Just how much do those turkeys cost per pound?

[HoofsandWings]

So you take time off from work and have no vacation time and hunt opening week.
You get a turkey. How much per pound? $20? $30? $50? $75? More?
I know. You can't put a price on it.

[muleysgirl13]

Ours will be WAY expensive we both got new shotguns this year he got a new pickup (not specifically for the trip but factors in) travel trailer (same as the truck but still) and some new camo gear PLUS the cost of actually going hunting our turkeys should be made of gold. But yes it is ALLLL worth it. 

[SpokaneSlayer]

Let's see.  4 days of leave, still getting paid.  Hunting spot, 10 minute drive.  Not much cost at all. 

[Tom Tamer]

Last year I took my wife on a hunt in Newport that we bought at an auction, so with two Jakes under us we weighed them dressed tallied in our expenses for the hunt and minus the new T/C encore 12ga I bought, we figured those birds ran us $98 a pound. didn't help diesel was about $4.50 a gal then .......Well worth the look in my wife's eyes as she sat behind the fan of her first bird

[turkeydancer]

The experience is priceless, so if you have to ask about cost you're definitely not a wild turkey hunter ...

[HoofsandWings]

The experience is priceless, so if you have to ask about cost you're definitely not a wild turkey hunter ...

I ask the same question for elk, deer, goat, moose, sheep, ducks, pheasant, geese, doves, quail, grouse to name a few.
For me, elk is the most expensive and turkeys are number 2.

[yelp]

HUNTING THE DAMN BIRD

There is something mesmerizing about this damn bird...old thunder chicken seems to get me a jiggy when he gobbles then to an almost comatose state as he coming in I start sweating, heart is pounding, my butt hurts from sitting on the damn ground, I can't breathe through the stinky facemask I forgot to wash...My arms begin to hurt from holding old betsy up in the air.  THe bird shows up and she starts wiggling around in circles...HE gobbles and I blow a hemmroid that showed up before I left the house.  I get Betsy on him and squeeze the trigger...Its over???not...I jump up make sure he is down and can't because my legs are numb and they won't move, then the adrenaline hits and my body starts going into convulsions...Once they calm down and the heart rate comes down I grab the bird and look at the beauty God created.  I enjoy the moment Thank God.  Tag him..Take pictures and head for camp...you say to yourself I'll be back ...no matter whatever it cost me..I'll be back!


Now lets say you miss?  

 I get Betsy on him and squeeze the trigger...He looks at you and kinda flips around and starts putting and running...you jack another shell as you are going WTF...and shoot...miss...Now you sit there with a blank look on your face...then terretts hits you start cussing and flipping out...telling yourself your an idiot you should have waited to get closer...It takes 20 minutes and you calm down and start shaking your head.  You walk back and forth looking for blood and walk to where you last saw him.  Feathers no bird...on your way back to camp...you say DAMN bird..I'll be back...no matter what it costs me I'll be back you damn BIRD!

[SpokaneSlayer]

   Pretty much sums it up right there.

[luvtohnt]

Yelp has it right, but just for fun I used approximately 2 gallons of gas at say $3.50 p/g as my hunting spot is only 12 miles from home. We went after work on opening day, we were there for all of 45 minutes, and one shell which is about $1.80. My bird weighed 12.5 pounds when we weighed it to determine the amount of time needed to cook it in the fryer. That all calculates out to $0.69 p/lb. Now if you add in my buddies bird cause we got a double then you are looking at $0.58 p/lb. He even drove a separate rig. I only shot a jake but I was ecstatic because it was my first bird, and it was my buddies first WA bird and his first Merriam's turkey. He grew up in WI and has shot lots of easterns.

Brandon

[HoofsandWings]

Each year, in the spring, it is 2 600 mile round trips, plus gas, meals, hotel/motel, and time off from work.
In the fall, it is 1 600 mile round trip and 1 700 mile round trip, plus gas, meals, hotel/motel and time off from work.
It does get spendy.

[Jerbear]

I don't care if it is hunting or fishing, if in the back of your mind you are thinking, what is this costing me, then you will never fully enjoy the great outdoors.
Getting out with family or friends hunting, fishing or whatever is not a liability, it is a reward.  Sitting in around a fire at night, with friends or family, staring into the camp fire and no thoughts in your head, is mother natures way to help you recharge your system.  There is too much free stuff, to worry about the cost.

[klickman]

PRICELESS

[turkey slayer]

 

[DOUBLELUNG]

My cheapest bird was a 21lb Merrio: $5 WY resident turkey license, 28mi round trip (2 gallons gas @ $1/gal), 1 shell ~ $0.20 - right at $0.34/lb.

My most expensive bird was an 18lb Merriams: $55 nonresident Nebraska license, another $12 or so for maps, about 300 miles round trip (20 gallons @ $1.25), 3 days time (paid leave), figure another $100 extra expense groceries, beer and tobacco, 3 shells: $10.70lb.

That doesn't count unsuccessful hunts, zero in the denominator drives cost per pound to infinity! 

At this point in my life, I could easily spend $1000/spring hunting turkeys, and feel I got good value.  There is a magic to hunting in the spring that is truly priceless. 

[Jekemi]

Let's see: Range fed, all natural, exceptionally lean turkey, no additives or preservatives. You can't buy a turkey like that at the store so you really have nothing to compare it to.
If you amortize your turkey hunting gear over 5 years and don't count milage (you woul probably be driving somoewhere else anyway) it's still pretty expensive meat but like the ad says, "eating turkey you shot and cooked yourself - priceless."

[Jekemi]

OK, quick and dirty numbers.

If you spend the bare minimum, you might get by with $1,400 for your first bird, gettiing started anyway. That's around $70 per lb. for a 20 lb bird. If you get two birds the price drops to $35 per lb. Not counting gas or milage.

However, if you amortize your expenses over 5 years you are looking at around $14 per lb ($7 per lb. if you get two birds), or about the price of really good prime quality fillet mignon at the meat market. Not counting gas or milage. So, not bad really.

But, with the turkey you can feed the whole family; not so with $14 dollars of tenderloin. So, it's not really not such a bad deal.

[HoofsandWings]

I don't care if it is hunting or fishing, if in the back of your mind you are thinking, what is this costing me, then you will never fully enjoy the great outdoors.
Getting out with family or friends hunting, fishing or whatever is not a liability, it is a reward.  Sitting in around a fire at night, with friends or family, staring into the camp fire and no thoughts in your head, is mother natures way to help you recharge your system.  There is too much free stuff, to worry about the cost.

Since times are lean, money is something to worry about. My family, other than my wife is dead. My friends are dead or don't hunt. I really liked the campfires and still make them when I camp. I still have to go to the camp where I deer hunt. I have to spread the ashes of my last hunting partner of 25 years. I still have a picture of his last deer, which was a 8x9 whitetail.
Going into the woods hunting with an oxygen tank in your backpack and a tube up your nose, while shooting takes some skill.
He did that season after season.

[ctwiggs1]

So you take time off from work and have no vacation time and hunt opening week.
You get a turkey. How much per pound? $20? $30? $50? $75? More?
I know. You can't put a price on it.

Alright... who's wife talked you into this....