Elk Hunting with Newborn Baby?

[elkhunter94]

So my wife and I recently got married. We had planned to wait until the spring to start trying for kids as to avoid hunting season, but this week we found out that she is pregnant and due in August. I absolutely love to be in the mountains, but unfortunately live in a state that has none! My week vacation chasing elk is something I look forward to all year. This year in particular my best friend and I planned to go, for which he is also very excited. However, it would be crazy to leave my wife for a week with a 1 or 2 month old baby at home right? We both have family within 5 min of home that I know would help, but it still wouldn’t seem right. She told me it was ok if I went, but it feels like a trap lol! Just looking for opinions on what everyone’s thoughts are on it, and before anyone goes and jumps my case for even thinking like this I would never leave my wife unless I knew she was 100% on board.


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[VizslaHunt]

As a father of four, I feel like I can give you some advice. Just take a year off elk hunting.

 

[grfox92]

A lot of people will tell you to take the year off. I wouldn't tell you that.

I have hunted way less since I started having kids. I have 3 now and they are 8, 5 and 2 and we are experienced enough that this year I was able to hunt as much as I wanted and I did. But my wife is amazing and a super mom.

The year my first son was born I was out hunting 4 days after he was born. Granted it was local and I wasn't gone overnight or anything.

Your baby will be 2 or 3 months old during hunting season. 2 and 3 month old babies eat and sleep all day. If your baby is breastfeed then there is litterslly no reason you NEED to be home other then if you want to or your wife is having a really hard time. Mine did not.

I find myself wanting to be home more when the kids got older and were little people who communicated and talk and play.

Edit: it's a decision you will have to make together with your wife. Talk about it now and feel your wife out. Try to see through if she is really ok with yoy going or she's just trying to make you happy.

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[ndlawrence]

As a father of four, I feel like I can give you some advice. Just take a year off elk hunting.

This. Take the season off, or find something to hunt where you can do a single day. Do not leave her with an infant for a week.

 

[Brewski]

It's a trap!

 

[Rich M]

You aint hunting 2023. Sooner you accept that the better. Dont make wifey mad at this time.

 

[ndlawrence]

A lot of people will tell you to take the year off. I wouldn't tell you that.

I have hunted way less since I started having kids. I have 3 now and they are 8, 5 and 2 and we are experienced enough that this year I was able to hunt as much as I wanted and I did. But my wife is amazing and a super mom.

The year my first son was born I was out hunting 4 days after he was born. Granted it was local and I wasn't gone overnight or anything.

Your baby will be 2 or 3 months old during hunting season. 2 and 3 month old babies eat and sleep all day. If your baby is breastfeed then there is litterslly no reason you NEED to be home other then if you want to or your wife is having a A lot of people will tell you to take the year off. I wouldn't tell you that.

I have hunted way less since I started having kids. I have 3 now and they are 8, 5 and 2 and we are experienced enough that this year I was able to hunt as much as I wanted and I did. But my wife is amazing and a super mom.

The year my first son was born I was out hunting 4 days after he was born. Granted it was local and I wasn't gone overnight or anything.

Your baby will be 2 or 3 months old during hunting season. 2 and 3 month old babies eat and sleep all day. If your baby is breastfeed then there is litterslly no reason you NEED to be home other then if you want to or your wife is having a really hard time. Mine did not.

I find myself wanting to be home more when the kids got older and were little people who communicated and talk and play.

Edit: it's a decision you will have to make together with your wife. Talk about it now and feel your wife out. Try to see through if she is really ok with yoy going or she's just trying to make you happy.

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I will say this. Your wife is not going to know if she’s okay with you going or not until that baby is here. She may truly not need you, but I think that is the exception to the rule. Your baby needs its mother, it’s mother needs you.

 

[woods89]

I'd skip a year hunting, especially with it being your first and her not really knowing what to expect. I did go a year ago when we had a 5 month old, but it was our 4th child, so she knew exactly what she was dealing with, and had family close to help. She handles motherhood very well, and she was fine.

Elk hunting will be there for you next year.

 

[whaack]

I was in a similar boat with my second. He was 2 months old. I went on a 4 day trip with the insistence of my wife.

Only you and your family can evaluate what’s best for you.

But you asked so my advice is given it’s your first and he/she will only be a couple weeks old I’d skip this year. Praying for blessing over your family but our first had complications so a hunting trip would have been scrapped last minute if I had a similar situation to yours.


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[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Take the year off. My son was born in May. It had been a rough few months and my wife actually convinced me to go hunting in Aug for a week. Same deal, have to travel to hunt. The entire time I was just thinking about them, and then my son got a pretty high fever and had to scramble to get home. It wasn’t enjoyable and ended up coming home anyway, wish I wouldn’t have gone.

 

[Tyglick]

I had a child 2 years ago on September 5th. And left for our annual elk hunt September 20th. It was our 4th so we’ve been through it all. But I would go. It’s only a week you are gone and all babies do at this age is eat sleep and shit. Not that hard to take care of them. If she is breastfeeding. You can’t do anything in the middle of the night anyways. Don’t kid yourself. My wife is a saint and I love my kids to death. GO HUNT!!

 

[Ucsdryder]

You messed up. Now you pay the consequences. Stay home.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

I went on a 4 day hunting trip a month after my daughter was born. Wasn't a big deal at all.

 

[ohiohunter81]

Was in this exact situation this year. I stayed home. Zero regrets

 

[Trackerbacker]

Father of 3 (5, soon to be 3, 5 month old).

You can help your wife at night, my guess is she will pump. Pump means storing bags. Bags means papa can help feed from a bottle.

Sleep. She will be up over night pumping. You need to be helping her with the tyke. She'll go through crazy Sleep deprivation.

There's new things to worry about, that 99% the baby is a-ok. However, soon, new paranoias (that are overexaggerated but you both are new to the game) set in. You need to be there for emotional support. She'll have hormonal changes due to the birth, the pregnancy, etc.

It's #1? She's going to feel on an island. She more than likely doesn't want aunt Judy and aunt Betty and the gang over telling her xyz. First time parenting, don't let it cause a riff. Yall are partners and hopefully best friends.

Be there for her, and she'll be there for you. The first baby, is the first baby once, and they are only a newborn once. Get those cuddles. Smell them new baby smells. You'll be surprised what those deep moments can do for changing your drive and passion and reasons.

My $0.03.

(Going on year 8 of "this is the year I'll go spring bear hunting" due to lost pregnancies, births, maternity leaves. I lost nothing by not going bear hunting, I've gained a lot of memories inwouldnt trade for a hunt.)

 

[cnelk]

The OP didn’t mention what state he was going elk hunting

That definitely plays a role.

 

[Go West Old Man]

More than 25 years ago, a good friend invited me to go deer hunting with him at their family farm property in middle GA for the weekend. Our families have been friends for more than 50 years. Farm property was less than 2 hours from home for us. He and his wife had a 2-3 month old son, their first. He managed to convince his wife to say “ok, you can go”.

We left Friday, hunted all weekend, & headed for home just before dark Sunday evening. Got back to his house about 8pm where I’d left my truck to ride with him. Walked in to say hello to his wife, and immediately knew he was big time in the doghouse. Baby was sick, mom was sitting on the floor of baby’s room holding their son, & and she looked extremely overdue for some sleep. He barely said “hello honey “ before she crossly said “Stick a fork in it, you’re done hunting this year!” We laugh about it now, but good friend has readily admitted ever since that his decision to go hunting & thinking it was ok was not the right thing to do.


So, stay home, skip hunting, and spend the time with your wife and new baby. Your friend will be happy for you.

 

[zrodwyo]

I would plan on not going. There are too many unknown variables until you have that baby home.

Maybe you will have a really easy baby that sleeps through the night and is chill. Maybe you will have a colicky baby that will keep you up all night for 3 months straight.

If you have baby #2 no chance you are leaving your wife at home.

With that said, when my son was six weeks old I rented a house on air bnb for my family so I could go hunt out of state. It was fine. I just hunted mornings and evenings only and still tagged out.

 

[dtrkyman]

I guess that is why I do not have kids, I would go and expect the wife to be ok with it. You have family help and with tech today you can keep in touch if anything serious happened!

I would think being that you are married with a child you should know if the wife is "trapping" you!

 

[Molon Labe]

Don’t even think about it.
You only have a first baby once.
You should still take the week off but spend it with momma and your newborn.