Trying to hunt with an infant

[CoStick]

We aren't even guaranteed tomorrow yet you have stated that you have trips lined up without your wife and kids. I spent my hunt last year helping a good friend get his first mule deer (170") with both of us knowing he wouldn't make it to this fall - he passed away in June in his early 50s. He had two daughters and a new grandson and he wanted to make that hunt happen. Was that selfish of him? No. Because he wanted to live - abd they wanted it for him, A week spent right in the woods will help everyone at home if handled right. You are not picking between the two.

No doubt as kids get older free time increases.

 

[jlh42581]

My kid went to 5th grade this year and we let him get on and off the bus himself which means I can go to the woods after work. Finally, free time came back around.

I suggest you scale the hunting back considerably and help your wife. I did and I dont regret it. That first year I was out in the woods thinking "here i am in the woods and shes at home dealing with a baby" it wasnt even the least bit cool, no matter how cool your wife is.

 

[thedutchtouch]

not a single one of us is qualified to offer an opinion. talk to your partner and sort it out, she sounds like a gem given what you've already posted. i'm royally pissed at mine atthe moment (non hunting related) and i still think this., i've been ending over backwards helping her out because her job sucks right now, and one part of that is that saturday is all mine, because we talked and came to an agreement. I mean no disrespect, but don't understand the talk about "breaking " your wife- she's a partner, not a wild horse you corralled- at least, that's my (unqualified) opinion. no need for internet bravado, we're an equal team.

 

[Southforkguy]

New born here. 2 weeks old. I'm taking a good break and loading up on points for the future. Does that mean I am done hunting? Hell no, close to home and quick trips for grouse, ducks, pheasant and deer when it works for us.

Baby is #1.. chasing some damn animal around in the woods like I've done my whole life is not even a close #2

 

[jlh42581]

New born here. 2 weeks old. I'm taking a good break and loading up on points for the future. Does that mean I am done hunting? Hell no, close to home and quick trips for grouse, ducks, pheasant and deer when it works for us.

Baby is #1.. chasing some damn animal around in the woods like I've done my whole life is not even a close #2

Thats what I did, not that I go on elaborate trips often but I just toned it back some. Instead of taking all my vacation hunting and expecting her to stay home with a sick baby rather than work I shared in it. Whatever she wanted to do one day of the weekend was fair game. I really didnt hunt the week at all, life was too busy between commutes and what not, didnt even push that envelope. Still filled tags, still fished just not at the level I was before that happened and even with new found free time I dont push it that much. When its the night of drum practice I dont suddenly decide that I am going hunting and she can figure it out.

Biggest thing is clear communication about what you are doing and what needs to be done. I suggest you share a google calendar with your wife.

This isnt directed at anyone: You have gotta let your wife/girlfriend/whatever go and have her free time alone too. If this means dinner with friends or a craft show with her mother so be it. You need to give her a break without a baby attached to her hip.

 

[Oregon]

I used to hunt with an infant. I was fortunate and pretty dang selfish in my youth. I'm good with that. My wife took a year off from work with each kid and I worked a job where I was gone for 3 days, home for 2. Those 2 days were for hunting during hunting season.
Granted, all my hunting was within 30 minutes of the house.
One day, my wife asked if I could stay home (during deer season) so she could leave town for the day appointments and shopping. Ok.
I loaded up the kids, 5 months, 2 years and 4 years. Figured I could easily do a road hunt at least.
Well, I stop at a clearcut and see a buck down in the bottom. Grab rifle out of truck and kill it.
Reality set in about 5 seconds later. Do I leave kids in truck and tag/gut? Can I get all kids to bottom? Way before cell phones and phoning anyone for help.
So, I ended up leaving deer lay(no chance anyone could of seen it) and came back at night in the dark to get it out.
Last time I thought about taking an infant hunting with me.

 

[5MilesBack]

I admit......."hunting with an infant".........never ever would have considered that. I won't even hunt with kids until they're old enough for a tag.

 

[j33]

Depends on how good your baby is. I went hunting for 4 days when my 1st born was 2 months old. He was sleeping through the night by that point and she stayed at her parents for those days. Honestly at that age their much easier to deal with vs when they start walking. I did day hunts to fill the void on top of that.

Fast forward to now and I have a 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 year old. I will only do two overnight trips away (5 days and 3 days), then one trip I will bring the 3 1/2 year old to chase moose/deer in the side by side at our cabin so a luxury trip.

I agree with everyone take a pause on your hunting for now and take that time to build those memories, it really does fly by! There needs to be a balance where you and your wife can be away to recharge, I see too many new parents not doing that at work and they get absolutely burned out. Good luck!

 

[william schmaltz]

Well, buckle in, I'll give you a new perspective. I was supposed to be on a goat hunt on Kodiak in March. I figured I could squeeze in a hunt at the end of my wife's maternity leave. My hunting partner had to cancel on me last minute. Well, instead of hunting mountain goats, I was at my baby daughter's funeral. She passed away from SIDS in her sleep at 3 months old. I can't imagine if I was hunting. I don't think I could let myself live right now if I was hunting. Even though it happened and there is nothing we could've done, just the though of prioritizing something like hunting over my daughter and missing a week of her life makes me sick.

Is it worth being gone and missing out? It is worth potentially pushing your wife to exhaustion, ultimately putting your child in danger? Is it worth potentially putting your child in danger by packing her up above 8K shortly after the recommended waiting period? I'll try not to judge anyone for their answers, but I damn sure know mine.

I'm not saying you need to live your life as if it could all come crashing down. You shouldn't. But even if fatherhood wasn't a choice, it's your primary now. Don't take parenting advice and especially hunting/parenting advice from this site. I've seen A LOT of tough guy nonsense about both parenting and marriage from this place. If I'm lucky enough to have another child, I will cancel all my overnight trips for at least 4-5 months with a smile on my face.

Priorities have changed. Step up to the plate and be a ******* man.

 

[WCB]

Probably not the guy to talk to have 2 kids now 2.5 and 4 month old I hunt 4 states a year for at least a week each plus weekends/weekdays around home. It is what I do and have done since forever.

As long as I am around for her hunting trips or when she wants to get away for a bit to watch the kids no harm no foul. She hunts as much as most guys I know but this year and the year our 1st was born she took a break from out of state big game hunts. We both have full time jobs. I was just gone for 7 days got back this weekend and I leave in 2 days again for 9 days hunting. There are 52 weeks in a year no reason you can't have a couple to yourself.

Of course as long as bills are paid and the house isn't falling apart. Since having kids I kind of get the "not missing out" deal but play that game and you will never hunt another day in your life. IMO and what we have discussed is the kids do what we do and we still live our lives...I guarantee I or my wife will not be at every single game, practice, recital (please no), birthday, etc.

 

[Southforkguy]

Well, buckle in, I'll give you a new perspective. I was supposed to be on a goat hunt on Kodiak in March. I figured I could squeeze in a hunt at the end of my wife's maternity leave. My hunting partner had to cancel on me last minute. Well, instead of hunting mountain goats, I was at my baby daughter's funeral. She passed away from SIDS in her sleep at 3 months old. I can't imagine if I was hunting. I don't think I could let myself live right now if I was hunting. Even though it happened and there is nothing we could've done, just the though of prioritizing something like hunting over my daughter and missing a week of her life makes me sick.

Is it worth being gone and missing out? It is worth potentially pushing your wife to exhaustion, ultimately putting your child in danger? Is it worth potentially putting your child in danger by packing her up above 8K shortly after the recommended waiting period? I'll try not to judge anyone for their answers, but I damn sure know mine.

I'm not saying you need to live your life as if it could all come crashing down. You shouldn't. But even if fatherhood wasn't a choice, it's your primary now. Don't take parenting advice and especially hunting/parenting advice from this site. I've seen A LOT of tough guy nonsense about both parenting and marriage from this place. If I'm lucky enough to have another child, I will cancel all my overnight trips for at least 4-5 months with a smile on my face.

Priorities have changed. Step up to the plate and be a ******* man.

******* A bill I hear you man

 

[BigDawgWill44]

I am thankful I trained my wife and laid the groundwork before marriage and children, come September/October I will be gone most weekends bird hunting and a week or two deer/elk hunting. Even after kids she has been awesome. Now the rest of the year I am all hers and do everything she asks to build what I call “hunt equity.” I’m glad I don’t go through what my other buddies do which is fights, guilt trips, tantrums, etc. then suffering for weeks when they come back.


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[TxxAgg]

You only get one chance to raise your kids....I say that at least once a week.

Sounds like you have your head screwed on straight. Keep your priorities in line.

 

[bojangles808]

saw this title and chuckled to earlier this summer. coworker gave me permission to hunt his family property and said after work to go meet his brother that evening and he'll show me around. My wife works nights so I had my 14 month old with me, figured id put him in the baby carrier and we'll hike the property to get a lay of the land. I show up and the brother askes "where's your bow we gonna go hunt?" I said "I got the baby" and he smiled "shoulda brought it anyways ." Felt kinda dumb because I had been going back and forth about bringing it. My boy hikes a lot with me, pretty chill and quiet and used to the woods but if I shot something, tracking, pack out, butchering, just didn't think it'd be the responsible thing to do Sure enough we start walking the property and right over the first rise a herd was feeding 70-80 yards right out in the open with a nice buck. We watch them until the wind switched and they blew but I never saw that big a buck every time I went back. So yes I do regret not trying to hunt with an infant!
.

 

[missjordan]

14 month old boy here. Husband and I used to hunt 60 ish days a year. He got out for 14 days last year and me only about 5

This year i might get out for about the same and he might for 9 total. Not going to lie part of my soul aches too

Randy Newberg posted a video a couple weeks ago where people submit questions and he answers them. One of his answers hit gold for me. The summary of it was is that when you have kids you have to make the deposit in the early years to have them be your hunting buddy when they become a teenager. In a nutshell everything is a phase and he’s right

I decided that next year unless i draw a special tag that i might be done hunting so my husband can take more time for his passion. And in return i have other hobbies that i want to hyper-focus my time on in the spring and summer. The family balance should work out really good for us. I’m excited for the new change and can’t wait to see what the future holds


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[J5ady]

Not many women like yours! Make sure ya do something nice for her so next year she’ll support ya again!

 

[Where's Bruce?]

BTW...here's a cool thing you should definitely do. Beginning with your first day at home, secretly take a digital photo of your baby wearing a diaper while in the crib. Repeat this once a week for the first year. After the year drop all the pics into an animated gif maker (free online) to create an incredible .gif file that shows the kid's growth and change throughout that first year and give it to your wife in a digital photo frame with a loving personal message at the end. It is an amazing thing to watch and your in-laws will brag about you afterwards (especially if you send them one too).

Tip: Try to line the photo up directly overhead using the crib frame as the border so the difference in size cannot be ignored.

 

[Felix40]

Do what your dr says but I will just point out that there are a lot of people who live above 8000’. People bring babies home above that altitude all the time with no issues.