to see some game when you go for a hunt. i often wonder what oppotunities the next generation of hunters will have.

[ozy clint]

hey what is the diesel price in the states?

[Curveman]

I think it may well have an impact on some. It would have to-certainly on those with families to feed. Not me though-I'm driving my truck to Canada again next year even if gas is $20/gallon! I'm hooked and I don't think there's an addictions unit for hunting!  :D  Now that I think of it though, I have cut back on the farther away 3D shoots.   :(

[sweet old bill]

diesel is now going for about $ 4.85 a gal / gas is $ 4.15 in NY state USA.

Now how will effect hunting, I think a lot. But it is more than hunting.

 I lot of the bow clubs have shoots, being out in the central part of NY state it means driving about a hour or more to attend. This means a lot of the shoots have had less people attending.

 It also means a reduced travel for a lot of fishermen traveling to the catskills mountains to fish the beaverkill river.

It means to me I will be hunting out the back door. As being on a fixed income it means, if I spend $$$ on gas for the suv I sure will not have it to pay for heating oil ( they estmate a gal of fuel oil for the house will be over $ 5.00 gal by winter) for the house.

I also stopped all buying of hunting stuff and will get by with what I have, no new bow or arrows or that new rifle scope for my 308 rifle.

 At 66 years young it also means you may see me as a Walmart working part time to help get a few extra coins to keep the house fire burning.

NOw who do I hold for all these problems, the voter, anyone that is in govt for more than one term. I mean both sides and yes I sure do feel that Bush has played a big part in screwing the good old USA people.I suggest if they have been in govt for more than one term, please do not vote to keep them in, lets turn them all out and start with a fresh bunch, these sure smell bad.

Bill

Bill

[Biggie Hoffman]

As long as that nutjob Pelosi is the majority leader, gas prices aren't gonna come down.

I'm like curveman. it is what it is. Won't slow me down a bit. Bowhunting is as big a part of me as eating and sleeping. I need to cut back on the eating part anyway...

[Stone Knife]

Buy a small car and pack the thing to the roof like I do, I'm going hunting no matter what. I second Pelosi being a nutjob, and I'm being nice.

[Jacobm]

Ozy- Diesel was $4.80/gal. yesterday.  I drive, or should say use to drive, a F350 diesel. My hunt club is 150 miles from home and I'm there 55 - 65 days a year.  To ofset the fuel costs and lessen the impact on the family, I bought a "yuck" Escort.  Have been running it back and forth to work and the property for about 1/3 the cost of the truck.  It just doesn't feel the same pulling into the club in that car.  We do have a camper trailer on the property so it's not an every day drive but it's still expensive.  We started leaving the food plot impliments there instead of trailering them back and forth.  This year the one day trips down there are out.  If there's only time for one day hunts this year it will be local.

[hunt it]

Diesel a $1.50 litre here in Canada. Many of our outfitters have stated that US hunters and fisherman/ladies way down this year so far. The fall of the bushbuck and high gas prices have taken toll.

[Bonebuster]

Fuel prices are certainly going to affect my travels. But the increased cost of fuel is just the start. Look at how much EVERYTHING has gone up lately.

High fuel costs will only go higher if the demand for fuel continues to stay the same. Too many people have not changed their driving habits, and it just enables the price at the pump to continue to rise.

It really concerns me when I hear someone say it won`t change what they do, when in truth, it simply MUST change what they do. I fear without small changes now, it will FORCE huge changes later. It goes beyond what a person can or cannot afford to spend.

There are some true wilderness areas in Michigans` Upper Penninsula that have not seen my presence in several years. I cannot justify seven hours of travel when I have so many other responsibilities elsewhere.

[Billy]

I only do one "away" game anyway.. I'm goin!
 
 I refuse to be held back by guv'ment regulation or futures,chicken scat-ology,wanna-be millionaires on wall street.

 The party in charge promised to bring down fuel prices...My fuel bill was lower before they gave 'her' the gavel..

 Out here on the highways everyday; I am seeing less solo,gas guzzler drivers and more old, high MPG cars coming back.
 
 Like Stoneknife, some of those cars have become campers or general haulers (lotsa rope and bungee cords).

[JDice]

While I do care (a great deal) about the politics - both national and international - that are driving the prices up - I like that this isn't a political forum. With that said, I do have one thought: If there are 2 Trad Gang'ers in one car - instead of 1 each in 2 cars - the gas price is cut in half.

[GingivitisKahn]

We're going to skimp but not on hunting.  I'm currently riding my bike / working from home as many days per week as the weather permits (will bus in the winter to keep my laptop screen from freezing).

This winter, we'll be driving to our hunting spots (45 min give or take) probably twice a week on average and rather than going out for lunch when we get there, we'll be cooking in the field.

As to the next generation, I have every confidence that our ... leaders will, at some point, be forced to start drilling ANWR and offshore etc.  Heh - gas prices hit $5/galon and people will be screaming to drill right the heck through the caribou to get at the oil.

[Izzy]

It will make me cringe on my 1 1/2 hour drives for a 5 hour hunt but it wont stop me.I will be hunting closer to home this year more often due a couple hot spots opening up to me.One thing Ive noticed tht I can attribute to high fuel costs is that a lot of outfitters are slashing their hunts due to cancellations.For example I was offered a grizz hunt for 4500.00 + tag and 600.00 charter flight in AK  by an outfitter who Ive booked some great hunts with in the past and if I didnt have moose and lion in my sights this year I would have to get a loan.So I guess there is a silver lining to this BS.Well ,,, this country has been through worse times so I guess we'll be ok.

[HARL]

Gas is $5.76 a gallon right now after a .40 drop.It certainly makes you look at what events and where you are going to hunt.

[PowDuck]

I'm not going to our deer lease near as often this summer.

As for the trip out west, we normally do 2 or 3 people. We're packing 4 guys into the truck this year helping offset fuel costs and making "the-more-the-merrier."

[Kevin L.]

I run a guide service, both hunting and fly fishing, and it's had an impact on the bottom line. I finally raised my rates this spring, after much soul-searching. I hated to do it, but this is a business and I don't want to go back to working for somebody else.

As for my personal trips, I don't take many. I did pass up a trip fishing in Montana, but I was booked 5 of the 7 days, so instead of spending money, I made some.

[BTH]

Gas is about $4.35 and diesel is about $5 in CA right now. I've been hunting these past two weekends and will continue to hunt through the rest of the season till the end of October, then do my Washington Elk hunt in November. It is what it is...every week I put about $100 in my 37 gallon gas tank on my F-150, which is loaded with gear for two hunters and one dog, and make the trip to the ranch. I just budget for it now.

[Dave Bowers]

I'm not gonna be traveling any real distance this year. I already commute an hour to work and that gas bill is bad enough, so I am trying to do most of my hunting close to home.

[WildmanSC]

I'll be footing the bill for gas from my house to my son's house in the Atlanta area.  Then we'll be splitting the cost of gas for the round trip from his house to Southern IL and the week of hunting there.  But we WILL hunt!

Bill