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How far do you drive to bowhunt?

Shoot2Kill

Shoot2Kill

Active Member
How far do some of you drive to bowhunt? I'm looking into a new area that is all river bottom about 40 miles away. I know it's not that far, but it's far enough for it to not just be a "run over and sit in the stand hunt" type things.

For those of you that don't hunt out your backdoor and have young children, how do you do it with travel time, hunting time, and trying to keep the wife happy at the same time when she becomes a single parent come the rut? /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif The areas I have really close to home are very unproductive but they've made hunting easy since they are so close...I'm just trying to figure out how to pull it off with an infant this fall if I have to actually drive to hunt.
 
Ryan,
It took me a couple seasons to figure this out but buy a lot of flowers. Also the single most important thing is pamper her now. Send her shopping for the day, tell her to go do what she wants for the day/weekend ect... I usually get her a gift certificate for a spa or whatever she is into as well. It sounds cheesy but hey, I like cheese. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif The single most important thing is to make sure she has "her" time if you want your time. If mama ain't happy ain't no one happy... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I have access to a few different properties that are not "out the back door" and I will make sure I have time to put in a full day if I am going to hunt those properties.
 
Need to change your name from Limb Chicken to Love chicken. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I don't have kids and my wife is still finishing up her degree in college, so I have lots of free time. Last year my wife got back into hunting, so this year she will be by my side (except bow hunting), then you can call that "quality (deer management) time". /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Now I don't have kids but I do have to keep the Mrs. happy so I do quite a bit during the rest of the year to make up for the time I am not home during deer season. We have been updating our house lately and I have busted my but this spring and summer getting projects done. Depending on the time of season I wont hunt Fri-Sun. Maybe Friday night and Saturday. We have a lot of family activities and seems like we always have things going on. I hunt an hour to two hours away depending on the ground I hunt and I gladly drive that far for the quality of hunting there. I could hunt twenty minutes away but the hunting is that great. That would be tough with a little one at home but if the ground is really good I would hunt there even if you don't get to go there as much as you want. If its a good spot that just gives you another place to go hunt for the day or weekend. Good luck!
 
I usually hunt anywhere from an hour to 3 hours away. It really depends on the season and who is going to be where to hunt with. I live in Rudd, Ia, what can I say?......
 
Most of my spots are 20-30 minute drives and the walk-ins are at least 15-30 minutes also. This is one of the reasons I hunt mornings more than afternoons, especially on weekends. I prefer the mornings as I like to see the woods awake but it is also easier at home. I can get home from a 3-4 hour hunt and do some things around the house and usually soften the stress level within an hour or two. Over half of my seat time takes place before the family is up and really active anyway.

If I hunt afternoons and am leaving the house at 2 PM, it always seems like the kid's activity level at home is in a state of high stress and I usually get the "I could kill you" look as I am walking out the door.

Otherwise, Love Chicken has spoken wise words already regarding off-season tactics and making sure the spots farther from home get longer sits/hunt.
 
I rarely get much more than 7 or 8 miles from the house for reasons already stated. I hunt evenings for the most part. Workday, after we get home evenings. Genni feeds the kids supper, cleans up, gets them all bathed up and ready for wind down time. I usually get home in time to play for a bit, read them a story and put them to bed. That is why I don't go further, that is important stuff to me. I like kissing my boys goodnight.

And.....in the offseason, I let her golf,...whenever she wants to.
 
Anywhere up to about 40mi. The longer drives....I spend more time on stand. I usually only drive that far if I have at least 6 hours to hunt. Many times I pack a lunch, pillow for noon and stay all day.

Be good to her, and when you've been extra good.....always let her know what these few weeks mean to you. I'm fortunate to have a work schedual that allows lots of time with my family. That also helps a-lot come Fall.


BWJ,

The walk out the door at 2:00 thing. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif Been there.
 
I drive 90 miles one way to were I bowhunt...

Hopefully I can find a few places closer I can hunt during the week..
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shoot2Kill</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How far do some of you drive to bowhunt? </div></div>

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I ran a poll sometime back that may give you and idea, here's the link: /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

How Far?

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Ryan, i should write a book about this very topic!

first and foremost, i have a VERY cool wife, she understands my sickness, and was well aware of it BEFORE we ever got together. and i got her into hunting so she could better understand my addiction..... not for every wife, but she has been there to personally experience Sweet November. She is very independant and actually likes some time away from me...... cant say i understand that any....... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

im sure if you are still married and have a young'en on the way, she understands you well enough.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Here is last seasons situation for me. My son was born on November 14th..... pretty much the best week of hunting of the year.... (poor timing 9 months prior, ill leave the details out /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif ) THA5 was born on a wednesday, one day after his due date, i did not hunt the weekend prior or the weekend after..... but just about every other weekend i was on stand! I had a son during peak rut, and killed my two bucks and 6 does....... and hunted 3 hours away.

here is my point, i am very fortunate to have the kind of low maintainence wife that gives me my time during the spring and fall with out question, and as Love Chicken said, give her as much time as possible in the off season, also prepare her with a schedule of days you plan on being gone, so she can personally prepare for your absence. but really a 40 minute drive aint nothing! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

and your largest effort (next to pampering your wife) should go into your scouting as that will put you in the right place at the right time, hopefully before your little one comes, and then, you have no tag to burn a hole in your pocket and nothing to worry about.

feel free to pm me if you want more details /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif but i have been there and TOTALLY know how it can be!

Good luck!

sorry about all the advice and long-windedness...... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BWJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Otherwise, brother Limb has spoken wise words already regarding off-season tactics and making sure the spots farther from home get longer sits/hunt.


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Very well spoken.Great advice
 
On 9-22 I will be putting 18 hours in behind the wheel to go bow hunt. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Day in and day out 20 to 45 minute drive.
 
I don't turn a key in the truck unless I am hunting out of state. Not saying that like I'm trying to be cocky or place myself above anyone else,... but I did plan on it being that way 20 years ago when I was sitting in front of the loan officer at the bank when I was 22 years old. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I just would rather drive to work and live on my hunting ground than to live at work and drive to my hunting ground.

Whatever your situation, make your time in the tree count! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
weekdays 2miles
weekends 212 miles
Chase rut phase 419 miles
Having a woman that will let me........priceless /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I usually get home in time to play for a bit, read them a story and put them to bed. That is why I don't go further, that is important stuff to me. I like kissing my boys goodnight.
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/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

There are those that selfishly place a "deer" above all else including family...that's pretty sad, so it warms my heart to see good men put family first.

My wife just says "leave me the checkbook"... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
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