Getting permission to hunt

[Giggles]

I didn't win the lottery so I have to "man up" and hunt in other places.  Just curious on how you guys and gals obtain permission to scout and hunt through out the year.  I'm not talking from land owners, but from your wife! She tricked me when we were dating saying all this stuff she would like to do outdoors, but as they say, everything changed after the "I DO's" (just like a woman). With my ex-wife I didn't care because I really didn't like her, but I kinda like my current wife and need some ideas on how to spend all that time preparing and hunting without upsetting her too much.    

[shoot-em-dead]

You have to give her shopping money.

[Wenatcheejay]

Wife? Compromise.

Landowner, talk to them outside of the season. Get business cards and offer to help them with work if needed. Offer them policing if they need it as opposed to hunting/offer to repair any damage any other hunter does. Be nice, and don't show up in camo.

Bribes work as well 

[wormfood]

Get her involved, take her with you. Create the legacy make it a full family thing. And yes my wife bow hunts with me.

[WonkyWapiti]

For me, I work my butt off throughout the year between overtime and helping around the house.  My kids are hugely important to me and I make sure and spend as much quality time with them as possible.  For me hunting season is my yearly break and for part of it I get to enjoy it with one of my kids.  I occasionally head out for short scouting trips too.  I have a buddy on the other hand that can't be away from his wife for more than a couple of days without stressing out.  It often puts a stress on us at hunting camp.

I guess the way I look at it, I don't go hanging around at the bars or staying out every night so in my opinion I don't see it as being unreasonable for me taking off for hunting. 

[washelkhunter]

I've been happily married for 20 years but for the first 10 or so of those being gone or able to go hunting was a tug of war between us. Typical stuff: why do you have to go out today? Honey, i just want to stay home with you today you can go some other time. I dont like you going out there all alone yada yada yada.
Then when i stayed home we would usually watch football games and have dinner with the inlaws, mow the lawn, rake the leaves, something. I couldnt figure it out. I would sit inside watching TV on a beautiful clear crisp fall day and not be out among em. Frustrating for years, for her and me. Finally it dawned on me! One night i announced i am going hunting in the morning. What? Yeah im going deer hunting. But? Look im going ok? But i thought we would...Then i blind sided her. I asked what do you Deckers value. Got the look. You know the one. Head turned to the side, squinty alert eyes (hes up to something). Well what do you all value?
I dont know. Sports! You Deckers value sports. You'll all sit in the house all day long watching football broadcast from cities you've never been in or know anything about; or god forbid you watch golf! Silence. Well im a hunter and if i dont hunt then i dont get any better at my sport! Have'nt had a problem going hunting since. I can be gone 2 weeks or more. No biggie, im practicing my sport. I've got a lot of time off between work shifts and she was concerned (legitimately) about me being out alone. Mentioned to her about the SPOT locator and bless her heart she got me one for X-Mas. Honey! Im goin huntin. OK Dear, i love you be safe and hurry home.......SWEET.

[pianoman9701]

My wife and I had this conversation by the end of our first date. I hunt and unless there's an unavoidable emergency, that's what I'll be doing for 10 days in September, and on weekends throughout late archery and goose season. There's no room for discussion. The rest of the year, I'm doing all of the things dads and husbands do. I think it's little to ask. My wife never questions or objects to my passion.

Having said that, you guys didn't have that discussion ahead of time, so you're pretty much screwed! I agree with those who've suggested a bribe or some activity/trip that she'd like to do once a year with her friends.

[BLUEBULLS]

You have to give her shopping money.

 

[D-Rock425]

Don't give her anything.  tell her this is who I am and this is what I do.  If she can't get onboard with that then I guess you're SOL or divorced.

[singleshot12]

Be a pain in the arse more at home and soon she'll be begging you to go hunting

[Glockster]

If you gotta ask permission it just isn't going to work out well for you.  You really gotta test drive a woman to make sure her talk matches her action.

If hunting is more important then DTB.  If TB is more important, put off hunting until after the divorce. 

[Special T]

I have a buddy that couldn't keep a girl friend for longer than 9 months! The seemed to tolerate the fishing because they wanted to go, but the archery  followed by waterfowl every weekend pretty much nipped that in the but....

Anyone that claims to fully understand a woman is a LIAR! So what i say is my limited Cro-Magnon understanding of the opposite sex.  Women are like a dog... I like to think of them like my Chesapeake. All they want is attention, are hard headed and will test you ANY time you show weakness...  The attention is just spending time together. The  hardheadedness is only wanting to do what  what they want to when they want to.  I think they will test you  just to make sure you REALLY want to do something... They may not give you the "NO! you can't do that."  But will likely be much more subtle... Like the before mentioned excuses... Worried about you, You should spend some time with Me, kids etc...

They key is if SHE does not want to go Take the kids with you, then there is no ammo in her statements... IF you don't have kids, well then you need to have a heart to heart about life... I would guess that there are several things you and her have not discussed fully and better get on the stick. 

[pianoman9701]

...or you could marry someone who has independent interests as you do and isn't so insecure that she has to be around you all the time.

[724wd]

...or you could marry someone who has independent interests as you do and isn't so insecure that she has to be around you all the time.

CRAZY TALK!!!!  

 

[Special T]

Pman Women by there VERY nature are insecure... There are some out there that are (secure) but they are the exeption not the rule. I think they get a little better after you have married a while, but its a battle of who  is training who! 

[pianoman9701]

Pman Women by there VERY nature are insecure... There are some out there that are (secure) but they are the exeption not the rule. I think they get a little better after you have married a while, but its a battle of who  is training who! 

I'm fortunate in that way - no insecurity at all about what I do on my own. My hunting buddy is just the opposite. The longer he's married, the more insecure she gets. Very difficult for him to do anything not scheduled and even then, things pop up to derail hunting trips.

[buckfvr]

You just have to keep them in a state of hyperannoyance in the months leading up to hunting season so they will encourage you to get on your way.......

[Skyvalhunter]

It's your hobby and just let her know what to expect months in advance. Mine knows I will be gone most falls either out or in state.

[Rainier10]

Man did I get lucky.  My wife has hunted her whole life, see "wife's cougar" under Taxidermy section.  She shot that just before we started dating.  When we started dating she invited me along on a deer hunt and told me if this thing was going to work I would have to be able to hunt with her.  We have spent almost 20 years together now, 15 years married this July.  We always hunt together and now have a blast that our daughter has started to hunt also.  We spend every Thanksgiving in a wall tent in the snow with a full blown turkey dinner right in the woods.  I know it would drive some guys crazy having the wife around for the hunt but I had no choice, she brought me around.  The only problem I have with it is it costs me twice as much, two bows, two muzzleloaders, two sets of camo and  if I have $800 binoculars she can't use $200 binoculars she has to have a set $800 binos also.

[Wildsau]

If you are having problems with your wife/other half, understanding why you need to go hunting/fishing like you do, my suggestion is to buy her a book.  The name of the book is "Why Men Don't Ask Directions and Women Can't Read Maps", by Allen Pease.  Him and his wife researched man and woman for ten years before sitting down to write the book.

After she finishes the book, you can tell her that there is nothing anyone can do about you having the "need" to hunt/fish, it is in your DNA makeup.  She won't argue for a second.

I have found I can use this book in, just about, anything I want to do, put the blame on my DNA, and, seeing as how my wife introduced the book to me, don't have a problem.  I am just told to enjoy.

Some things are just too easy. 

[Giggles]

Thanks for all of the serious replies.  SkookumHntr and Bigshooter