EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Do any of yall ever get to feeling guilty about all the time and money you spend on dogs, hunting, etc.?  Do you get to feeling like that money and time could've been better spent on your spouses and kids?  I'm leaving on my annual hunting trip Sunday and I always get to feeling a little guilty before I go.  I've scaled down to one big trip a year, verses several trips to a lease.  I just get to thinking about all of the money I've spent through the years and how I could of used it on stuff for them.  We have a trip planned during the Christmas holidays for my daughter to shoot her first deer.  I'm really looking forward to that, but in the last few years I've caught myself missing them more than I'm enjoying myself.  Just wondering if I'm alone in this boat?

Nope

Its cheaper than therapy..........

I've lost about 6.5 % on what I've saved so far this year. I would rather have a good 6x6 on the wall and some good memories instead of a negative number on a computer screen. Besides, you cant take it with you when you go !!!!!!!!!

Absolutely not. I am working on getting my wife hooked and then ill never worry.

That is funny. My oldest son is the reason my wife goes to therapy. Her therapist said that I may need to have someone to talk to rolleyes I told him that I go hunting and I feel great.

I do miss them if im gone for couple days, but don't feel guilty, I work my hind end off all year to support my family, and come hunting season im going huntin.

hell no, enjoy life

If it takes food off the table then you should feel guilty. I work hard and provide for my wife and girl. Everyman needs to release his rage. If i dont do it on a hog its usually my wife and daughter who catchs it. So if you can I say go more offten and stay gone fewer days.

I hunt 7 out of 13 days aweek my ole lady gets upset about it but bills are always paid, food always on the table, they never do without. So I tell her when all that changes then ill do something different until then enjoy not having me around messing up your clean house and dirtying dishes and not having to watch the hunting channel all day. She laughs and says thank you

What kind of calender y'all use?

not all. if he/she dont like it, tell them to deal with it or find another place to live. if its taking food, clothing or shelter away from family then maybe you/we got a problem. if its extra money or uv saved it so u can get what YOU want, then to do it.

Its just me saying I hunt day in day out

Family first. As long as the bills are paid and the house work is done, I hunt.

I have never been made to feel guilty,i always try to give a couple days notice(easy to do as i base all my hoggin around the weather)and any money from hogs sold always shared with the family. My wife always said that she loved the fact that she knew i was in the woods on a saturday night instead of sitting in a bar or watching the dancin' girls, i bet 99% of the wives and partners would agree. Its not as expensive as hundreds of other hobbies out there and when think about it,it doesnt take food off the table,it puts it on. The main thing is to uderstand that not every family member is into it and sometimes u might have to sit out a hunt and support there hobby too but for the most part its a good healthy way of life and a hell of a lot better thing for your kids to look up to than a lot of other things!

Great post.

X 2, Great post

cur-dog, I feel the exact same way eveytime...you aint the only one.  I guess I am lucky that my wife never says a thing.  We met on a blind date and the person that introduced us was a lady on my hunting lease.  Before my wife ever met me, she knew and accepted I was a hog hunter.  My  boys and 4 and 2, I wont feel as giulty as I do now when they are both old enough to go with me and they can take care of themselves in the woods.  Until then, I'll feel the same way you do now.

  I do try to keep my dogs numbers down,  I limit myself to one bag of dogfood per wk.  If it takes more I part with them, not cut down on how much I feed, wish I could find 100lbs bags of feed(Lol).  My son lives out of state, and loves to hunt more than I do,  so its a family thing.  First thing he wants to know when he calls is about his dogs, and any hunts I went on, down to the last detail.  He lives in the city, so I think it is great way to show him another side of life,  and hopefully when he is older, it will give him something to do other than get in trouble, I know it helped keep me out of lots of trouble, and still does.  I can go to the local joint and have a few with my buddies and spend way more in one nite than I do on a bag of dog food!   " I feel Im way better off in the woods, than in town"   When I was in highschoool,  a old hunter told my dad who doesnt hunt    " Let that boy have a dog tied to every tree on that hill if he wants, and you wont be having to bail him out of jail"  ( Dowbelly)

Thanks for the replies.  My wife has never put a guilt trip on me about going hunting.  She has been with me several times through the years, but it really isn't her thing.  I didn't ever feel this way until the kids came along.  They are 3 and 7 now.  I've taken the 7 year old girl hunting since she was 3 and this year we are all going together.  My parents are coming along also.  My dad has been going with the two of us, and my little girl loves hunting with her papa.  I love hunting with them.  Heck I just love hunting period.  The last few years I have been guiding some and I get alot of enjoyment out of seeing others get excited about getting an animal.  Money isn't an issue I would never take away from my families needs to spend money on my hobby.  Everybody needs a hobby and everbody needs a way to relieve stress, and I can't think of a better way than to be in the woods.  I guess I just get to worrying about my family to much.  Kids grow up way to fast and I just want the best for them.

Keep those girls in the woods with you and it'll solve your worries. I hunt by myself but I love it when the family can go with me.

i got a boy thats 9 girl thats 11 i take them if they want to go even if it messes up the hunt their going to grow up  and leave soon least they can tell their freinds about something else than whats on t.v. my boss"wife"says if im hunting shes shopping so if i spend  she does. its been 19 years and were still huggin on each other so thats my thoughts however peoples familys need to eat before their hobbies do.

EVERY GUY HAS TO HAVE A HOBBY OF SOME SORT SO DONT FEEL GUILTY ABOUT THAT.  I USED TO HUNT SO MUCH I ALMOST GOT DIVORCED BECAUSE OF IT.  MY WIFE STILL BRINGS UP HOW I LEFT HER IN THE HOSPITAL WITH OUR TWIN GIRLS 16 YEARS AGO TO GO ON A HUNT I ALREADY PAID FOR.  BUT SHE SAID SHE DIDNT CARE.?.  DONT FALL FOR THAT ONE!!!JUST MAKE YOUR TIME AT HOME COUNT IT WONT BE LONG THEY WILL BE GONE AND YOU CANT GET THAT TIME BACK.  AS FOR THE WIFE SAVE ANOTHER 1OO OR 2 AND LEAVE HER A LIL SOMETHING TO FORGET YOUR GONE.  GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HUNT.

My wife and daughter have always went with me if I.was going to be gone longer than a day. Now it will be my wife and daughters since I have an 8 month old now. My wife understands why I go and she don't mind going with me. She likes to see the wildlife and eat good after it is harvested.

paying for the deer lease, corn for feeders, place to park travel trailer, buying dog food, wormers, vaccines, insecticides, paying someone to feed dogs when out of town and diesel money to go hunting keeps me on a guilt trip...but I take my wife, kids, and grandkids hunting....but no matter what I feel guilty....all the bills are paid and have a nice home that is paid for but I always feel like I should do more for the family... ??? :(

I bet that guilt goes away as soon as you hear the bay or see that big buck. As long as the family is taken care of and comes first enjoy what you do.

You should feel guilty for not going. You've got to let them know it is your responsibilty to put meat on the table. If you're spending too much, find a cheaper way to do it. Don't buy expensive dogs, raise cheap puppies right. Hunt on public land if you have to. Pick up roadkill to feed the dogs... and yourself if need be. Don't waste electricity and water, take a bath in a creek. For thousands of years men have had to leave their families to go find food.

I have never felt guilty about having the dogs I have had are have now nor the time are money I have spent enjoying life with them.  Without them I would be lost so whats to complain about .  Dogs have been apart of my life since I was a kid so its a family thing when it comes to my dogs.