As I write this, it is the beginning of August, which in our house means one thing: it’s almost hunting season. Yes, the tags may not be good until September first, but the preparation is in full swing. My husband has been spending the weekends in his elk unit since mid-July, seeing more of his hunting buddy than he sees the kids and me. The usual.
I know there are many of you out there who will not bat an eye when I tell you that at this very moment my husband is sleeping in a hammock in our yard to see if he likes it before taking it scouting this weekend. He’s probably watching elk hunting videos on his phone right now too. Kind of hoping it rains tonight so he can also test out the rain fly….
For the family of the hunting enthusiast, the end of summer isn’t just about kids going back to school. It’s about preparing for what has the potential to be the most expensive series of camping trips you’ve ever seen. (It is called hunting for a reason.) There is gear to purchase, bows and rifles to sight in, campers to be packed, MASSIVE quantities of dehydrated meals and snacks to be bought. And of course all the washing of camo in the scent locking soap that has to go in the special box afterward to make it smell like the forest.
When I first met my husband, he told me he was a hunter, of ducks in particular, and that I would not see him on weekends from September until February. He wasn’t kidding. So I gradually started joining him, and while I’m nowhere near as hard core, I enjoy hunting too. Then the kids came along (planned around hunting season, of course). And I was once again left behind. Over the years he’s added in elk, deer, antelope, and turkey. Basically there’s now a 3-month period in the summer when nothing is in season and I’m not washing camo.
For the wife of the hunting enthusiast, this time of year brings a mixture of dread and excitement.
A time of year when my husband is gone for weeks at a time and I wait each night for my phone to ding. This ding is from the app associated with the emergency GPS that I make him carry that tells me he’s ok. It has 3 buttons, which we refer to as “I’m fine,” “I did something stupid,” and “Send the helicopter!” I also wait for word that all of this preparation has not been in vain, hoping that he won’t come home empty handed. This we do not hear the end of until the following year when there is a new story to tell.
However, there are several things to look forward to as the season begins.
First of all, there’s good eating ahead! Provided the hunt is successful of course. Secondly, the Netflix account is ALL YOURS. Binge watch away! Next, there’s no back and forth about what to eat for dinner and at what time. When the kids are hungry, we eat! Chicken nuggets again? Why not? Also my house seems to stay cleaner while my husband is gone. Leading up to and following a hunt is a completely different story.
Most importantly, hunting season is the time of year when my husband gets to enjoy the activity he is most passionate about. As envious as I may be that he gets to disappear into the woods for two weeks (can you IMAGINE!) without our world crashing down, I wouldn’t change it.
So to my fellow hunting wives, I say this. I hope you have lots of help and support with your kids this season. May your spouse shoot straight and hunt safely. May your freezer be full, your Pinterest recipe board loaded, and your bank account stay in the green.
And as my friend Rachel reminded me: “DO NOT ask what’s in the mason jar in the fridge. It could be deer testicles marinating in vodka because he’s making his own attractant.”
