What are some tips for saving money on a hunting trip?
For starters, when gas prices rise and it costs you upwards of $3 or $4 per gallon to go anywhere, consider hunting closer to home, rather than taking a long trip to somewhere far from home. Look for places to hunt within a 25-mile radius of your home.
Next, bring local grocery-store bought food and drinks with you in a cooler or backpack so you don’t have to stop along the way and pay higher prices at restaurants and truck stops. You can, for instance, make your own bologna sandwich on two pieces of bread for about $1 versus buying a sub at Subway for $5.
If you’re going hunting for a couple days and need to stay somewhere overnight, consider bringing your own tent(s) to set up in the woods rather than spending money on an expensive hotel room. Campers work well in this case, too.
If and when you do catch some game on your hunt, it’s cheaper to process that game yourself than to pay to have it done for you. Plus, this way you can process your game just the way you like it.
As for the guns and gear you bring along with you on your hunt(s), consider buying used equipment from flea markets, swap meets or Craigslist ads. Buying all brand new stuff can really drain a bank account quickly, so used items can definitely save you some bucks. Also, look for sales on things like ammo at local stores. It’s better to buy stuff on sale than to pay full price, right? If you have friends who have hunting equipment, share or trade items to “try out” rather than having to buy and own your own.
Finally, get some buddies together and you can all contribute money toward a shared hunting experience with an affordable outfitter like Pluck-A-Duck in Arkansas. Just like buying in bulk saves you money at the big box stores, having a bunch of guys and gals go in for a group hunting trip helps cut down overall expenses.