Anyone else going hunting while pregnant?

KansasFarmMomma

***First off I would like to put out there that I am not here to argue with anyone about the pros/cons of hunting or if it's right or wrong...If you are against hunting, I respect your opinions but please be respectful of my opinions & beliefs as well.***

Now onto the actual post. Is anyone else still planning on going hunting this fall? I wasn't sure if I was going to but after talking to my doctor last month, he said it was totally safe and would not be harmful to my LO as long as I wasn't like hanging out at the range.

We hunt just about every season because hunting tags are a much cheaper way of keeping the freezer full than grocery store meat. We decided not to do turkey this fall, we still have a turkey from spring in the freezer but we just got our deer tags. Usually we harvest 4-6 each fall(2 bucks & 2-4 does) which is enough to keep the freezer full for the year. I'm skipping pheasant & quail season because I don't have the energy to walk the several miles through the fields to go find them.

As for deer season...I'm HOPING to make it out, I skipped muzzleloader because I have not shot one enough to feel competent, and I don't bow hunt(yet), so I can't do anything until rifle season which starts Nov 30th. Last night we set out the trail cam at our corn pile and in one night we had 10+ does, 6 very decent sized bucks, & 2 or 3 spike bucks. We've chosen a few that might be options worth harvesting. Due to the fact that there are so few people around where we live, #1 there are WAY to many deer than can be sustained, & #2 we can be very selective about the genetics we have on our property. There are 4 of us who deer hunt on our property & maybe 10 or 15 others that hunt within a 10 mile radius so we aren't lacking on deer at all. We try and cull out the smaller bucks(example - 4 yr old 4 pointers) and the older does. It helps the best genetics get a chance to breed.

We are VERY concerned about how the deer population is going to do this winter. There is already not enough food for them with the drought we've had. There are going to be soooooo many that don't make it through the winter. I can only pray for their sake that next year improves in terms of drought

angiecain01

If I was a hunter I would go.  My hubby goes bow and rifle hunting, and takes our son.  It is their bonding time and it does fill up the freezer.  Anyway deer is much leaner and better for you to eat.  I say if you have energy and your DR gives you the okay.  Go for it.  Plus how can you miss spending time together.  I think deer hunting is also great bonding time.

Frostycake2011

   I would go if the opportunity arose. Unless it was going to be a 20 km hike into the bush, But it is nice to get outta the house, check out the wildlife and possibly find some meat to stolk up the freezer. This year we were pretty fortunate that DH went out with a good friend, 3 weeks ago, and our friend shot a moose. A good size female. And after unfortunate luck, His friend actually sawed through the tendons of his thumb while cutting off the 1st leg. So needless to say, My DH did basically ALL the work(quartered it, drug it out with his quad and even load it) 

   We did get a full freezer though out of the deal, and had to pay 250$ towards the butchering. But we have plenty of hamburger to last us this winter, also lots of garlic coil, pep and jerky!

  Just be safe walking around the bush (as always) and don't over exert yourself.

We did some quadding about 4 weeks ago, and let me tell you, the rough bumpy ride was probably going to be my last, until I decided to try it to jump start labour. 

Moozilla11

I go every year. When I was pregnant with DD I only went Duck hunting and deer hunting. I missed out on the rest. DH wont hunt but I prefer fresh meat rather than stuff from the store so I am trying to plan an outing soon.

KansasFarmMomma

Frostycake2011:

  Just be safe walking around the bush (as always) and don't over exert yourself.

 I am planning on it  (the safety part, not the over exerting lol)

We have our corn pile about 150 yards from my kitchen window in a small field. If my window opened I wouldn't even have to leave the house! LOL We will set a bucket out at the base of a pine tree in the corner of the field and that's where I'll sit. There is no way I could handle making it out to some of our further sites.

Happily Overwhelmed

Props to you for being able to stand it!!! I'm miserable enough let alone handling hanging out in the freezing cold!

DH is going. I'm making girl plans for the first hunting weekend. Fingers crossed he gets something! Deer roast sounds amazing!

KansasFarmMomma

Happily Overwhelmed:

DH is going. I'm making girl plans for the first hunting weekend. Fingers crossed he gets something! Deer roast sounds amazing!

If you need a good roast crockpot recipe, let me know, I came across one last week that was FANTASTIC! I can't wait to make it again! 

angel1015

Our season opened last weekend and goes through this weekend.  None of us shot anything last weekend so we are going out again this weekend.  The only change I made was not sitting in my stand this year.  I just sat in a blind on the ground.  Luckily it wasn't too cold otherwise I would have skipped this year.  My hunting clothes still fit over my belly!!

KansasFarmMomma

angel1015:

Our season opened last weekend and goes through this weekend.  None of us shot anything last weekend so we are going out again this weekend.  The only change I made was not sitting in my stand this year.  I just sat in a blind on the ground.  Luckily it wasn't too cold otherwise I would have skipped this year.  My hunting clothes still fit over my belly!!

Good luck this weekend! I don't think my clothes are gonna fit! I'll probably just go out in jeans & a sweatshirt LOL. The deer are so used to us coming & going that it doesn't even phase them when we are out walking around within 100 yards of them.

 I just uploaded a few photos from last night to photobucket...the date & time are wrong(obviously lol)

 

 

 

And I had to throw this one in there because it makes me laugh! I don't know why but this one buck reminds me of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer! He's one that we've watched growing up and he's always just been one of those deer that you watch and just have to laugh because he acts like a kid. 

 

BFab11

We don't hunt but DH goes to the range to shoot.  I don't go when I'm pregnant because of the lead floating around, but I'm sure it's much less concentrated out hunting than it is at a firing range, even an outdoor one.

sept9107bride

go for it!  you've got some great looking bucks on the pics.  I think you should be fine as long as your doc approves.  Then when  your done you can head to Cleveland..my parents have so many deer around there they (and several family members) literally try not to drive at night because they are EVERYWHERE. 

MrsRucinski85

DH and I hunt but we probably wont go out this yr. We havent done much hunting since moving to TX two yrs ago because we dont have land here to hunt on and I'm not a fan of hunting public land bc who knows what kind of wackos are out there and how they hunt and that kind of stuff.

But I think you should be fine hunting. I'm sure you do it anyways... but I would just make sure the deer is truly dead before you approach. Also IDK what area your in but here you have to be careful of boar and if you arent in a stand (which personally I think is probably a good idea not to be in) you might want an escape plan in the event you run into a boar or any other angry charging animal. (just because lets face it we pregos arent as fast or agile as we once used to be)

Have fun! Hope ya get some nice deer.

vgreet

Go for it.  I don't hunt, but DH has filled the freezers with what he got.  He mainly does archery.  I went with, but mainly stayed in the truck.  My camo sure didn't fit.  DH spent all the time hunting he could because who knows how much time he'll get next year. GL!

kennysbabymomma

i must say first  i love the name you picked for your little one secondly can i come hunt with u? Nevada "deer" suck. i'm from michigan and i miss great deer hunting season go hunting and go get em! i wish them luck and i wish u luck to and if you want to sell and ship some let me know i'd appreciate it! happy hunting i must say im jealous

KatieMcClure86

Not going this year but that is more because of how far away the hunting spot is for us. Besides I had to get a note from my doc for DH to let me ride my quad, I doubt he would let me fire my gun... Actually he would probably be scared of hormonal, pregnant me with ammo

KansasFarmMomma

MrsRucinski85:

Also IDK what area your in but here you have to be careful of boar and if you arent in a stand (which personally I think is probably a good idea not to be in) you might want an escape plan in the event you run into a boar or any other angry charging animal. (just because lets face it we pregos arent as fast or agile as we once used to be)

We thankfully have not yet had a big problem with boer but they are definitely moving north. A few towns south of us have already had them and we have had one or two show up on the trail cam in the last two years. We DO however have mountain lions & coyotes around, so I always carry a .40 pistol along with my rifle because at close range the rifle isn't going to do me a bit of good. My "stand" is close enough to the house that I'm not too concerned however you can never be to careful.  

 

laken256

I went turkey hunting this season with no problems (other than never seeing a dang turkey! lol), and had planned on going deer hunting but with these dizzy spells I've been having, idk that I can/should be in a tree stand. I really  hate ground hunting for deer, but I may have to suck it up if I go and improvise this year! My turkey blind was just a short distance from my parent's house but it was all uphill, so although it did take me longer to get there, it wasn't too bad. DH doesn't really enjoy hunting, so if I want fresh meat, it's up to me! I say go for it and good luck!

P.S. I did have to borrow dad's camo, since mine doesn't quite fit anymore! lol

beka0404

I'm not a hunter (but I love when my husband goes hunting and I get the house to myself!) but I just have to pipe in and say how envious I am of anyone who deer hunts in agricultural areas. My husband hunts in a boreal forest setting (spruce, white pine, balsam) and the venison tastes so gamey compared to deer who are in less harsh climates. I'm jealous!

KansasFarmMomma

beka0404:

I'm not a hunter (but I love when my husband goes hunting and I get the house to myself!) but I just have to pipe in and say how envious I am of anyone who deer hunts in agricultural areas. My husband hunts in a boreal forest setting (spruce, white pine, balsam) and the venison tastes so gamey compared to deer who are in less harsh climates. I'm jealous!

I can only imagine! Ours are all well fed on corn, alfalfa, wheat & milo. If you go to cook the meat, quarter an apple & toss it in with the meat...it takes away most of the super gamey flavor. Also...tell him to shoot younger deer! LOL The younger they are, the less gamey they taste.

precbaby3

without a doubt, GO!  Venison despite how some people feel about eating the meat, is much better for you, it is cheaper and they are not injected with any antibiotics and such...Please don't get me wrong i will eat beef from the store, but feel it is much better for me to eat the venison than beef and if it is something you enjoy doing, definately go for it:)

zach_sarah

Awesome! I say GO!

I went elk hunting at 30 weeks.  We ended up tracking an elk and walked probably about 10 miles.  I seriously thought I was going to go into labor that day! But it ended well, we got the elk and it was totally worth it.  Hunting is such an important part of my life, I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Enjoy!!

shanabonner

My husband, dad, uncle and grandfather went last weekend and all this week and will go again during the thanksgiving break. Where they go is stright up hill hikes so I'm not going just because I have been feeling like a whale and cannot imagine carrying my big belly along with my gear up that moutain.