ending a hunt early ????

[Grizman]

I have been lucky enough to hunt for 54 years in two states. Deer, elk, bear, grouse.  Lots of weekends and 10 day hunts.  The right job, wife, kids, and schedule all played into my passion.  Along the way, I learned to pace myself.  On 10 day hunts I always plan on a down day or two.  Work around camp, take a "scouting ride", or just take it easy.  By the end of the day, I am excited to hit it hard again.  A week of solid rain and few or no animals can get you into a "why do I do this mood?".  Take a day off and think of those big bulls running around and the next morning you will be ready to go again.   Now that I am retired and live in the woods, I can hunt every day.  But I still take a few days off to keep my interest high and my body ready to go.  Still love hunting as much as ever.

[Gobble]

Good advice Grizz 

[vandeman17]

Work, finances, family and responsibilities dictate when I have to call a hunt, not my passion drive and desire. Some are more fortunate financially and with other means to be able to hunt every day from sun up to sun down. Other things kill dreams in the hunting world besides just giving up because it's too hard and getting dejected.

 

[ipkus]

I just don't get guys packing up early and ending there hunt ... We dream of and plan of getting bull tags all year . With the short seasons why would anyone pull out early ? , Hunt till the sun sets on the last day end with no regrets knowing you gave it your all . I really think when most guys draw a tag they think its gonna be easy , then they realize it's hunting and after a couple days become dejected and hang it up effort wise so to speak . Please leave these tags for guys that really want them !  IE Me !

Most people's lives, as much as they wish it could, don't revolve around hunting.  Wives, kids, sick or elderly parents, jobs, holidays, vacation, illness, weddings, deaths, and multiple other factors dictate how much time anyone gets to spend actually hunting.

You sound like hunting is everything to you, so let me ask you this; would you miss your daughter's wedding because you drew a highly coveted tag?  Your brother's funeral?  What if your elderly, widowed mother had a bad fall and needed care?  While I completely agree that many people think drawing a special permit is the hardest part, and the reality afterward is a bitter wake up call, I don't think there is any reason to call those people out.

You should actually be very happy that only the die hard, no commitments, lots of time off, well funded, healthy family, "guys that really want them" crowd don't draw all the tags, because everyday of hunting season would see way more guys in the woods that are really good at killing animals and everyone's hunting experience would quickly get much, much worse.

[Rainier10]

I have ended one or two early because my head just wasn't in it anymore.  I ended one early when I took my 9 year old daughter out with me for the day.  Drove two hours to get there, she slept in the car.  Got out and started hiking, saw a deer 45 minutes into the hike and she said "man this was fun dad we should do this again sometime, can we go home now?"  We headed home, didn't want to ruin it for her by making her stay out.

I train hard for the season, practice with my bow and anticipate the hunt 355 days in advance.  One year I shot my deer on opening day.  After getting back to camp my buddy said"enjoy sleeping in tomorrow"  I said "are you crazy?  I wait for this hunt all year long I will see you in the morning."  I went out the next 8 days with no tag in my pocket, no bow in my hand and just hiked around looking for deer and enjoying the outdoors.  Most of the guys in camp thought I was crazy but that is just my style.  When one of the other guys tagged out and slept in the next day I didn't say a word on my way out the next morning, to each his own.

Like someone else said if everyone hunted as hard as me and filled as many tags there would be a lot less animals out there so I don't mind if some take it a little easier, as long as they have no regrets good for them and good for me too.

[pianoman9701]

I've dropped two hunting partners because of this and haven't spoken with them since. It's inexcusable as far as I'm concerned. No commitment and no concern for your buddy(s). I'd rather hunt alone. Of course, I'm referring to leaving days before planned, as opposed to quitting earlier in the afternoon than planned. Sometimes you just gotta go back to camp and "put one on". 

[coachcw]

to many regrets all year for me to end a hunt early . the only time I ended early was  a safety issue with a outfitter we had him pack us out a day early for fear of not getting out. I totally understand finances and kiddos affecting the duration of a hunt but if you have planned a hunt to be say six days then give it your all and you will feel better for it in the long run .

[vandeman17]

There is a big difference between ending a hunt by CHOICE and ending a hunt by CIRCUMSTANCE. I can't recall the last time I ended a hunt by choice but there are tons of times where I have HAD to end them early because of work or other issues away from the mountain that I couldn't get around. If I had my way, I would spend from opening morning to closing last light hunting but I can't because of obligations that are out of my control.   

[JimmyHoffa]

A lot of folks just seem to lose their steam.  A few I talk to say that they just get tired from driving back and forth by the same  one or two clear cuts ten times a day.  Back when they started, they had a different ten clear cuts to drive by each day of the season and still didn't hit half the cuts.  So now they just hitch up their camps and leave early to go to football parties. 

[boneaddict]

to many regrets all year for me to end a hunt early . the only time I ended early was  a safety issue with a outfitter we had him pack us out a day early for fear of not getting out. I totally understand finances and kiddos affecting the duration of a hunt but if you have planned a hunt to be say six days then give it your all and you will feel better for it in the long run .

I usually see the biggest critters on day one.   

[Karl Blanchard]

I don't think Coach is talking about obligations getting in the way of a hunt.  He is talking about guys who take a week but after a few days just say screw it and go home to sit on the couch, with the tv on, flipping through huntwa on their phone.  I say god bless em!  They are buying tags but not using any of the resources (killing an animal).  Its a win win!

[Karl Blanchard]

I personally never leave a hunt early unless its a solo gig and I tag out.  Otherwise I am hitting it hard till the end.  Heck I use vacation days just to go with other people on their hunts.  To say I love to hunt would be an understatement.

[NWBREW]

I always take 7-9 days for my in state hunts. Last year I tagged out on day 3 but come day 7...I was still there. I just can't talk myself into leaving early...tagged out or not.

[wildweeds]

Left a hunt early one time only,my buddys dad was being a nancy boy,he chewed us all out for going in the tent that had a dirt floor with muddy boots on,he wouldn't let that go and along with his other idiosyncracies we'd had enough of his bull.We chucked our gear in two trucks and left my buddy and his old man to have at it.Deer season was on back then to the northeast so we rolled on up to tonasket and hunted 2 days up there for deer and drove home over 20.The NEXT year for Elk camp we had our own setup and camped right next to my buddy and his old man,I think he learned his lesson from the year before,and that lesson was...........You can treat your own 24 year old son like he's 8 years old,but the rest of us NO WAY!

[coachcw]

I personally never leave a hunt early unless its a solo gig and I tag out.  Otherwise I am hitting it hard till the end.  Heck I use vacation days just to go with other people on their hunts.  To say I love to hunt would be an understatement.

nice to know where your priority's are . I believe you have passed a few hawks games for  me  as Karl says" if my wife give me any window  I'm gone ! "