How much time do you have to hunt?

[Two Arrows]

I'm just curious as to how much some of us can hunt (in hours) each week or month. I'm thinking of making a job change, if I take the job that is offered to me, my hunting time will be very limited, but I will at least be salaried instead of commission. Anybody in the same boat?

[Deadbolt]

I did the same this past spring...was all set for turkey season and changed jobs.  Due to the switch I never got to hunt turkey but it was well worth it and am very happy I did so.

With my schedual (working two 24 hour shifts a week) I can get in the woods alot but unless I'm on a certain deer I pick and choose the best days instead of sitting there every day educating the deer. If I'm on a certain deer I tend to get involved a little to much and hget crap from my ol lady till I bring it home LOL.

[Hot Hap]

Last year I didn't get in the woods for the first 3-4 weeks because of work. This year is even worst. I've worked about 160 days of OT and days off so far this year. I'm thinking about taking the month of Oct. off sick or saying the heck with it and retiring. Hap

[AMB]

Not enough!!

[Tom]

Never enough, like AMB.

[Stone Knife]

I'm taking an advancement at my job, this season i won't be affected too much, but next is up in the air. I go every chance i get even if it means pushing aside things that need to be done. The way i look at it is , you can only hunt a short time during the season and you only get so many chances during your lifetime, so go when you can. Even with a career change you will find the time.

[UK Bowman]

Being that we don't allow Sunday Hunting here in VA, I work 50hrs per week, have a wife and two kids, only get two weeks of vacation, and live in the City, I get out for a couple of two day trips and about 6hrs each weekend. Not enough!

[oneshot1]

Self employed so I make/take time during the fall for fishing and hunting, every morning and evening, and all day on the weekends during Bow season, 2 weeks off for gun season, a couple of 3 days trips for Salmon and trib.trout on Lake Ontario.....Still not enough!!!LOL.... Read this somewhere..." When work begins to interfere with Outdoors time...Time to get another line of work " I have always taken that thought to heart, whenever I have started a new job I have made it clear that I needed at least one week off for both Bow and rifle deer, told the boss " I will work Christmass, my birthday, your birthday, and sunday's , but Deer season is mine." yeah sometimes to caused problems, but I have never hunted less then 2 weeks of deer even while in the Navy.

[bear1336]

All the time my old body will allow me since my retirement.

[TBone07]

This year I will hardly ever be able to go. I'm playing college football and on top of classes, meetings, practice, and studying I will barely get out this year. It's extremely depressing. I will cherish every second that I get out in the woods this year, if I even get to...  :(

[MI_Bowhunter]

Weekends mostly.  Some years I will take a full week and others I just make a few long weekends, depending on my schedule and how much vacation time I have left for hunting season.

For the last few years I've taken to more late season hunting.    I like to head up in early Dec for muzzleloading and late season bowhunting.

Regardless, its never enough time.

[ishiwannabe]

I will be starting a new job, and when not working I will be changing diapers. I hope to get out there for atleast a few days all season.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Uhhh.... My signature.

[Wary Buck]

While being a high school teacher has severely limited my out-of-state adventures for the past 24 years, if one does not coach in the fall it is not bad for hunting time close to home.  Fortunately I still have private access within about 20 mi. and I can generally fit in about 6-7 hunts a week (2-3 on weekends, 3-4 during week) from Sept. 15 to about Nov. 10.  I don't get after it quite as much after rifle season when the pickins' are definitely slimmer.  

As I get older, I'm learning better as to which days to take off and recharge my batteries, and also which days to simply cut my losses and head home or stay there due to weather, etc.  My wife and I have generally worked out a great schedule that keeps at least one of us with the kids at all non-school times.

Several years ago I told my boss straight out, that with two young daughters, that I was not going to short-change them on time spent with Dad and I was not going to short-change my own hunting.  If anything would get the short end of the stick, it would be my job.  But I've been teaching 24 years or so, and I have my stuff together here at work.

It is a priority with me to get out in the field, and being able to do so is directly responsible for my being able to maintain a sunny disposition while teaching.    

Meanwhile, head coaching (track) in the spring has severely cut into my turkey hunting.

[Rufus]

Guess what, retired this year so I can hunt as much as I wish, as long as my pocket book ain't run down too far at the fuel pumps and my wife don't miss me too much (ummmmmm, doubtful if nothings broken around the house).Good hunting guys and mainly, enjoy the moment.

[Sawtooth]

Wary Buck,

I'm a fellow high school teacher, so I hear ya!  I get out every weekend in September, and I take a three-dayer on Labor Day weekend and the last weekend of the month.  All of this is for archery elk here in Colorado.  If we could only move elk season to the summer!  Then I could hunt for two months straight!

[GingivitisKahn]

My son and I get to hunt most every Saturday and last year (and this one too, I think) I was able to take several Fridays off as well.   It's been pretty nice.

[draco]

Last year,out of our 90 day season I got in half day hunts 81 of those days. I`ve been able to do this most of the last 37 years or so. Man it`s great being self employed.

[vermonster13]

If things go well I only need about the first hour of opening day. When they don't I hunt the weekends hard and every chance I get during the week. We only have three weeks of archery alone so every hour is valuable.

[styckbow]

I was severly ill last year so I missed all of hunting season but this year I am still off on disability yet feeling great so I will be able to hunt pretty much every day for the next 2 months yeah it's good to be me