Going solo and the worried wife

[JFKinYK]

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.

I'd agree with this. I usually take some form of comm device when solo for a longer trip, but I do not set a high bar for checking in- certainly not every day. Once you set that expectation, it is hard to go back. I only check in every 4-5 days and/or if something goes wrong (usually pick one day in middle of trip to call for check in). On trips shorter than that, don't expect to hear from me until I am home. If I am late by a 36 hrs or so, send the cavalry.

Things can happen with phones/batteries and even if I do get injured, puncture a boat, etc etc, there is a reasonable chance I can work through it and get home - it might just take some time.

And if a bear gets me, it gets me. You roll the dice and you take your chances, just like stepping in a car or on a plane.

 

[yardwork]

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.

Does the Spot provide any confirmation that the message was sent? I can take your scenario to the next level where I'd send a message, not sure it went through, worried that she'd be worried for about an hour, hike out, drive to town and call only to hear the Mrs. say. "Hi Honey. What's up, we got your message." I'd then drive back feeling like an idiot.

For what its worth, I'm going to rent a sat phone in the future. We could have hunted an extra day last fall but wives were expecting us out and calling later that day. Driving to town and back would have taken up too much time so we bailed.

 

[tri2hunt]

I always get a kick out of these threads. Maybe my wife doesn't give a S**T?? I tell her I am going hunting and that my brother knows the spots. Tell her to give it 24 hrs after the time I am supposed to return before calling for someone to come look. It is like someone else said, you are more likely to get delayed driving to and from your destination than while out in the woods.
Here in Northern Idaho there are plenty of predators and if they get me then they are getting a great meal and messing up a lot of nice gear??

 

[Manosteel]

I go thru this every year. I hope to find a new hunting partner who is dedicated to fitness and the hunt and every year I get bailed on. I hunt solo 95% of the time. to be honest, I haven't harvested anything with a partner in 4 years. I take people out but I guess I hunt different than most and stalks get blown when I hunt with someone else.

This year I finally found a hunting partner who committed 100%, trained hard and came on all scouting trips. Ofcourse, as the hunting gods have a sense of humor, we have some serious mechanical issues with his vehicle right near the trail head. My delorme wouldn't work, it sent msgs according to my phone but I wasn't getting response. A 17+km hike out in the dark in rugged country to get cell service had us limping out 22 hrs later.

Long story short, wife has commanded me to buy a SAT Phone.

 

[rayporter]

first thing is to train em to get used to it. i tell her i will be back, honest.

 

[larryschwartz]

One thing that everyone, especially those new to backcountry communications, needs to know and remember is that satellites are essentially moving across the sky as the Earth rotates under them, they don't stay in one location relative to where you are. Because of this you may have line of sight when you start a message or your SPOT starts to mark your location but can then loose the LOS when the satellite is blocked by a ridgeline or heavy canopy in the woods or a building. Another one will come into range in a minute or two but it often isn't instantaneous. This is why the SPOT sometimes fails or your sat phone conversation gets cut off after a few minutes.

 

[mtnclimber]

I always tell my wife " the chance of me dying while driving to where i start hunting is higher than when I'm actually hunting"

That seems to work. Although most of my hunts start with being in the backseat of a cub, the driving thing seems to still put her mind at ease for whatever reason haha.

with that said i agreed with the sat phone thing. I always take one and it really puts her mind at ease getting a 2 minute phone call each night saying I'm all good.

 

[KHNC]

My buddy drove out to NM last Friday for our 2nd season hunt. I don't get to fly out till this evening. I have been following him since Friday on his Inreach along with texting whats going on and where he set up camp. It has worked perfectly! Much better than a sat phone in my opinion. I would do the Inreach over any of the other options.

 

[Stid2677]

For those that have never needed a sat phone,, Thank the Lord. But as someone that has had to use one to save someone,, I can tell you be able to speak to a person and know help is on the way,,, worth every freaking penny....

Think about a situation similar to many we have seen here on Rokslide, most often a severe fall. I have taken a 700 ft or tumble and I can tell you I would not want to be laying there hurt hoping my text message was received. We often hunt down low in places where sat coverage is spotty at best. With my phone I can see when it gets a signal.

 

[mtnclimber]

For those that have never needed a sat phone,, Thank the Lord. But as someone that has had to use one to save someone,, I can tell you be able to speak to a person and know help is on the way,,, worth every freaking penny....

Think about a situation similar to many we have seen here on Rokslide, most often a severe fall. I have taken a 700 ft or tumble and I can tell you I would not want to be laying there hurt hoping my text message was received. We often hunt down low in places where sat coverage is spotty at best. With my phone I can see when it gets a signal.

I wish the inreach was like our sat phones. Showed if there was a signal and how strong it was. and gave conformation that the message was delivered. (like an iMessage on an iPhone)

 

[PA 5-0]

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

^^^^what steve said. A simple twisted ankle can turn into a nightmare in a blink. It may save ur life and will definitely save ur wife some sleep. Good luck, Dan

 

[satchamo]

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!

Get new friends.... Anyone who would rather work than hunt is not a fun person, thus not deserving of your friendship.

 

[Ironmerganser]

Yeah...know the feeling. My wife isn't fond of my solo trips but I tell her where I will be, who to contact if she hasn't heard from me when I tell her I will call in, etc. She would never tell me to cancel....but I keep her in the loop so I don't get the stink eye when the bill comes in for gear, licenses and trips!!!!

And when you need a friend to go hunting with you in MT....let me know. I have a good friend that guides fly fishing trips out of Bozeman and I want to get up to see him and maybe chase Spring bears next year!!!!

 

[Kevin Dill]

With all due respect, I think guys are missing the point here. Your wife presumably cares about you and wants you to come home healthy. Hunting alone in the backcountry IS cause enough for a non-hunting spouse to worry, whether we think it's legit or not. It's not something you can solve by buying a device or gun or learning to leap tall buildings. If she's your wife and you respect her concerns, you'll talk face to face with her and let her air things out. I cannot imagine doing otherwise, but I know it happens. Some guys have a tough-sh@t attitude and their wives have to put up with it. After 30+ years of marriage to my one wife, I can honestly say that I always go to her and discuss my hunts. I want her to know the risks and the rewards. Knowledge is power, and most of the time fear is wrapped around the unknown. The more she understands things...how you will be safe...the less fear she'll experience. If she says NO...I personally would not override her and go unless I put hunting above marital quality.

I just got back from a completely wilderness solo hunt in eastern Alaska. I was 95 miles from the Yukon border and a 2 week hike from any road. I was gone 8 days and totally on my own. I had a grizzly walk up on me within 2 hours of leaving the Super Cub. I dealt with all kinds of severe problems which just kept happening. My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing this trip prior to time, and she gave me her absolute confidence and approval. She was anxious, but she knows my skill level and commitment to safety always. I told her I would not go if she felt it the wrong thing to do...and she said go. I did (and do) always carry a satellite phone AND a plb. I kept in touch and she was helped by that when things got bad for me. I love the heck out of her...she's my life partner...and I'm not even close to putting a hunt above her feelings. I am always aware...painfully aware...that the consequences of what I do (if things go wrong or I screw up) reach far beyond me. They affect a lot of other people and lives would be forever changed...most likely not for the better.

 

[Elk Dog]

Have hunted solo alot over the years and my wife often worries about me. Since getting a Delorme Inreach she is more comfortable when I‘m gone.

 

[Stid2677]

With all due respect, I think guys are missing the point here. Your wife presumably cares about you and wants you to come home healthy. Hunting alone in the backcountry IS cause enough for a non-hunting spouse to worry, whether we think it's legit or not. It's not something you can solve by buying a device or gun or learning to leap tall buildings. If she's your wife and you respect her concerns, you'll talk face to face with her and let her air things out. I cannot imagine doing otherwise, but I know it happens. Some guys have a tough-sh@t attitude and their wives have to put up with it. After 30+ years of marriage to my one wife, I can honestly say that I always go to her and discuss my hunts. I want her to know the risks and the rewards. Knowledge is power, and most of the time fear is wrapped around the unknown. The more she understands things...how you will be safe...the less fear she'll experience. If she says NO...I personally would not override her and go unless I put hunting above marital quality.

I just got back from a completely wilderness solo hunt in eastern Alaska. I was 95 miles from the Yukon border and a 2 week hike from any road. I was gone 8 days and totally on my own. I had a grizzly walk up on me within 2 hours of leaving the Super Cub. I dealt with all kinds of severe problems which just kept happening. My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing this trip prior to time, and she gave me her absolute confidence and approval. She was anxious, but she knows my skill level and commitment to safety always. I told her I would not go if she felt it the wrong thing to do...and she said go. I did (and do) always carry a satellite phone AND a plb. I kept in touch and she was helped by that when things got bad for me. I love the heck out of her...she's my life partner...and I'm not even close to putting a hunt above her feelings. I am always aware...painfully aware...that the consequences of what I do (if things go wrong or I screw up) reach far beyond me. The affect a lot of other people and lives would be forever changed...most likely not for the better.

Wise words, worth reading twice.

 

[Becca]

With all due respect, I think guys are missing the point here. Your wife presumably cares about you and wants you to come home healthy. Hunting alone in the backcountry IS cause enough for a non-hunting spouse to worry, whether we think it's legit or not. It's not something you can solve by buying a device or gun or learning to leap tall buildings. If she's your wife and you respect her concerns, you'll talk face to face with her and let her air things out. I cannot imagine doing otherwise, but I know it happens. Some guys have a tough-sh@t attitude and their wives have to put up with it. After 30+ years of marriage to my one wife, I can honestly say that I always go to her and discuss my hunts. I want her to know the risks and the rewards. Knowledge is power, and most of the time fear is wrapped around the unknown. The more she understands things...how you will be safe...the less fear she'll experience. If she says NO...I personally would not override her and go unless I put hunting above marital quality.

I just got back from a completely wilderness solo hunt in eastern Alaska. I was 95 miles from the Yukon border and a 2 week hike from any road. I was gone 8 days and totally on my own. I had a grizzly walk up on me within 2 hours of leaving the Super Cub. I dealt with all kinds of severe problems which just kept happening. My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing this trip prior to time, and she gave me her absolute confidence and approval. She was anxious, but she knows my skill level and commitment to safety always. I told her I would not go if she felt it the wrong thing to do...and she said go. I did (and do) always carry a satellite phone AND a plb. I kept in touch and she was helped by that when things got bad for me. I love the heck out of her...she's my life partner...and I'm not even close to putting a hunt above her feelings. I am always aware...painfully aware...that the consequences of what I do (if things go wrong or I screw up) reach far beyond me. The affect a lot of other people and lives would be forever changed...most likely not for the better.

Wise words, and great perspective Kevin...thank you. On the occasions when I am the wife who stays home instead of going along, knowing Luke has the sat phone along for an emergency and getting a one or two minute call every day or two to say "I am ok" or "we got a ram" or "can you check the forecast, I need to call the pilot" gives me so much peace of mind, and really reduces the worrying. Having spent a lot of time in remote areas myself, I understand how weather, a late in the day kill with a long pack out, or any number of other factors can cause changes in the originally projected timeline. But because I love my husband, and because I understand as well as anyone the risk/reward ratio of time in the backcountry I still worry if I don't hear from him as projected, and a quick call or even voicemail if he can't reach me does a lot to knock down those worries.

 

[MT Bill]

With all due respect, I think guys are missing the point here. Your wife presumably cares about you and wants you to come home healthy. Hunting alone in the backcountry IS cause enough for a non-hunting spouse to worry, whether we think it's legit or not. It's not something you can solve by buying a device or gun or learning to leap tall buildings. If she's your wife and you respect her concerns, you'll talk face to face with her and let her air things out. I cannot imagine doing otherwise, but I know it happens. Some guys have a tough-sh@t attitude and their wives have to put up with it. After 30+ years of marriage to my one wife, I can honestly say that I always go to her and discuss my hunts. I want her to know the risks and the rewards. Knowledge is power, and most of the time fear is wrapped around the unknown. The more she understands things...how you will be safe...the less fear she'll experience. If she says NO...I personally would not override her and go unless I put hunting above marital quality.

I just got back from a completely wilderness solo hunt in eastern Alaska. I was 95 miles from the Yukon border and a 2 week hike from any road. I was gone 8 days and totally on my own. I had a grizzly walk up on me within 2 hours of leaving the Super Cub. I dealt with all kinds of severe problems which just kept happening. My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing this trip prior to time, and she gave me her absolute confidence and approval. She was anxious, but she knows my skill level and commitment to safety always. I told her I would not go if she felt it the wrong thing to do...and she said go. I did (and do) always carry a satellite phone AND a plb. I kept in touch and she was helped by that when things got bad for me. I love the heck out of her...she's my life partner...and I'm not even close to putting a hunt above her feelings. I am always aware...painfully aware...that the consequences of what I do (if things go wrong or I screw up) reach far beyond me. The affect a lot of other people and lives would be forever changed...most likely not for the better.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[kodiakfly]

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

This. I actually prefer this over a sat phone. Smaller, lighter and I like the one-button SOS. My Wife sees where I'm at, we can talk real-time and I've never had a conversation on it where I thought, "I wish I had a sat phone for this."

 

[kodiakfly]

With all due respect, I think guys are missing the point here. Your wife presumably cares about you and wants you to come home healthy. Hunting alone in the backcountry IS cause enough for a non-hunting spouse to worry, whether we think it's legit or not. It's not something you can solve by buying a device or gun or learning to leap tall buildings. If she's your wife and you respect her concerns, you'll talk face to face with her and let her air things out. I cannot imagine doing otherwise, but I know it happens. Some guys have a tough-sh@t attitude and their wives have to put up with it. After 30+ years of marriage to my one wife, I can honestly say that I always go to her and discuss my hunts. I want her to know the risks and the rewards. Knowledge is power, and most of the time fear is wrapped around the unknown. The more she understands things...how you will be safe...the less fear she'll experience. If she says NO...I personally would not override her and go unless I put hunting above marital quality.

I just got back from a completely wilderness solo hunt in eastern Alaska. I was 95 miles from the Yukon border and a 2 week hike from any road. I was gone 8 days and totally on my own. I had a grizzly walk up on me within 2 hours of leaving the Super Cub. I dealt with all kinds of severe problems which just kept happening. My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing this trip prior to time, and she gave me her absolute confidence and approval. She was anxious, but she knows my skill level and commitment to safety always. I told her I would not go if she felt it the wrong thing to do...and she said go. I did (and do) always carry a satellite phone AND a plb. I kept in touch and she was helped by that when things got bad for me. I love the heck out of her...she's my life partner...and I'm not even close to putting a hunt above her feelings. I am always aware...painfully aware...that the consequences of what I do (if things go wrong or I screw up) reach far beyond me. The affect a lot of other people and lives would be forever changed...most likely not for the better.

Agreed. And this is where my Delorme comes in. My Wife is ok...until she doesn't hear from me...and then her mind races....and then it goes from there. Talking/texting her a couple of times a day make everything ok in her book. She worries about me in my daily fishing and hunting, but again, the Delorme gives her peace of mind when I'm gone for 14 hrs and I drop her a text.