Looking for new dad hunting advice please!

[Roosterstraw]

This is my first hunting season with a little one and I don’t expect I’ll be hunting much. If I’m off work my wife expects me to watch the baby so she can do things she enjoys or things she needs to do around the house, or just needs a break. Imo it depends on your wife and what she’s okay with or what she can handle.

 

[Pony Soldier]

For many years, I worked a 10-4 schedule for about 6 months per year. That's ten days in the field and 4 days at home. When I moved back to Montana, I continued but shortened it to more 5-2s. Most of the 5s were in a camp in some remote places.

The wife and I had two rough times per year. When I left in the spring and when I returned in the fall. Both times disrupted her schedule.

We had made very sure there would not be any birthdays in hunting season. The kids were very flexible. One kid and the wife hunted with me off and on. When two kids occurred it got tougher but I still hunted every available day.

As the kids got big enough to ride - they came along and still do. I just bought a babysitter mare for them to practice on.

As they approach their 40s they still come with me. My daughter comes out from Minnesota to ride with me for a week at thanksgiving and my son just moved his family back from North Dakota and will hunt on weekends.

Unlike many of you - this is my life not just a trip.

 

[KoolBreeze]

It’s just like most everything else in life, you need to find a happy medium. My advice is to spend and cherish every moment you can with your little girl. She be all grown up before you can blink. That said, everyone needs time for themselves also.

 

[ih784]

I’m gonna be a dad! We’re expecting a little girl late next winter and my heart’s never felt bigger!

Ive been a pretty dedicated elk hunter for about ten years now and usually spend at least 10 days in the woods hunting and twice that many scouting so I recognize that it may look differently next year!

I’m looking for advice from those of you who’ve done it! I want to keep filling the freezer with elk to feed my new family! Im all ears!

You’ll be fine. Go hunt.