Elk Hunting with Newborn Baby?

[Dos Perros]

My son was born Sept 9 and at the end of the month I was chasing birds in Montana for a week with a buddy who's son was born Sept 2. You're not missing much that first month, IMO. I don't have any regrets about going.

 

[grossklw]

I wouldn't go, not every mom handles it the same. My buddy's daughter was born in late August and he was considering going with us and I talked him out of it. Told me after the fact he was really glad I told him he couldn't come. I had my daughter (2nd kid) in early June, I've done a couple weekend hunts to chase pheasants, but didn't even consider heading west this year and it was absolutely the correct decision.

You can't really do much for the baby the first couple months, but your role isn't to care for the baby, it's for her. She may need you more than you think. Both my kids were via c-section, it would've been criminal to leave her at home with the kids at that age.

Best case scenario you go and you have a great time and your wife is fine.

Worst case scenario you just left your wife at home and post-partum hits and she struggles mightily for a week while you're gone. I don't think it's worth stressing her out to that level, especially being a new mom. You do you but zero chance I'd be going.

 

[wind gypsy]

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.

Same thing happened to me. Got Married December 2020, I was deemed the responsible party for preventing pregnancy (dumb) and baby girl showed up early sept 2021. It didn't kill me to skip the elk rut for a year and hunt CO 4th season instead. Everything was well under control on the home front by November.

 

[Tx270WT]

My second showed up October 17th. I just think of it as punching my tag early on a real trophy lol. I find myself missing getting to go elk hunting this season but don’t regret it one bit.
Old but accurate saying, if mamma ain’t happy, you ain’t gonna be happy…

 

[Muzzy48]

Just had my 2nd at the end of October. A little over a month after returning from a 2 week trip to CO. As some others mentioned, only you can truly make this decision based on what is best for you and your family.

My advice is to stay home or at least wait till your child comes and then decide. This is coming from a guy who eat, sleeps, and breathes hunting, especially elk hunting after getting a taste of it 3yrs ago. The reason I say that is it being her and yours first child can be quite the eye opener. A baby may sleep alot but it may hardly sleep at all in other situations. You may be living the dream one moment and pulling your hair out the next. Postpartum depression is also a real thing in women (google it). Some experience it like my wife did with our first while others may never. Your wife may have verbally gave you the “green light” but it maybe more like a yellow or red light on the inside. She’s probably just being an excellent wife like mine is but even I’ve learned that those green lights aren’t always green. I didn’t go on a trip to Illinois a few yrs ago after receiving the go ahead as I could tell it bothered her and she later told me so.

Yes, you only get so many Septembers but, like one guy said, a baby needs its mom and it’s mom needs its dad. You’ll thank us later when you’re not sleeping on the couch for the next year after you return.

Good luck!

 

[rclouse79]

I recommend watching the video below. After seeing "Guy on a Buffalo" tend to a baby while riding around the prairie, you should have all the confidence you need to take your newborn elk hunting. Episodes 1, 3 and 4 are also good for inspiration and important life lessons. You are welcome in advance.

 

[Augie]

I'm seeing a lot of P***y whipped husbands in here afraid of their wives wrath. If you have been a dedicated lifelong hunter before y'all met then your wives/girlfriends knew what they were signing up for. I'll add these are the kinds of dilemmas hunters should think about before going raw doggin. You played yourself.

 

[PRC_GUY]

Congrats on your coming baby!
Take your time off and spend time with your wife and new born baby , you can hunt later , your wife needs you to be there with her man.

 

[5MilesBack]

My middle daughter is due in March. We'll see if she's hunting this next year. Not sure if she'll make it for spring turkey, but she might make it for elk season.

 

[nphunter]

I would skip hunting personally, I had summer babies for that exact reason. Even then I have missed and still miss a lot of hunting for my kids. I would not leave my wife home with a new born baby, plan something else with your vacation, maybe an Antelope hunt the first week of August before the kids born?

I try to have all of my honey do's done prior to August and we plan zero family events from August - November every year so I can hunt, the only exception is my kids cross country/basketball which I always try to come out of the woods and make it to. I love to hunt above anything else but I still always put my family first, this has always worked in my favor.

You can hunt forever, some of those first moments you have with your kid will only happen 1 time and you will wish you didn't miss them. Being there for your wife when she needs you will pay dividends in the long run! Some of my favorite memories are of sitting in the rocking chair in the middle of the night rocking my firstborn child knowing I had to get up in a couple of hours for work while he was just staring at me wide awake at 2am.

I didn't hunt the year my first son was born, but my wife and I both tagged along on a hunt my father did that year. That's my kid at 3 months old.


Same kid 14 years later 800 yards away from where my dad killed the bull.

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

Congrats on the baby! It is an incredible experience raising kids. We just had our third boy and are beyond blessed by them. To me it doesn’t matter what time of year they come. The truth is they can be future hunting partners. I think as an outdoorsman what we do can be very consuming as I have personally been way into hunting too many times. At the end of the day for me there are more important things in life (even though I think about hunting daily) and it’s all about balance. You will still be able to hunt when you have kids. If you and your wife are 100% on the same page then that is great whatever you decide year by year. It’s different for each person and couple and I would encourage you to be fully present whether or not you go hunting this year. What I have found is that shorter trips are better for us. I have also planned ahead to where maybe a friend or sister can be around when I’m gone. There are lots of ways to balance it and I’m sure you will find the right steps that work for you and your family. Lastly when I saw my first son born I knew that being a dad was a great responsibility and privilege in this world. We are now planning our first camping trip together and I cannot wait!

Again man congrats!

 

[Young Blood]

I'm seeing a lot of P***y whipped husbands in here afraid of their wives wrath. If you have been a dedicated lifelong hunter before y'all met then your wives/girlfriends knew what they were signing up for. I'll add these are the kinds of dilemmas hunters should think about before going raw doggin. You played yourself.

I see your point and agree the wives should have known what they were signing up for, but things change in life constantly and if you choose to start a family priorities have to change also (if only for a season of having young kids around). The OP has no idea what having a baby around will mean (its his first) and how it will affect his wife with postpartum depression, a c-section, a colicky baby, complications at birth all being possibilities. Saying someone is p***y whipped for placing the needs of their wives and kids above their hobbies is asinine. I would call it being a man who is a good husband and father and is stepping up to the plate placing the needs of his family above their own. I know you made this point as well, but as a father, you should have also known what you signed up for when you chose to remove the goalie...

 

[TxxAgg]

I didn't bother to read the whole thread because you could make a good argument either way.

BUT...if you go, have a plan to have someone check in with them a couple times a day. If your wife had a medical emergency and nobody knew, the baby is in trouble also.

Maybe I'm just paranoid.

 

[bdg848]

I'm seeing a lot of P***y whipped husbands in here afraid of their wives wrath. If you have been a dedicated lifelong hunter before y'all met then your wives/girlfriends knew what they were signing up for. I'll add these are the kinds of dilemmas hunters should think about before going raw doggin. You played yourself.

LOL these "p***y whipped" husbands putting their wives and children's needs above their own desires... that sounds like something you would hear from some one who has either never been married or has done it two or three times lol

 

[diamond10x]

Go hunting or stay home, its your choice. For some people hunting is life, for some it is just a hobby. Do whatever makes you and the Mrs. happy, Only you can answer that.

It's funny reading a lot of these responses from the guys who act and think they're chuck norris type hunters yet they would take the whole year off from hunting.

 

[bdg848]

Go hunting or stay home, its your choice. For some people hunting is life, for some it is just a hobby. Do whatever makes you and the Mrs. happy, Only you can answer that.

It's funny reading a lot of these responses from the guys who act and think they're chuck norris type hunters yet they would take the whole year off from hunting.

I don't know which guys said they were taking the entire year off...I think everyone who has had kids has said they still managed to get out there at some point, I certainly did manage to go hunt, just not the same trips I normally did. The funny/actually not funny thing I see is the guy who has a wife and children but HUNTING "is their life"....oof...lol "as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, my boy was just like me!" Lol

 

[Travis Hobbs]

Hey man- I didn’t read any of the replies, just your post!

I wouldnt leave momma and new baby home…but I do know hunting camp is hella important…..

But have you thought about bringing them with?

I dunno how momma feels about this…or what your gear situation is like (your going to need more than a pup tent )

This isn’t going to be popular opinion… but I told myself when I had kids, I was going to take them and momma everywhere with me. And I do. I mean everywhere...I think life is 100% about relationships and the bond between you mom and the little one starts early.

I just had my first kid this summer, a daughter… Hunting Camp is super important to me! I brought her and momma with! Momma was off work already…and she loved it! My daughter spent many a nights in my wall tent at hunting camp… in October and slept and did great!

Obviously it’s more work, logistically not as easy… but might get you in the woods, and be a memory you and momma will never forget. I think hunting camp is a tradition worth keeping.

If you do go this route, shoot me a PM! I’ll line you out on wool baby swaddle and sleeping bag we found, cold weather gear and stuff we have learned! They have some amazing stuff to get families outdoors! I’ve had my daughter hunting mountain lions, fishing you name it…

Good luck! Enjoy that kid, it’s the best!!

 

[Maverick1]

She told me it was ok if I went, but it feels like a trap.

It’s always a trap. Always.

 

[Rob5589]

I'm seeing a lot of P***y whipped husbands in here afraid of their wives wrath. If you have been a dedicated lifelong hunter before y'all met then your wives/girlfriends knew what they were signing up for. I'll add these are the kinds of dilemmas hunters should think about before going raw doggin. You played yourself.

 

[Augie]

I see your point and agree the wives should have known what they were signing up for, but things change in life constantly and if you choose to start a family priorities have to change also (if only for a season of having young kids around). The OP has no idea what having a baby around will mean (its his first) and how it will affect his wife with postpartum depression, a c-section, a colicky baby, complications at birth all being possibilities. Saying someone is p***y whipped for placing the needs of their wives and kids above their hobbies is asinine. I would call it being a man who is a good husband and father and is stepping up to the plate placing the needs of his family above their own. I know you made this point as well, but as a father, you should have also known what you signed up for when you chose to remove the goalie...

never said the OP was p***y whipped, I'm talking about all the husbands in here slingin out the "happy wife happy life" nonsense. If you choose to stay home to be with your wife and kids because it's your decision that's fine. But there's a lot of guys in here talking about how they would never even think of going out hunting because of what their wives would do.