DH and the elk hunt

MKDee

My husband leaves on Saturday for an 8 day elk hunting trip with his dad.  I'm not a hunter, and I have never really understood the draw, but this trip is very, very important to my DH and his father.  So much so that there was a never a question as to whether they were going--as soon as FIL was notified that he had won a lottery for an elk tag, my husband called and said he would be gone for a week in November.  

I have tried to keep a positive attitude about the trip- this means a lot to him, and my husband's grandfather (FIL's dad) just passed away, so a "boys trip" seems especially appropriate now.

I'm not looking forward to it (I have a more demanding job, and he does more of the child/house stuff in our day-to-day lives, so this is a pretty big deal), but I'm sure we'll get through.  The thing that is driving me nuts, however is that he will be completely inaccessible for the entire eight days.  There is no cell reception in the woods, and the cabin he's staying in does not have a land line. He says he would need to drive 20 miles to make a phone call.  

I'm really having a hard time with this.  I mean, if something happens to me or the kids, I'm fairly confident we could handle it--between my parents and my MIL, I have a pretty good support system for the week.  I'm more worried about DH--if something happens to DH and/or FIL while they are hunting, I will have no way to know until he fails to return next Saturday night.  I was thinking this morning that I don't think I could go on a vacation like this, completely isolated from the outside world with no contact with my family for that length of time.  It's outside of my comfort zone.  Am I alone? Am I overreacting?

ridesbuttons

This is the result of living in the cellular age.  It creeps up on you, the expectation of instant and accessible communication.  My DH was on an 18 day trip this summer in northern Canada and Alaska and there were many days he was out of touch.  He's been on many trips since we've had kids but this was the first one where he was unreachable for days at a time.

It was an odd feeling for me and I kind of hate cell phones.

It'll be fine.  He will have a great time, you will manage and you will get the added benefit of truly being apart or a time.  It is an advantage because being apart means the opportunity to reunite, 

groovygrl

I can understand the inability to access him concerns, but otherwise I think that it sounds like this is a really great opportunity for him & his dad (and I'm def not into hunting, just from a father/son experience perspective). 8 days is not so bad, think about the people who are single or have deployed spouses, etc. I was on my own w 2 yr old twins M-F for 4 months last fall and at first I was like ugh how is this going to work but it was totally fine. One thing I did was have a few girlfriends over every week one night for a glass of wine, it gave me something to look forward to, so maybe schedule a night for some friends over and/or for you & LO to go see friends. Or even a sitter one night so you can do something outside your house & unwind (or in your house & unwind lol).

Like pp said, before cell phones & whatnot, this situation was a much more frequent occurrence and ppl did it all the time. I think I would personally ask him if he could set 2 days during the 8 where he could make an effort to drive the 20 min (20 min is really not that long, esp if it is maybe near somewhere they could pick up supplies or a meal?) just to make a 10 min call to you & check in.

GL!

 

mexicolombiana

Estwd2:

I most certainly could never take a trip like that (I love technology!) and I'd probably go a little nuts not hearing from DH for that long. You're not alone.

You're not alone I too agree.  It sounds like a cool trip except for the whole killing Elk thing.  

snicksnack

My husband hunts too, including international trips to Africa, I am being abandoned in Nov also for a hunting trip and just found out he gave me the wrong return date and now I am flipping out because I have to find daycare arrangements because he will not be back on the day I have to go out of town for work ugh?. BTW he never even asked if he could go just assumed I need to assume myself on a trip to the Caribbean anyone in lol.

MKDee

LibraryChica:

snicksnack:

I need to assume myself on a trip to the Caribbean anyone in lol.

Seriously. If I had known that hunting was a guarantee solo-trip I would have taken up shoe hunting years ago!

 

I love this .  And I completely agree.  I need a hobby that guarantees me a solo week away every so often!

Thanks for commiserating, ladies!  Glad to know I'm not alone!