Can you afford this?

[Wanderer]

I was going through the mail yesterday and came across a Cabela’s specialty catalog for Waterfowl. I’ve not duck hunted in years, but I always enjoyed my time in the duck marsh back in the old days. In the early 70’s, I was a game warden in Waupaca County Wisconsin, and I worked Partridge Lake and the Wolf River for 55 days straight during the duck/goose season. So I’m reading through this waterfowl catalog while I eat a sandwich and the prices almost knocked me out of my chair. Three hundred and eighteen dollars for a dozen goose decoys? One hundred dollars for a bag used to carry your gear to the blind? Then I hit the mother lode…a Columbia Omni Heat Electric Jacket for twelve hundred dollars. You plug it into the wall at home to charge the lithium-ion batteries and it will give you three different levels of heat on demand for up to five hours. It will also charge your cell phone/and/or “other media devices”. I doubt that I’d buy one of these if they were on the sale rack at 75% off. Do these people at Columbia know that the economy is in the toilet? They also offer a pair of electric gloves for a mere $399.00 and a pair of electric boots for $349.99. So if you’ve got a touch under $1950.00 you’d like to spend, you can stay warm for about five hours.(Shipping and taxes are additional, I'm sure) It’s no wonder that hunter recruitment is falling off. I started duck hunting with a $75.00 used shotgun and a $69.00 pair of Hodgeman waders. I guess that I couldn’t get into the sport today unless Donald Trump was related to me.

[Sailfish]

Amazing, I didn't realize a fella needed all that to hunt ducks

[kellory]

Wanderer, yes you could. I have been wanting to try duck hunting, or goose hunting. I went to get the old duck decoys my grandfather used, but they were gone, stolen. No one knew about the theft until long after it was done. So I started to price decoys, UNBELIEVABLE prices on decoys and gear! I went through Craig's List, looking for a deal or two, and found prices better, but still too high. Then I worked a deal with a guy who had a problem in my field of work. I fixed his problem, and in return, I got 24 duck decoys. (deal struck!) I spent about 1/2 hour fixing his problem, and he delivered three bags of decoys to my truck. (where his dog blessed them as I was working) I took him at his word as to the contents of the bags, and took them home. I opened the bags and removed the decoys, to remove the blessing, and to check them for condition, and found 40 duck decoys( several breeds) and 40 goose field decoy shells! I have the rowboat with 5hp motor, and I am working on the camo covering now. I have never hunted ducks or geese, and I don't have a trained dog to retrieve them, but I have two or three hunter who would like to learn from someone who knows how. Perhaps you would like to join us, and teach? I was planning on pursuing this next year once the blind is finished, and we have calls and such, maybe lay out blinds for the geese, and a couple of Mo-Jos for motion. Do you have any intrest in this idea?

[Wanderer]

kellory,
I always have an interest in hunting. What I seldom have is enough time. Let me know where you live and where you plan to hunt. I'd love to get back out and shoot some ducks and geese. I live in NW Indiana, but this year, most of my work has been in Alabama. Last year I was in Wisconsin for 42 weeks and I barely had time to get out bowhunting twice in Indiana. I also do work for an Italian company at their plant in Nanjing,China. I haven't been there yet, but they're asking me to come visit them there and at another plant in Cairo,Egypt. With the economy where it's at, I don't say NO to customers very often. Let's keep the plans going forward and make the final decision later on.

[kellory]

We got plenty of time. I am not looking to do this until next year, and I am based in Columbus, Ohio. Maybe it will work out, maybe it wouln't. Time will tell.

[rmontez]

I think the question should be more "Would you" not "Could You" I think in most cases if we really want something we can afford it. I'd never pay it and I agree with you about Columbia doesn't realize the economy is in the tank but it seems that way with allot of companys. Just hunt the way you were taught to hunt, layers, heat packs in vital areas and something I have never used but seen them are those little metal heaters that you carry in a little pouch. I don't even know what they are called but I remember my uncle using them.

if you think hunting gear is bad have you looked at vehicles lately? I have been looking for a "Great" deal on a one ton dually for a while now but when I started out I priced new, Dodge who I feel is on the low end of the market is about $54,000, Ford who I think is at the top of the market $63,000. Of course these are sticker prices but with people losing their jobs and being more cautious with their spending how can you even put a sticker price like that on a vehicle.

[kellory]

Those things are called "Jony hand warmers" I have 6-7 of them. the "scentless" warmer fluid can only be found on line now, and cost as much or more than the tear and shake hand warmers. they are a little bit warmer,(not much) and do have an odor. If they get bumped, the ember(wick/top) falls off and they die. They take about 15 minutes before you can bag them, or they die. and you must have a way to light them. They are fine for football games, and parades, but the lightwieght, scentless, safe, throwaway heat packes are a much better hunting choice. and the cost is about the same. For parades and football games, use lighter fluid. It is the same stuff, but not "scentless" and the heaters will always have that odor for the rest of time. When they dig them up from a dig site hundreds of years from now, they will most likely STILL smell like lighter fluid.

[rmontez]

we got to talking about the Johnny Hand Warmers last night at my sons football game and some of the older guys said they had them but didn't know what they were called so I was able to tell them. Thanks for the info!

I went to Gander Mountain today and was looking at new boots when I came across Columbia's electric boots. Charge them up and they keep your feet warm for 5 hours. What happens the other 5 + hours you sit in the woods!!!! $449.00. lol..

[kellory]

That's me, a fount of useless knowledge! Glad it helped. The scentless fluid cost almost exactly what the tear and shake type do, for the same time frame, and with much less hassle. The Jony's are great for football games though, and lighter fluid is cheap and easy to get.

[charlie 01]

Once, while gun deer hunting in Michigan as a young boy I put a burn mark on my chest with a Jony hand warmer. I had it in an inside shirt pocket, and at times had to lean forward to get it away from my chest, just too hot. Did not realize the damage I had done till I got back to the house and had my shirt off. They sure did work.