I dont know I guess everybody does things different.

I view owning your land as cheaper than leasing, as you can sell it at any time and get your money back... and if you bought wisely more.

Years ago people didnt buy 50K trucks because they didnt make them. I bought a 2010 dodge ST crew cab cummins 4X4 with a standard and it cost me almost 40K.

There are lots of little things you can do, the eating out is a big one, and I would prefer to eat at home any way.

About the wife's money and your money thing.... unless you got married late in life or there are extenuating circumstances it should all be in one pot. That is how I was raised and my kidds will be too. I dont mean to be the THF sap, but if you aint in it for the right reasons then why are you?

You want to hunt pay for it, if you cant afford it you cant.

I wont lie, Im jealous... jealous as hell

X2. We've been on the same lease for 7 years now. Pay $680.00 for year-round access. Barn with electricity/haul in our water.

It's the total freedom out there I cherish. 1900 acres and if one wanted to run butt-nekkid out there, you could and no one would notice.

Now we know what kinda weirdows we have on the THF...

Just kidding

I don't make all that much and I have lease.
It's $1200. per year, year round I go almost every weekend and spend (what I consider) a lot of money going and fixing things up.

But it keeps me out of bars, jails and jewelry stores!
Those are all expensive too!

X2 those bars and jewelry stores are a killer! I fear that the jewelry store is about to drive me into a bar

it did drive me into a bar!!

your not married obviously....your view will change with time

Married young and it is in one pot for the most part but she doesn't hunt thankfully and I can't ask her to pay for my hunting any more than I asked her to pay for my land in Mo. I'm not saying it would break me to pay more, saying my weak butt can't get around the large figures it's getting to be. That is more "disposable income" than I have to give.

I have been paying $600 for my lease for the past 12 years. I dont shoot anything real special, but I do get some decent bucks and a lot of venison for the freezer. When things got real tight I simply cut out the morning $4 coffee on the way to work and took coffee and my lunch with me. There are things that can be done if you love to hunt. That being said though, I think that there is a price point where I would start questioning the value and the wisdom of investing so much in hunting. For me, that price point is around $2,000.00. Anything over that and it would start to feel like a selfish indulgence. I have had the opportunity to get on a place at Carrizo Springs for $4k/season. I respectfully declined. After all, you can't eat horns.

That's what I'm saying.^^^^^

Guess that is why I can afford hunting and a lot of other things. I have never paid 4 bucks for a cup of coffee.

No one likes it....But I'll find a good place to hunt, no matter what it cost. I've never paid over $1500 a year, but my biggest buck only scored 134". To me, $1500 is an extremely fair price for what I get. Usually 3-4 deer, all the hogs I want, turkey, predators, time away from the metromess, family and friends. I WILL NOT pay 3,4,5+ thousand dollars to shoot a BIGGER buck. That's the problem fellas..... Competition between our peers. Everybody wants to shoot the biggest buck. If a bigger buck gives me a shot, great! If not, I'm happy shooting does, culls, hogs and predators.

thats a little contradictory isn't it?

I grew up I TYHP and now I give back to the program. I enjoy hunting as an entainment, yes, but also I never have had money myself or my family for that matter so we couldn't afford even a "cheaper" lease. I enjoy watching and guiding kids that are not able to go to a lease every weekend or seeing the kid light up when he harvest his first deer and the joy him and his father share in that moment. Those were the best times in my life when i could get to hunt with my dad.
I'm not trying to bring down individuals that can shell out 5 grand a gun for a lease and get a chance to see and harvest a nice trophy buck, but I promise you I have the same joy in the 3 pt I shot when I was 15 as many do with their 170 class buck. Yes given the opportunity I would love to harvest one that size but I know I will not afford it. I enjoy the meat from a Doe much more than the meat from a buck anyways so why pay the price for it.
Not meanin to push any buttons there but it is my stand on it and more power to you if you have the finances to afford it I am happy that you have succeded in such a manner.

NLay-you my friend IMO are more blessed than most of us for you have not lost sight of what hunting is supposed to be about. God bless you-Eddie

As a land owner that statement is crazy. I did lease before I owned my ranch and there is no comparison - NONE. The amount of money that goes out of my pocket to keep up with the ranch expenses is beyond anything I was expecting - something always needs fixing, worked on, improved, etc. Go see what a new water well cost or just the cost to replace a tire on a tractor. It never ends.

thank you eddie

No matter what it cost doesn't have to mean more $$$$.

Ever heard of manual labor, working for the land owner for hunting rights, knocking on doors to find a place?

Hunting is a form of entertainment and I spend the money not necessarily for the meat, but for the hunting experience. Any extra money gets saved for hunting with me. I do not eat out a lot or go to movies, etc. Hunting is my entertainment and I have to budget for it. It has been said already, but it really is about your priorities.

My priority right now is my sons. I have been hunting 40 yrs now, but it is the joy my kids have shooting and harvesting their first deer. I will never forget the excitement I had when my youngest son hooked onto his first keeper redfish. The fight he put on to win the battle with that fish. His excitement when the net secured him. Those are the times I look forward to. I am almost set on securing a nice lease in So. Tex., small but in good country. A teacher/coach salary is not going to allow for anything too extravagant, but we will have the best times on any place. At the same time, I can get the kids in the habit of saving money.

My wife and i have an agreement. She has $5k/ year to do what she loves (country clubs and tennis). I get $5k to do what i love... HUNT!! I can take that $5k and get a lease, or book several single hunts on ranches. Or a new gun. The bottom line is i have a budget. I control where and how it is spent. It works well for our household.

There's plenty of good advice here. My bottom line answer is budgeting. If you have a budget and stick to it, you can afford to do almost anything you plan to afford.

To each his own. Some guys take their family to Europe, Hawaii or Disneyland for vacation and spend thousands others have a lease or a huge boat and new F350. It is important that married folks get the blessing of the better half. To keep the peace. Heck one guy on the forum paid $2500 for a turkey hunt and did not see a Turkey, but it is his money.

out of pocket it cost us about 30-35k a year to operate 1200 acres.

300 acres we now own i estimate runs us about 15k.


but to someone that either

A. leases

or

B. has property but other than pay the taxes on it doesnt do a whole lot on it

this argument is useless.


but i would rather own than lease