It is what it is...

[JoeFranchise]

The September portion of my 2017 WI Bow Season is as follows;

1) The wife is on call September, 15-21st so I will be on kid duty those dates (with the small chance of a babysitter one, maybe 2, evenings)
2) One of her friends is getting married on September 22nd so we will be in IA until Sunday the 24th...
3) She was able to switch her next call weekend from October 27th - November 2nd to September 29th - October 5th; so that is a plus (really had to try and keep my composure when she told me about the, now old, October 27th - November 2nd call week)...
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4) She has another call week in November 23rd - 30th (i.e. No hunting Thanksgiving/2nd weekend of WI gun season)...

To sum things up, my early season is a little hosed... Going to have to be on my A-game, and make the most of my opportunities, this fall.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

Blah,
Joe

[Octoberjohn]

I have a similar scenario. My wife booked a trip to Disney with the kiddos starting on October 1st! As soon as we get back I have to work the remainder of the week so I won't be hunting until the 3rd week of October here in PA. To be honest I haven't had much success in the early season. And I wouldn't trade a trip like this with my family for anything! The kids are only little once! I'm just hoping that first big cold snap doesn't hit until around the 20th of October!

[Blinginpse]

Understood where your coming from. Just remember not everyone can get out of bed and go get in a stand. I know we as hunters buy tags to fill freezers and chase mythical giant deer in the woods but the friends and family will be more in the long run than any Ol mounted buck. Best of luck

[<DK>]

Good post Joe Franchise

Mine got into some classes to further her career which means school 4 days a week and works both weekend days but I am behind her 100%! Family is more important.
That said, I have issues similar... mornings are out for me most of the season. Also there will be alot of driving fast after work to shimmy up a tree at prime time, iv contemplated just ground hunting as well. I will say this much, after my last season and this season's lack of time there is no sitting back for me. Im feeling pretty aggressive this year.

[Whitetailaddict]

We all just try to make the best of the situation we're dealt. Sounds like you have a plan and darkknight seems like he's full of built up aggression he's ready to unload this season. Lol.

[JoeFranchise]

Understood where your coming from. Just remember not everyone can get out of bed and go get in a stand. I know we as hunters buy tags to fill freezers and chase mythical giant deer in the woods but the friends and family will be more in the long run than any Ol mounted buck. Best of luck

Understood where your coming from. Just remember not everyone can get out of bed and go get in a stand. I know we as hunters buy tags to fill freezers and chase mythical giant deer in the woods but the friends and family will be more in the long run than any Ol mounted buck. Best of luck

Oh I hear ya. Extremely grateful to be able to have the opportunities I do to enjoy the outdoors. Looking forward to teaching my son the importance of a good work ethic and the roll it plays in hunting, fishing, school, sports, and life in general. I certainly cherish my time with him and the memories my wife and I continue to build with him as a family.

With all that being said this is the first year after a few big changes, which will certainly shift my/our priorities;
- Sage being born December 16, 2016
- Wife taking a new job as a NP
- I took a new job as a GIS-Specialist

Did not mean this thread to come off the wrong way, certainly not complaining, just a change in priorities and the amount of time I will be able to dedicate to hunting during the 2017 bow season. Thankfully I have a wife that is extremely supportive of my passion and I will still have the ability to enjoy some time in the woods.

Looking forward to the season; just going to be a little different not getting to chase early season whitetails.

Joe

[JoeFranchise]

We all just try to make the best of the situation we're dealt. Sounds like you have a plan and darkknight seems like he's full of built up aggression he's ready to unload this season. Lol.

Ha! He does sound pretty amped up for the season (as most probably are). Family is certainly #1 - but you are right, the plan is definitely in place. Just have ~10 early season beds that won't see a hunt this year.

Joe

[JoeRE]

Yea you might find that having less time will force you to hunt smarter, and you then have more success than if you ground out 30 or 40 or more sits this season.


That is just something I have found - more success now planning for maybe 10 bowhunts this fall than when I used to hunt many times a week every week. Gotta look at the bright side because God knows we all wish we could be out there more!

My goal is to average 1 hunt a week October-November

[JoeFranchise]

He really does love the outdoors already; laughed all the way through that standing corn field!

[JoeFranchise]

Yea you might find that having less time will force you to hunt smarter, and you then have more success than if you ground out 30 or 40 or more sits this season.


That is just something I have found - more success now planning for maybe 10 bowhunts this fall than when I used to hunt many times a week every week. Gotta look at the bright side because God knows we all wish we could be out there more!

My goal is to average 1 hunt a week October-November

Yes sir. I'm more of a 15-20 sits kind of guy anyway, most of which are planned (at least the way I see it ) pretty well.

The only day/s (if they even happen) that might eat at me just a bit are those couple of beds that require a ~ENE wind in the first 2 weeks of the season. In western WI I probably have better odds seeing a unicorn in the woods...

From what I can tell you have a system that works pretty darn good for you though. That 1 day/week seems to work just fine; I am sure it will be the same on my end.

Joe

[docwaters]

I have a great season planned, but like the old saying goes- If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.

[<DK>]

He really does love the outdoors already; laughed all the way through that standing corn field!

Not all hero's wear capes!

[Rich M]

Hi Joe,

I do stuff like that on purpose. The last 4 or 5 years I had been on hunting leases and would hunt about 10 days total. Either did 3 long weekends or a long week for rut hunting. That was my most productive time on stand. Granted, that wasn't beast hunting. Last year was my first attempt at beast hunting - shot my largest buck so far on my first day I hunted. Saw the 2nd, and 3rd largest bucks I would see all season. The largest one I saw was chasing a doe - also the first time I sat that given stand...

Guess where I'm going with this is that you don't need to hunt a lot, just beast-like and you'll see deer.

[Lockdown]

For the most part Monday-Thursday is out for hunting buck beds. I work tens. Some fridays will be tens as well, as the farmers need their grain systems going before harvest and emergency calls during. Typically get back to the shop when I should be situated in a tree. Will try a couple quick doe hunts though.

Wife works 12s often... those days are out. Works 12 hour weekends Friday-Sunday every 3rd weekend. She has a planned trip to WA to see my sister over opening weekend and following days.

I'm in the same boat man. Only fortunate thing is my parents are nearby. Without them I would be screwed, but can't send the kids over there ALL the time. Oh and had to use all my vacation minus 10 hrs for child birth since wife had a c-section. No rut week this year

[Wlog]

I'm in the planning stages of starting my own electrical business. Not sure how it's going to effect hunting opportunities yet but I'm cautiously optimistic that I can get 20 hunts in. We will see.