High Cost Of Hunting & Shooting Sports!

[trapoholic]

I can only imagine what the cost of ammo, firearms, and the ridiculous cost of hunting licenses and permits in New Jersey is having on new hunter recruitment. If I were 16 years old now, and wanted to get into hunting. And had no mentor in my family, I might not want to spend my hard earned cash on hunting! For a teenager, there are so many other things in life that also cost some good money. Like a first car, first apartment, paying for college. Just to name a few. I was at the gun shop the other day, they had all the Remington 30-30 ammo you wanted! The only problem was that it was $49.95 for a box of 20. How could someone with a very limited income afford to even purchase the ammo just to sight-in? When I started deer hunting in 1972, you thought nothing of buying a "few" boxes of ammo!

[Live to Hunt]

Depends how bad you want it and if it’s in your blood 🩸 started working when I was 14 and when I wanted something I saved. Started hunting when I was 16 in 1989. There are a lot of jobs out there for a teenager right now. Work, save, prioritize.  

[3Blade]

Yup, i worked construction part-time as a teen starting at 14(imagine that today) saved my money and purchased my first bow at 16.  Nothing stopping teens from working pt and saving plus they dont need  the flagship model bow or xbow to get started. They have more options today than when i was a young teen in the 80’s. I will also mention i came from a non hunting household and grew up in Essex county nowhere near any huntable land

Edited September 4, 2021 by 3Blade

[vdep217]

1 hour ago, trapoholic said:

I can only imagine what the cost of ammo, firearms, and the ridiculous cost of hunting licenses and permits in New Jersey is having on new hunter recruitment. If I were 16 years old now, and wanted to get into hunting. And had no mentor in my family, I might not want to spend my hard earned cash on hunting! For a teenager, there are so many other things in life that also cost some good money. Like a first car, first apartment, paying for college. Just to name a few. I was at the gun shop the other day, they had all the Remington 30-30 ammo you wanted! The only problem was that it was $49.95 for a box of 20. How could someone with a very limited income afford to even purchase the ammo just to sight-in? When I started deer hunting in 1972, you thought nothing of buying a "few" boxes of ammo!

It's all relative as to what you want.  Guys will yell about a 28 dollar permit or 40 dollar pheasant stamp that gives you 40 plus days in the field but have no issues dropping 150 dollars friday night at the bar.

Teens today drop 250 on concert tickets for a few hours of fun 32 dollars gets you 60 plus days of bow hunting.  As for ammo if you like to shoot you'll find a way I'm currently at around 12 dollars a box for 45 and 10mm ammo.  I make my own was at 6 before covid I started reloading at 14ish

[Bucksnbows]

Hunting and fishing remain even today some of the least expensive sports there are. Nobody is making you buy ten zone permits plus buck tags and who says deer are the only game animal we have in NJ. For $32, we can hunt something nearly every day for at least 6 days/week. Do the math, that’s pennies a day. Shotguns and their shells remain affordable for the most part and are likely less expensive than most archery gear. 
 

 

[Rjtfd]

If you want something bad enough you manage to find ways to earn money and save for it. Worked every weekend with my dad or uncle doing carpentry since I was 9. 

[Sharpdogs]

I don't spend any money on hunting and fishing.  I consider it an investment in my sanity.  As for rising costs, everything is going up.  It is the worst inflation in multiple decades and there are rolling shortages, especially of people who want to work.

[koz]

cheaper to sit in a tree than lying on the couch talking to shrink.....

 

[Lunatic]

Yes I think its out of reach for many kids 

[OldMenRule]

5 hours ago, trapoholic said:

I can only imagine what the cost of ammo, firearms, and the ridiculous cost of hunting licenses and permits in New Jersey is having on new hunter recruitment. If I were 16 years old now, and wanted to get into hunting. And had no mentor in my family, I might not want to spend my hard earned cash on hunting! For a teenager, there are so many other things in life that also cost some good money. Like a first car, first apartment, paying for college. Just to name a few. I was at the gun shop the other day, they had all the Remington 30-30 ammo you wanted! The only problem was that it was $49.95 for a box of 20. How could someone with a very limited income afford to even purchase the ammo just to sight-in? When I started deer hunting in 1972, you thought nothing of buying a "few" boxes of ammo!

I see parents spending thousands on gaming systems for their kids. Computers, monitors etc. My sons friend has a gaming room worth 4 grand. I couldn't imagine spending such a sum even if I had it to waste. The kid has a computer for school and he can game with the system which we built together. That was truly an adventure and worth the cost.  

We have dropped some cash on the coming bow season but to me that is money well spent. We will be out of doors, together and hopefully starting a new tradition. Of course given we are both beginners the safest place to be will be in our sights.....  

[deadonshot2]

I see kids on e bikes, spending hundreds on gaming cards, etc. If they were interested in the outdoors/hunting/fishing most kids have the means to do it. The desire is a whole different story.  If they can come up with money to buy these things they have the ability to do the same with getting a bow/gun/fishing pole and licenses. It is that most kids just are not interested in the outdoors.

[20a]

Hunting brands have fantastic marketing campaigns, to make it seem like you need to spend thousands. I think you can buy all the gear you need for say 500 (picking either archery or gun, not both). Once you make the initial investment in the gear, the license is the only expense in the years following. 

[Eyesofthewoods]

Not to sound like a hard ass but I started working at 11 years old and money spoke to me.  The more money I had the more things I was able to do or get. Instilled a good hard work ethic in me.  
 

that being said I could also go buy ammo for a fair price and have a fun time shooting or hunting.   I do feel bad for today’s youth work 12 hours in the heat and you can get 60 rounds of 223.  So basically slave for 12 hours for 5 minutes of fun.  I’d spend my money elsewhere.

[vdep217]

1 hour ago, deadonshot2 said:

I see kids on e bikes, spending hundreds on gaming cards, etc. If they were interested in the outdoors/hunting/fishing most kids have the means to do it. The desire is a whole different story.  If they can come up with money to buy these things they have the ability to do the same with getting a bow/gun/fishing pole and licenses. It is that most kids just are not interested in the outdoors.

Agreed but I blame the parents taking the easy way out and putting a tablet in front of their kids to keep them occupied instead of actually doing activities with them.  Maybe year old gets ABC mouse 1 hour a day before bed.  We take her camping every weekend fishing for sunnies as often as I can checking trail cams with me and she even helps me reload ammo by sorting brass and depriming.  Just started her in karate and she lives it.  On Mondays she dosmt even want to play her tablet after it.  Both of my kids right now would rather be outside my 18month old will swim all day long.

I wish I could say the parents were working alot wich is why they fsll on video games but the fact is they themselves do the same.

[vdep217]

57 minutes ago, Eyesofthewoods said:

Not to sound like a hard ass but I started working at 11 years old and money spoke to me.  The more money I had the more things I was able to do or get. Instilled a good hard work ethic in me.  
 

that being said I could also go buy ammo for a fair price and have a fun time shooting or hunting.   I do feel bad for today’s youth work 12 hours in the heat and you can get 60 rounds of 223.  So basically slave for 12 hours for 5 minutes of fun.  I’d spend my money elsewhere.

But you can still get fine shot at relatively low prices 2boxes and you can shoot a sorting clays course.  We need to set examples for our kids as they will follow in our footsteps with our hobbies