I have a little boy on the way, du e August 21st. I am requesting any and all advice on parenting but am mostly wondering how you guys balanced a newborn and hunting. Obviously I am expecting a decrease in stand time this season but was wondering how you guys fit time in at all because I would sure like to get out a few times.
Is your wife/girlfriend going to be an at home mom or will she be returning to work after a while off? The reason I ask is if she is at home all day every day with a newborn and you think about asking if it's ok to go sit in the woods for long period of time. This could be your last post. You most likely have to earn your trips to the woods this fall. The new mothers are very emotional after the baby is born. Most of the time when the weekend draws nearer you'd be wise to encourage her to get out for awhile and catch her breath. The first 2 months are a learning time for all of you. You'd be wise to treat the mother as a queen for as long as you can. Then ask to get out, they maybe so proud of you that they will even suggest it. I had a difficult time getting away the first year for anything. If the baby doesn't sleep well then you'll have to decide over sleep or stand sits. But don't get me wrong. This whole experience is so much fun and it's over in a blink of an eye. Just remember you'll have the rest of your life to hunt, but not that long to enjoy a baby in the house. Best of luck to you buddy and also Go Cards!
Honestly, everyone's situation is going to be different. Put your family first, and if you end up with some free time to hunt, then that is a bonus. Especially if this is your first child. Things to never do... 1. Complain about not having time to hunt. 2. Pout about not having time to hunt. 3. Expect that doing something "extra" means you will get time to hunt.
I know better than that Vito . Im not expecting to get out all that much, and honestly I dont think I will want to be out and away from the little guy all that much anyway. Selfbros, she will be returning to work after 6 weeks. And both our baseball teams suck, but at least mines rebuilding. What I cant wait for: When he's old enough to hunt himself (if its something he desires to do) and the wife wants "breaks" and asks us to go hunting
One other thing, don't bring up the topic now. Never ask a first time mother if she thinks you'll have time for your hobbies after the kid is born. It will lead to certain doom. Just feel things out when the season rolls around. Like you said, you might not even feel like hunting much. Also, do not tempt yourself by checking the extended weather forecast. Hunt whenever the time becomes available. Seeing a huge cold front coming, and not being able to hunt, can make some people excessively ornery. Only two of the three people in this situation are allowed to be excessively orney. Here's a hint...its the other two.
What Matt said x200. The birth of a child is a sacred event. If you only get out a couple of times this year, so be it. Enjoy your time with the little one. And remember in about 5-6 years or so you'll have a new hunting buddy.
Play it by ear bro. But always remember this. Before u know it they will be in high school talking about college and won't be at home anymore. Hunt when u get time but always put that little boy first. They grow up entirely too fast.
Some great advice here so far. i would also add that generally lowered expectations are the name of the game. If the little guy is at daycare and you are off from work, then take a chance and go for a mid morning hunt, but be sure to pick him up early and have things in order for your wife's return. Depending on how close grandparents are etc. you may have to wait for the all clear when in laws are around, like slip out in the evening and return for a late dinner. I for one, basically didn't hunt for the first 4-5 years all that often. Now with a 6 and 8 year old, I take them with me as often as possible. Now my wife looks at hunting as a chance to get alone time. The time i spent hanging out with my boys when little is something that went so fast I would do it all over again.
Honestly, having babies and bowhunting just dont go together very well. In fact, having teenagers and bowhunting dont always go together very well. Like Vito said, you just have to make the family priority number one and see if you have any time to hunt. A lot will depend on how well your baby sleeps etc.,,,
This will be my first hunting season with a baby at home - so I'll let you know come January. My plan is to really cut back on hunting when it's not prime time. That means fewer hunts in early October, and fewer come December if I'm not tagged out. It also means staying home to hunt my local spots more often, and taking fewer weekend/overnight trips. I'll gauge the wife's receptiveness as I go, and adjust my schedule accordingly. If all else fails - I'll just buy her some shiney things to keep per occupied. :D
Actually hunting with a baby at home is way easier than doing so when they get older and active. My kids are 6 and 11 and I have suspended my hunting career until sports are over. Some of my best hunting was when my daughter was first born, I had no issues at all.
Well, knowing what kind of person you seem to be... I have no doubt you'll beable to pull it off. You'll be a great dad and the kid will love ya for it. Vito pretty much hit the high points. You can see from his response he's slightly "whipped". You're next. Welcome to the crowd. LOL Yup, you'lll loose some tree time. Yup, it isn't going to always be treetime on your schedule. Pick your times wisely. You know, weather, time of year and all that. Once in a while she'll tell you to just go hunting. Sometimes she'll mean it and some times she won't. You're on your own there. LOL It's not all bad at all. You'll be just fine. You make a little living at it so she's got to understand that. Long trips this fall are probably not going to happen... or at least not like you're used too. It's not all bad. You'll get used to it. It'll add balance to your life. Really, you may turn out to be a likeable fella after all. LOL Word of warning. Don't set the bar too high. If you roll over and play dead early on.... she's going to expect it all the time. Set the bar low. Be that little kid being dragged by the hair to the tub. Dig your heels in once in a while to give you wiggle room. LOL Set the bar low to medium. Never set it too high. ROTFLMAO
Depends on when your season opens. Also depends on what your wife's personality is like. Last year my granddaughter was born on November 15th. My son, who is an avid hunter, was worried the little one might come while he was hunting so he didn't hunt. After the baby got here, his free time he spent at home with the wife helping out. He stated that he sure wished he could go hunting and his mother even volunteered to go spend a week with his wife and baby, but he passed because he thought it would be shirking his responsibilities. Good luck.
Great point about when to hunt. For the last many years I seldom have hunted before the last 5 days of October. I saved up my time in the woods for when it would be most productive. Germ also makes a great point about sports. If your kids are involved in a lot of activities, you will be very busy yourself. I have had to cancel two bear hunting trips to Alaska when my youngest son made an All-Star team in baseball. I figure the bears will just be that much bigger when I finally get to go! I am taking my oldest off to college tomorrow. He will be 8 hours away and I am kind of sick about it right now. Excited for him, but really sad to have him gone from home. I will be gladly skipping some prime hunting time this year to go see him. If he wants me to send him money, he may be required to come home and hunt with me over Christmas.
Right there with you. my daughter is due sept 11th which half way through early elk for me. Planned that one wrong. Luckily my wife hunts as well and expects meat in the freezer and not by way of grocery store so hopefully will still get out. Already scouted much closer places to home in which to hunt not my ideal areas but makes day trips possible. We actually tried to plan our first around hunting season.......that didnt work out.
Put God first, Wife second, then your child. hunting will happen more than you think. I am having a very tough time in my marriage and don't follow this all the time myself, but when I do we are much better. but for every hour you hunt, you should spend that time or more in quality time with your family. Good luck.
My best advice is to just relax. Things will get to be chaotic and your patience will be tested, but if you just take a second to relax and put things into perspective, it will be alright. You're going to make mistakes, that comes with the territory. Don't be afraid to ask your parents and grandparents for advice, if that applies. Also, find a babysitter once a month. Take some time to yourselves. You'll find that nothing else in your life matters now. You may be itchin to hit the stand, and it's important you do, but nothing will beat the time you spend with your little one. Lastly, go on heartland bowhunter and watch season 5.5, "clay craft". Look at the relationship between a father and his son. It's quite amazing and what all child / parent relationships should strive to be.
