• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

High end products you can't justify

bigmike23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
1,616
Location
NE PA
I'm a self admitted gear junkie. I like my toys and work my butt off to get them. Some products I splurge on like treestand, sticks, saddles, Optics, weapons etc. One hunting item I just can't justify paying for is a higher end trail camera. These cheaper ones, specifically the Tactacams work flawlessly. When this works so good it seems insane to pay 600 for a reconyx! Or even 400 for a Spartan.
What is a hunting item you'd personally never splurge for?
 
Hunting cloths...I spend a great deal outside year around and I adjust well to the cold...Merino wool base layer is the most pricey I wear
 
So this is based on where I am at in my life now. How much money I spend on something relates to how much I think I am going to use it. If I was going to bow hunt 30+ days a year. I can justify a new bow. If I was going to hunt 12+ days a year in sub zero temps. I can justify Sitka camo. More so if these are out of state planned hunts that I am going no matter what. So right now in my life those are a waste of money. The things I feel I have wasted my money on so far since going down this rabbit hole, are not big things, but the collection of little things I feel will make it easier, but don't. We probably all have that tub of stuff we have tried that is not worth anything because it cost to much to ship it. But have spent 20- 30 here or there on stuff that doesn't help as much as we hoped and is actually more complicated so sits in that bin. If I have to pick one. I will go with the cameras as well. I would rather have 6 cameras instead of one.
 
I guess for me it’s been quality clothing. Although, when I get to a different spot financially, that will probably change. I believe quality clothing can make a hunting trip that much better and allow you more opportunities, as you will sit longer and more still. However, I have always just hunted the warm SE my whole life and have never had much exposure to extreme cold, and cheap box store camo has always been ‘good enough’. During my Northern Missouri hunting this year, I may have wished I had a good clothing system.
 
I literally could list everything..... I don't like the fact that people make it seem u have to have expensive gear to be successful hunting. The most expensive thing I have is my guns/bows and I haven't spent more than 300 bucks on 1 of those. Not saying I'm the most successful but I think I hold my own vs what I see of others on SH and utubes
 
Funny, I never figured I'd see that answer here.
My house looks like Cabelas. I love my mounts!

Different strokes... ;)
This ones easy for a lot of us to say, most of my bucks are probably in the 100-130 range. When I look at all of my homemade euros in the garage, of course I’d never drop that kind of money to get one of those mounted. It’d be a lot harder to say “I’m not wasting money on a mount” if I had just dropped a 150+. I guess this ones about perspective.
 
At this point in my life....

High dollar items I can't justify for my wants/needs:
  • Scent-related clothing
  • Ozone generating machines
  • Filming equipment
  • E-bike
  • Expensive trail cameras
  • Truck/vehicle
  • Boat
  • New bow
  • More hunting land

Multiple items I can't justify - for my wants/needs:
  • Owning more than one or two tree stands at the same time. (Can only use one at a time.)
  • Owning more than one or two saddle platforms at the same time. (Can only use one at a time.)
  • Wife (the one I have is expensive enough)
  • Girlfriend (probably wouldn't get along with the wife)

Expensive / discretionary items I've purchased that are worth it - to me:
  • Higher-end backpack
  • Higher-end binoculars
  • Canoe
  • Hunting land
  • Every piece of elk-hunting related gear I've ever purchased. :)
 
Back
Top