Hunting Alone

[WyoBowhunter21]

Hey guys I just got married a week ago. My wife has always been nervous for me to go hunting alone but I have never had too. I have always had someone to go with me but this weekend I don't have anyone. I am heading into some pretty nasty snake country. What do you guys do for safety for you and your family while in dangerous conditions and alone. I do have spot am limited to no cell service.

 

[Buster]

Just keep checking in with the spot. Also, create a custom message and be very specific about what to do when it is sent. (Mine means that I'll be up to 8 hours late, but I'm ok. If I don't return by then she is to call my 2 emergency contacts that know the area well, and give them my last coordinates). Make sure she feels confident that the other people you send a help signal to know the area well.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Thanks buster. Its a little unnerving for her and other members of my family. I will make sure I do that.

 

[hflier]

I carry a delorme inreach and I leave a full set of instructions for my wife on everything. GPS coordinates of truck, local authority numbers in the area I am hunting. My agenda and area to be hunting in. Truck ID info etc. She can email or fax that page to the authorities and it has everything they could want to know on it.

 

[Curtis C]

Short Term/Long term disability, and Life insurance to protect the family. As for personal safety when out, its very similar to being home. Truth is the risk of serious injury for most is higher in their day to day activities. We do a lot of things alone that are far more dangerous than hunting alone.

Always be aware of your surroundings and the dangers within those. Know and work within your limits. Prepare for the environment your going into. If its really that bad for snakes a good pair of snake boots might be more valuable(to you and her) than the SPOT.

 

[crumy]

I do the spot custom message but instead of mine saying I'll be late, it says... I am ok, but send some help. I can't get out myself She knows who to contact and what to do with message. Put contact information / name / allergies, stuff in a pocket. I have really been considering a set of dogtags for that.

And Curtis is on money with insurance. you don't think about it now, but it would be cheap for you and if you are younger than 30, a nice Universal Life policy or something that has a cash value at end would be nice for a while, then you could take cash value that and pay for a term policy when you get older.

 

[ssliger]

I make a copy of a map where I am going. My wife knows if I don't show or call by a pre arranged time, she will call a couple of my friends and they will head out to find me.

 

[5MilesBack]

I don't do anything........I just go. Been doing that since I was a kid. I grew up on a farm with a river bottom and I'd disappear for the entire day sometimes. That has carried over to the rest of my life as well.........driving cross country alone, traveling the world alone, hunting alone. These days my wife has a general idea where I'll be within 50 miles or so, and that's about it. I leave, I hunt, I come home. If I don't......she might know where to send the search teams. If they find my truck, I'll probably be within 10 miles of it.

 

[HuntHarder]

I bought some turtle skins snake gaitors. they are spendy, but fantastic. I think they are the lightest gaitor out there. I do not know if they work for 100%, but I hope I will never have to find out. Tell people where you are going, be vigilant and Hunt Hard.

 

[TEmbry]

I don't do anything........I just go. Been doing that since I was a kid. I grew up on a farm with a river bottom and I'd disappear for the entire day sometimes. That has carried over to the rest of my life as well.........driving cross country alone, traveling the world alone, hunting alone. These days my wife has a general idea where I'll be within 50 miles or so, and that's about it. I leave, I hunt, I come home. If I don't......she might know where to send the search teams. If they find my truck, I'll probably be within 10 miles of it.

While I operate the same way... I certainly won't be if married. Seems a tad selfish from your spouse's perspective if something were to happen to you.

 

[Elkfitness]

I use a map with the general areas marked. Usually 2 places (option 1 and option 2). I've used a spot messenger since they've come out. I use the cell phone to check in with text message. Plan with with the wife is a check in every 2 days since coverage can be spotty. If no service, I use the spot. Spot messenger has the standard messages but I've added in "elk/deer down" to let wife know if the serious work is starting. She then knows I might not check in till the next day.

 

[arffdog875]

My wife pretty much knows the area where I hunt, I have spotty cell service so quick text if I have an animal down or if I am going to be late. We have certain, geographical markers that are also used to give specific locations.

 

[5MilesBack]

While I operate the same way... I certainly won't be if married. Seems a tad selfish from your spouse's perspective if something were to happen to you.

My wife drives all over town. She doesn't use a spot messenger when gone and I'd have a harder time locating her in a city with 700k other people than she would finding me on an isolated mountain.

 

[rayporter]

i go west and she goes----h3ll i got no idea where she goes. i dont know which rodeo she is at and she dont know which mountain i am on. at our age it could be our last trip anytime we get in the saddle.

last year i drove a thousand miles, with just the horses for company, to get to that mountain.