Wife as a hunting partner?

[Hawker]

How many of you guys hunt with your wives on backpacking hunting trips? I'm wondering if this is a good idea. I know that my wife would love the senery, but I'm not so sure how she'd hold up to the physical part of it.

 

[sk1]

I don't hunt with my wife much anymore(kids and work, she would love to still go), but i have taken her out in the field a few times.....and she holds her own. she loves a good challenge, isnt afraid of roughing it meaning no bathrooms required, won't hunt big game but loves to hike with and will help pack things out.

if your wife is going to slow you down more than just slightly (maybe helping her do some things to get ready such as filtering water and stuff) i wouldn't take her.....that's my opinion. I mean i am 6'1" and she is 5'5", i know she cant possibly hike as fast as me, but i think im more referring to being in or out of shape compared to you and excessive breaks and such. if my wife slowed me down i would just get angry at her, as much as i like to relax and enjoy just being outside, i take hunting seriously, so if it's go time and she cant keep up or hack it, ill be disappointed. to a point maybe that's ok, but if it keeps happening and you get frustrated i think you'd end up in arguments.

maybe try it for the first time on a short one night trip or two nights to get the feel for it, and don't have your expectations high so you wouldnt be disappointed if things dont go well.

im lucky that my wife grew up bird hunting and loves hiking in the outdoors, she actually took me my first time pheasant hunting and showed me how its done lol.

 

[fillthefreezer]

mine comes along, before i took her out the first time i got a couple tips from luke. i think that helped save some frustration.
this was her first year living out of a pack and it was a little tough on her at times i think, but she hung in there. it much nicer sharing a tiny tent with her than some smelly dude.
we usually go at her pace(with me pushing a little) and did trips during the summer to get an idea what was realistic for us

 

[fillthefreezer]

also, dont skimp on her gear, i didnt want to spend a ton of money and have her end up hating it but gaurantee she wont like it if shes wet, cold, hungry etc


maybe i can get her to post any advice she might have?

 

[luke moffat]

My wife can out hunt/hike most of the guys I have hunted with, with the exception of a couple rock eaters but you get the idea. It doesn't happen overnight, but its more of an evolving process and we are still getting it dialed in. Taking the time/effort/and money to get her comfortable in the outdoors is key. Also having you both be in the shape is also key. Also realize that you'll be hauling 60-70% of the weight when you go with her a oppose to a buddy where you split everything 50/50.

Like I said its a process. My wife never shot a gun, hunted, or backpacked prior to meeting me 6 years ago. Now she has taken a mountain goat, many caribou, moose, black bear, and a dall sheep and can out hike/climb a lot of my hunting partners. Its not an overnight transformation, but if she is willing to make it a goal of hers it can certainly happen.

Might consider this article my wife and I did earlier this year on what each of us thought was key in getting Becca to where she is today when it comes to hiking/hunting/and just living out of a backpack for 10+ days.

http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-12-00/general/194-getting-your-wife-to-go

 

[HellsCanyon]

The GF has come with me on a few trips and I've been very thankful that she's as stubborn as she is (first time for everything huh? ha)! Won't complain, won't quit, and not afraid to spend some time behind the binos... She's only killed a deer in 2011 and didn't get to go this year but after she's finished with school I imagine things will be changing quite a bit.

Quality gear is probably the biggest factor though. We've only been on trips where the weather was nice... I'd feel horrible if I brought her along on a trip where she was cold and wet the whole time because of lack of good gear, and shes too stubborn to complain about it or let me know how she is really feeling...

Mike

 

[squeekieslayer]

Wouldn't want to take anyone else. That is, unless I kill something.....then I would rather take Aaron. Though I doubt he's a cuddler haha

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Go slow, break her into it slowly. My wife is from the coast and getting used to the higher elevation has been an adjustment. She did a couple of pack trips with me this past summer and our goal is to move beyond overnighters this year. Get her gear she will be comfortable in as well, if you really want her along you won't be cheap!

 

[Hardstalk]

Definitely go slow. As far as I see it its almost like taking a kid hunting for the first time. You know once they kill there hooked but getting to that point takes patience. I pushed mine too hard the first time. She was 5 months pregnant and we were scaling mountains. She said that was the first time she felt pregnant. Long story short we hunted hard for several days and she got a shot off and lost her buck. She felt terrible. I did everything I could to explain to her the variables but she has yet to want to put in for tags again. I still buy her bonus points hoping one year she will want join in again.

 

[Mckinnon]

My gf is game for about anything. We backpack all summer so hunting was a natural progression. Just be ready to teach, I would explain why you do things the way you do them, whether that is how you are packing your pack or how you are glassing. It is a process not an event just like everyone else said. As far as the physical part goes you said she loves scenery, I would start out hiking with her on the off season. Start short and have her carry only water, then progress to a couple pound pack and keep working your way up.

 

[HellsCanyon]

As Rock said above be ready to teach... one thing that bugs my GF is when I don't inform her of why we're doing what we're doing. She wants to learn and become a successful hunter herself. Even going over maps or google earth she wants to be involved in as she hates feeling like she's just being 'brought along'. She wants to be part of the whole experience. Make sure you know what role(s) your wife wants to be involved in as it'll make your job MUCH easier! Knowing what she expects and having that communicated ahead of time is going to be key in my opinion. Good luck!

Mike

 

[fillthefreezer]

I would start out hiking with her on the off season. Start short and have her carry only water, then progress to a couple pound pack and keep working your way up.

in june we did a day hike and i had her load up all her gear for a 3day trip, then i crammed about 15lbs of rocks in the middle

 

[River Rat]

A lot of good advise posted on here,
Took my wife with me on a archery backpack mule deer hunt this year in the high country .
By the time we headed off the mountain she want to know if she could a tag next year

 

[RosinBag]

This sounds like it is all lovey dovey. I go hunt just to get a break from mine. If I had to spend 7 days in a row with her in the woods, I might cover her in honey and bacon and hunt bears off of her.....

 

[vegas hunter]

RosinBag, thats awesome. I just read that post to my girlfriend and she says thats probably what I posted!! Lmao!!

 

[fillthefreezer]

lucky, its illegal to bait up here...

 

[sk1]

This sounds like it is all lovey dovey. I go hunt just to get a break from mine. If I had to spend 7 days in a row with her in the woods, I might cover her in honey and bacon and hunt bears off of her.....

my wife is pretty awesome when it comes to the outdoors, nothing lovey dovey about it....she is competitive and wants to get whatever game we're after! i get a laugh out of watching her all serious, it can be entertaining. however as i stated earlier she doesnt hunt with me much anymore, and the time away is also well enjoyed

 

[luke moffat]

This sounds like it is all lovey dovey. I go hunt just to get a break from mine. If I had to spend 7 days in a row with her in the woods, I might cover her in honey and bacon and hunt bears off of her.....

Not so much lovey dovey but more of a matter of our lifestyle. I work out of town half the year. She did not come with my into the field while I am home, then I'd never see her. More of a matter if we didn't head afield together we'd see eachother 2-4 days per month. I get my break from her the two weeks I'm out of town at work.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

How far do you travel for work Luke?

 

[luke moffat]

I work on the Arctic Ocean in the oil field. Its not real feasible to travel back home every night when its 700 miles away.