My Favorite Affordable Hunting Gear

For our family, hunting is about balancing enjoyment of the sport with cost-effectiveness. There’s so much hunting gear out there, and it can be difficult to discern what’s worth it and what’s not. In this post, I’ve included only my very favorite affordable hunting gear that I’ve tried over the years. I hope it’s helpful for you!

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My favorite affordable hunting gear

The list below is just that: my favorite affordable hunting gear. While I have personally used every product on this list, this is by no means all of the hunting gear I’ve tried out over the hunting seasons. These are just the products I would recommend to a friend.

Some of these I’ve purchased myself and some have been gifted to me. You certainly don’t need all of these items to begin hunting. However, if you’re looking for tried and true products that can help you get some more meat in the freezer, these are a great place to start.

Also, while I’m here, I’ll mention that I just finished a post about the cost-effectiveness of hunting versus buying meat from the grocery store. If you’ve been wondering whether or not hunting can actually be cheaper than store-bought meat, you may find it interesting.

Hunting clothing

Muck Boots

Deer processing equipment

Gutting knife

A sharp knife is a necessity for gutting deer in the woods. I’ve been really happy with this knife from Outdoor Edge, and it comes with extra blades, too.

Processing knives

These Outdoor Edge processing knives have come in handy for us a lot. I’ve used them on deer, squirrels, rabbits, and fish. They’re super helpful for gutting your deer in the woods, but you can also use them in the kitchen when you’re making smaller cuts.

Meat grinder

This meat grinder has truly amazed us. It’s a bit unassuming and kind of on the inexpensive end for a meat grinder, but it’s so smooth and fast. We couldn’t believe how fast we were able to grind our deer the first time we used this thing.

Vacuum sealer

We’ve used this vacuum sealer for years, and it’s still going strong. It’s pretty easy to use and keeps meat sealed tightly for years.

Other affordable hunting gear

Trail camera

A good trail camera can save a ton of time when it comes to hunting. Especially if you’re not hunting on your own land, it can be tough to know whether there are actually deer out and if it’s worth going out to sit. Having an effective trail camera is so helpful for knowing what’s actually out in the woods.

Vortex Binoculars

I use these binoculars all the time both for hunting and for everything else. I keep them handy in the living room so I can easily snatch them off the shelf whenever I want to get a closer look at a deer or a turkey across the field.

Shooting bipod

Shooting bipods are not necessary, but can be extremely helpful for getting a clean, well-aimed shot.

Deer call and antler rattle

Having a deer call and antler rattle can be beneficial in various hunting situations.

No-till food plot mix

If you’re planning to create a food plot, I’ve been impressed with this no-till mix by Imperial. It’s easy to spread and grows quickly. It’s perfect if you don’t have heavy equipment for tilling or are deep in the woods where it’s difficult to take plowing equipment.

Any affordable hunting gear you’d add to the list?

Okay, I’m going to stop here for now, because I want to keep this list to the products that I would buy again. I’ll add to this list later if needed, so feel free to save it for future reference.

What other gear would you add or recommend to other hunters?