13 Weeks Paid Vacation - help plan some hunts

[YellowDog]

I have been debating posting this for quite a while but didn't want to jinx myself before it comes to fruition...

I have worked for my current employer for 10 years and 10 months.  One of the generous benefits they offer is that upon completion of 12 years of continuous employment, they provide 9 weeks of "extra" paid vacation.  The time is sometimes allowed to be split in half but on a case by case basis.  The 9 weeks is in addition to your regular annual vacation allotment of 4 weeks.  So, in the fall of 2013 if all continues to go well, I plan to take my time and get in some hunting. 

This year will be my 3rd year of building points in Colrado for deer and Wyoming for deer, elk, and antelope.  I am also applying for deer, elk, and antelope in Montana.

I have to notify my employer of the dates I want to be out of the office by no later than July 1 of this year.  I am planning on purchasing a travel trailer this spring and my initial thought is to take off mid to late August 2013 and to load up my hunting gear, motorcycle, dog, etc. and head out to see what I can see, hunt, fish, and explore Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, etc.

I'd like to hear ideas from all of you.   

I am thinking that I will apply for the good hunts that I would like to do in any of those states (and the OIL, deer and elk permits in Washington) and see what happens.  I would hope to draw maybe 2 good or decent tags even if they aren't the best tags since I won't have a bunch of points.  I figure I could spring for maybe a Colorado landowner deer tag if it is necessary and I wouldn't mind spending some time in Idaho or Montana looking for a wolf to harvest. 

I guess my questions for you all is, what would you plan to do with 13 weeks paid vacation if you really had nothing keeping you from doing whatever you wanted to do (I am single, no kids, saving up some $, etc.)?  I'd like to make sure I am not missing something in the planning process.  (This is obviously probably a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I would have to continue 8 more years with the same employer to get another sabbattical which is unlikly to happen because I eventually want to move back to Eastern Washington or maybe even to Montana, Wyoming, or Idaho).

[Limhangerslayer]

Ok jealous, if I dont work I dont get paid.  But as far as oil tags go, if you are in shape and have the jingle look into either sheep, goat or moose in Idaho.  Any questions send me a pm and we can talk.

[YellowDog]

See right off the bat I get a good suggestion.  I could probably swing an application for Idaho moose since you can only apply for one and you can't build points so I would have the same odds as anyone else.

[MikeWalking]

Can I get an application??   I used to work at a Shop that gave 2 weeks each year till 3 years then added a week a year.  Some of the old guys had 30+weeks on the books.  Then they hired a real HR manager. I got capped at 30 days+ a week of sick/personal time and 8hrs for my B-day.

Wish I could be any kind of help.  Are you going to be on the road the whole time?  I left that Shop job as the CEO was just about to embezzle it into the ground.  Cashed my 401k, and got about 5 weeks pay in unused benes and went backpacking for weeks at a time with days in the Pub eating like a pig before going back out.

Looking back I would have gone bigger, more than just running up & down the PCT.  A year after going back to work I did manage to pull off some trips in the Brooks Range.  I'd worry about planning too much and finding my self driving too much.

Think what could you do that you might not get the chance to again, or for a long time?  If  I had the resources I'd go for a wolf hunt

[JLS]

Are you a bowhunter? If so, PM me and I'll throw some ideas at you.

Honestly, I wouldn't overthink the wolf hunt.  You will always be able to do it.  If that's on your agenda though, I think I'd wait until late in the year to do it, like January or so.  Then, it won't be interfering with your other hunts.

[Limhangerslayer]

Idaho can have anywhere from 1 in 2 to 1 in 9 odds on pretty good hunts for goat or moose.  Sheep is for sure the hardest

[YellowDog]

I do bowhunt and rifle hunt so most states (other than WA) would enable me to hunt both seasons (except for CO). 
I do not plan on being on the road the whole time but I'm still working on details since it is a year and a half away.  I'm thinking I would like to haul the trailer over, spend 2-3 weeks in one state/area and then drop the trailer somewhere and long haul back home for a week or so then head back, pick up the trailer and head somewhere new for 2-3 weeks.  It all depends on what hunts I draw.

I know for sure that I don't want to have every day scheduled.  I want to apply for my hunts and plan around the seasons and best dates of hunting.  Other than that, I want to be free to go where I want when I want with no time deadlines.  Part of the reason I don't take large blocks of vacation now (other than for hunting) is that vacations can turn into work and be stressful if you are constantly on a schedule and that is not what I am after.


Good point on the wolf hunt and hunting later.  I can probably do that another time or just pick up a tag when I draw deer or elk in Montana in later years.

[RadSav]

Problem with a single species is what are you going to do for the rest of your vacation?  If I had that much time and a little money I might start looking at doing a "Slam" of some sort.  That vacation is already an OIL experience.  I might look at taking the deer slam all in one year.  Maybe even a double slam like Turkey & Deer.  Not sure if a Tule elk would be too difficult to tag up for, but heck if we are dreaming why not the elk & deer slam all in one year.  I have never heard of someone doing that.

[Bigshooter]

For me it would be very easy (and very doable) if I had that much time to take off.  I would start out in WY in Sept. bird hunting and scouting for my deer/antelope combo hunt that I would be doing in Oct.  Then I would head to CO for a 3rd season mule deer hunt.  Then finish the trip off in eastern MT mule deer hunting.  I don't hunt elk for the most part so I wouldn't worry about them.  And I would not try to plan a hunt counting on drawing a OIL tag.

[Call em in]

I would go on an adventure hunt, something where the travel time to get there would prohibit you from going most years.  Something like Africa, NZ, South America, Alaska, Canada...you get the picture.  With that much time you could not only plan some cool hunts but take time to really explore an area or culture and truly make it a trip of a life time!  Good Luck in whatever you decide!

[Eli346]

 I don't know your age but most of the states requires a hunter's ed certification to hunt there if not born before a certain date. Reason I'm asking cuz Colorado's is 1949.

[Encore 280]

I would reallly like to do a Yukon moose hunt someday but I don't ever see that happening. If I had the $$$ I'd hire Shockey and make sure his dad could come along to make it a fun trip.

[boneaddict]

Alaska would be a guarantee.....  Idaho is a great Idea for moose, though not a guarantee.   If you have some coin, Utah has alot of CWMU hunts or ranch hunts that you are guaranteed a tag.  THey have come down in price drastically.   CANADA MOOSE would be on my agenda if you had the coin.

[shanevg]

Id drive up to Alaska. You can get 5 caribou tags, a black bear tag, and a moose tag over the counter. Spend 3 or 4 weeks hunting up there before all the other big game species seasons open up down south. One of the biggest difficulties with an AK hut is getting your meat and trophies home since expensive to shop and OU am oat have to take a week extra vacation time to make the drive. Well you could solve that yourself by driving. Then I'd apply for a moose ta in ID and buy an Eli or deer tag of you didn't get drawn and drive down to CO for your third season deer hunt.

Another thing to keep in mind if you didn't want to go to AK is that both Nevada and CA deer archery seasons open in early August so you could start your hunts down there to maximize your seasons.

[Ballance1]

Go to new Zealand pay 25$ to have your gun in the country and DIY your own hunts on all the public ground and stay in huts. Shoot every animal there is there.

[deerslyr]

Seems pretty easy to me. Alaska. Caribou/Moose/Black Bear/Blacktails and awesome fishing.

[Austrian Hunter]

Seems pretty easy to me. Alaska. Caribou/Moose/Black Bear/Blacktails and awesome fishing.

 

Is it a requirement in AK to have a guide or local resident with you when hunting Bear and Moose???

[deerslyr]

Seems pretty easy to me. Alaska. Caribou/Moose/Black Bear/Blacktails and awesome fishing.

 

Is it a requirement in AK to have a guide or local resident with you when hunting Bear and Moose???

Only for griz and sheep everything else can be done DIY for fairly low costs. Like mentioned before the biggest cost is shipping the meat back, but if your driving yourself up there you dont need to worry about that. Id start by going all the way up the haul road and hunt bou, work my way back down and hunt moose, then take a few days to get down to the kenai and fish and then finish up in the SE for BTs and bears and some more fishing.

[alecvg]

  You also need a guide for goat

[h2ofowlr]

Sounds like your a tenured teacher.  They are about the only ones I know with that much vacation.

[YellowDog]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.  For the record I am 39 years old.  I'll turn 41 during the vacation time.  I'm not in a position where I can drop $15-20K on one hunt or a guided trip. 

I'm not a teacher.  LOL.  I work in a large office setting and it is certainly rare to find an employer that provides this type of benefit to staff.  When I started working there it sounded awesome but I wasn't sure I would make it 7 years much less 12 since I am more of a small town person and wanted to eventually get back to E. Washington.  The economy, depressed home values, and lack of jobs will keep me in Seattle area for a few more years.  I don't think I'll make it to my 20 year anniversary at which time I would get another 13 week vacation.  As it is, I get 4 weeks a year now, will get 5 weeks at 15 years, and I can roll over up to a years worth so I can have up to 8 weeks on the books (right now I have 6 weeks). 

Alaska is always on the back burner.  My older brother lives up there and while he does some hunting and fishing he pretty much hunts from the seat of a 4 wheeler.  Not my thing.  I'd love to hunt moose in Alaska and I think my ideal type of hunt would be a float hunt.  I think if I were to go to Alaska it would be a 3-4 week deal for a moose/black bear float trip and try to get in some fishing.  It would probably make sense to drive up.

I have thought about looking seriously into going to Kansas for a big whitetail hunt Colorado 3rd season mule deer.  Mix in some a Wyoming antelope and/or deer hunting, some fly fishing, maybe a bird hunt or two, etc.

I would never count on a OIL tag but I would probably apply for Idaho moose since everyone has even odds and I can work around pretty much any OIL tag that I might draw. 

I would like to someday go to Africa to hunt but that is a hunt that if I ever do it, I want my younger brother to be able to  go with and he is not in a financial position nor does he get enough vacation right now to make it work.

Keep the ideas flowing if you have them.

[Ridgerunner]

Lots of great ideas, if it was me, I'd probably go for for some mule deer in MT and CO, an antelope/deer combo in Wyoming, maybe hit kansas for whitetails, hit the dakotas for some birdhunting.

I like the idea of getting a grand slam of deer in one year too.  That would be cool.  I'd be focusing outside of WA if it was me. 

[YellowDog]

Well, I put in my request for dates of my sabattical today.  If approved (should be) I will be on vacation beginning Saturday, August 17, 2013 through Sunday November 17, 2013. 

I will probably have at least 2 weeks of additional vacation time banked (right now I have 28 days) at that time to use during the rest of the year.  I just cant tack any vacation time on to the 13 week block I will already be off.

Still taking suggestions on outdoor adventures/hunting now that I have a better idea of the dates.  I bought my travel trailer in the past couple of weeks so I have my living quarters in place.

[RadSav]

Nice!  Retirement type vacation without having to retire!  Hopefully gas isn't $10.00 a gallon by then.

That does take most Cous deer hunting out of the mix, but it does add early archery antelope in WY, MT or both if drawn.

Be sure to let us know what and when once you decide.

[YellowDog]

I thought seriously about pushing the time back at least a couple more weeks but figured the dates I chose would allow for most deer/elk/antelope hunting options in Montana, Wyoming, and deer in Colorado (only thing I am putting in for points there).  Depending on draw results I might have to end up buying a landowner tag in Colorado but hope I don't have to. 

I liked getting a little time in August for some nicer weather with still a lot of options for hunting seasons before the 3 months is up.  It should be fun and relaxing either way (as long as gas is not $10 a gallon).