How many days are your out of state elk/deer hunts

[Deleted member 40728]

Pulled off the IL deer hunt last year for in 5 days including travel.

I managed to pull off an Ohio archery hunt years ago in 4 days and filled my tag. Left after a midnight shift. A 4 hour drive is easier for me though than 34.

 

[Deleted member 40728]

My goal has been to go every year... shorter trips makes that feasible... but yeah I’m picking up what you’re putting down. Hopefully we can talk AK over beers this winter and get you out there.

Sounds like a plan. Fridge is always full haha.

 

[elkhnter]

Hoping to head to Alaska next year. Planning omg heading out in July and not planning on coming back until some time in September.

 

[Nick87]

Usually plan for 9 days (Friday through the next Sunday). Hopefully head home earlier with meat in the cooler and a tag punched.

Same here.

 

[Gellar]

This year we will leave on Sept 9 after my kids go to bed and drive straight through the night. We will return home sometime sept 21. I always like to take the day off after I get home to clean and put away gear, clean the truck, and hopefully process meat.

 

[LCH]

First trip.. I left Indiana on a Thursday night, got to Colorado Friday afternoon, scouted, shot a buck at 8 AM on Saturday (opener) and was home by Sunday afternoon.

Now I try to stretch my trips out longer. All that planning and anticipation, it's a shame when it's over in a flash like that.

Most trips I take one week, with a weekend on either side. Sometimes I do two weeks, like my Wyoming deer hunt coming up this year.

When my kids are older, I may burn all my PTO at once and go for a month. For now, I try to keep it to one trip per month from September-December, with an occasional spring bear hunt in May.

 

[nontyp]

Usually plan 7 days of hunting for archery elk plus 2 days of travel time. Add a day if we happen to shoot one on the last day.

 

[Shangobango]

I always like to take the day off after I get home to clean and put away gear, clean the truck, and hopefully process meat.

That is my thinking as well. Planning on getting home on a Saturday and going back to work Monday.

I am trying to avoid thinking about how far behind I am going to be at work after taking two full weeks off. I put the over/under on the number of unread work emails that will require action at 200.

 

[FlatlanderAZ]

That is my thinking as well. Planning on getting home on a Saturday and going back to work Monday.

I am trying to avoid thinking about how far behind I am going to be at work after taking two full weeks off. I put the over/under on the number of unread work emails that will require action at 200.

I made the mistake once of planning my return from a hunt the sunday before leaving on a 3 day work trip. Made for a long night of cutting meat in order to get it done before I had to leave for the airport Monday AM.

 

[Gellar]

That is my thinking as well. Planning on getting home on a Saturday and going back to work Monday.

I am trying to avoid thinking about how far behind I am going to be at work after taking two full weeks off. I put the over/under on the number of unread work emails that will require action at 200.

if we take turns driving I can usually get my emails caught up on the ride home. Luckily I don’t get as many as you do!

 

[F250]

My driving time soaks up 4 - 6 days (round trip) on any western hunt for us. I like to have at least 7 days of hunting time.

 

[Mallardsx2]

7-8 Days boots on the ground minimum.

I prefer 14 days boots on the ground.

 

[Walkathon]

Usually get 4-5 days of hunting and one very long driving day on the front and back end of the hunt (9 to 17 hrs driving each way)

 

[runningmt]

One out of state hunt planned this year, giving myself 12 days including travel, 6 hour drive to the hunting location. Plan to hunt the last 12 days of the 16 1/2 day season. Most likely take an easy day half-way through if needed, depending on weather.

One scouting session already done, spent four days in early July reacquainting myself with the area, and found a couple areas I had not been before that look incredible. Hope to get over there one more time in the dead season between archery and rifle here in Montana.

 

[noharleyyet]

2 to get there & settle in, somewhat acclimate...4-5 for the hunt...usually 1 for return. 10-13 hr drive usually.

 

[CRAZYCARL]

Two days driving, one day for grocery/camp set up and five days of hunting if we're lucky.

 

[seeth07]

so many variables to answer that question for everyone. As a general statement though, if you work a typical 9-5 job Monday to Friday and the trip planned is over 8 hours away (basically meaning that leaving after work on Friday doesn't get you to your destination in a reasonable time ahead of Saturday morning) it makes the most sense to take off of work for a full week giving you actual hunt days from Sunday to Saturday - a full 7 days. Friday night/Saturday are traveling as is all day Sunday coming home.

 

[Zootownelk]

Typically 9-10 days (incorporating 2 weekends) for my elk hunt, so I take about 5-6 days off work.

 

[2rocky]

Typically 9-10 days (incorporating 2 weekends) for my elk hunt, so I take about 5-6 days off work.

This when I can...But when the season opens on a weekend it makes it tough to get the benefit of both weekends and just take a week off work. If I'm driving, just about everywhere in the Rockies is a 2 day drive with an overnight. So 9 days (5 days hunting) is the usual one hunt duration. I've done 2 weeks off in a row and hunted Wyoming and Oregon, but I was fortunate we didn't have to make and break camp.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Always a minimum of 9 days, anything less then that is to rushed for me. So normally that’s 2 times a year. My elk hunt in September and the wife/kids elk/deer hunt in Oct. this year will be 3 since I drew a WY tag with @publichunter1
Matt