Serious question about hunting, kids, and marriage.

[Trevor73402]

I know there is a pretty broad age group of people on this board, so I feel like there will be some good discussion on this as I feel the responses will vary based upon age.

It seems that more and more I see/hear people talking about how they are not able to hunt/fish/be outdoors as much as they’d like due to having kids and a wife. I have two very good friends that I’ve known most of my life. They lease some property from me. It’s gotten to the point that I only see them 1-2 times a year now during deer season when they come up to camp. One lives 40 minutes away. The other lives about 90 minutes away. All I hear from them is how they can’t hunt due to kids and/or wife. They are just too busy.

My Dad was an avid outdoorsman. The day I was born, he was on Texoma hauling in stripers. Just weeks after I was born, I was in a Ranger boat strapped in a car seat on Toledo Bend while he caught bass. Anything that could be hunted, trapped, or fished for, he did it. For the most part, my dad worked a 40-50 hour a week job 5 days a week. Weekends were for hunting/fishing. That’s just how it was. Nobody complained about it. It was not a big deal. He was not an absent father. He didn’t neglect any home duties. But you sure as hell were not going to tell him he couldn’t go hunt/fish because of me or a wife. I started going hunting along side him when I was 7-8. I was fishing with him well before that.

It just seems like men nowdays in the 25-40 year old age group seem to either be making a lot excuses for not being able to be outdooors, or they have wives that really are a bit too hard on them for wanting to enjoy their hobbies. I’m not saying that all those men don’t enjoy spending time with their babies. It’s just never presented in that manner. It’s always “I’ve got kids and a wife so I don’t get to hunt much”. For the older crowd on here, men that would be my Dad’s age, I don’t feel like you all were the same way when you were “in your prime”. You did what you wanted and nobody gave you a hard time about it. You hunted when you wanted and that’s just how it was. The wife and kids were never an excuse or reason why you couldn’t be in the field.

I am not meaning this as a slam towards any at all. I’m just trying to get some understanding as to what is real vs guys just making excuses not to be outdoors.

[K. Lane]

can't offer any help here in answering any questions in your thread and it does seem your assumptions are correct. Folks do make more excuses not to do something instead of just gettin up of their asses and doin it.
My wife and all of our children love to be outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, etc....as much as I do. I am blessed really

[PondPopper]

I have a understanding wife, a 23 year old daughter, and a 21 year old son.. I cannot begin to tell you how many diapers that I changed in the stand..
My wife and kids never slowed me down.. Not even a little....

[Dirtymike]

It was much easier when my kids were younger. Now they are a bit older 7-10 they have their own interest and tend to want to do those activities more. With that said we do spend every weekend at our little place in the woods building so i can understand their burn out. If i can get one of them to have a friend out for a sleep over it is a whole other story. They are off to the woods and playing in the creek.

[AntlerCollector]

My son is grown now and has kids of his own. He's only hunted once all year. Same thing "too busy with wife and kids." My father n law told me at camp, "I don't remember you missing hunts when you had kids." He was right. I didn't miss hunts. When I had to take my baby with me he slept in the floor of the deer stand with ear plugs on

Just a different generation I guess. I don't think hunting is as much of a desire for younger people anymore

[tfrye]

Trevor,
Good post, and is an interesting topic as I am the poster child of what you just said. In my high school days, college days, and just after getting married stage I would hunt pretty often. I love the outdoors and would spend as much time as possible out there but my wife does not enjoy it as much as I do. She would tell you I hunted a lot and I would tell you I didn't hunt as much as I wanted to. Now, we have a 1 year old daughter and I don't hunt at all, maybe 1-3 times a year if that. My wife and I both work, and I don't feel like it is fair to my wife or daughter for me to leave them and go hunting every weekend or even 1/2 the weekends. My wife does not have the same desires as I do when it comes to the outdoors and hunting and that is perfectly okay but makes it harder. I do not think that I am making any excuses for not going hunting but instead trying to be the best husband/dad I can be. Once my daughter is older I do plan on taking her out and my hope is that we will have a set up where we can go as a family, but even then my wife would not want to go very often.

"happy wife, happy life" If your mom was happy going on those trips with your dad then that is the difference maker because that would not make my wife happy.

[bowhuntz]

My wife is the most understanding woman in the world! When we married 25 years ago I did not bow hunt. Couple of years into the marriage and I started bowhunting... We were married on 9/29 so for the most part, I am in a tree on our anniversary every year and she never ever mentions it. She knows its my passion and I am so thankful that she understands and tolerates it.

[Tony Pic]

I have a old school wife who never got in my way of anything. As long as the family did not suffer. But unlike TTaxidermy...I did not start bringing my sons(3) afield until they stopped crapping in their pants. My wife loved it. Each weekend I took the boys to fish, shoot, ride or just walk the woods and she had two days off. I spent lots of time with my sons when it mattered most, when they were 8-14 years old. They are all grown up now and out the house. Made some great memories that we talk about always.
Most young couples today to not have the ability to get ahead. Many are just trying to stay afloat. Anyone who is able to go out and spend thousands on corn, bows, guns and other stuff has it pretty good. They should be able to find that balance where the family and himself are kept happy.

[dawgkllr]

Boy does this sound familiar dfwpi?? 80% of the guys on our lease are PW.

[junior]

hunting

My son is grown now and has kids of his own. He's only hunted once all year. Same thing "too busy with wife and kids." My father n law told me at camp, "I don't remember you missing hunts when you had kids." He was right. I didn't miss hunts. When I had to take my baby with me he slept in the floor of the deer stand with ear plugs on

Just a different generation I guess. I don't think hunting is as much of a desire for younger people anymore

Dang your bow was that loud?

[Silvey]

Im 38 with a 11yr old and a 9yr old. I take them with me or go by myself. Simple as that. Had a guy on my lease show up on a Friday night to hunt Saturday morning and go home. He said that's all his "kitchen pass" was good for. He is from Austin, so there is that.

[DapperDan]

I found and married a woman that has grown to love the outdoors almost as much as I do. Out only complaint during deer season is not having a place to hunt more often. We are desperately trying to find land to lease that we can hunt year round that fits what we are looking for. That seems to be harder than anything.


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[jake-1024]

I think this has a lot more to do with the age of the kids, the number of kids, and a few other variables. I’m 36 with a 4 yr old girl, 2 yr old boy, and a 3 week old girl and I strictly hunt with a bow. It is pretty much impossible for me to take any of the kiddos hunting yet as they are just too young and I also work a full time job and a part time job.

I can hunt whenever I want to around my work schedule. My wife can handle the kids on her own, but I try to make sure that when I go hunting, it is worth it. I monitor cellular trail cams and wait for the deer to be on a good pattern before I go hunting. I have only hunted 3 times this year bc of this (super slow on the feeders right now) and have had shot opportunities every hunt. Have shot one doe in those 3 sits and passed on a really nice buck.

I can’t wait for my kids to get a little older so that I can take them hunting with me though. I really just take the attitude of my my kids will grow up fast so I try to enjoy them as much as I can, but make sure to still take time for myself when I can/want to.

[gingib]

Boy does this sound familiar dfwpi?? 80% of the guys on our lease are PW.

Herein lies your answer.

[Jcjohnson]

I think the younger generation is maybe a little lazy compared to the old timers. If it’s not easy they aren’t doing it. Before I get jumped on by the younger crowd l, I’m 35.. not saying every one, just as a whole. I think the tablet/smart phone did this. Every thing is a tap away. Old timers had to put leg work in. Also it’s just an excuse for the weekend warrior type I think too. If you LOVE hunting your going to find a way.

Great topic to discuss BTW. Hope it stays on track