Fighting the wife to go fish/hunt.

[wallter]

Guys,
I am having problems going hunting/fishing due to the wife not wanting to get stuck with the kids (ages 1 & 2 1/2).

What are some ways/ideas/tricks you guys use to get out at least a couple of times per week???????? I seem to be beating my head against the wall.

wallter

[Guest]

Hey Wallter, ever hear the saying about the horse being out of the barn?

You may be hosed for awhile, so start making plans for "family" trips to the lake and fields as soon as the little nippers are able to make it. Before you know it, they are begging you to take them out, and then the tables will be turned in a big way!

You may try the old "horse-trading" thing, tell her to take off for a Saturday or whatever while you stay home with the rug rats. Continue to build up these points during the off-season, and then cash them in as needed.

Mrs. Zebich has been patient and long-suffering with me - even when the kids were small I was able to get out quite a bit. We had talked about that long before the kids came along, and now she sometimes elects to stay home for some quiet time while the kids are out in the woods with me.

[big_fish_guy]

there is no trick, at least not one I have found. It's basically a right of passage if you will, that all guys go through until the kids are old enough to take with you. Be happy with the once every other week trip until then.

One thing that I did try a few times though that worked was, call an old buddy that you haven’t seen in a few years. Call him from work, not from home or your cell. set something up with him to go hunt or fish, but then have him call you later at home. Make it sound like he is inviting you out. The wife will think it's great that he wants to get together with you, and should let you go. Caution, this is only good for one time a year.

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My Hunting and Fishing page

[dfv87]

Hey I feel your pain, I am blessed with 2 daughters (2&5) luckily I am also blessed with a wife that is pretty darn understanding about fishing. It has become much easier since my oldest now comes with quite a bit. The other option I found very useful is to start fishing at night. Don't laugh in the summer I leave for the lake about the time they are getting ready for bed. Those next mornings when they are jumping on the bed asking to watch cartoons can be rough but it works. I fish mostly for walleyes anyway so for me it was easy trade off. Lakes are less busy anyway.

[Guest]

I've found that a diamond once a year will keep the woman happy. It should never be a big diamond. By the way, do not get them from the local jewelry stores (overly priced), buy them from shopping networks (they are generally 1/3 the price).

[Gissert]

Man, I guess I am the luckiest man alive.

I can count on my wife to roll up at a deer every season, and she gave up her turn at elk hunting this year to stay home.

Our daughter turns two on Nov 2, and I don't feel I have missed out on anything on the mornings I have stayed home the last two years.

Enjoy you time with the little ones, as they grow up fast.

That said, I am gonna go wack some fresh Canadian mallards in the morning, LOL. I am just finishing up a whole bunch of laundry to make this possible before the Warden comes home from work, LOL.

[BDR]

Now this is a topicI have had some hard lessons in. All other responses are right on. The trading time and building up points is mostly the way I go.Thats why I am sitting on the computer on Fri.eve instead of a motel going hunting in morning and she's got 2 days at the casino with her friends. I have 4 kids (12,9,4,3) and it is alot to leave them home with her all the time.I am lucky she gives me almost as much time away as I ask or my concience will allow. All that bieng said it is a fact that kids will change your life and priorities I do not get away nearly as much as I used to.Now the kids are getting old enough to go with and enjoy bieng out, so I get to go a little more each year they get older. It's just a trade-off and they don't stay kids forever!

[This message has been edited by BDR (edited 10-24-2003).]

[CrappieJohn]

Find a reliable babysitter, buy here two items.... a gun and a fish pole. Share the shells and the tackle. When the ruggies are old enough, use the babysitter money for a family day of fishing. And be prepared to do a lot of back patting. You invole her, the rewards will come.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[Guest]

Married with children. It's a time of compromise for sure. I was a weekend warrior for years while my kids were growing up. I even tried to take them fishing on the ice but it was always, "I'm cold." I'm hungry." I wanna go home." And that was usually after ten minutes out there. I never forced them to go either So I bit the bullet and just fished alot less. We did spend hours and hours fishing together in the summer though. I'm making up for it now. It was definitely worth the wait. ...T

[scifisher]

I feel your pain. My daughter is almost two. My wife wants to have another. It seems that everyone gets out fishing all of the time! Soooo, I just post on this board and dream about fishing. Some of the things the guys said above are very good strategies by the way. Here is my advice, think machavelian.

Scifisher

[Northlander]

Hey dont worry SCi. Im catching enough for both of us!

[mistermom]

Forum Members!
As I write this my wife is out and about with a girlfriend. Tomorrow a.m I will be on Mille Lacs. Sunday a.m I will be pheasant hunting. Sunday evening I will be attending Simon and Garflunkie with the Mrs. She's getting in some fun and I am too. "Dootin-da dootin feeling groovy!"

mm

[Crappie Killer]

Grandparents

[basguy31]

Its amazing how much outdoor time one can accumulate by taking his spouse on a weekend trip to a bed and breakfast to take in the fall colors. I also have the luxury of a lot of lakes that I fish close to home and the fact that I can be to my hunting haunts in a matter of 15 minutes.
One thing that I try to do is to go out extra early so that I can be home earlier. I can get in 3 hours of fishing, and still be home by the time the kids get up on the weekends. Once your kids get older, then you can take them with you. Thats when the fun starts.

[Guest]

we are all going through the same thing. I am vary lucky my wife likes to fish as much as I do, But the problem I have is a 6mo. old. MY 5 yr old is vary good bring him a few treets and toys he is good for the day the 6mo. old is a different story he can not stand the life jacket so it keeps the trips vary short,But we mannage to get out 1 time a week for the last 5 or 6 weeks before that it was not good at all. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

[minneman]

I think Gissert, brings up the most important part of this whole dilema, kids grow up so fast! your wife only has them in mind (usualy) so make A conection soon with your kids. my oldest is going to be 18 in Jan. and there is a part of me that wishes I wouldnt have been so self centered back in "those days"

its been said already, its well worth the wait!
If ya have the patience to fish, you can deal with this!

[CrappieJohn]

Crappiekiller...I have eight of those...going on nine. Wrongo dude. This MY time to fish and hunt. It's the kid's time to pay the piper.lol

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[fubar]

Northlander, that hurt

Just remember the golden rule, If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy

[Brother Bro]

Wallter, I think there are alot of guys out there that feel your pain...and enjoyment! Try not to make a huge deal about your time for fishing and hunting... I can speak from experience... I would try some family time just going on the lake and cruising, not even fishing can bring you some peace ! Remember Flowers do work but......don't over do it...actually set it up alittle, buy some flowers and and she'll be shocked and will wondering what the heck you want..... and you'll say nothing just because!!!! then buy flowers again and she'll ask again and then you say Honey I am going Fishing

enjoy the time with your children you'll never regret it!!

Good Luck!

Bro..

[This message has been edited by Brother Bro (edited 10-24-2003).]

[Guest]

Wallter- Tricks don't work. Honesty does. Communication is key in times like this. Everyone has their needs in life and you both should discuss this issue and come to a compromise.

My buddy has three kids at 28 years old and I have zero. He's in a very similiar situation, trust me! They chose to have kids and he thought life would continue as it was before the kids.....WRONG!!
My wife and I have been married over three years and we are not ready. We both are going to compromise our lifestyles when children come into our life. It's gotta happen or it's just not going to work.

Children do grow up fast, so cherish it now.

[Aquaman01]

Wallter,
There will still be fish & game left after your children are past this age.

Rob

[traveler]

Trading quality for quanity works for me. I don't fish nearly as much day to day as I used to, I'm mostly home and running down to the shore for short jaunts. I save my time for trips and have had some good ones over the past few years. Friends ask how I afford to go some of the places I go and it's pretty simple, stick close to home the rest of the time and lay off the "toys". I also encourage my wife to go on trips with the girls, but she doesn't have as many places she wants to go as I do, so it works out pretty well for me. And the best part is that I'm here for the kids most of the time.

[Surface Tension]

Harry Chapin's "Cats in the Cradle"

Be a good father and husband and you'll get out when ever you want.

[Guest]

CD is right. Don't bs her. That is about as successfull as bs'ng your parents. You might think it works, but it doesn't.

Get your woman involved with a nice boat ride down the river. Great time of the year to do it. Put the pole away for one day, take her out and then get out the next day.

Can't beat a walk in the woods right now either........

Get her involved........

Good luck!!!

Gary

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[toenail]

I feel sorry for you young bucks
out there. My kids are all grown
up and mama likes to get me outta
the house. Actually it works for
me when i work M-F, and she works
every other weekend.

[toenail]

I had a buddy from the UP call
me up. Says, "hay Toenail, the
steelhead are stacked up in the
river down here eh, how about
comin on down for some dynamite
action",
I says, "I'll be on my way
shortly, buddy".
This was years ago.
I say to my girlfriend, "theres
fish in the river in michigan and
i'll be gone for a 3 or 4 days".
She says, "No your not".
......Silence...................
"If you go to Michigan, I won't
be here when you get back".
Let me tell you, ultimatums suck
big time.
And I landed lots of fish, too.

TonyS

[upnorth]

I don't remember fishing a whole lot while the kids were really little. When my son got older, about 4, he turned into one of my fishing buddies, that was great with the wife and could go fishing at will. My wife and daughter liked to fish too but on a much more limited basis.

Now the kids are gone, the wife likes to fish, at least in nice weather. That and she works every other weekend so I have those weekends to myself.

Make fishing and other outdoor sports a family thing and you will have time in the outdoors and time with your family that really means something (aka known as quality time).

Biggest thing is enjoy those kids, they grow up waaaaay too fast.

[Fisher Dave]

Im one of the lucky ones ...

My significant other tells me to go whenever I like, for as long as I want, she has no problem being with the kid. I just be sure to do nice things on occasion to help keep things the same.

It upsets her more to have an unsuccessful fishing/hunting trip than it does to have me fish/hunt all the time... go figure.

[Guest]

I must be the luckiest man alive ! I married a southren gal 37 years ago and we both grew up with our children. Our family loves the outdoors and what the old man up stairs gave to us to behold. Even though both of our children are on their own and our family has gotten bigger (daughter-in -law and grandchild) we still get togeather once a year for a week of family fishing outing to the lake or river of there choise. Thats how I get cool points with my wife !! Sounds like a WIN WIN situation to me !!!!!!!

[zappy]

I'm pretty lucky in that my wife likes to fish, especially when the weather is nice. Now we have two kids (ages 9 and 5) so I only get to go out fishing about 1/4 of the time that I could pre-kids. However, since it is a family event, we can have four poles out (instead of just one) so the overall fish intake works about to be the same! So hang in there...retirement is only 20 years away!

Thinking back to when I was a kid, fishing was about the only thing my dad and I did together...and those are memories I certainly cherish now.

A agree with Walleye Preditor. When kids are in the boat, bring toys and treats to keep them busy. Encourage the use of rod holders since kids can't seem to pay attention more than a few minutes.

[This message has been edited by zappy (edited 10-26-2003).]