• 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

What is the least amount you think you could spend to kill a deer. Legally.

MattMan81

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
4,941
Location
The Mitten
Don't want to hijack @bigmike23 thread. So I will start a similar one here. Some guys have bashed the bucket challenge. But let's be honest. If you woke up in just your underwear, and had to go hunt S.E. Ohio during the rut in archery season. No crossbow. How much do you think you would have to spend to get it done? Everything you have to buy is NEW. You can order it online or in store. No DIY, can't use stuff around the house. New bow, arrows, boots and so on. Edit: *How cheaply do you think you could get it done. You have to be able to hunt all day.
 
Last edited:
$400 for Wal-Mart bow package (guesstimate)
$35 for release
$60 for arrows and broadheads
$50 for clothes
$30 for shoes
$100 for ladder stand (not absolutely necessary, but getting elevated would be a huge boost to my chances personally)
$150 for license (guesstimate)
$15 SaddleHunter.com membership (duh)
So I’ll say $840 all-in.

That’s bare minimum for me. Could do it for about half that if I could gun hunt or buy used.
 
bow - 150 (probably a trad bow would be more cost efficient)
couple broadheads - 25
cheapo walmart clothes - 30
shoes -30
license - 34
knife - 20

under $300, absolutely cheapest route
 
If this is a challenge to do it as cheaply as possible... there are some nice recurve kits with arrows for under $150. Everything else is fluff. I remember hunting in my granpaps old green overalls covered in grease and oil stained with a recurve I bought at a yard sale for $25 that came with a few arrows. Took my first deer sitting in a treetop playing the wind right. I will be the first to tell you I spend way to much on hunting gear but to hit a few yard sales for camo and a bow I bet you could be sitting in the woods for under $50.

but doing it all new... challenge to do it as cheap as possible:

$150 bow and arrows
$ 35 camo overalls
$ 15 face mask, hat and gloves
$ 20 boots
$ 5 green yard chair

To do it all with gear I want... looking at $5,000+
 
You planning on hunting in your skivvies, boots, and saddle??
I figured in this scenario the person already owned some pants and a jacket. I don’t think camo is necessary. But heck in early season I almost do wish I could hunt in my skivvies!
 
Reading this is making me admit to myself that I’ve probably spent $7,000 trying out gear. Maybe one of those trigger warnings next time we post something like this would be nice.
 
Reading this is making me admit to myself that I’ve probably spent $7,000 trying out gear. Maybe one of those trigger warnings next time we post something like this would be nice.
Ughh... I just went back and added mine up and I am at a little over $5k! Ouch.
 
Bow, arrows, release= 550
Bear has a rth package that includes arrows, field points, broadheads, and release

Clothing "new" surplus=200
Surplus under layer, regular shirt/pant, and heavy jackets ( I assume it gets cold there in Ohio) socks gloves hats and I would get some tingly/Yoder boots. Easy to get it all for 200

Saddle gear=150
Rock harness, fleece, bridge material, muddy lifeline, and some biners

Climbing method=150
2 Api sticks and some kind of premade aider u can buy

Platform=120
Treehopper

After the shot=150
Walmart cooler, jet sled, knife

Round up for gas, food, etc I'd say 1400-1500

I don't know if u were wanting to include the camping gear or not.... Add another 200 if I was to include camping gear

I think I remembered everything but probably forgot something....I also think I estimated high on some and the rounding up would cover anything I forgot
 
I was thinking with no travel, or car. Just you woke up one day and went hunting. What do you need.
Some guys added license. Which I was not thinking.
Surprised lots of guys decided to add an elevated position to there estimate. Timber, hills, and rut action means you could probably be fairly successful with out getting in a tree. Ohio could be chilly. So I had warm clothes, and good pair of boots in my mind. Keep walking you will come across some deer at some point.
300 - 400 for the bow and arrow. Compound.
Warm base layer 50
Good boots 150.
Outter layer, with face cover. 100.
So I'm probably 700 - 800 ground hunting. Not including anything for after the shot. (If I make it)
 
I added sticks and saddle stuff cause that's what I thought the point of the thread was....if the main goal is to hunt as cheap as possible my list/cost would change
 
If I woke up in my underwear and needed to start fresh - knowing what I know now - I could save about 300lbs worth of 20 dollar bills!

I'd still spend a few grand and buy GOOD stuff!
 
Back
Top