What would you do

[Sam]

My daughter has a late whitetail tag. As you guys know, the hunt goes from 12/13 to 12/31. She has final exams the week of the 16th, so missing school that week is out. Too much review for exams - 4 honors classes. We will have from the 20th to the end of the month to hunt. It is a 3 hour drive to our hunting area. Would you -

 

a. Hunt the 14th and 15th and come home with plans to return. Quick trip, kind of early for the rut and she will not get any studying done.

b. Skip opening weekend and leave on the 20th and hunt until the 24th. And then go back after Christmas if need be.

c. Wait until the 26th and hunt through the end of the hunt. Hopeing that the rut has kicked in and she doesn't kill a smaller buck if we choose b.

 

She has a good tag and is excited at a chance to get a nice whitetail. My wife and other daughter are not excited about us being gone so much around Christmas, but hey, at least we will be home for Christmas .

[Scooter]

B is a good choice if hunting through Xmas is not possible. Bucks down here aren't following the ladies quite yet- at least not that I've seen.

[Eagle mountain ranch]

tough choice I would go for the time that you are able to spend the most time in the field. As for the wife getting upset they always seem too get over it

[audsley]

You didn't say how old she was, but I'm guessing high school. Sounds like she takes her studies seriously. I'd encourage that. My daughter was that kind of student, and it ended up saving me about $12,000. Wait til exams are done and then go. In other words, B. As for wives getting over stuff, I'd say that's a maybe. Wives are famous for remembering things, sometimes 20 years later.

[Ernesto C]

Do all 3 of them. If you can't do all 3, then use a) to hunt/scout the area and so she can receive a early Christmas present

 

Ernesto C

[Scooter]

/>Wives are famous for remembering things, sometimes 20 years later.

Especially when the shoulder-mounted evidence of the infraction hangs prominently on a wall in your house...

[deercrazy]

I would always encourage her to study and do well in school. She has a lifetime to hunt. As stated, use b as a scouting trip, maybe even leave early for points with the family, and then hit it hard after Christmas for a great buck. Good luck!

[Mocha1545]

I would always encourage her to study and do well in school. She has a lifetime to hunt. As stated, use b as a scouting trip, maybe even leave early for points with the family, and then hit it hard after Christmas for a great buck. Good luck!

 

 

this would be the best choice in my household. As much as I hate to say it, school and family are more important.

[1320]

D) Slip a lion tag in her stocking!

[copencoues]

Both my son 17 and daughter 14 have the late tag as well. We will be going with option A then heading back out on the 20th as long as need be to fill their tags!!

[naturegirl]

She can get a lot of studying in during the 3-hour drive and even if you are glassing, she can study if she really needs to, or driving from spot to spot = study time. I'd have her out in the field as absolutely much as possible even if her nose needs to be in a book some of the time and study as much as she can now!

[SunDevil]

if you can only go once I would wait until after Christmas. If you can go twice than go before Christmas and then go again after Christmas.

[donniedent]

What will she remember when she is old and gray? Studying or a hunt with her old man? How many finals do you remember? How many special times with your dad do you remember?

 

School is so very important but you have to ask yourself those questions. I wouldn't ever want to give bad advice when it comes to education but I can look back on my life and remember every fishing trip and every dove hunt with my dad and I treasure this times. I can remember every hunt I've gone on but I can't remember what happened at work just last week. Neither of my kids missed a day of school last year but at the beginning of this school year I pulled them out for a week for a trip to Big Lake. Guess what they talk about more. In the end all you have is memories.

[cramerhunts]

Some good advice given already but one thing I haven't seen....What does she want to do? As said before the studying can be done on the drive (that's a good solid 6 hours all by itself), during glassing, at night and so forth. As for the rest of the family if your daughter really wants this they will forgive the time away.

 

Just my $.02 from experience having similar situations with my family.

[Sam]

I agree with all of you guys.....but, I haven't really asked her what she wants to do. I think we sometimes forget that we should give our kids a bit more credit, especially when they are 15. She should have say. I just hope she wants to hunt as long as I do. And the lion tag is a must, but she already shot an elk this year, so I may have to shoot the lion.