Scrimping

[Swede]

We have discussed whether or nor elk hunting is a poor man's sport. So I think we have determined it is doable for many if they are careful and cut their costs to the bone. So where can an out of State hunter scrimp without significantly reducing his or her chances to get a branched bull?
I will share a couple of the easy low hanging fruit ideas I have.

1 buddy up if possible.
2 hunt from a base camp where you can use all of the camp gear and hunting equipment you have for hunts near home.

[wawhitey]

I say scrimp on non hunting stuff first. A lot of guys say they cant afford this or that huntingwise, but at the same time they spend 200 bucks a month to rot their brains with cable tv, or drink a $5 fancy coffee on their way to work every morning instead of making it at home, or buying a $1.50 gas station coffee, or they spend $12 for a six pack of ipa, buy lunches at work every day instead of packing a lunch from home, wasting a ton of money on disposable cartridge razors instead of using a de safety razor with $0.05 blades...all kinds of areas in life to save some money, its all about priorities.

[Indian Summer]

Wawhitey I couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s all in how bad you REALLY want to go elk hunting. If Starbucks is more of a necessity and Miller High Life isn’t good enough then your priorities are what’s stopping you. It’s just camping with a hunting license and weapon not a trip to Hawaii.

Find 2-3 partners and it’s dirt cheap.

[ishy]

In Jr High I was one of those Jordan fanatics, and I skipped lunch every day for about a year to buy my first pair of Air Jordans. If you want something bad enough you will find a way!
One little known fact if you put in for Utah LE hunts is there license is good for 365 days. So the first year you put in late in the application process, second year apply while the first license is still good it saves $65 every other year.

[>>>---WW---->]

X-2 what wawhitey said!

[Elkduds]

Take summer vacation to your hunting ground and camp/scout. Thorough scouting is one of, if not THE best way to increase odds of success.

[Swede]

This has been really good. I have to admit that I was expecting things like use a large blue tarp for a tent, or plaid shirts and coats instead of Sitka Optiflague. Did you know a 1980 bow is as accurate as a 2019 bow?

[Swede]

Being versatile in your hunting gets expensive. If you want to call, do spot and stalk and tree stand hunt it will cost you more to get equipped to do all of those than it will cost to do just one. I believe the cheapest is to rifle hunt with a good used 30-06 or other common caliber. Hunting from a road is cheaper than back pack hunting because you will need more gear. For years I wore my work clothes including boots, so a box of shells my regular camping gear and gas for the truck is about all I needed other than hunting tags. No I did not have a pack of any kind. When we got something we carried it out on our shoulders. I works if you are young and can't afford better.

[Lefty]

Pretty much the way it is. Good stuff Gents!!

[jmez]

IMO you can skimp on everything other than boots.

[ishy]

I normally agree, but I have been pretty lucky lately. My last two pair were $37 out of bargain barn, and $20 yard sale of a guy that hunted twice then decided to move to Florida. Both have been as good or better than the other boots I've worn. My wife (only thing she will actively do that assists anything hunting related) and I are always keeping an eye out for good deals.

[Lefty]

Im guessing most of us have scrimped at the beginning. I started with a $75.00 car. I had my first boxes of .308 220 Core-loc for nearly 40 years,.. I didnt even have the gun anymore.
When I was younger and copper scrap was 2.00 a lb and I was getting3/4 to 1.5 cents per newspaper I had good stuff, for a ki, I even had a gold and brown flannel "camo" JC Penny Work shirt I wore glasses at the time and put good scopes on my guns.
Years back we didnt seem to need so much "stuff". We fished with live bait we got ourselves,

[wawhitey]

You made me think of this lefty.

[WapitiTalk1]