Show me different.....

It is a component, but paying a lot of $ for the right to hunt where there are great deer doesn't guarantee success. You still need knowledge, competency with your rifle, commitment of time, etc.........
All about money, no. Partly about $, yes.

Only if your definition of success is rooted around inches and not experiences

Colt, is that you?

Well…kinda hangs on the definition of “success?” I like the majority of hunters on this site, am not loaded with cash, but am wealthy enough to hunt, have been out hundreds of times, not seen a thing, and viewed that day overwhelmingly Successful. But, I get your point, money will get a person loads of 200” bucks, 500”+ elk, rams, lions, zebras, models….and being a good shot or hunter is not necessary. I’m sure you’ve met the guy.

Hunted 14 years on the Medio Creek in between Beeville & Refugio. Would drive the Scramber down there and put it in 4WD when I came through the gate. There were 7 of us on 1,400 acres and I could barely afford it. Hunted outta tripod the 1st year. Then put together my own stands and did the best I could. Generator ran the lights in the spartan cabin, we hauled in our own water, the TV had no reception, the privy was moved every couple of years. The dd's were always welcome guests and they learned a lot about life there. I never was able to shoot a qualifying trophy and was penalized with no trophy opportunity for four of those 14 years.

Let's just say things have improved since then. I wouldn't trade my Beevllie experiences for anything.

Define success? Buck or Elk of a lifetime, probably

Envy is a horrible, self induced affliction.

First sin.

$$$$ certainly can provide lots and lots of opportunity that limited to no $$$ will not, but that applies mostly to everything, auto buying, home buying, wife shopping, retiring comfortably, vacationing, damn near everything. To me not the end all but many may view otherwise.....

One thing I realize is you better learn to be comfortable with that which you can afford or make it so you can afford more. Some get to afford more and then still find no satisfaction.

You don’t really need lots of money for that, just need effort and time afield. Every year a giant gets killed on public land via a OTC or easy draw tag

So much about my definition of a trophy has little to do with being admired by others. My largest WT is not my most treasured one. Where, how and other circumstances come into play.

Don’t point out facts Bobo. That’s not what this thread is about

Couple of my book animals aren’t even mounted, and none registered

I rank my year by days spent afield vs what I kill.

Wife shopping. Hahaha!

That is very true. I worked for a very rich family for quite a few years. They had 4 sons. 3 of them were the most miserable people you would ever want to be around. 2 died of drug overdoses. Money, especially an abundance of it doesn't bring you happiness.

Instant guaranteed success? Whatever that may be, then probably yes it takes money.

But if you do your homework, spend time in the woods, apply for points and permits, more time in the woods, make landowner contacts, more time in the woods. On the cheap you can have success killing game, provided the effort. My biggest Whitetail came from an Oklahoma WMA, Sambar from Powderhorn WMA, Aoudad from Caprock Canyons State Park, Ibex from Mason Mountain WMA, Several Alligators with one over 13ft from WMAs and a state park. Several deer, Turkey, and smaller animals from a number of other WMAs and other public land. I have had a hunting lease for several years in East Texas that costs me nothing but my time doing hog control and other work. I have also put the effort to accumulate points in other states for several years that I can start cashing in to hunt for the cost of a license and tag if I want to. I do have a paid hunting lease too, but most of my "hunting success" over the years has come from those other free or inexpensive hunts. Did I also say spend time in the woods.

Im sounding like a parrot at this point.. but... define success...

Im not a horn hunter.. Im a meat hunter and an experience seeker..

If I end up with a 160 class whitetail walking into one of my shooting lanes, sure Im going to take him and put him on the wall.. but finding a 160 class deer hasn't been my objective in almost 50 years of hunting..

between my wife and I we took 5 whitetail this year.. 3 doe and a couple of scrubby bucks that desperately needed to be removed from the herd.. and I think I had an extraordinarily successful year this year.. the freezer is full, and Im enjoying venison 1-2 times a week right now.. and all of that was done on a little 135 acre lease that I pay $311 a year for us to hunt on (I basically pay the taxes on a property that a buddy of mine owns and has been sitting on for 20 years doing nothing with it)..

It takes practically no money at all for me to be "successful"....

Feel that Op possibly mixed up success for opportunity, if that were the case I almost fully agree....More $$$$ in private hunting, much more opportunity presents itself.

Someone is simply frustrated.

I bought 30 acres from a family member at a great deal. I have deer and pork in the freezer harvested from said land. I pay about $300/year for taxes. = success

Bird watching is free.

I have access to a place outside of Huntsville and another 30 minutes from the house. I can get 1 or 2 doe a season (I'm a meat hunter not a horn hunter.)
My biggest expenses are gas, time, maybe a bag of corn, and a bottle of good whiskey.

There is something special about grinding it out on a regular old lease for a nice buck that feels quite a bit different than an outfitted hunt. But, even regular old leases can be expensive these days not even including the feed, feeders, blinds, etc.