Caribou Gear

2 Fall Trips, am I crazy? (eastern guys)

teej89

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Alright i'm going to start off i'm 28, 4 weeks of vacation and the only living thing in my responsibility is my dog. I also have a buddy in the same boat and my dad who's retired, so we have the free time. We were planning a MT deer hunt in November but I have this itch to get back out after archery elk, I'm thinking potentially doing the deer elk combo license and hunt elk in september, then turn around in november and head back out after mulies.

Has anyone done two trips in one year, driving over 24+hrs? Am I crazy for entertaining this idea? Or just say hell with it just do it!
 
I've done it twice, one of which was solo...both a week or two apart, but my drive was 12-13 hrs one way. Enjoyed em all.
 
Do it!! I wish I'd have started western hunting in my single days when I could use all of my vacation time for myself!
 
lol well dang thanks for the responses guys! Just gotta sell my dad on it and by that I'll say I'm going with or without you and guess who will show up :)
 
I have been doing it for a few years, and you will be amazed how much faster you work up the learning curve of western hunting. I have a saint of a wife, who has on one occasion, sanctioned 4 trips in one year. It was an outstanding year....
 
Last year I did 3 trips out west 2 of which were solo whose respective drive time each way were 20 hours (solo), 13 hours (shared) and 12 hours (solo). The biggest issue is solo with the long drives is that if you don't break the drive up, you pay for it pretty badly with a day of lost hunting time because you are so tired. 2 guys really helps the driving situation. Western trips are 100% about just going for it and you pick up the style of hunting a long way from home quickly the more you do it.
 
Last month I went to Adak Ak, in May I'm going to POW for black bear, in November I return to POW for deer and duck combo, and then finish 2017 with another sea duck hunt on the Bering Sea.
 
I will be doing two trips this year. Wyoming Antelope in September and New Mexico elk in late November. In 2015, dad and I went to Montana in the spring and were back in the fall for elk/deer. I do all of the driving, 20+ hours in most cases...but we stop for a layover about midways out. If you can do both trips, do it!
 
I say absolutely do it. No reason at all not to and I highly doubt you'll regret it and I think Randy says it best. "Hunt when you can. You're gonna run outta health before you run outta money."
 
Do it if you can. This year we hit Colorado for trout then turned around and went to South Dakota for pheasants.

As an option, I've been wanting to do a big game combo in MT. Drive out, set up camp, take the bird dogs, then hunt and fish for 3-4 weeks or so. I can't help but think in that time you could come across some decent elk/deer. Kinda one of those old-school hunts where everything is fair game(almost). That would save travel time/gas money. And I imagine in 30 years that's one of those kinda things you look back on and smile.
 
I do it every year, archery elk and then turn around 2-3 weeks later and head right back for rifle elk.

WHY wouldn't you do it?
 
lol! So we've all heard the quote, no questions is a stupid question, I believe I've asked the stupid question.

Love the words of encouragement though! Definitely going to tackle this for this fall, just wish I woulda thought about this 9 days ago and coulda put in for WY.
 
Other than burning some vacation time with the travel, go for it!

I think I'd do one long trip and try to cover two different main hunts (with small stuff/fishing thrown in), but you could spin it a hundred different ways and not be wrong.
 
I hunted in my 20,s, Single and good income. I only hunted deer.

Stupid! Me. Did not get the hunting until the thirties.

Lot of wasted time.

You have the time and income and support people, Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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