You are so right Randy. I am your age, and when we got married 30 years ago, I told my wife that I'm going to retire at 55. We both had good jobs (Engineer/CPA), so we saved (and invested) half out income ever since, and retired at 55. The key is to always live below your means. Now I spend most of my time hunting, fishing, and traveling with my wife. It does my heart good to see you truly enjoying yourself in your late 50's, and be appreciative and thoughtful about what it took to get there. I can only hope that our health can hold out so that we can find outdoor activities that we can do for another 30 or so years to come.

Thank you, Randy, for the advice. I also grew up in a very low budget family atmosphere and a troubled teen, with dreams of hunting places far away with game rich areas. I promised myself that one day I would, with saving and planning I now have hunted Newfoundland, Yukon, BC, Alberta and Alaska not to mention multiple states for Whitetails. I'm told by friends and others how lucky I 'am or must be loaded to be able to do these hunts, but honestly, it's about following your dreams and preparing in advance with patience to reap your rewards. I'm currently 53 and have several more hunts planned (good Lord willing) as long as my health stays with me. Keep producing your shows they are an inspiration to many guys out there!!

I've had the same mindset for 25 years... I started doing dream hunts in 1998. My first hunt was a backpack Elk/Mule deer hunt in the Frank Church Wilderness area. Since then I've been to Alaska twice, Africa three times, and numerous hunting out west over the years! My first trip was a total failure but a lot of fun and a learning experience. I work for a living and earn an hourly wage. I'm not a rich man but I'm also not a wasteful person. Most guys I know all have habits like smoking, chewing, dipping, or drinking. Which to me is a complete waste of money! Thinking about the money u waste on things like that over a year. If you buy a pack of cigarettes for roughly $5 a day for a year you'll spend over $1800 just on a wasteful habit. If that same person drinks $20 to $30 in beer or alcohol per week over a year.... that's another $1000 to $1500 per year... so you can easily save $3000 to $3500 by avoiding habits.. So over a 25-year period of time that adds up to roughly $75,000 to $90,000.... Money that I took and went hunting!!

great message Randy.... especially the point about having your health when you finally can afford your dream hunt!

You are very correct Randy. I appreciate the message you shared. Set a goal and take the steps. I hope a lot of our fellow hunters get to have a dream hunt in the next few years and are healthy enough to enjoy it all.

Now, on the other side of a couple rough years in/out of the hospital, this planning mindset is where I am finally getting back to. This series (Yukon) came at the perfect time. I can finally dream/plan again. I feel like I’m always thanking you, but once again, thank you. 🙏

Good for you Randy you are living the dream and you’ve earned it

In 2019, I decided that I was going to go on a sheep hunt before I turned 40. Well that year God allowed me to go on my first sheep hunt with a little luck (Randy remembers this meeting). I was successful on that hunt. This year I went on Dall sheep hunt that I had been saving for and was successful on that hunt. If i hadn't made that decision back in 2019, got smart about my finances (for the most part), learned about multiple streams of income and investing. Then I would still be wishing about those hunts. By the way, I turned 40 in October.

My health didn't hold out. I would love to go,but a walker doesn't work. I would never come home just abandon me in the mountains. When I was ten through my teens I hunted every day I could. Leave early and come back after dark. I walked hundreds of miles in my youth. I was blessed to live in Arkansas a very rural place. We had no close neighbors. The closest was grandparents half mile away. So I had many hundreds of acres to hunt. I didn't kill unless it was to eat. I just like being alone deep in the woods. No noise but wind and wild life. I really miss it today. Ten years ago one fall and I am done. You are truly blessed as I was in my youth.

Thanks for the advice ,I feel like it helps to be reminded every now an then to appreciate reaching goals instead of instant gratification :)

Thank you for sharing your life stories they are very important to all of us. Keep up the great videos

I'm happy for you guys, so enjoy you have earned it !

You are so right Randy. After overcoming some adversity and setbacks in my life I have been able to travel and hunt and looking forward to more. Life is not perfect but time outdoors and hunting is as close as it gets. Thanks for all that you do for conservation and the hunting lifestyle.

Well said! Many folks say “I can’t afford it” yet have a $50,000 truck and 5,000 square foot home. It’s all about prioritizing.

I’ve always appreciated your advice videos and loved the content you all make and share with us. My bonus dad really enjoys watching you all as well. I have a 6 year old son that is my best friend and loves our adventures in the great outdoors. I’m saving so that when he gets a bit older we can hunt together. I work when I don’t have him so we can live our lives to the fullest when we are together. Ain’t a dang this better than being with my son.

Bless you, Randy! Your courage and honesty shine!

Your a good guy Randy. Wish you the best and thanks for all the videos over the years.

I have been using a sinking fund for all my hunting stuff. Currently I am saving for a 2025 elk hunt when I turn 50. Solid advice Randy. If someone wants to have these adventures you have to plan a few years out.

You are so right. It helps when your decisions in the things you need in life are the best quality and so pay for themselves. Like the outdoor gear you use, and yes even the vehicle you are driving. I tip my hat to all of you in the crew.

Well said and thank you Randy

Spot on! I’ve done the same thing. I’m now retired and hunt anytime I want spending time in CO, MT, NM and WY. MAKE A PLAN & WORK YOUR PLAN.

I couldn’t agree more Randy but for me it’s not sticking a budget it’s getting it into my head that I’m not being selfish. For me that’s pretty difficult.

Saved the money and went on a Kodiak deer hunt. Worth every penny. I paid for everything I could in advance and a good thing because some financial setbacks happened a couple of months before the trip, I was beginning to regret the money I had spent but I was committed... Glad I did this once in a lifetime trip and the other money issues worked anyway. Go while you can. By God's grace I am blessed

Life is about experiences and more people should focus on them instead of possesions. Good advice!

100% correct Randy. Squirrel away what you can little by little. Self-discipline is key.

Well said Randy. We all know about raising a family and the ups and downs with hunting. God knows we love what we do. I have never thought it as a sacrifice but rather a blessing

Well done Randy. 👍

Very well put randy!

Thank you. Unfortunately, medical issues drained the savings. Will try again, but at 60, hard to say how far I get. Thank you for sharing your dream

Great advice

Truly inspiring brother, going to start next paycheck

Solid advice. Many people dream but they don’t lay out a plan.

Thanks Randy. We're all blessed to have 24hrs a day to spend well. I'll bet you not only saved your $, but allocated time to the things and people that matter most too. We won't get to do the big things in life if we focus on daily distractions.

Well said Randy!

Love this!

Absolutely spot on. The American dream goes like this...work your ass off for anything you want. That's how it works

Get started on your plan now folks, time and a little compound interest go a long way! Randy’s right, most people in an instant gratification society just don’t want to make a sacrifice now for the pay off years down the road.

Good info Randy. I have a little account I have use for just such things. It's just like anything, tou have to plan for it. Now... actually doing it, i need to get busy!

That was awesome

I thank God my company gives retention bonuses every year. 1k for each year locked at 5 years. I'm saving starting next year for a bike 2 years I'll have 12k roughly then about 2 or maybe 3 after I'm building me a custom 7prc and going on an elk hunt. I've put everyone else ahead of myself for too long

Just realized Randy was a CPA! What a stud

People get salty about money because it’s hard to acknowledge they probably don’t work hard enough. That said, there are other factors out of your control as well.

I have been saving for a long time to go on a specific hunt but in the last 10 years that hunt has quadrupled in price. I just can't justify spending that kind that money now on a hunt.

I can tell you this. If I saved up the amount it’d take you to go on a Yukon hunt I’d not want to spend it!!

Cammmmmmon supertag 🤞🏼

I need to have better financial planning and discipline.

We aren't talking the same language, British Pounds for me Sir😂 And I beat you, Montana, at 52,54,56 and 58....and maybe Wyoming at age 65, we shall see. Great advice BTW, you can't take it with you!

I wish that you would have been around 50 yrs earlier, great advice bud

What's nice he made a plan stuck to it worked like a dog to get what he has Congratulations to him and the best partner he could have his wife. Together they fulfilled a dream

You can have anything that you want, but you can’t have everything. Plan accordingly

I need to get out of debt to be able to save. I can’t save shit. I’m working my ass off and I can’t even save a dime. I wish I could go back in time and never get in debt. Living paycheck to paycheck is stressful and fucking sucks.

Randy, you're inspirational, no doubt about that. However, theres many factors that have worked in your favor throughout your adult life that have afforded you opportunities that are being depleted for the average person. You being a CPA should know that putting money into a savings account will actually loose people money (albiet not as much as a checking account) because inflation out performs the interest on a savings account. If anyone truly wants a shot in the future of doing these things on a normal wage/salary, then they need to invest their money which has its risks. Otherwise youre basically giving people false hope.

Sad you have to explain yourself to all these haters lol

We are all missing the entire point...the economy sucks and inflation is insane.