Elite
WKR
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- Sep 4, 2018
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- 1,207
I’m curious who all has a significant other that also hunts? Is there any pros and cons to having one that does?
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Does your wife/girlfriend hunt also?
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Doghed
WKR
My wife started fly fishing a couple years ago and she has her first big game hunt in a couple weeks. In our case its great. Our sons have more exposure to the lifestyle. The practical upside is it gives our household more chances in the draw, which translates to more chances to fill the freezer. The benefit to me personally is she has a much deeper understanding of why I do what I do and how much effort/time/money is required. She recently gave the green light on a 8 man tipi and stove after scouting her elk hunt earlier this summer. She spent a rainy night in a 25 year old REI 4 man dome tent with me, our two boys, and two dogs. She didn't want to do that again. I'm also fortunate that she is even more of a by once cry once shopper than me.
dirtytough
WKR
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2012
- Messages
- 2,708
I do. She’s not into hunting like most people on the rokslide but she wants to hunt.
Couple cons are
She gets cold a lot easier. It was -9 opening morning and it was kinda cold for her.
She doesn’t have the experience so sometimes it’s pretty tough get her setup for a shot. Again opening day we had a buck bedded for her and we didn’t get a shot at it until 36 minutes after legal shooting time. She just couldn’t get comfortable behind the gun.
I have the same tag and since it’s kinda like taking a kid my tag was basically on the back burner until she got a decent buck.
When scouting/hunting she kept borrowing my binoculars. So I had to get her a pair and quality binoculars aren’t cheap.
Some pros are I can count some scouting and hunting as family time
Now I have a backup pair of quality binoculars
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Couple cons are
She gets cold a lot easier. It was -9 opening morning and it was kinda cold for her.
She doesn’t have the experience so sometimes it’s pretty tough get her setup for a shot. Again opening day we had a buck bedded for her and we didn’t get a shot at it until 36 minutes after legal shooting time. She just couldn’t get comfortable behind the gun.
I have the same tag and since it’s kinda like taking a kid my tag was basically on the back burner until she got a decent buck.
When scouting/hunting she kept borrowing my binoculars. So I had to get her a pair and quality binoculars aren’t cheap.
Some pros are I can count some scouting and hunting as family time
Now I have a backup pair of quality binoculars
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Dexter Grayson
WKR
My wife hunts and fishes, not quite to the extreme that I do but she's not far behind. For the most part I love it but sometimes it's a problem when I get invited on a trip and know that she can't go but really wants to.
My wife has had one tag in her life. I took her on a leftover cow tag during 1st rifle a few years ago. I kept it as easy as I could to try to get her to enjoy the experience. We saw a few elk, but could never get a shot. We had fun. I realized after taking her on a scouting trip a few years before, that she can't yet do what I do. I grew up hiking in the mountains all summer and fall. She didn't. I took her on a scouting trip one time and after 5 miles of going straight up a mountain she looked at me and told me she was done. I still wanted to side hill over the next two ridges! We had just got to where I would want to be at first light. So, we hiked back down to the truck and she struggled walking for the next few days. She wasn't happy. Since that experience I feel like I learned a thing or two and have to thing about what she can do at this point and how to keep her happy in the field. It is way different than me and a buddy getting up at 3 AM. I know a few guys who have wives that can do that, but she hasn't shown to me that she wants to do that. To me it is about figuring out what she wants and then trying to make that happen while keeping her comfortable. My .02
My wife loves to fish, like duck hunting and really enjoyed the 2 days of elk hunting she has been on but she is not going to camp up on the mountain, lol. More importantly though, she is adamant that I keep the freezers full of game.
My wife pulled the bait and switch on hunting and other things. She would hunt with me when we were dating but that stopped after we got hitched. She doesn’t complain about me going though so it all works out.
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missjordan
WKR
My husband and I are “die hard” hunters so here’s my take from the female perspective. We spend roughly 50-60 days in the field together hunting each season from late August-November. I would probably say that my husband is more hard core than myself when it comes to two things: how far back he wants to be in the woods chasing elk, and also the length that he wants to stay out when the weather turns sour. We both own the best Kuiu gear and are prepared for the elements, but i personally lose steam a little sooner than he does and get colder quicker than it seems he does.
Pros to having a spouse that shares the same interest is all your vacation time is spent during hunting season. The last couple years we’ve taken 2 weeks during archery off every year and then another week for rifle season in our home state of Montana. Then we take a handful of extended weekends off inbetween. We rarely bicker about the time we take off because we both enjoy hunting. And we get to share in the successes and failures of the hunt together which is really special and almost indescribable.
Some positive cons are spending money on quality gear. We need to make big investments every year because what you buy for one person you have to buy for the other (for the most part). Rain gear set us back almost a grand because we both needed it. Need a new backpack? So do I. We want to start hunting out of state so we each need an application and tags, He’s got Swaro EL’s and then i wanted nice binos and got Zeiss Conquests. I’m sure you can catch my drift. Also I like backpack hunting but don’t want to give up certain comforts such as warmth (backpack in the early season or get a floor less shelter), a packable pillow, and a couple foods that aren’t necessarily “packer friendly”. So we make compromises to keep the peace between each other while in the field.
A few negative cons that i see are that i am hitting a point in my life where I’d like to take a “normal” vacation and would like to spend some time in the next couple years and plan something not hunting related. There have been times out in the field where I’ve been physically or mentally burnt out when my husband has drive still to keep going. So sometimes I’ll sleep in and he’ll come back and grab me in the afternoon. If in the field I can also set myself in a good spot to sit or i can take a nap while he goes and looks over the next ridge. We are also kid-less and that will also play a big factor in our hunting decisions when that time comes.
One of the biggest things i can recommend is whether your spouse has the drive and interest to be 5 miles back in the woods or only wants to day hunt from the camper, is make sure she feels comfortable and is enjoying the experience. If you have to make a reasonable accommodation so she can be there with you, then by all means do that. Take an interest in her hobbies that you may not care about either so she spends time doing what you love. There is a give and take to every decision you make as a team. All i know is i wouldn’t have it any other way hunting with my husband and we make it work just fine!
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Pros to having a spouse that shares the same interest is all your vacation time is spent during hunting season. The last couple years we’ve taken 2 weeks during archery off every year and then another week for rifle season in our home state of Montana. Then we take a handful of extended weekends off inbetween. We rarely bicker about the time we take off because we both enjoy hunting. And we get to share in the successes and failures of the hunt together which is really special and almost indescribable.
Some positive cons are spending money on quality gear. We need to make big investments every year because what you buy for one person you have to buy for the other (for the most part). Rain gear set us back almost a grand because we both needed it. Need a new backpack? So do I. We want to start hunting out of state so we each need an application and tags, He’s got Swaro EL’s and then i wanted nice binos and got Zeiss Conquests. I’m sure you can catch my drift. Also I like backpack hunting but don’t want to give up certain comforts such as warmth (backpack in the early season or get a floor less shelter), a packable pillow, and a couple foods that aren’t necessarily “packer friendly”. So we make compromises to keep the peace between each other while in the field.
A few negative cons that i see are that i am hitting a point in my life where I’d like to take a “normal” vacation and would like to spend some time in the next couple years and plan something not hunting related. There have been times out in the field where I’ve been physically or mentally burnt out when my husband has drive still to keep going. So sometimes I’ll sleep in and he’ll come back and grab me in the afternoon. If in the field I can also set myself in a good spot to sit or i can take a nap while he goes and looks over the next ridge. We are also kid-less and that will also play a big factor in our hunting decisions when that time comes.
One of the biggest things i can recommend is whether your spouse has the drive and interest to be 5 miles back in the woods or only wants to day hunt from the camper, is make sure she feels comfortable and is enjoying the experience. If you have to make a reasonable accommodation so she can be there with you, then by all means do that. Take an interest in her hobbies that you may not care about either so she spends time doing what you love. There is a give and take to every decision you make as a team. All i know is i wouldn’t have it any other way hunting with my husband and we make it work just fine!
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My wife started hunting about 8 years ago when we moved to Colorado. On our first trip to Nebraska for whitetail, she shot a 5x5 on the first day. That buck was bigger than anything I had ever taken, so I think that helped hook her. 
One big difference I have seen with our relationship versus some others I have seen is that she's not afraid to go by herself / without me. She doesn't want me to guide her. If I held her hand through every step like I see in lots of YouTube videos (I picked your unit, Scouted the area, Found you a buck, carried your gun, set up your rest, shoot when I tell you), I think she would slap me and send me back to the truck/camp until it was time for a pack out. Finding the right balance of being helpful vs being overbearing is something I am still working on. It is especially difficult for me when I've done research on an area and did not like it, but she wants to hunt it.
Pros:
Less time away from the wife / more time with the wife.
Being able to share the details of the hunt with an interested response rather than the "uh-huh" response.
Twice as many chances to experience a cool draw hunt.
Can extend your hunting season. A hunt isn't always about pulling the trigger. Colorado has very short seasons, so a great way to be in the field is as spotter/packer.
Understanding of why we're buying the gear we buy. After her first late rifle elk hunt, she didn't question the $$ dropped on a top level spotter.
Vacation time isn't all "trips to the beach" or whatever ( though we still do some of that stuff because that can be fun, too ).
Cons
We have to buy two of everything. That can be good, because there might be a backup, but its still twice as much $$.
We don't always agree on which hunts to do, and often intentionally get different tags, but sometimes tag dates overlap and it can be frustrating when I would prefer to be focusing on a different species.
Competitive nature can cause some strife.
You can run into the same issues with any hunting partner, but the consequences of not matching are worse: physical limitations, temperature tolerance, drive/ambition, hunting style. Don't force it.
One big difference I have seen with our relationship versus some others I have seen is that she's not afraid to go by herself / without me. She doesn't want me to guide her. If I held her hand through every step like I see in lots of YouTube videos (I picked your unit, Scouted the area, Found you a buck, carried your gun, set up your rest, shoot when I tell you), I think she would slap me and send me back to the truck/camp until it was time for a pack out. Finding the right balance of being helpful vs being overbearing is something I am still working on. It is especially difficult for me when I've done research on an area and did not like it, but she wants to hunt it.
Pros:
Less time away from the wife / more time with the wife.
Being able to share the details of the hunt with an interested response rather than the "uh-huh" response.
Twice as many chances to experience a cool draw hunt.
Can extend your hunting season. A hunt isn't always about pulling the trigger. Colorado has very short seasons, so a great way to be in the field is as spotter/packer.
Understanding of why we're buying the gear we buy. After her first late rifle elk hunt, she didn't question the $$ dropped on a top level spotter.
Vacation time isn't all "trips to the beach" or whatever ( though we still do some of that stuff because that can be fun, too ).
Cons
We have to buy two of everything. That can be good, because there might be a backup, but its still twice as much $$.
We don't always agree on which hunts to do, and often intentionally get different tags, but sometimes tag dates overlap and it can be frustrating when I would prefer to be focusing on a different species.
Competitive nature can cause some strife.
You can run into the same issues with any hunting partner, but the consequences of not matching are worse: physical limitations, temperature tolerance, drive/ambition, hunting style. Don't force it.
hodgeman
WKR
My wife enjoys hunting and fishing...she doesn't hunt to the degree that I do, but she outfishes me by a fair margin.
Cons are....takes quite a bit of cash to outfit the entire family.
Pros are... the whole family goes hunting and fishing together.
Cons are....takes quite a bit of cash to outfit the entire family.
Pros are... the whole family goes hunting and fishing together.
Crippledsledge64
Lil-Rokslider
Mines out hunting right now while I’m stuck at work. She took an interest after getting married, never thought she’d take it up.
Pros- I’d say are sharing a interest and spending time together plus it’s easier to convince her of the need for new gear as long as she gets some!
Cons- I enjoy going out by myself at times and it was hard explaining that at first. She also knows how much said gear cost now.
Pros definitely outweigh the cons in our case though. I enjoying sharing hunting with her and now I’d rather watch her get a buck than myself.
Pros- I’d say are sharing a interest and spending time together plus it’s easier to convince her of the need for new gear as long as she gets some!
Cons- I enjoy going out by myself at times and it was hard explaining that at first. She also knows how much said gear cost now.
Pros definitely outweigh the cons in our case though. I enjoying sharing hunting with her and now I’d rather watch her get a buck than myself.
Lawnboi
WKR
My wife was never into it prior to our relationship, but I am beginning to include her in more outdoor stuff.
This will be her first year rifle hunting in our home state and she is excited to get out of state. In the last few years iv also exposed her to fishing, camping and backpacking, she really enjoys it most of the time.
For me it’s more oppritunity to be out in the field, more tags to fill and more time I get to spend with her, which sometimes can be tough as she doesn’t like to go quite as hard as I do. It’s all just beginning for her and I hope she gets out of it the satisfaction that I do, and hope even more it allows it to be something we can both pass along.
It is expensive getting her setup too, that’s the hard part, could be upgrading some other things, instead I’m getting her outfitted.
This will be her first year rifle hunting in our home state and she is excited to get out of state. In the last few years iv also exposed her to fishing, camping and backpacking, she really enjoys it most of the time.
For me it’s more oppritunity to be out in the field, more tags to fill and more time I get to spend with her, which sometimes can be tough as she doesn’t like to go quite as hard as I do. It’s all just beginning for her and I hope she gets out of it the satisfaction that I do, and hope even more it allows it to be something we can both pass along.
It is expensive getting her setup too, that’s the hard part, could be upgrading some other things, instead I’m getting her outfitted.
My girlfriend and I hunt together. Here's what I've learned after three short seasons:
PROS
We already know how the other handles stress. Getting turned around on a dark mountain side is small change compared to doing taxes together.
We already know each other's level of physical fitness. There's no risk of an out of state friend you see once a year getting fat between seasons. We also know each other's weaknesses. My ankle doesn't like sidehilling, her knees don't like a straight charge downhill. Taking our own routes down a slope is comfortable routine.
We can easily scout together because we live together.
2x the chance of someone in the household drawing a cool tag.
CONS
She draws all the cool tags.
When we first started dating she pulled the ol switcheroo on me and pretended to like fishing a lot more than she actually does.
Even if you love someone, it's great to get some time away. Thankfully she has no interest in bear hunting so I get to do that alone.
PROS
We already know how the other handles stress. Getting turned around on a dark mountain side is small change compared to doing taxes together.
We already know each other's level of physical fitness. There's no risk of an out of state friend you see once a year getting fat between seasons. We also know each other's weaknesses. My ankle doesn't like sidehilling, her knees don't like a straight charge downhill. Taking our own routes down a slope is comfortable routine.
We can easily scout together because we live together.
2x the chance of someone in the household drawing a cool tag.
CONS
She draws all the cool tags.
When we first started dating she pulled the ol switcheroo on me and pretended to like fishing a lot more than she actually does.
Even if you love someone, it's great to get some time away. Thankfully she has no interest in bear hunting so I get to do that alone.
My wife grew up with a father that hunted a lot, but she didn't kill her first big game animal until after we had been married for a few years. She also got into fly fishing when we stayed dating. No chance she'd go without me, but she does enjoy the challenge of hunting and fishing.
The biggest pro is spending time together outdoors, seeing and experiencing things most couples miss out on through the busy lifestyles we live these days. Double the meat is also a plus. As a gear junkie, so is double the gear!
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The biggest pro is spending time together outdoors, seeing and experiencing things most couples miss out on through the busy lifestyles we live these days. Double the meat is also a plus. As a gear junkie, so is double the gear!
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
BCSteel
FNG
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2014
- Messages
- 94
I only started hunting a couple years ago and although my wife has expressed interest in hunting, she hasn't done any yet.
We do a lot of back country hiking and camping together going out for up to 8 days at a time so it wouldn't be a big stretch for her to add in hunting. She loves sturgeon and salmon fishing and is planning a week of trout fishing for us this fall. She's totally on board with me hunting though. A few years back she decided to go vegan but she's now eating wild game that I bring home. Her favourites so far are black bear and mallard.
Truth be told, I like hunting by myself. If she wanted to come out hunting I would never complain but if she never takes it up, I'm ok with that too.
We do a lot of back country hiking and camping together going out for up to 8 days at a time so it wouldn't be a big stretch for her to add in hunting. She loves sturgeon and salmon fishing and is planning a week of trout fishing for us this fall. She's totally on board with me hunting though. A few years back she decided to go vegan but she's now eating wild game that I bring home. Her favourites so far are black bear and mallard.
Truth be told, I like hunting by myself. If she wanted to come out hunting I would never complain but if she never takes it up, I'm ok with that too.
Huntindog45
WKR
Nope, and i am perfectly happy with that. My wife and I love each other greatly and there are things we enjoy together and things we enjoy on our own. I am very happy to have hunting be "my time" just as there are numerous things she enjoys greatly as "her time." I love seeing that so many women are taking to the woods and love the fact that the female hunter is one of the fastest growing demographics in the sport. I am equally happy that my wife has not taken it up. She does fish with me now and then, especially if Halibut or really any ocean fish is the target. But aside from that she is happy to let me go on my own. (she may have a boyfriend or something she enjoys seeing when I am gone... that is our joke anyway.)
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