the better half

[rocky mt addict]

Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice. I hunt out west basically one week per year. This year i'm going to CO for either muzzleloader (if I draw) or OTC archery elk in the wilderness for one week during rut peak. After watching David Long's hunt over and over, I also want to go chase some mulies with a bow at 12000 feet opening week. The wife has a hard time when I leave for one week. How do some of you talk the spouse into letting you leave her and the kids alone for hunts?

 

[hoytnut]

I have the same problem. My wife hates it when I go on a hunt for any extended period of time. I usually bargain like heck and do whatever she wants in the months leading up to my hunt with the express understanding that she will not whine about my hunt. One year I sent her to Hawaii with the girls. So I guess I do whatever it takes to get on my hunts and keep peace at home! Luckily she is usually pretty fair in her demands.

 

[shed]

I found that if all bills are paid, all house hold supplies are stocked, house and yard look good, assurance of communication via phone e-mail or texting, and taking them on special trips when I return really makes it work. I keep my wife busy planning for the outings when I return. I always bring home presents I.e. jewelry and that is a major help. Now I am sure u will hear a bunch of the tough guys telling you to just lay down the law, wear the pants etc., but that just creates more of a barrier for your trips and the family unity. It is not you vs. Your wife and family. This works for me well, as I can hunt most of the fall, hunt in the winter, fish and hunt spring time, fish summer time, and never hear a complaint.

 

[Rob]

My wife actually helps me out most years. She will rent movies and bake special treats and go to the kids favorite local places when I'm gone. They actually look forward to me going sometimes because they know they will get to goof-off allot. My problem is this year she put her foot down. Before I can go on another hunt she gets a new washer and dryer, not the cheap ones either, top of the line. Then I have to take the whole family to Colorado on a vacation. My plan is to buy the washer and dryer, then take the family on a backpack trip in August to Colorado to a unit I would like to check out and hunt. I have until April 5 to convince her on the backpack trip so I can put in for a mule deer tag, and I'm running out of time. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!!

 

[rocky mt addict]

All good advice, guys. My wife said she would be open to staying at some kind of indoor waterpark hotel near where I'm hunting. Does anyone know of decent place near Montrose?

 

[wolftalonID]

Does it help to know My wife and two boys usually are with me on those week long hunts? Wife makes one heck of a nice warm breakfast to come back to camp to late morning. Kids enjoy splashing in the lake we camp near. My wife is interested in hunting too, so she goes along to help and come rifle season she gets a shot at an elk or deer. She has told me that there is no way she would find stalking elk and deer for hours only to get busted or miss a fun thing to do, and cant understand why I get so excited when I get SOOO Close! lol.
Thats fine, we both have our own way of getting it done, but try taking them along with you.
Set up a nice base camp tent with HEAT,the women love heat. Bring other things to do, and spend one day taking them with you, even though you may not get anything that way, they feel included and can enjoy more than the four walls of the tent.

 

[Blue Skies Hunting Advent]

My wife actually helps me out most years. She will rent movies and bake special treats and go to the kids favorite local places when I'm gone. They actually look forward to me going sometimes because they know they will get to goof-off allot. My problem is this year she put her foot down. Before I can go on another hunt she gets a new washer and dryer, not the cheap ones either, top of the line. Then I have to take the whole family to Colorado on a vacation. My plan is to buy the washer and dryer, then take the family on a backpack trip in August to Colorado to a unit I would like to check out and hunt. I have until April 5 to convince her on the backpack trip so I can put in for a mule deer tag, and I'm running out of time. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!!

I like your style, buisness and pleasure. Good luck to you.

 

[RUTTIN]

My wife knew who I was and what I did before she married me. That being said the only times she hates me gone is when I go on extended trips for like 18 days at a time. And most of the time when I get home it ruins her day (she says) and she says when are you going hunting again. She is actually pretty good to let me go when I want.

 

[AKinID]

The biggest issue my wife has when I go out on extended hunts, is the lack of communication and knowing if I am doing OK. So last year I bought a SPOT, and about 4-5 times a day I hit the button and let her know where I am and that I am ok. It does nothing for me while I am out; but it does give her peace of mind knowing I am fine. The other nice thing about it is when I get back, I have all these waypoints plotted out on a Google Earth style map that I can reference for future hunts. That being said, I still need to make sure everything on the "Honey Do" list is done, and then some, before I go.

 

[Sharpstick]

Equal time away and doing something she enjoys doing.

 

[rocky mt addict]

i apparently have a solution--i have to put her and our three kids with her sister and her two kids up in a water park resort at the wisconsin dells for a week. i think hawaii would be cheaper. we'll see how it goes.

 

[ffd061]

Sharpstick,

Agreed. She needs her time doing her things, in return I get to go on hunting trips.

 

[nv-hunter]

My wife is my fav hunting partner. No she's not going to hike in six miles everyday but she goes to camp with me every year every tag she might only hunt two or three days but is there with me and i go on those day by my self where she can't go. Heck last year she even spent 5 days in camp while i took her son ( he's 23)bow antelope hunting his first tag ever. 95 to 100 everyday!!! How can i complain?

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Does it help to know My wife and two boys usually are with me on those week long hunts? Wife makes one heck of a nice warm breakfast to come back to camp to late morning. Kids enjoy splashing in the lake we camp near. My wife is interested in hunting too, so she goes along to help and come rifle season she gets a shot at an elk or deer. She has told me that there is no way she would find stalking elk and deer for hours only to get busted or miss a fun thing to do, and cant understand why I get so excited when I get SOOO Close! lol.
Thats fine, we both have our own way of getting it done, but try taking them along with you.
Set up a nice base camp tent with HEAT,the women love heat. Bring other things to do, and spend one day taking them with you, even though you may not get anything that way, they feel included and can enjoy more than the four walls of the tent.

I agree. I try to bring the wife and kids with me. They do all sorts of thing while I'm hunting. The only thing I have to do is bring the camp trailer and make sure there is plenty of gas in the generator for movies, video games and such. For me if I'm not packing out to a hidey for a couple nites or know that I'm going in for 5 days on bivy and Mountain house its cool to be able to tell the days stories to the family over a nice dinner. I also picked up a SAT phone a couple years ago to be able to keep in touch as well. Makes a huge difference to be able to talk to the wife so she knows all is well.

 

[*******]

I've always found that it is not so much the "you being gone" as it is the "worrying about your safety" that gets the better half. Cell phone calls are nice if your in that kind of area. Where I am cell phones don't work, even in town, so I have a SPOT messenger. I love it, the woman loves it, the family loves it, friends love it. No matter where I am, I can check in. With that, leaving for days or weeks at a time is a lot easier on my people.

 

[Zim]

5 Years ago I got divorced from an unemployed welfare queen and now I lay down the law real plain & simple to any new prospects. My way or the highway. Real simple. Otherwise we just won't be compatible. If there's one with a quality job that wants to support the family solo I could understand, but otherwise forget about it. Even then I know people change so I am extremely cautious and keeping finances seperate is also a must.

I am certainly in no hurry to marry again and risk it. There's very little to gain with a piece of paper that only protects the lazy. What I have learned is that a marriage certificate is nothing more than a ticket for the state to escape financially from the welfare responsibility they legislate. I am 51 years old and have yet to collect my first unemployment check. For this I am only a target to the state. They need to get a job as well as all women.

 

[nebowhunter]

She can't wait so she can party while im gone. Not sure what is better lol!

 

[ceby7]

You sound a little selfish there Zim. You obviously haven't heard of give and take. Nobody likes a slouch, but the man is still supposed to be the main supporter of a family. Your comments are boarderline misogynous.

 

[elktracker]

I also got a SPOT unit a few years ago to keep my wife from worrying while I am out by myself. I do a lot of backcountry activities year round and am usually by myself so the SPOT is a good thing to have.

I usually take my wife with me on at least one backpacking hunt every year, she is pretty tough and goes anywhere I want, as long as I stop and let her rest and keep her fed she is pretty happy. Last year she called in a small 6 point bull for me, I have never seen her so excited, she still talks about it.

She has actually said to me that she would never try and keep me from doing the things I enjoy because she knows she would lose me.

 

[wolftalonID]

I also got a SPOT unit a few years ago to keep my wife from worrying while I am out by myself. I do a lot of backcountry activities year round and am usually by myself so the SPOT is a good thing to have.

I usually take my wife with me on at least one backpacking hunt every year, she is pretty tough and goes anywhere I want, as long as I stop and let her rest and keep her fed she is pretty happy. Last year she called in a small 6 point bull for me, I have never seen her so excited, she still talks about it.

She has actually said to me that she would never try and keep me from doing the things I enjoy because she knows she would lose me.

elktracker, its the same for me, they do like us doing things we love.

I also have been looking at these SPOT devices for several years now since they debuted. They have a new one now that lets you program in a message that you send. Like "I got one come help me pack it out" lol. Or the standard Im ok post. I really like the idea of these. My wife even saw a friend of hers on Facebook link his up to post to his FB account last season, and so for a week she was able to see where he was hunting.
This brought up the conversation the other day about getting one. I found it nice to know she likes the idea enough to tell me about getting one before I came to her.