How do you find time for hunting?

riffer · #1 11-01-2007, 06:37 PM

For all the people here that hunt multiple species, how do you find time to get out for them? Right now Im only hunting Upland, Deer, and a little bit of waterfowl and elk, but next year Im planning on going after everything I'm hunting now, hopefully elk and waterfowl more. I'm just woundering what your season looks like (how often you got out for each species you hunt), and say what your using (bow, muzzleloader, rifle ect.)

Thanks

mud slug · #2 11-01-2007, 06:43 PM

i try to get out every weekend and save my 2 weeks holidays for hunting season it also helps that i'm single and don't have anyone to keep me at home if and when i want to go plus sometimes i hunt with my boss can 't fire me for missing work if he's in a treestand beside me

i go after deer and elk mostly just started duck hunting this year i use both bow sept and oct then rifle in nov

riffer · #3 11-01-2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mud slug

i try to get out every weekend and save my 2 weeks holidays for hunting season it also helps that i'm single and don't have anyone to keep me at home if and when i want to go plus sometimes i hunt with my boss can fire me for missing work if he's in a treestand beside me

Yeah thats pretty much what I do, sorry but I should of mentioned can you say what your hunting?

mud slug · #4 11-01-2007, 06:53 PM

sorry just edited my first post i hunt whitetail and muledeer and always carry an elk and bear tag

Dunezilla · #5 11-01-2007, 07:12 PM

I took 6 vacation days and made 3 four day hunts. I took Wednesday and Thursday off in Sept and along with my normal Friday and Saturday off from work which gave me a 4-day hunt. Then I did a 4-day hunt in Oct., and I have a 4-day hunt planned for next week. May end up only going two or three days next week, after that I may go 2 more Fridays and that is it for Nov..

chuck0039 · #6 11-01-2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mud slug

i try to get out every weekend and save my 2 weeks holidays for hunting season it also helps that i'm single and don't have anyone to keep me at home if and when i want to go plus sometimes i hunt with my boss can 't fire me for missing work if he's in a treestand beside me

i go after deer and elk mostly just started duck hunting this year i use both bow sept and oct then rifle in nov

Mud slug, I'm in the same Vote my neighbour at the lake is my boss so when fridays noon comes around i don't argue when my boss phones me and tells my to meet him at the lake to go hunting. I hunt upland, WT, mulie, moose and now elk all in the same zone. It also helps that rifle opens sept 1st thru end of november and 2 weeks vacation in november i tend to get a fair bit of time in the bush/fields

sullijr · #7 11-01-2007, 07:25 PM

I am retired and haven't missed a day (unless golfing)since waterfowl opened.I paid my dues and hopefully will reap the reward

archdlx · #8 11-02-2007, 01:01 AM

whitetail, mulies, with any luck, a moose or elk draw.
work a 10/5 shift....21 pd holidays....wife that loves hunting...kids moved out...usually only work a few days in Nov.,around Remembrance Day, (like that o.t.)
works out good-except last year and this year. Two operations before Nov., one after. This year, on light duties still...and another operation coming on the 19th! But still have 8 days planned to help my son to get his cow elk.
Last year was the first miss in 34 years!!

archdlx
ps...yes I work in the patch!

catnthehat · #9 11-02-2007, 06:42 AM

I have a hard time taking time off from my job, but took two vacation days, at different times this year.

We hunted big game yesterday morning on the river, saw 3 calves and two cows, then came back to town and grabbed the lab, headed north about 30 mimutes and limited out on ruffys.
It was a good day with lots of walking and action, for sure.
I may get another run on the river next week, but she'll ne dicey!
When you see Silverado's pics you'll know why.
I usually take a few days off and plan for a hunt when I can.
Mostly these days it's on the weekend however.
When I was younger I quit work every fall, hunted trapped and guided till after spring bears.
it was great , but I am a responsible adult now!

cat

russ · #10 11-02-2007, 07:10 AM

I hunt after work & on weekends. I rarely use holiday's for hunting.

#11 11-02-2007, 09:35 AM

Right now I can only take about 2 or three days holidays for hunting, plus a few Saturdays... My darling wife isn't too pleased when I leave her at home alone with the kids for something as trivial as hunting.

The upside is, this year she told me it would be OK to start taking the kids out for grouse hunting! So this will turn out to be a win-win, as it gives her a break from the rug rats, and I can teach my young 'uns about the ways of the bush... Yippeee!

Stinky B.

flower · #12 11-02-2007, 10:04 AM

I have often thought that this would be a good thing for an article in a paper,or in an outdoorsmen magazine. I know that I find it difficult to get out. The only time I find are saturdays because of the nature of my work. I am wondering if there are any good tips?

thumper · #13 11-02-2007, 10:13 AM

I think the trick is that you don't "Find the time" for hunting,
You "MAKE the time for hunting"

Put the days you want on your calendar well in advance, let your wife and boss know well ahead of time, guard those days and don't let anything else bump them off your calendar. Keep letting your wife/boss know how much you're looking forward to it and how much you appreciate the opportunity, share your preparations with your wife - and they'll feel too guilty to try and snatch you away for trivial matters like work, weddings, funerals and such.

Good luck!

catnthehat · #14 11-02-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thumper

I think the trick is that you don't "Find the time" for hunting,
You "MAKE the time for hunting"

Put the days you want on your calendar well in advance, let your wife and boss know well ahead of time, guard those days and don't let anything else bump them off your calendar. Keep letting your wife/boss know how much you're looking forward to it and how much you appreciate the opportunity, share your preparations with your wife - and they'll feel too guilty to try and snatch you away for trivial matters like work, weddings, funerals and such.

Good luck!

Simple, but not always easy to do.
shooting matches and hunts can get cancelled at a moments notice through family emergencies, work emergencies, etc.

Life goes on , and there are other days.......
cat

winged1 · #15 11-02-2007, 07:11 PM

I work 4/4 which makes it easy to get out. Two weeks fishing in Sept., week goose hunting in Oct., opener yesterday. When I run out of vacations, I just take the time off.

BrownBear416 · #16 11-03-2007, 07:49 AM

I used to work 4/4.

So that works out to about 45 days off for a 3 month hunting season.

Plus i had 3 weeks paid vacation, with working shift it comes out to around 30+ days off.

Plus 2 floaters and sick days = 80 days.

I usually took most of then in the fall,i was always broke and way over my head in debt at the end of November.

This year has sucked for days off as i worked all bowseason.

I have 9 days in November for a Wall tent moose and deer hunt so that will help make it better.

If i could convince my boss to let me and if my cross shift would work it,i would take all fall off every year.

#17 11-03-2007, 01:42 PM

come home from night shift friday night/sat morning, dont sleep, head out hunting all day, get home around supper, go to bed, wake up sunday, head to work again. lately been taking time off during the middle week to get some tim out in the field. We've shot and ate a tonne of grouse this year, i still have elk from last year, we are not to worried about dropping big game this year, but we sure enjoy our time out as a family in the woods. Wifey dumped one doe already, the smile on her face was enough so far.

el sparko · #18 11-03-2007, 08:05 PM

hi dare riffer!
i live in central alberta, about an hour and a half from any decent big game hunting. elk are my "thing" i am hopelessly addicted. i work a six day week with, you guessed it, SUNDAY off. i have developed a system that works well. i scout the areas i plan to hunt on sundays in late summer and narrow them down to what looks the most promising. then when the rut starts in september i load my bowhunting gear in the trunk of my 4 cyl. car and when my shift ends at 3 pm i hit the road and get three to four hours of hunting in. if by chance i am successful my quad is loaded in the truck and i call the little lady and she brings it out to retrieve my bull. i strongly feel that we only get so many seasons to get out and rock with the big boys and waiting untill time allows you to go can make a young man turn old very quickly, if you really want to do it there's always a way.

russ · #19 11-04-2007, 03:45 AM

Well I suppose if I really wanted to, I could drive the 4 hours to a Sunday zone...

But then reality sets in, I still need money for Christmas and to pay bills.

buckshoot · #20 11-04-2007, 04:26 PM

Thumper said it you have to make time.
I live to hunt and hunt 20-30 days every year. I work a 15 and 6 schedule now so travel is worthwhile. I use vacation time where ever needed to make my hunting work and the bosses can get stuffed if they don't like it. I am only working November 12- 21 unless I start to run out of things to hunt. I did a couple short trips looking for sheep as I learn more about them and their habits. I like to get one week for elk, one week for southeastern hunting and a week for whitetail, then go to Sask for a whitetail week.
Being single sure helps, but if hunting is your passion you should make it work.
I used to get in 20+ days on a budget, 1 week of moose or elk and the rest for deer