hunting in an uncertain economy

[Broken Arrow 1]

Originally posted by Sipsey River:
As a general rule, if you have to sell something to go, you can not really afford the trip.
It is probably a bad financial decision. Odds are that you will get less than you paid for the gun so you are losing money you do not need to lose.
In most cases you would be better off finding a second job for a few weeks or months (doing anything, do not be picky) to earn the money to go on the trip.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Would you feel bad about keeping the gun?

[Mo. Huntin]

I am working 12hr midnights this week and was just thinking about this last night so I posted it up.  I see several people are being cautious also.  You can probably tell I don't usually spend much money on my self unless it is for something like a gun that does not depreciate and can be turned into cash fast.  Jerry Wald that is very nice of you to make that offer but I just simply can't accept your very genorous offer.  Flatlander37 when I get this wrapped up I will shoot you a PM to tell you where to go. for $250 for 2 days lodging included hog hunting.  The hunting has been awesome the past 2 times I have been their and it is not terribly far away.

[RC]

Everybody thinks that they need to save and work all the time and one day everything will be ok.Truth is..your gonna get old and die.Enjoy life as it goes by and if a hunting trip at the cost of a gun I never use or need was what I wanted I`d do it.
  You still gotta provide for your family but if thats done ..don`t sweat it.RC

[John3]

I'm spending like any other year.. You never know what is going to happen.. Spend the money, the memories will be worth more than the money.

[Shedrock]

You only live once. Go hunting!

[Hawkeye]

10 years ago, I had the privilege of being invited to hunt hogs in SC with my friend Jerry Pierce.  Dean Torges, Cliff Huntington, and some great guys I hadn't met would be there to share a week's hunt.

As a responsible husband and father, busy businessman, and fifth-generation farmer, it would have been most like me to say "thank you" and pass on the opportunity.  Because of my respect for Jerry and the honor of being asked, I cleared it with my bride and found a way to go.

I had an amazing week I'll remember forever, killed my first pig (with my Choctaw recurve), and made some lifelong friends.  That weekend, I brought some of Jerry's stuff back with me to Illinois, and he headed to MS to see his son Lenny before heading home.  I never saw him again...

The day a week later when I was going to stop by his house to see him and return his cooler and gear, I got THE call.  Jerry had died from a sudden heart attack.  For the rest of my life, I'll cherish our last hunt, and thank the Lord that for some reason, somehow, I took that trip. I'm so, SO glad I didn't pass up the opportunity.

I don't tell this to try to be dramatic, but to say there are times when the seemingly  "responsible" thing isn't the best course to take.  I'll always be thankful for this time that I chose a little time for friends, a bit of time for myself, and built a memory I'll cherish for a lifetime.

Miss you, Buddy!

Daryl

[DelSnavely]

There should be no regrets for the things you've done in your life, only for the things you haven't done. Only you can make those decissions.

DS

[Jerry Wald]

Sorry to hear you won't accept my offer cause I was serious.

Fifty dollars is a small price to pay for someones happiness.....wish I could just go with you and that would be better.

Maybe sometime then.....take care, but I really think you should go, but it's your call.

Jer Bear

[Flinttim]

In the grand scheme of things $300 is nothin'. Yeh, I know, I too have fretted over much less. As I have said before "Life has more than length, it also has width". The length is the number of years you walk this earth, the width is what you do with that  time.
 If the family and you are secure ,ie: the bills paid and groceries in the pantry, do it. Would be different if you were talking about a $12,000 trip to Africa, but you are not. I'd bet the farm that some here who have advised against it have bought a bow that cost more than $300, while they had several bows already on the rack.Or have sold a seldom used bow to finance a trip.A lot of the guns and bows I have owned over the years have been nothing more than "tender", waiting for a buyer to come along. Yes I have "keepers" but I have "sellers" too.
 Length and width boys , length and width.

[Jerry Wald]

Geez Tim I thought you were talking about something else and I have neither..WHEWWWWW    

Jer Bear

[KVTA TANK]

Sell the gun and GO GO GO .the goverment will take it soon enuff..  

[Jerry Wald]

That's not even funny especially when they do.

Ask the aussies.

Yeah we have the gun registry here...big joke. They just want to know where the guns ARE. With your new patriot act they can sieze evrything if they think it's a threat to national security...well thats great but they also have the right to do it for us Canadians too....load of crap.

So when water becomes your national crisis what then. Do they come into Canada and take our guns and leave us at the borders with wet taowel flicking them at the tanks...dunno, but I really don't think it's something to laugh at...sory for being so straight up.

Our governments are eroding all our freedoms in the cause of National Security. Fine and dandy, but is there a real threat or is it fabricated to suit the Gov.

Sorry just don't trust our leadership much:( .

Jer Bear

On the positive side the Russians have let us have a breather and turned up the thermostat to ZERO...yeeeeeehaw  

[Stick_N_String]

Go!!!!! look at it this way, how much pork could you buy for $300 ??  plus the memories!!!
My buddie's and I are heading to southern Oklahoma Friday evening for a hog hunting weekend. We'll make a ton of memories and put some fine pork in the freezer.
Another way to look at it, you'll be stimulating the economy.  
Hope you have a blast!!!!
Daren

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

I just got word I'll be laid-off in June. Regardless, I've always felt that paying for a hunt ultimately waters down the sport and will eventually hurt us all as more and more landowners see dollar signs instead of the abundance of God's creation and a resource to share openly.
That being said, like hunting ethics, it's all in your heart and only you can know if it's right or wrong.

Also, as another opportunity to ask all who will listen: I am a multi-talented, intelligent and articulate individual with a great big heart and a whole lot of drive. If you think you might have a job for a young man with a family to support and the rare gift of loyalty, drop me a private message, please. I'd really love to do what I enjoy and be paid what I'm worth but I'm not too picky right now!

[Hattrick]

If ur in construction you might hold up ,if ur in a stable work environment go hunting

[Mike Mecredy]

The one thing about the outdoors that I enjoy, is there no economy out there.  The deer don't have any different habbits, the seasons still change, infact hunting is the only part of my life that is certain.

[wapitimike1]

I wouldn't sell any guns. I regret selling the few over the years I did. Hang on to every one.

[Biggie Hoffman]

I'd sell every gun I had to go bowhunting....well, I might keep one  :-)

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Don't sell ALL your guns Biggie.....your (we all are) going to need a few I suspect.

The hunting question is simple....if you have your bill's paid and $300 doesn't hurt your family, go. If you can't afford it, go earn some extra. Earn $500, put $200 in the family larder to take care of your obvious guilt, and go hunting.

Extra money isn't too hard to earn, most folks sit around wringing thier hands about it instead of getting out and working.

I live in Michigan, arguably the worst economic state in the union right now, with the highest unemployment rate. EVERYBODY in my house works. My 17 year old son earns $15 an hour after school BUSTING HIS TAIL on a construction site...doing work some of these whining "professionals" won't do.

Sorry for the rant. My point is, if you need a couple hundred dollars to go on a hunt, set  down the computer and get after it.