How many days a year do you hunt?

[Banded_spooney]

I just read through the how many tags is too many tags thread and it got me thinking about how much time different people dedicate to hunting.

Some context for myself. After college, before a family I had a goal of at least 100 days per year hunting with fishing additional. After a wife, before kids, my goal was 100 between hunting and fishing. With a family I no longer have a goal and I don't track the days but I still hunt more than most would think is acceptable for someone with a full-time job and a young family. Its for sure not 100 anymore.

As you answer, count any time you are actively hunting even if its a short after work trip. Count days you are helping with a tag or guiding. Count scouting TRIPS (ex. you went to Colorado 3 days early to glass before deer season). Do NOT count running out after work checking a trail camera or looking for a goose feed before work on Friday.

If you guess, be conservative. I know from experience if you are guessing it's very easy to overstate. I'm pretty sure I'll probably be right about 70 days this year + the least amount of fishing I've done in a given year my whole life.

 

[Banded_spooney]

If you are over that 50 day mark, I think it would be interesting to hear about what and how you are hunting. My guess is likely a lot of bird hunters going to top the list

 

[svivian]

What about going with friends on their hunts to help out?

 

[Banded_spooney]

What about going with friends on their hunts to help out?

Count them for sure

 

[hunterjmj]

I'd love to hunt more days but generally I get in 12-14 days of big game hunting. Between work, family and stuff to do around the house it's tough to do more. I take the kids shed hunting in the spring and get a few days of fishing in when I can.

 

[roadrunner]

15 or less. Really.

 

[Kyle C]

36-49 for me around the same for fishing! Being a sportsman is truly fantastic when you sit back and add the days and memories up.

 

[LIWolverine]

If I was to guess and be honest with myself (DONT do the math for my wife), 40-60 all seasons included depending on family events and sports.


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[justinspicher]

I voted for the 100 day, usually I am off from august to december and I’m either helping or hunting from archery through our 4th rifle season. I do spring bear in idaho and spend a couple of weeks there. If I’m not hunting I’m generally out scouting 3-4 times a week throughout the year.

 

[PaHunter86]

I'm around 50+ days a year. Since I work night shift I tend to go out every morning during archery and rifle season for deer. Do a week for bear season. Also do about 2 weeks of duck/pheasant hunting.

 

[deerhunt1988]

80-99 for quite a long time. Never been married (currently engaged), no kids

I'll turkey hunt 40+ days across a half dozen or more states. Then I have a 4 month long deer season to take advantage of. And throw in a couple weeks elk hunting the past 4 of 5 years.

I've definitely busted 100 days before.

 

[tkhuntsman]

I just read through the how many tags is too many tags thread and it got me thinking about how much time different people dedicate to hunting.

Some context for myself. After college, before a family I had a goal of at least 100 days per year hunting with fishing additional. After a wife, before kids, my goal was 100 between hunting and fishing. With a family I no longer have a goal and I don't track the days but I still hunt more than most would think is acceptable for someone with a full-time job and a young family. Its for sure not 100 anymore.

As you answer, count any time you are actively hunting even if its a short after work trip. Count days you are helping with a tag or guiding. Count scouting TRIPS (ex. you went to Colorado 3 days early to glass before deer season). Do NOT count running out after work checking a trail camera or looking for a goose feed before work on Friday.

If you guess, be conservative. I know from experience if you are guessing it's very easy to overstate. I'm pretty sure I'll probably be right about 70 days this year + the least amount of fishing I've done in a given year my whole life.

I used to be a full time guide and I probably averaged 200 days a year between mine, my clients, and my family and friends hunts. I've retired from that work in an archery pro shop and sporting goods store. I'm still immersed in it but only get to hunt 100-115 days a year between all things now. Still more than the average guy and luckily I live in a state with way more opportunities than pretty much any other.

 

[grfox92]

Around 30 days for big game. Elk, deer, antelope.

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[Brushcreekbill]

65-79

elk, whitetail, turkey, quail/pheasant, squirrel

 

[Marble]

Conservatively...45, probably closer to 60. That does not count fishing.

Last year was at least 150 days.

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[bpeay4]

Depends on whether I fill my tags early on or not. This year I am hunting Idaho whitetail locally which has about a 50 day season through the end of Nov. Along with other hunts I'm on track for 50+ days.

Went out for the first time yesterday and had a respectable 3 point dead to rights at 150yds. Had this opportunity occured later in the season I wouldn't have thought twice. But with probably 25 days of hunting left this season I decided he wasn't first day material.

I'm new to whitetail hunting and being able to hunt them in the rut is a fun experience. Plus the amount of knowledge I will gain during the next couple months of hunting is much more valuable to me than harvesting a nice buck opening day.

It was a good feeling to have a nice buck in my crosshairs and easily make the decision to pass; something that I have never really done in the past.

Nowadays I value time spent in the field as much as the harvest. Hopefully I don't regret my decision.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Probably best that my wife doesn't see the poll results or the thread about % of income dedicated to hunting thread from a few months ago....

 

[PlumberED]

30ish days per year.

 

[Glendine]

If you are over that 50 day mark, I think it would be interesting to hear about what and how you are hunting. My guess is likely a lot of bird hunters going to top the list

A six month long deer hunting season and the remaining time in the off season is vermin control. Pretty much I go hunting most days.

Glendine.

 

[mtwarden]

Don’t bird hunt (save the occasional grouse dinged w/ my .22 revolver), only big game hunt. Usually close to week Spring bear hunting. Usually close to a week early backcountry rifle- almost always is just a nice backpacking trip with no animals hurt or injured

General rifle season (deer/elk) is six weeks long and now that I’m fully retired, I usually get 3-5 days a week in; hunting or helping if I get lucky earlier.

Sooo… probably 30-40 days in. This year I got a bonus 12 days in August in the Brooks Range