Long Hunts

[Swede]

What has been your longest elk hunt in number of days away from home? How did it affect you?

I think 36 days was my longest, but I have been away 30-35 days several times. To be fair that is a long hunt for me, and I get tired. I lose 5#-6# weight and am worn out when I return. It takes about two weeks for me to recuperate and then I am ready to go back again, but the season is over, and I have a long wait ahead and that is a bummer too.

[Lefty]

Well my goose season is 120 days long. When Our kids were young I was hunitng every Saturday. Big game I was gone all day.
However waterfowl, I was home to make breakfast, just a 3 minute drive to hunting.
But the longest away from home had been a 17 day trip fishing and regrettably not purchasing over the counter bear and deer tags on Prince of Wales.

Running traps lines I would be gone the first week then home every 2nd or third night but that was trapping six or 7 weeks hard. Came home, put fur in the freezer, wash clothes, stock up on food.

Most years while I was working. I would be elk hunting for two or three days; and on Labor day four days then back home.

This year I was in camp 35 days. Generally come home Friday or Saturday. Wash clothes, refresh the food supply head back up Sunday.

I am planning on a true away from home spring snow goose hunt, Taking off on the 10th or 11th, hunt at least until the 26th, if the birds are still around or Im having too much fun ,, maybe hunt ND too.

To answer the original questions My first elk hunt I was gone from home 10 days. How did affect me? I dont think it affected me, other than adding elk to the list of things to do.
This year my wife was dealing with my in-laws health, which wore her out. The stress was hurting her. So we timed to be home at the same times

[Indian Summer]

I left home in mid August and got home the day before Christmas one year. Decided to look for a lion for awhile before heading home. True story. Lol

I think another good question is what is the most number of days you hunted elk without a break. One time I hunted Wyoming for 14 days without so much as a late start or early quit. I was possessed. Talk about wore out at the end of a hunt!

[7mmfan]

I've been gone hunting 20 days before but it was before marriage and with no real commitments. Man it was a good time. Now at the end of day 4 or 5 I'm ready to be home and playing with my 4 year old son. I miss it almost immediately and long to be back in the mountains but I really love being home with the kiddo and talking about my trip.

[Swede]

It is good to see you post again I.S. I was wondering if you were well or very busy.
I have hunted 30 days straight with only a few partial days off to resupply or change locations. I understand your comment about being "possessed". I think that is a huge factor in filling tags. Some people feel they have had a "successful" season if they don't fill their tag. I can appreciate their perspective, but it is not for me. I don't have a problem admitting defeat, and have a satisfaction knowing I tried my best, but I do not call it success.

[Tigger]

8 days is the most days I have hunted elk in a row. vacation time and family limit how long I can stay out there. Man, 2 weeks....30 days....those sound epic!

[Swede]

Frankly long hunts are grueling and wear me down. I am thinking over the prospect of coming home just to get a break if I have not filled my tag. Maybe I will go for a 10-day hunt, take eight days off then go back. I do not know that 30-day hunts, along with five days scouting and setting camp and tree stands is "epic" or what. I was wondering if others here have that type of experience and how they manage. I wonder how Chuck Adams hunts 260 days per year. What does he eat? Rather than open a can of beans or whatever; he just eats the can, wrapper, contents and all.

[>>>---WW---->]

One of my longest hunts was up in Alaska on a bear hunt with Danny Moore (aka: Big Dan) He was probably one of the best elk hunters I have ever known. Funny thing is, neither one of us ever even talked about elk during the full month we were in camp together.

[Indian Summer]

One of my longest hunts was up in Alaska on a bear hunt with Danny Moore (aka: Big Dan) He was probably one of the best elk hunters I have ever known. Funny thing is, neither one of us ever even talked about elk during the full month we were in camp together.

Big Dan! I miss that guy. What a hunter. What a man. There aren’t too many people who have killed as many big bulls as he did. I think losing his son took a few years off of his life.

[>>>---WW---->]

Joe, I'm sure you haven't heard this story about Big Dan !

Danny had a cabin near Whale Pass on Prince of Whales Island, AK. There were four of us on a month long bear hunt at the cabin. Actually seven in all if you count Danny's mom (our cook) and Dannys two wiener dogs ,Frank and Princess.

We all had to sleep on some of the most miserable home made bunk beds you can imagine. That is, everyone except Danny. He had a nice comfortable double bed all to himself.

Everything was going great until the evening Princess decided to crawl up on Dan's bed and take a leak right in the middle on it. I'm not allowed to type the words that came out of Danny's mouth. But you never heard such a commotion in your entire life. Everyone else in camp was laughing their tales off!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

Now that’s a story worth retelling Thanks for that Bill, I hope Princess didn’t face more than just a few harsh words

[Swede]

I doubt the little puddle was Princess' fault. She was probably scared something awful by the loud snoring in the room.

[saddlesore]

The older I get, the longer the hunts seem.When I was younger,the hunts were too short

[Thegreatwapiti]

Last year, I elk hunted 12 days in a row (backcountry), came home for 2 days to wash clothes and get new supplies, and back up for 4 more days. 16 days of a 28 day season. Planning atleast that many days this year......CAN'T WAIT!!

[WapitiTalk1]

I try my best to do at least two weeks, preferably three, in my annual OOS hunts. I save a bit of accrued leave (ya Saddlesore, Lefty, Swede, WW, I’m still on the clock for a few more years) to do a bit of hunting in my home state. All bets are off once I finally retire, retire. I may have to buy one of those fancy GPS tracker thingamajigs so Mrs Wapiti can track me

[Swede]

I hunted wapiti with RJ one season, and I think he does it about as well as any for minimizing fatigue. He goes into town about every ten days and gets groceries, does laundry etc. I don't remember if he hunted part of the off day or not, but he and his partner make good use of their time. After hearing a cougar scream near their tent, I don't know if they slept well or not for the remainder of the night, but they seemed ok to me. I slept well in the tent next door.

[Billy Goat]

our rifle hunts are typically 2 full weeks of camping for me, but only hunting 5-8 days of that, depending on the season.

bow hunts typically 12 days long, hunting about 10 of those. we take a half-day mid trip to rebound a bit.

no matter what, I've typically lost about 8#/trip, completely exhausted, and missing wife & kids fiercely til we get back home. then I start missing the mountains, again.