Trying to hunt with an infant

[HighUintas]

So I've got a 3month old now. My first baby. She's more amazing than I ever thought possible. Sidenote: I still don't like other people's babies. Even though she melts my heart many times every day, I still want to get out to hunt 20+ days this year.

When archery elk opened, she was 2 months. I've got a combo elk tag where I can hunt archery, then rifle, then an extended archery on the same tag but can harvest only once. I also have an archery buck tag that is basically middle August to Dec 15ish.

Archery opened August 20ish and I've hunted 3 days. It's a 3ish hr drive one way to my archery honey hole.

I get to hunt rifle early/mid October by myself in the backcountry for 4 days, then take my kids out for their turn for 3-4 days. This is more acceptable because my girl will be old enough to handle higher altitude. Apparently you're not supposed to take your infant above 8000 ft until they're 3mo old.

Then I'll get a handful more weekends hunting within 30min of the house in high traffic awful areas that I hunt because that's what's available.

I have been really really bummed I've not been able to get out to hunt more. It's killing my soul. Part of it has been due to the altitude restriction on my girl. My wife would come along with her so I can help etc around lunch or in morning or something but all places I hunt are too high. Last weekend was our wedding anniversary and this weekend I have to go out of state to visit family.

Can someone tell me my wife is awesome for letting me go backpack hunting for 4 days when we have a 3.5 mo old baby (I already know this) and that everything will be ok? Haha I'm living vicariously through everyone in here right now

 

[HuntInWild88]

Well congrats on the baby. I feel you.. I have a seven month old right now. She's absolutely amazing but same as you, still don't like other people kids..
But you are absolutely lucky she is letting you do a 4 day backpacking hunt. I'm struggling to even get out a few days and and trying to find a way that I would like to stay over night. My draw hunt area is 3 hours away and she expects me to drive it back and forth everyday.

 

[SummitsCalling]

First congrats, second you had a baby and your anniversary during hunting season, I mean....

Seriously my first was born and I went hunting several weeks later for a week(in Jan). It's something you need to discuss with the wife and figure out beforehand. The great thing is she prefers wild game, and complains when we don't have it, which is the time I remind her of upcoming trip(s). Even now it's hard to be gone for weeks at a time, some disaster always seems to happen when I'm gone. Build contingencies and send flowers. What I also do is never say no to anything she wants to do during non hunting months, whatever it is. My wife understands I must be in the woods freezing and miserable or otherwise something is missing.

I also learned this along the way, at least for me including the wife and little ones now during my hunting trip makes it tougher all around. If anything I get stressed out making sure every need is met, I forget what I'm actually there for. I can be there and back faster without worrying about what's happening back in camp, etc.

 

[CoStick]

They grow so fast , I chose to do a two day hunt, not because my wife wouldn’t let me but because I learned from my first daughter how much you can miss in a short time. I got my elk 15 minutes into the first day, so 2 days was much longer than I needed. For me I figure the elk would always be there.

 

[zacattack]

Your wife sounds like a saint. Does she have a sister? Asking for a friend.

 

[wind gypsy]

First dad season for me too.. Baby is 2 weeks old. Keepin it local with whitetail hunts until CO 4th season this year. Feelin lucky in general. There will be time for hunts in the future.

 

[MeatMissile]

I have a 4 month-old, and a rambunctious 4 year-old. I’ve limited myself to hunting and fishing within an hour of home for a couple years. It was one thing when we had the one kid and more help from the in-laws, but now it’s two kids and the in-laws are getting tired and I don’t want to bother them. When the older kid starts going to school and the new kid is a little more independent, I’ll look into putting more days in the woods.

What I have done is put in for multi-season tags. I can’t leave for 4 or 5 days, but I can go out a day here and there during each season.

 

[Cowbell]

So we just had our 3rd child last week - all under 4. I'm headed hunting for a week in 2 weeks. Our second child was born last June and I was in Alaska hunting in September. If you don't hunt now, it's my opinion that this will become an annual struggle within your household. Now with that said, there is a way to go about balancing with your wife. I make sure that there is a paid family member or baby sitter there to help my wife if she wants it. I also require my wife not to work during this time (she's a contractor that works from home). I then also buy her furniture or take her on a trip for every trip I take LOL. And we are a budget family - but these are things worth spending extra on (and let's face it - she is gonna buy the furniture anyway). If you want to go hunt, hire a babysitter, and tell her you need a few days to yourself. It will only get harder if you don't go now.
Heads up - this method may not exactly satisfy her friends and the in laws so you will have to ignore any drama they create from it. To some people, it is borderline inhumane to go hunting when you have children at home. Sissification of America.

 

[HuntHarder]

Yup, break your wife in right or suffer forever.....

 

[CoStick]

So we just had our 3rd child last week - all under 4. I'm headed hunting for a week in 2 weeks. Our second child was born last June and I was in Alaska hunting in September. If you don't hunt now, it's my opinion that this will become an annual struggle within your household. Now with that said, there is a way to go about balancing with your wife. I make sure that there is a paid family member or baby sitter there to help my wife if she wants it. I also require my wife not to work during this time (she's a contractor that works from home). I then also buy her furniture or take her on a trip for every trip I take LOL. And we are a budget family - but these are things worth spending extra on (and let's face it - she is gonna buy the furniture anyway). If you want to go hunt, hire a babysitter, and tell her you need a few days to yourself. It will only get harder if you don't go now.
Heads up - this method may not exactly satisfy her friends and the in laws so you will have to ignore any drama they create from it. To some people, it is borderline inhumane to go hunting when you have children at home. Sissification of America.

I will say it has become way easier now that my kids are 5 and 8. Numerous hunting and fishing trips, annual scuba trip with friends. As they get older, free time goes way up.

 

[Cowbell]

I will say it has become way easier now that my kids are 5 and 8. Numerous hunting and fishing trips, annual scuba trip with friends. As they get older, free time goes way up.

I seem to lose all my hunting buddies when there kids start school due to sports etc. but I guess it depends on what your kids do.

 

[Cowbell]

Yup, break your wife in right or suffer forever.....

This is real truth

 

[CoStick]

I seem to lose all my hunting buddies when there kids start school due to sports etc. but I guess it depends on what your kids do.

Could be they tried to “ break” their wives and it backfired in the long run.

 

[Cowbell]

Could be they tried to “ break” their wives and it backfired in the long run.

All of them are guys that didn't get into hunting out of state until after kids. It's a huge huge deal with them now when they even bring it up with their wives because a precedence was never set.

 

[HuntHarder]

Could be they tried to “ break” their wives and it backfired in the long run.

Sounds like they cowered up at the start. I mean, set some ground rules at the very start. It's human nature to assume something is so hard that you HAVE to have help with it. Truth is, there are many, many single parents out there that handle a kid by themselves very easily. I can handle my young kids, 3 and 6, very easily by myself if my wife goes away on a trip with her girlfriends. She can also handle them easily when I go on Alaskan hunts for 16 days at a time. It is literally as hard as you want to make it.

 

[CoStick]

Sounds like they cowered up at the start. I mean, set some ground rules at the very start. It's human nature to assume something is so hard that you HAVE to have help with it. Truth is, there are many. many single parents out there that handle a kid by themselves very easily. I can handle my young kids 3 and 6 very easily by myself if my wife goes away on a trip with her girlfriends. She can also hand them easily when I go on Alaskan hunts for 16 days at a time. It is literally as hard as you want to make it.

My wife is about to set out on the AT trail for a week with her sister and I am taking care of things at home and our two daughters. Having read this thread I feel fortunate to have a relationship with communication and partnership. Never had to set rules or precedents, or break each other. We are in it for the long haul.

 

[HuntHarder]

My wife is about to set out on the AT trail for a week with her sister and I am taking care of things at home and our two daughters. Having read this thread I feel fortunate to have a relationship with communication and partnership. Never had to set rules or precedents, or break each other. We are in it for the long haul.

Cute

 

[CoStick]

Cute

yes, life is good.

 

[MattB]

There are all the years after this year to look forward to. Hunker down for a bit and throttle up once your little one is more self-sufficient.

 

[Scorpion]

There are 52 weeks in a year. Will never understand guys that “can’t get away” for a 5-7 day trip each year unless there are special or extenuating circumstances.

I promise that your wife/girlfriend is more than capable in handling the baby while you hunt. Just be willing to do the same in return during the other 8-9 months per year.

“Earn your fall.”