Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 06:55:13 AM

Title: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 06:55:13 AM: 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 ! :chuckle: IE Me !
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: h2ofowlr on January 07, 2015, 06:58:49 AM: Some go to hard, to early and burn out there legs or just hit that wall. Than the whole work thing gets in some peoples head. The longer your away, the more things pile up.
I am exited for elk all year and after about 3 days, I ready to be back chasing ducks.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: 92xj on January 07, 2015, 07:00:23 AM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: 7mmfan on January 07, 2015, 07:06:08 AM: I know my limitations before I leave on the hunt. I know how much time I can take off and how much money I have to spend. I plan my hunt accordingly and have never packed up a minute earlier than I planned for, unless I was successful early in the hunt. We only get such a short time every year to spend in the woods, why would you cut yourself short? This year I juggled my Dad's bull hunt and my cow tag. He killed his bull a week before I was able to hunt for cows. I made arrangements to work remotely so I could save the fuel money and not travel back and forth across the mountains. I think its all about mindset and dedication, some of us have more than others :)
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: wheels on January 07, 2015, 07:09:28 AM: ill admit i ate a peaches bull tag tag do to low funds did learn was as accessable as i thought i did put 5 days in before general
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on January 07, 2015, 07:14:00 AM: I left camp early this year (one of many). I shot a small buck the first morning, went and got another tag (IDAHO) hoping for a good one and only put four more days into it. I ate the second tag. felt like a real dummie. still kicking my self. I was in some killer deer country too. Our camp killed nine. Only a few good bucks. So I agree ending a hunt early is probably the worst choice a hunter could make. To my credit though I had already tagged out here in wa and had alot of meat. missed a nice boar with my second deer tag too. So Ill just look at it like I paid the tag fee to continue to hunt. like a ticket for a ride.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: jackelope on January 07, 2015, 07:19:41 AM: Quote from: 92xj on January 07, 2015, 07:00:23 AM
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.

:yeah:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: boneaddict on January 07, 2015, 07:28:08 AM: As diehard as I'd think I am or was, it's almost impossible for me to miss a soccer game or something with my kids. My stack of antlers or alone time means nothing to me compared to time with them. I know that in just a couple years, it will be over and then what, you don't get that back. Hunting is important to me, but not that important
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Bean Counter on January 07, 2015, 07:32:04 AM: I'm not a weekend warrior, but I've only hunted 6 straight days max on one hunt. I don't count one hunt I did where I hunted every day but only party of it like morning only or evening only. If I didn't have a wife and kids it would be a lot different.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on January 07, 2015, 07:33:10 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 07, 2015, 07:28:08 AM
As diehard as I'd think I am or was, it's almost impossible for me to miss a soccer game or something with my kids. My stack of antlers or alone time means nothing to me compared to time with them. I know that in just a couple years, it will be over and then what, you don't get that back. Hunting is important to me, but not that important

:tup:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: kentrek on January 07, 2015, 07:53:36 AM: If ya haven't been on a hunt where you get broken down mentally & want to go home, your really missing out :chuckle:

I think in all reality that if a person gets frustrated enough to leave early than they prolly wouldnt have had much better luck than if theyes stayed.....if your not thinking about killing your out of the game
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: grundy53 on January 07, 2015, 07:57:06 AM: Time off work dictates the length of my hunting trips.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Gobble on January 07, 2015, 08:10:54 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 07, 2015, 07:28:08 AM
As diehard as I'd think I am or was, it's almost impossible for me to miss a soccer game or something with my kids. My stack of antlers or alone time means nothing to me compared to time with them. I know that in just a couple years, it will be over and then what, you don't get that back. Hunting is important to me, but not that important

Doug, I'm right there with you, My kids play year round sports that I willingly coach and participate in, I recently quit coaching select fastpitch so I can be just a "dad" but I wouldn't trade any of that experience for the world. That is the reason I took a couple year Hiatus from this site and serious hunting like I used to. Family to me like most of you parents is my #1 priority :tup:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: BULLBLASTER on January 07, 2015, 08:15:18 AM: Im guilty of this thisyear. Had an archery bull tag in the blues amd hunted 16 of the 19 day season. By the last 3 days i had enough amd was not having fun anymore. I feel i gave it my all and if that isnt enough for the people who "deserve" the tag them too bad. I didnt realize people had to approve of how i hunt and when i head home.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Gobble on January 07, 2015, 08:18:35 AM: Quote from: BULLBLASTER on January 07, 2015, 08:15:18 AM
Im guilty of this thisyear. Had an archery bull tag in the blues amd hunted 16 of the 19 day season. By the last 3 days i had enough amd was not having fun anymore. I feel i gave it my all and if that isnt enough for the people who "deserve" the tag them too bad. I didnt realize people had to approve of how i hunt and when i head home.

Bullblaster - You've got nothing to apologize about, 16 straight days in the field IS giving it your all IMO :twocents:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Grizman on January 07, 2015, 09:07:15 AM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Gobble on January 07, 2015, 09:11:38 AM: Good advice Grizz :tup:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: vandeman17 on January 07, 2015, 09:17:52 AM: Quote from: 92xj on January 07, 2015, 07:00:23 AM
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.

:yeah: :yeah: :yeah:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: ipkus on January 07, 2015, 01:32:14 PM: Quote from: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 06:55:13 AM
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 ! :chuckle: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Rainier10 on January 07, 2015, 02:43:30 PM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: pianoman9701 on January 07, 2015, 02:51:59 PM: 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". :chuckle:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 02:57:04 PM: 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 .
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: vandeman17 on January 07, 2015, 03:00:58 PM: 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. :twocents:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: JimmyHoffa on January 07, 2015, 03:55:00 PM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: boneaddict on January 07, 2015, 04:18:13 PM: Quote from: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 02:57:04 PM
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. :chuckle:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 07, 2015, 04:32:57 PM: 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!
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 07, 2015, 04:35:08 PM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: NWBREW on January 07, 2015, 04:45:38 PM: 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.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: wildweeds on January 07, 2015, 04:50:54 PM: 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!
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 05:05:34 PM: Quote from: BLRman on January 07, 2015, 04:35:08 PM
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 :tup: as Karl says" if my wife give me any window I'm gone ! "
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 07, 2015, 05:14:53 PM: Quote from: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 05:05:34 PM
Quote from: BLRman on January 07, 2015, 04:35:08 PM
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 :tup: as Karl says" if my wife give me any window I'm gone ! "
:yeah: She has def stuck her foot in her mouth a few times :chuckle: FYI, if you draw the raffle again, she likes tulips, manicure's, massages, and starbucks gift cards :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: hike2hunt on January 07, 2015, 06:40:19 PM: I never leave with the intention of coming back early. I even tell my wife I may be a day late if I get a shot opportunity on the closing evening. On backcountry travel trips, and normal camps, I always take a morning off about 3 or 4 days in, refresh the clothes, the funk and reevaluate my plan. I haven't drawn a premium tag in 4 years, but hunting 16 of 19 days is giving 110% IMO.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: BULLBLASTER on January 07, 2015, 08:05:37 PM: On the same hunt this fall i left early huntnnw stuck it out and killed a bull on the last day! It goes to show nevr give up.
That said i just couldnt do it anymore amd have no regrets leaving early except that i wasnt there to pack his elk.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 08:10:42 PM: Quote from: BLRman on January 07, 2015, 05:14:53 PM
Quote from: coachcw on January 07, 2015, 05:05:34 PM
Quote from: BLRman on January 07, 2015, 04:35:08 PM
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 :tup: as Karl says" if my wife give me any window I'm gone ! "
:yeah: She has def stuck her foot in her mouth a few times :chuckle: FYI, if you draw the raffle again, she likes tulips, manicure's, massages, and starbucks gift cards :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Don for get back rubs and hot tubs
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: Dan-o on January 07, 2015, 08:46:38 PM: I would NEVER end a hunt early......

Unless I felt like it.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: huntnnw on January 08, 2015, 05:41:02 AM: Never ended a hunt on a choice...I dont put in for hunts I cant do or finanacially do. Only hunts I have left early on were due to snow couldnt get into our spots or my dad sliding his truck off the road 12 mi in on a fs road. :chuckle:

Hunting is my life! and I dont get into relationships with a woman who hate it or think cause they are around means I should be home more often..NOPE! then you are with the wrong person. I am lucky to have someone in my life who hunts with me or doesnt mind one bit that I am hunting. Life is way to short to be spent worrying what others think.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: pianoman9701 on January 08, 2015, 06:27:08 AM: Quote from: BLRman on January 07, 2015, 04:32:57 PM
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!

I understand family obligations and emergencies. My best bud who is also now my hunting partner has had a couple things come up - understandable. Family health emergencies, etc. One of the guys I hunted with was a road hunter. I'd get out and go in while he sat in the truck and watched the road. I came back to camp on morning 3 of a 10-day hunt and he was packing up all of his stuff (including the yellow lab he brought with him). "I'm not seeing any critters. I'm going fishing." That sucked, especially because we had a pretty extensive tent camp set up. Never hunted with him again.
Title: Re: ending a hunt early ????
Post by: rodell on January 26, 2015, 08:30:17 PM: The last two years I tagged out on the first day of a 7 day hunt. I might have slept in a little, but I was out every day thereafter.

In one case, the outfitter was trying to get us to leave, even though we were waiting for deer processing. I looked at it as a vacation I paid for but he didn't see it that way.

People might as well quit if they are just going through the motions. I have seem some tire on a long hunt; taking a day off in the middle might be the prescription.