longest hunting trip

[lpcjon2]

What was your longest hunting trip away.days, weeks, or months.
1.Did you ruff it or was it a lodge type event.
2.What was the animal you were after.
3. what state or country.
4.time of year.
Thanks    

[adeeden]

My longest out of state trip was 20 Days chasing elk in the eagles nest wilderness area in Colorado.

Ruffing it I guess would be the best description Packed in ourselves, and had a lot of fun!

Now I have hunted 40 plus days straight here at home either morning or evening hunting though!

[Follower]

Spent 17 days floating the Moose John in Alaska in '99 and 15 days in '01.  Not sure how many times we set up tent camp on each trip.  Never killed a moose but had a few close encounters.  I've been on other hunts and usually about day 10 or 12 I was looking forward to the end of the trip - but on the Moose John, I remember thinking, I can do this forever!  Hated to float into that village on day 17 to meet the plane.

[Bowwild]

Lost Cabin, Wyoming.
1981
Mule Deer bowhunt
2 brothers and one friend
Camped in a tent until snow drove us into a log shed that was more than 100 years old.
I killed a 145 5x5 with an "S-Shaped" brow tine.

Hunt was 18 days long -- my tag was filled on the 3rd day.  We stayed until my brothers ran out of arrows. Then they filled their tags with a borrowed rifle.

My deer was the first the rancher had ever seen killed by archery tackle. The mulie went 60 yards after being heart-shot with a Bear Razorhead.

[Bowwild]

Oh, upon my return my bride of 2 years asked if I was going to make such a long hunting trip again?  Her tone was very interesting...much different than when she said "I do" at the church.  

We've been married 33 years this summer -- all my trip-hunts have been 7-10 days since. Yep, I can take a hint!

[boznarras]

In February 1988, I flew with three others to Anaktuvik Pass, Alaska (in the Brooks Range) and we dragged 4 sleds down the frozen John River towards Bettles, Alaska, (~140 miles away), through the Gates of the Arctic National Park. We wore snowshoes or skis. South of the park, about 40 miles north of Bettles, we met two guys living out in a cabin with a private airstrip and plane who offered to fly us in to Bettles in 3 or 4 days! So, having transportation and opportunity, one of the others and I killed two moose and boned them out.  
We were gone about 2 1/2 weeks. Accomodations were two tents, but one had a sheet metal stove and was about 80 degrees inside, while it was minus 15 outside(lucky,could have been a lot colder), so I rate that luxurious! The first couple of nights we carried presto logs we had brought with us, until we got far enough south to use brush and trees for fuel. We planned for and ate around 5000 calories a day, and did not gain any weight, what with dragging sleds and breaking trail!
First night out, we found out our wives had made each of us do a will and say where it was kept    .

[Shedrock]

I was fortunate enough to have a month off work this past fall. I hunted pronghorn, mulies, bison, and bighorn sheep. I hunted darned near all across this great state, put alot of miles on the truck, and my boots. I did miss out on elk hunting this past season, but there's next year for that.

I also had a week in Oct. hunting sheep, and a week in AZ hunting Coues deer and javis. Six total weeks this year, wow! I wish I could do it every year.

I sure have an understanding wife. Love ya babe!

Oh, my boss is pretty nice also. Thanks man!

[TKO]

In 1992 I took 35 days off work to hunt mule deer in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. I saw the first elk of my life on opening day of deer season, October 1st, near Pocatello. I was miserably cold and totally winded from climbing up a mountain. The elk, which was a full 7x7, came out of a canyon to the left of my position and proceeded to bugle just 45 or 50 yards directly below me on the side of the mountain. Great volumes of condensed breath billowed from his throat as he whipped his head around, flinging bits and complete branches of some poor evergreen hither and yon.

I sat, completely mesmerized, by the sight and sound of him. I had a scoped 300Win mag (I know, I know) in my lap but no elk tag. It wouldn't have mattered though because I was totally spellbound. My heart was racing and during those few minutes, I didn't even notice that I was colder than I'd ever been in my entire life.

I stayed there until the bull exited stage right and at that moment I felt like I had reached a pinnacle in my life. I felt, as corny as it may sound, like I was fully connected to, and an integral part of, my environment.

That frozen morning was akin to a spiritual experience for me, like I could feel the presence of God and I knew all that majesty was not just the result of a collection of random accidents but the magnificent culmination of a Creator's intelligent design.

Sorry for he rambling post but, this experience really made me take stock of what I thought was important in my life at that time.

Tom

[Steve O]

Few years ago I spent a month hunting Bighorn Sheep in Colorado.  Took the family and rented a house.  Story here:

   Colorado Sheep Hunt


Best month of my life.

Great thread!

I had the most fun back in 1975.  My buddies and I piled into a van and took a trip out to Wyoming to hunt "monster" Whitetails.  Now, we were all from Michigan and were thoroughly familiar with those critters but, at that time it seemed like a good thing to do.

We hunted for 16 days, lived in two-man tents, water came from a stream nearby.  Froze our butts at night (not too well prepared).  It was a great time.  I did see the monsters - still, with all of the deer hunting I have done, I have yet to see a buck as majestic as I did one one evening in Wyoming...breathtaking rack!

I took an "average" 8 pointer on the second day..the other guys all had lots of shooting but no score.  They filled their tags with rifles the last day of our hunt.

[PAPA BEAR]

my longest was thirty days straight.two weeks in the eagle caps guiding archery elk hunters and hunting for myself on days off then two weeks in burns hunting with my buddy carl.had a blast.

[Stumpkiller]

Balsam Swamp Lake.  Middle of NY State (hour drive away).  Mid October.  Boat across lake (in a boat I made in my basement) to isolated side with no road access because inlet & outlet of the lake are large swamps.  Two of us stayed three nights in a tent & ate only chili.  ;-)

 

 

[Whip]

Two years ago I was gone for a month, first hunting mule deer in CO, and then elk in NM.  

I was informed that I wouldn't be doing that again, so this past fall I only spent 3 weeks elk hunting in WY.

I have now been informed that even that is too long  :rolleyes:  

To be completely honest, she is right.  I think for me a two week trip is just about perfect.  Then back home to rest up for a week before leaving again      :D

[Ben Maher]

Spent 3 months driving across the top end of Australia about 15 years ago ... ended up being pretty much one long hunting and fishing trip ... i worked a bit across the way but ... it was only to give myself a break from hunting !
I slept on the side of the road , in the back of the ute and often wherever i stopped walking for the day .

Was pure magic ...

[DaveKing]

My wife and I went on a fall brown bear hunt a couple of years ago, we were gone 12 days.

It was a boat based hunt, we stayed on a 67 foot boat.  There were four crew members and me and my wife.  It was pretty much our own little private cruise ship, fantastic food.  I hunted in the late afternoon and during the day we'd fish, site see, explore the islands and just relax.  We flew to Sitka, AK to board the boat and hunted the southwest part of Chichagof Island.

I saw 43 brown bears, closest was about 8 yards.  I saw one monster for about 3 seconds but the shadows at dusk kept me from having what I considered a good killing shot.  It was the best hunt I've even been on, fantastic scenery, good company and it was awesome to be able to see and be so near to so many large bears.

[JamesV]

For 10 years, the wife and me would leave for the woods in Tn around Sept 15, and bowhunt for two weeks. Then to south Alabama for the rest of the season until Feb 28. You could take a deer a day back then, no limit. We would kill maybe 6 between us a season, probably passed on 100 between us. All small, just eatin deer. One year the weather was really good and we hunted 77 days straight. We lived in our travel trailer all winter and talk about "togetherness" it did get interesting a times LOL

James......................

[Pat B.]

I've been on quite a few out of state 7-10 day hunts but my hunting right here at home has more meaning than all the rest.
Here at home I normally put in about 90+ days bowhunting.. How can it get any better ??
I am truly blessed.

[bigbadjon]

Every year my dad and I usually hunt for 14 days in Myakka Fl. We just camp out in a tent. Typically this hunt is for whitetail so that the weather is comfortable. We usually also take a week trip in turkey season. Spring camping in Fl is sometimes unpleasant though.

[bigbadjon]

By-the-By I am also single so I am hoping to take some extended hunting trips for bigger game, minus the hen pecking some of you lucky fellows experience.

[mnbwhtr]

18 days in B.C. 1979 flights got delayed for 2 more. Got stuck in Quebec in 81 for 5 extra days, that didn't go over big at home. 16 days in Alaska in 85, some things you just can't do in 7-10 days. 26 trips Elk hunting average 9-14 days. 20 days to Africa, wife went with, she was ready to come home, I wasn't. Bought a 5th wheeler and plan on staying Elk hunting the entire season next fall.