high gas prices survey
- Thread starter Art S.
- Start date
It isn't just the price of gas... it is the price of everything. I am unlikely to seriously cut back on hunting but I am cutting back on other expenditures.
One thing I have done this winter is slow down when driving. My vehicles have instant and average fuel consumption displays and I pay close attention and try to optimize my driving for the best mileage.
One thing I have done this winter is slow down when driving. My vehicles have instant and average fuel consumption displays and I pay close attention and try to optimize my driving for the best mileage.
Terry Desilets
Active member
Considering the overall cost of an average waterfowl season, gas is WAY down the list of expenditures.
Maybe a couple hundred dollars difference in the end. There are better ways to save money than to cut down on your hunting. Maybe ask you wife to cut down on her beauty parlor visits? Do her own nails? Delay the purchase of those new pumps she's been dying for. Cancel that 7 day cruise to the Caribbean, who duck hunts there anyway? If you just look at it strategically, you should come out OK.
Maybe a couple hundred dollars difference in the end. There are better ways to save money than to cut down on your hunting. Maybe ask you wife to cut down on her beauty parlor visits? Do her own nails? Delay the purchase of those new pumps she's been dying for. Cancel that 7 day cruise to the Caribbean, who duck hunts there anyway? If you just look at it strategically, you should come out OK.
Al Hansen
Well-known member
Art, I have already done that. One of my favorite spots to hunt is approximately 50 miles from my house. I used to make that trip at least 70 days during the duck season. It has been two years now that I haven't gone there. I stay much closer to home. The private ranch I hunt is just 10 miles away and if need be, I can drive there on my 4 wheeler or Mule. My Powerstroke gets horrible mileage. If I drive it 58 mph I can squeeze 17mpg out of it.
Bev and I have slowed way down when driving. We just start out our trip a little earlier, that's all. For example her Camry will normally get 30mpg when driving on the freeway at the speed limit which is 75. We now drive at a reduced speed around 62mph. That gives us 40mpg. That saves us a lot of money.
Al
Bev and I have slowed way down when driving. We just start out our trip a little earlier, that's all. For example her Camry will normally get 30mpg when driving on the freeway at the speed limit which is 75. We now drive at a reduced speed around 62mph. That gives us 40mpg. That saves us a lot of money.
Al
Lawrence Pyne
Member
I can't imagine I'll do less hunting. But hunting closer to home and doing less scouting are distinct possibilities.
Jeff Frechette
Active member
I'm going to have to do more hunting if the fuel prices rise much more and cut out the offshore tuna trips that burn 80-150 gallons a day. A $600 fuel bill is hard to swallow for fishing.
Here in northern Ny traveling for ducks & Geese comes with the terrority. my swamp is 40 miles away,club leases almost 60 and the big lake (Champlain) 50-60. We usually team up and split the gas. Gas is 3.95 right now and will be in the 4 plus area any day. So I might stay at camp more but the extra couple hundred will just have to come out of the Wife's Bluegrass festival schedule
) .....Yeah probably not.
) .....Yeah probably not.Tom Roberts
Well-known member
I doubt I will cut back much if any. I usually don't travel far to my hunting spots. But I agree with Terry, If there's a will there's a way. Cut back on eating out, turn off those lights or adjust the thermostat, keep your engine and tires in good shape,....etc. With a little brainstorming you can come up with a lot of other possibilities. My daughter saves a great amount of money utilizing coupons. She's always sending my wife and me text photos of stuff she bought for an amazingly low amount of money!
I make a lot of short trips, especially deer hunting, but duck too - going out most days in a week can really blow through the fuel. I should hunt longer and travel to and from less, especially for deer, but also duck.
As was mentioned... an instantaneous MPG gauge in the truck is a good reminder of your fuel consumption and how your driving style impacts fuel consumption. It is fun too, if watching dollar bills burn can be considered fun.
T
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
Chris S.
Well-known member
I think I hunted more days this past season then anyother due to a layoff. I took advantage of the time off just so happened to be the whole season. I am lucky I live walking distance from the ramp. I burn more gas with my outboard then the car on a local hunting trip. I did make friends with a fellow site member that lived an hours drive and went there probably 8 to 10 times. As far as cutting back I agree that there are other ways to cut back then hunting. If hunting was a year round thing I could see cutting back but the time is limited as it is. I am the kinda person who would work a 2nd job for a time to fund hunting season. I also don't have kids (yet) and other expenses like some people do.
Dave Church
Well-known member
2011 was a very painful year for outdoor recreation. The striper/rockfish fishing was horrible and too much money was spent chasing fish that never showed up in great numbers. Then came a duck season that was the worst year that I can ever recall. Again, too much money was put out for gas, licenses, and all the odds and ends that add up to an amount that I don't want my wife to figure out. Selling one of my 3 boats will reduce registration/tag/insurance fees and utilizing fishing and hunting areas closer to home will help. Buying meat and fish at the grocery store would probably be the best way to go, but the sunrise and sunsets are not nearly as spectacular from a Food Lion parking lot.
dc
dc
John L
Well-known member
HUMMM... duck boat has 6 gallon capsity vs dive boat 325 gallon capsity. Guess which boat will be going out more!
I wont be cutting down on my hunting trips. It's my wreck diving adventures that are going to suffer. Average trip is over $700 in fuel and that was at last years prices. I can't wait for this year....At this rate I could buy the whole neighborhood lobsters for what a tank of fuel will cost. Projected to be over $5 a gallon on land, you can add another $1 a gallon for on the water prices.
Boy, I can't wait for summer.
Anyone hiring... I need another job to keep by tank full
I wont be cutting down on my hunting trips. It's my wreck diving adventures that are going to suffer. Average trip is over $700 in fuel and that was at last years prices. I can't wait for this year....At this rate I could buy the whole neighborhood lobsters for what a tank of fuel will cost. Projected to be over $5 a gallon on land, you can add another $1 a gallon for on the water prices.
Boy, I can't wait for summer.
Anyone hiring... I need another job to keep by tank full
Andy Grant
Well-known member
Gas is almost 100% of my hunting budget. A license and stamp are only around $35. I have all the shells I will need for a few more years. Having to drive 120 miles round trip will have me think twice with high gas prices.
Andrew L.
Well-known member
I always say I need to travel less to hunt before each year. Somehow that never happens . Gas is a HUGE part of my annual budget. I have all the equipment I need so the only thing I spend money on in the fall is Kwik Trip food and gas.
That being said I did hunt much closer to home this year than usual, mostly because the hunting was good. I usually travel at least 2 hours every weekend during the season but that will need to change for this year.
So hunt less? Hell no. Scout less? Probably as well as try to hunt closer to home.
. Gas is a HUGE part of my annual budget. I have all the equipment I need so the only thing I spend money on in the fall is Kwik Trip food and gas. That being said I did hunt much closer to home this year than usual, mostly because the hunting was good. I usually travel at least 2 hours every weekend during the season but that will need to change for this year.
So hunt less? Hell no. Scout less? Probably as well as try to hunt closer to home.
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Over here in Kuwait gas is about $.80 per gallon. All I need to do now is find ducks. Heading home this weekend and will have to think about it again.
Gas prices may limit the amount of other hunting I do and definitely limit fishing trips. I often drive from home to the coast or to the great basin and these trips are 100 miles on way minimum. We love the diversity of habitats and the difference experiences that come along with them but money is starting to take its toll. Less spring bear, fall big game, spring chinook, but not sacrificing waterfowl yet.
