Going solo and the worried wife

[Takeem406]

Anyone one else find themselves hunting solo?
It seems I'll make plans months in advance for a backpacking hunt and my partner bails on me. And all my buddies would rather work than hunt, or sit at home because it's too hot...

So tomorrow night I leave for a backpacking hunt in Western Montana (my home) I've been gearing up for since this summer. However the wife has an unbelievable fear of bears and her man being alone in griz country during the night without cell service!
She's wanting me to cancel the trip, obviously that's not an option!

Anyone else struggle with this? I've taken wildness survival, I'm pretty first aid savvy, I've got a 44 with HSM bear loads, a compass, GPS, and a man card lol!

I'd get a new woman but her dad has some amazing mulie and pronghorn land in North Central MT lol!

 

[Jacob_Outdoors]

My wife feels the same way, consider a SPOT device or something similar. Maybe just mentioning one will put her at ease this trip, and hold off the purchase until later.

I always provide my wife with the general area I plan to be and agree to check in by a certain time near the end of the trip, or else send someone out looking for me.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I run into the same problem. My dad keeps bailing on me every time I set a trip up. For example tomorrow. I gave in a little and we are now sleeping at the truck and walking in 4.5 miles one way everyday. He won't walk in the dark so I have no idea how that's going to work. It's pretty hard to want to go. He is used to truck hunting and shooting the first buck he sees. I on the other hand want no part in that. Now my wife doesn't want me going by myself either. I actually don't know what to do anymore. It's extremely hard.

 

[dangerousD]

I do the same as above but no Spot. Just leave plans or coordinates of the area I plan to be and a timeline of when I will check in since I can get limited cell service on a ridge a couple miles from base camp . If I'm more than two days past the check-in date then that triggers the alarm. But I haven't hunted grizzly country. You could rent a Spot or sat phone also.

 

[xziang]

I am hunting solo in CO and glad I don't have to worry 'to much' about bears especially a griz. I considered the spot but also looked into the DeLorme InReach too.

I can't find the thread but the Delorme/InReach has come up on here before.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

The Delorme units are awesome. Just being able to get a custome.message out that shows where you're at on a map makes my wife and I feel WAY better about solo hunting. Plus there's that oh sh%× button

 

[idcuda]

Spot!

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I run into the same problem. My dad keeps bailing on me every time I set a trip up. For example tomorrow. I gave in a little and we are now sleeping at the truck and walking in 4.5 miles one way everyday. He won't walk in the dark so I have no idea how that's going to work. It's pretty hard to want to go. He is used to truck hunting and shooting the first buck he sees. I on the other hand want no part in that. Now my wife doesn't want me going by myself either. I actually don't know what to do anymore. It's extremely hard.

I feel your pain, my Dad won't walk in the dark either. He'll backpack.at least, but finding someone who isn't selfish, and can "keep up" is a real challenge.

 

[Stid2677]

Rent a sat phone, plans can change, shit can happen. Seen a sat phone save more than one life, and have also seen people looking for folks where they said they were going, only to end up someplace else lost. There is 2 people lost right now as I type this here in Alaska. Rent a phone, call the wife every night to tell her how bad you miss her and wish you were there. Hang up and go hunt. Thank me later....

Steve

 

[Jaguigui]

I had the same thing happen to me. Hunting buddies always bailed or had some excuse. They didn't share the same passion as i do. I told my wife don't expect to hear for me for three days. She said f**k that and told me to use the credit card to buy a satellite phone. I got the delorme se edition with the texting and SOS ability. It puts her mind at ease when I go solo hunting.

 

[hodgeman]

I used a SPOT for a while- wife liked being able to get on the website and see where I was at in near real time. Whacking the "Oh Crap" button isn't a bad option if you need it. I don't go solo much anymore now that the kid is old enough to go and I've got a couple partners who like to go as much as I do now. Wife feels better that way and hunting is a bit more enjoyable.

 

[Bughalli]

I just came back from a 10 day solo trip. Wife was not happy about the trip, but I couldn't get anyone to go. Looked at buying a Spot, but the reviews are across the board. Some people don't find them to work reliably for tracking and that causes more problems for the wife at home. Last thing I need is people getting worried when nothing is wrong. Plus that technology changes every year. I rented a satellite phone. $126 for 9 or 10 days, free shipping there and back. Straight forward call plan, etc. Worked great and kept the family at ease. Probably kept me at ease as well, since this was the easiest backcountry trip I've been on (from a mental perspective). I would definitely go that route again.

 

[Takeem406]

So with a DelMore can she track me at Lambkins in Lincoln when I'm "hunting???" jk! Thanks for the sat phone idea! My buddy used one on a goat hunt and it saved his hide! Probably find them at an outdoor/backpacking store?

 

[robby denning]

The chances of you dying on the highway enroute to your destination are probably higher than the griz.

I'd rate my SPOT as 95% or better in reliability and I've used it all over the West since 2008

Keep in mind though that even with a SPOT, if she can dream up every danger in the world then all the SPOT will do is make her anxious when it doesn't come when she expected it.

 

[robby denning]

I run into the same problem. My dad keeps bailing on me every time I set a trip up. For example tomorrow. I gave in a little and we are now sleeping at the truck and walking in 4.5 miles one way everyday. He won't walk in the dark so I have no idea how that's going to work. It's pretty hard to want to go. He is used to truck hunting and shooting the first buck he sees. I on the other hand want no part in that. Now my wife doesn't want me going by myself either. I actually don't know what to do anymore. It's extremely hard.

You're going to hate that hunt. Leave him home. Plan an antelope trip with him or something.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

You're going to hate that hunt. Leave him home. Plan an antelope trip with him or something.

Thanks Robby. That's where I have been thinking. It's hard due to him being my dad. Not sure if anyone else has the problem with hunting partners overthinking things that could happen. For me, yes there are risks going alone but if you accept the risks and understand they are there and can happen, you are better off. The way I explain solo trips is that and I explain if I feel something is unsafe I won't do it. For me going solo is a better option because most of the time the hunting partner who makes excuses has a ton of negativity. While they may be able to do the hunt, negativity is what will kill a hunt.

 

[StrutNut]

Im more concerned about her going solo shopping than she is of me going solo hunting but than again we have been married for 20 years. Honestly she does worry about my solo trips but I just use some way of getting a message back to her daily and she is now fine with it. If anything else, set expectations on when you will communicate and than follow through with it. It is when they are expecting communication and not getting it they start to worry.

 

[Nalgene]

You can rent a sat phone.

 

[IdahoElk]

Get an Inreach or sat phone and text/call her every day.

Works for my wife and with the inreach it marks your exact location,perfect,everyone is happy!

 

[carlc]

I used the inreach for ten days in ak this year, worked great. I have a spot that I used before that. It always worked but it is nice being able to send custom messages.

Send me a pm if you are looking for a partner, I am always solo as well, as no one around helena likes to hunt hard. I'm taking off tomorrow as well.