Why not do it yourself

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Hunting should never be about the money.

[Mike Bolin]

Hunting isn't about the money. Not sure where you are going? If I had the money I'd hunt alot more in alot of different places!    If it comes down to an expensive trip or something for the family, the family always wins out....no contest! In the meantime, I wish it was October! Mike

[Jeff Strubberg]

Success isn't the goal of a hunt, but I can say that I have never layed down money for a hunt where I didn't learn something.

What else you gonna do with money, burn it?  I think learning new things is a great way to spend your money.

[John3]

Jeff is right. You can't take the money with you. My time is the one variable that I cannot put a price tag on. All you can ask for on a guided hunt is professional guides and opportunities at game. I've been on many guided trips. Some of my early guided trips were terrible and a waste of my money, but I did learn the lesson that you "do get what you pay for"...

I've seen game and country that most people will never see. Killing an animal is just "gravy".

I might have done more DIY trips but none of my buddies are as serious about chasing stuff with a bow as I am. After college and we all were moved for jobs/married ect... their hunting time and dollars seemed to dry up. I love to chase deer at home; but there is so much more to experience.

I spend the money to hunt animals that I can't hunt near home. Meeting the people and seeing other countries is worth every penny.

[SC Bowhunter]

I myself agree with ChuckC, I would rather shoot a spike or raghorn or nothing doing it all myself than have someone else do it for me. Also, If you can plunk down 5 or 10 thousand for a hunt I don't think missing work unpaid should be a problem. I feel that the feeling you get doing it yourself, successful or not, is what it's all about.

Matt, I first decided on Oregon due to over the counter tags and cheaper price. Then found public lands available and number of tags in certain units. Then you can talk to DNR people. I hunt in the Starkey and Ukiah units. Not a lot of bowhunters plus deer coincides with elk if you buy that tag too. I have shot some smaller bulls and seen some big bulls. Decend sized muleys all over.

Rob

[J-dog]

I am planning a DIY for elk in 2009, or 2010 depends on how the house buying thing goes this winter. LOL

I have no doubt it will be tough and odds are stacked against me, BUT I am probably one of the most stubborn folks you will ever meet, and my wife will confirm that statement. I have alot of experience backpacking none in the backcountry of those big mountains, so tough, yes. But I am in good shape, physically, I stay that way as a firefighter PTing every day, dont know about mentally, guess that stubborness will show through though.

I dont fault anyone going for a guided hunt, would if I could but that is way too expensive, and extra 3-4 grand over DIY.

My worry is this though, I run an at least 10-12 miles a week, (know guys that do that a day!, not me)but then this is in the flatland of NC. The thin air of the mountains will take some acclimation I think. Planning on getting out there a few days early to hang out before going in.

Anyway as usual it boils doen to each his own.

J

[Chuck Mullaley]

I learned more from one good elk guide than 3 years of diy.  Now my diy for elk is more successful.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

When I want to learn something, I tend to seek out people who can teach me.

I could have spent a weekend here and a weekend there traveling south for years to gain half the knowledge about hunting wild hogs I gained in three days of learning from Curtis Kellar.

Two years ago I spent a couple weeks learning about moose hunting with a guide in northwest Ontario. Yes, I ended up killing a bull. But long after the meat is gone and antlers are faded, I'll still have the education I gained that late September.

Why is it OK to ask a farmer for advice about the animals on his farm, or listen to a friend when hunting his land, but it's somehow looked down upon to hire a guide? The end results are the same with respect to "do it yourself".  

Does the taboo come into play when money changes hands? My college education wasn't free either.

If we’re discussing the type of guided hunt where the guide is really a babysitter who says “sit here, shoot that”, then all I can say is I prefer not to hunt that way. When I go on a guided hunt, the first and foremost thing the guide needs to be is a teacher. I’m there to learn more than I’m there to kill. If that loses me some points in the DIY department, I’m OK with that.

[J-dog]

I just wanna say I have nothing against a guided hunt. If that floats your boat, go for it. If I made more money I would definantly do a guided. Can I learn from a guide, yep. But can I push myself hard and get on critters no matter where I am, yep. Will I make mistakes?, yep. All part of it.

Like I say I would do a guided and have no regrets, period. Deputy Fire Chief salary dictates I DIY.   :D  

Tenacity accounts for alot, "Always be stubborn", a U.S. Marine taught me that.

Happy hunting no matter how you do it      
J

[Don Stokes]

My first hunts out west were guided, and we had a ball! Killed a few hairy beasts, too. Now that I know how, the only downsides to DIY are not having someone to come in to the cabin tent before daylight and light the stove and the lantern, and not having a hot breakfast ready, and not having a hot supper when we came in, and not having to make a pack lunch, and not having to do dishes, and not having to pack out the game alone, and... you get the picture.

After I got to know that corner of Colorado pretty well, and the guide and I became good friends, I helped him guide some. It's no picnic for them, lots of work, and clients can be unbelievably crude or drunks or slobs. He let me hunt for free in return for helping him with the hunters. A good deal for both of us, and it was about as much fun for me to take someone out and help them get on game as it was to hunt, when they were decent folks.

Just can't take them mountains around Telluride no more- we will hunt the plateau this year.

[fatman]

I also don't buy the argument that someone who can lay down the cash for a hunt can also afford to take unpaid time from work...some people are willing to work overtime and sacrifice in other areas in order to spend their precious time doing something that they can't do in their backyard...and I admire the ambition to do that.

some people's boats float in different waters;  there's guys who would RATHER spend time in the back forty hunting deer that they see all year and become familiar with.  Others have the desire to become a proficient hunter of, say, elk...even though they don't live in elk country.  Still others want the opportunity to see all they can in their alloted time on earth....

There's plenty of options for everyone.

[upatree]

Originally posted by Buckeye Trad Hunter:
Hunting should never be about the money.

I agree.  It shouldn't but it is.  All the DWF's are about money, the hunting shows,etc...
 This is part of the reason I am glad I started to shoot traditional archery.  I was getting tiered of the people that had to buy a $800-$100 bow every year and all the hoopla around them like they had some great revolution in technology.
To the OP, Time is money.  If you don't have alot of time, you better have some money to hunt.

[Rick McGowan]

The fact is that the success rate for a first time unguided elk bowhunter from the east is in the 1-2% range, being in shape and willing to make the hard effort helps, but thats where the 2% comes in. A guide is no guaranttee, but raises the odds 10 or 20 times, my recommendation is to get a good guide the first time and learn all you can. If you go a few times it will be the cheapest money you ever spent!

[J-dog]

Rick, Statistics are the third biggest lie! pay em no attention!! LOL.

I am hard headed as I can be, my wife will verify that. For me it is not about spending the money as I would if I had it to spend. But by the time that comes I will be too old to even follow a guide. At 35 I am pretty well good to go, least in this NC flat land, physically I will be ready.

Past that it is a mental mind game, just like any tough situation a man cares to throw himslef into.

Hunt hard yall,

J

[leatherneck]

I guess if killing is why you are out there then a guide will help up the odds. I myself don;'t care if I kill or not. It's the experience that I want to savor.

[Rick McGowan]

leatherneck, most of us don't think killing is necessary to have a successful hunt, but if you have almost no chance at killing, you aren't really hunting, you are just hiking with a bow and many of the experiences involve at least the possibility of getting a shot.

[hunt it]

I just love hunting, and the new friendships that are formed every time I hunt with new folks. I have hunted all over the world both DIY and guided. As long as you get hunting thats all that's important. Other obligations such as jobs and families come first and dictate what $$$ some have for hunting. As Mr. Struberg said earlier YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU. I've watched way too many a close friend work their a$$es off saving for retirement only to drop dead or become stricken with some illness that does not allow them to do all they planned. LIFE IS SHORT - GO HUNTING!

[J-dog]

All great points yall, Rick I hunt many many days that I dont see a thing, sometimes wonder if I am in the same zip code as a deer or bear. Still hunting I just not doing any good! I must hike alot and never known it.
Yeah I agree you cant take it with you but if something happens to me before retirement My wife and daughter will need every penny I busted my butt and saved all these years, and all the life insurance I have. Antlers on a wall wont do them any good.
I think what you guys speak of now is just a reality that some have enough money to go around the world and hunt. Some have jobs that will regulate they stay in their back yard, still others can save a bit and do a hunt or two guided or not. Nothing wrong with any situation mentioned you just have to prioritize what is important to you and live within your particular means. Hunt it there said it best.
I have always been a meat hunter, and when I go out west I will try and get into a unit that any bull or cow is legal, or have tags as such. Whatver the law is. Up the odds/statistics that much more.

Later yall,

J

[TonyW]

Hard to find an excuse for not being in shape to hunt. You gotta practice shooting, so why avoid hiking and camping?
If I want an easy stroll and a guarantee to see big game, I can spend an afternoon at the National Zoo. Instead I find more fun hiking the woods and marveling at the ability of whitetails to detect and avoid my bow range. Most of the ones I see, however, would be easy kills with a rifle.
Trad shooting takes a lot of preparation. If I was looking for a sure thing, I would never have picked up a recurve. That being said, if you really have to max out the Mastercard to ease your hunting jones, go for it.

[Steve B.]

A friend of mine spent a few hundred dollars on a one-day-guided steelhead fishing trip.  He said he learned more in that half-day about flyfishing, reading water, and catching fish than he could have learned in a year of weekends trying to figure it out for himself.  Now it costs almost that much just to drive to that river one time, so he saved in the long run.