Anybody take their wife with them on the hunt?

[Toby]

None of my crew can make the trip from Wisconsin to Idaho this year. My wife, who is worried about me being out there alone, has suggested that she go along. Although I would love to share the wonderful experiences of camping and elk hunting, I am hesitant to put her through some of the uncomfortable things, i.e.bathroom facilities=none! cold mornings=she hates being cold! and she is generally afraid of things that go bumb isn't he night. I have a wall tent and camp by my truck,but it is still a though go, she is as tough as nails, runs marathons, so climbing is no problem, she is I better shape that I am. Looking for a way to calm her nerves a little.

[Gypsumreaper]

Take her camping a few times over the summer

[Toby]

Gyp.... Good thought

[Swede]

My wife doesn't hunt, but she will camp. If your wife will hunt, give her some options. Does she want to sleep in while you go out alone on some or all mornings? Can you warm up the tent for her so she can clean up while you are away? Would she enjoy part of the time hiking and calling, then to wait in a tree stand in the afternoon? If you can find how she enjoys hunting, and work on that basis, I suspect you are well on the way to having a great hunting partner.

[Ridgernr]

It is great she wants to go, Maybe sleep in a canopy in the bed of the truck and use the tent for everything else. What bump in the night bothers her most, Sleep with a 12 ga. slug gun.
PM with where you are going maybe I am close, and can help alittle more. What time of year? Archery or rifle?

[elk.addict]

Probably wouldn't hurt to take her along. But, I went through this too; initially my wife was concerned, but after taking off a 1/2 dozens times by myself, she kind of got used to it. However, I hit the backcountry a while back and forgot to leave a note as to where I was going, and I got in BIG trouble.

[blackwolf]

Taking my wife with me from Wis this year. We will have a base truck camp with 10 by 10 canvas tent with heat but will bivy out with good weather. She has camped with me before in rugged back country so I know she will be fine. She doesn't hunt but will make a good camp and field companion. We haven't done this since BK (before kids) so it will be an adventure. My son is planning on joining us so it will be a family affair. I am really looking forward to it. Montana Bitteroots is destination on an "Indian Summer" plan that looks super.

[BRazz]

I brought my wife up for opening weekend last September. She was 4.5 months pregnant at the time, so I was expecting her to be pretty miserable. Though the hunt was pretty slow, she insisted on coming back the next weekend also (she's a keeper). I think part of it was that I tried to cater to her. If she wanted to rest and take a nap, we did it. At night she gets cold easily, so I gave her my new sleeping bag and used the crappy one myself. Tried to carry extra weight so she wouldn't have much. Etc.

Now that the baby's here, things will be different. I'm hoping to get a nice base camp setup this September, complete with air mattresses and cots and whatever else the ladies need to be content. But that way my wife can stay in camp, sleep in, read, etc. if she wants to take a morning off. If Mama (or 4-month old daughter, it turns out) ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

[Lefty]

My wife doesnt like the cold or getting up early.
I expect she will come out for one or two nights, mostly stick around camp and read.

[Drawnandpinned]

Definitely take her she can pack out some meat lol

[WapitiTalk1]

Perhaps, if we stayed in a nice motel, with restaurants and shopping nearby . Mrs. Phantom supports my elk addiction but no sir, she's not attending "the hunt".

[Duck-Slayer]

Taking my wife was probably the best thing I have ever done, she started going with me and my dad when we first started dating 12 years ago, now we've been married for 10 and have 2 kids, and she is a city girl too the core, so we make an interesting couple, i'm kinda redneck/country boy from E. Montana, you definitely want too cater too your wife if you want her too come again, we started off with tents, air mattress, sleeping bags, and I used my big buddy heater or a stove too warm it up in the tent in the mornings when it was time too get up, bring plenty of water and a way too let her get prettied up everyday, that type of thing is important too a women, after the first kid she was done with the tent, so I bought a cheaper overhead camper with A/C, now she goes everywhere and she hunts about everything I do,
She was a month pregnant when she shot her first animal, this antelope with her bow, think she was 18 or 19 at the time:


Than a little later in life, she wanted a big deer so she drew a tag on her first try and bam :


Than she wanted an Elk:


2 elk in fact:


you have too make her comfortable, from where you sleep too the boots she wear's too the cloth's she wear's too the meal's you feed her, you have too remember she in your wife, not another buddy... and don't push anything that she doesn't want too do, encouragement is a very good option, after 10 years of that I have a great wife and hunting companion... now she want's too shoot a bull elk this fall, so looks like we have our work cut out for us... good luck,
Matt

[elkaholic]

Taking my wife was probably the best thing I have ever done, she started going with me and my dad when we first started dating 12 years ago, now we've been married for 10 and have 2 kids, and she is a city girl too the core, so we make an interesting couple, i'm kinda redneck/country boy from E. Montana, you definitely want too cater too your wife if you want her too come again, we started off with tents, air mattress, sleeping bags, and I used my big buddy heater or a stove too warm it up in the tent in the mornings when it was time too get up, bring plenty of water and a way too let her get prettied up everyday, that type of thing is important too a women, after the first kid she was done with the tent, so I bought a cheaper overhead camper with A/C, now she goes everywhere and she hunts about everything I do,
She was a month pregnant when she shot her first animal, this antelope with her bow, think she was 18 or 19 at the time:


Than a little later in life, she wanted a big deer so she drew a tag on her first try and bam :


Than she wanted an Elk:


2 elk in fact:


you have too make her comfortable, from where you sleep too the boots she wear's too the cloth's she wear's too the meal's you feed her, you have too remember she in your wife, not another buddy... and don't push anything that she doesn't want too do, encouragement is a very good option, after 10 years of that I have a great wife and hunting companion... now she want's too shoot a bull elk this fall, so looks like we have our work cut out for us... good luck,
Matt

Excellent advice Matt. +1

[idahoghost]

New girlfriend the year. We're great together. She made it clear right up front never hunted and didn't want to, but might try fishing and may try archery, just maybe. Had tried wild meat and didn't like.

Took her the archery store and let her try a bow for the first time. She said she sort of liked it, and said would do it again. Took her down to shoot again, only this time a real bow was set up for her with a sight, peep, good drop away rest and new release. At fifteen yards, she was shooting 1 inch groups. The store owner walks by and says, "she already shoots better than you, Larry". Gee thanks..... She didn't know I had already purchased it for her, weeks before. Quite the surprise for her.

Brought her mom some elk from last year (mom loves it), Kim reluctantly ate some. Next night she wanted to know if I had more elk in the freezer. She'd be cooking it from now on.

The sum total of all of this. She went down to buy a fishing license yesterday and came back with a combo the big game hunting regulations. Wanted to know what controlled hunts were all about. Put her in for elk, deer and antelope..........who knew? Oh yeah, bought a new elk call yesterday, she wants to learn how to call.

[hornart]

I take the wife and the kids and the grandkids, we camp where we can drive and I have bought the luxuries to make camp life better for the women in camp, portable heated shower, portable chemical toilet, it also helps keep down the smell in the sleep tent when you have several people hunting hard all day .

[Shawn Ryan]

You asked for ways to calm her nerves. I don't know if this helps, but I take my disabled wife on a deer and/or elk hunt each year. (Not on my backpack wilderness hunts.) She needs me to do everything for her (get dressed, bathe, feed, hair, makeup, etc. and, yes, shoot). But she has a great time and is proud to be able to contribute to the larder. If my wife can be in the wet rainy field before sunrise and withstand the elements, then, maybe, that makes your wife think that she can do it, too.

[WapitiTalk1]

You're a good man Shawn and it appears you have a jewel of a wife. How did the deer get their names (Jack and Sally)? That made me chuckle.

[Shawn Ryan]

Thanks, Phantom, she is a good wife. We always name our animals. Charlene picked those names. She picked Jack because another hunter had shot his rear leg, probably the day before, and it was just hanging loose. So...he needed a pegleg like a pirate, and so...Jack Sparrow came to mind. She had Sally picked out a couple weeks before the hunt, but I don't know why.

[husky390]

I was out fishing with my wife once when we overheard two guy's in their 60's-70's talk about their wives. Guy 1 said "I kiss my wife goodbye every morning before I leave to fish". Guy 2 say's "Hell, my wife doesn't even roll over". My wife and I were newlyweds at this time and found it hilarious.

I'd definitely take her on lots of camping trips. My wife camps with me but does not hunt nor does she want to go with me. This year, she's going to try backpacking with me. The trick is to make her as comfortable as humanly possible so plan on that. It will save you a lot of grief.

[timberland]

My wife started bowhunting last year. After about 5 evening sits (Two stands, one tree) she looks up at me and asks "How many pounds do I need to shoot to hunt elk?)

[Lefty]

We maybe got a bit off topic. There are a lot of things you do on the hunt that might make the hunt more enjoyable for her. My wife was an avid hunter with her dad and a crazy backpacker but she has gotten soft I have three daughters, all three enjoy hunting and camping
Since you have a wall tent suggests you can have a few nice things in camp.
First get her own private folding toilet seat, and place it near the stove to keep warm
A stove
Camplights, (solar yard lights) lots of them: to mark the way to where she will use the bathroom. The last time my oldest daughter went to girls camp lighting was a big hit. People find comfort with light, if your near your truck rig up some rechargeable lighting and have a spot light for her.
A bed that is super comfy for her , and let her sleep in.
If she is into her electronic will be in camp with out you,
If she will be in camp atr times without you consider her safety concerns . With young daughters I had them practice screaming,.. fun for youngsters.
Get her some bear pepper spray and she wont feel out of place handling a firearm

[Toby]

Lefty, good solid advice, thanks.

[Lefty]

Lefty, good solid advice, thanks.

some of it learned from less than a great experience.
On a trip only hope she will hunt with you sometimes because hunting hard isnt what she came to do,
If she is a reader make sure she has plenty to read.
Now that our daughters are adults my wife dose go with me on way more outings. She did ask to be put in on the moose hunt .
She has gone with me on a remote trapline on nice days drove the truck to the next stop and read for a few hours. Same with a few duck hunts. She will sit back in the truck parked in some willows and read/watch Just make sure your wife is comfortable and keep her happy

[elkoholic]

I agree with Swede. If she doesn't want the early brisk mornings and doesn't mind hanging out at camp by herself, then it could be great outing together. And if she is up for the mornings then heck you may have future hunting partner. Heck give it a try!

[hornart]

Having my wife in camp worked out real well last year, opening day she stayed in camp because we had some of our grandkids with us, when I harvested my bull that morning I took my Garmin 120 and marked the waypoint, sent it to all my contacts, wife got the waypoint on her radio and she got the horses together and came down the mountain to where I was, by the time she got to me I had the bull all sectioned up and ready to go, we loaded the horses and walked back to camp, its great to have a wife that likes her horses.

[Mikeha33]

I'm unable to take my wife elk hunting, since I drive across 2 states to do so, and we have 2 young kids, but she does deer hunt and waterfowl with me. She always wanted to, but it was hard to get her really excited about it. The cold, early mornings, walking through dark stands of timber in the dark, and even field dressing our fish and game just didn't sound all that appealing to her. So, I did what every logical man would do.

I took her shopping. But not to Nordstrom's, Macy's or even Target. I took her to Cabelas. You know how excited a woman gets about getting up at 4:00 am, when the temperature is 19*, and the wind is cutting from the North? Not very. Unless she has new boots, bibs, a parka, and the best base layers we could afford, that she got to pick (with a little guidance)! Top that off with her very own Browning .300 WinMag X-bolt, that she also picked out, and she's up before me, packing, going through gear checklists, etc. Hell, she can even gut her own deer (I still usually do it) and clean her own fish better than many of my buddies.

If you're going to get her involved, let her do it full circle, the same way you and I would do it. Share maps, ask her to look it over, show her saddles, benches, water holes, potential wallows. Maybe she sees a spot that you missed. It's all about having fun and providing, so if you'll let her, she'll do way more than you asked (and probably take better care of you than you would yourself).