Relationships

[NebraskaWhitetail]

This topic was posted on another message hunting/fishing board and drew some very interesting responses. So with all of the diehards here at IW, I'm interested to hear what your experiences have been. Personally I'm still in that stage of trying to find the right person, so maybe I'll learn something from your responses.

To quote from the original:

"Now obviously our hunting/fishing habits have strained our relationship with our better half at some point, but how many of you guys/gals actually called it quits with a girlfriend/boyfriend or a marriage due to the amount of flack recieved for the time you spent outdoors?"

 

[blake]

[ QUOTE ]
how many of you guys/gals actually called it quits with a a marriage due to the amount of flack recieved for the time you spent outdoors?"

[/ QUOTE ]

ONE vote here!

 

[Steve-O]

Its been a win, win for me. The wife makes more money then me, supports my very expensive habit, and i have taken a city girl and am molding her into a hunter and she is starting to like it. I take her out in the ground blind and she reads a book so she dont get board. Great trick!

 

[dbltree]

I guess I'm a lucky one...my wife understands my love for the outdoors and the fact that I'm going to spend some money on my "hobby" (she just say's leave me the checkbook...

)
It's not a one sided deal though...I've spent some days at the mall (aka hell!) or wherever, whatever she enjoys. The biggest mistake is that couples get married thinking they can change the other...the odds of that are not good.
Guess I have my cake and eat it too...

 

[TallTines]

My first real relationship ended with a girl that I dated for 4 years after I realized I would rather be hunting then be with her.

On the brighter side of the relationship thing Iam getting married on may 20th to a great girl who puts up with my hunting habits and is willing to be involved in the outdoors with me.
Although I know my hunting will slow down this next year because I will have more than myself to support, but this girl is worth settling down for. But the second I even get even a slither of a chance Im out the door hunting.

I wouldn't be getting married if she doesn't put up with my hunting obsession. It's just that simple.

 

[Windwalker]

Actually my wife came from shooting 3-D targets

You still have to do the give and take thing though.Yes the mall and saying yes you look nice in that dear is hell. Do it with a smile and lifes good

 

[Iowa1]

This quote: "The biggest mistake is that couples get married thinking they can change the other" Is very true.

What makes marriages work is committment. I just celebrated 27 years of being married to the girl of my dreams and she seems so much better than ever to me. Give and take is important and being sensitive to the other's needs and desires. It is all about making the sacrifices for her when they need to be made, so she knows you care about her and she will do the same for you. Sometimes it comes down to negotiation. The first few years were tough as I hunted, fished and trapped more than most ten people put together. I am amazed that she put up with it but she was committed to me and I became so much more committed to her because she made those sacrifices for me. I gave up my Iowa bowhunt last year so she could go to Holland in November. It was hard but I know that the rewards for that sacrifice will return to me.

It is all about give and take, and most importantly being willing to give more than you take. If you both have that attitude, you will find that after 27 years you are more in love than ever and your spouse is your best friend.

 

[CamoMan]

Windwalker . . . you won her at a 3D shoot? Guess that makes her a 'trophy' wife .

 

[oh2b]

My ex girlfriend of 2 years was from a hunting family. What she didnt understand is why I didnt go shoot a deer or turkey and be done with it. Apparently thats what her dad and brothers did. She didnt understand why I was out almost every weekend of the year. And the fishing

A whole different story.

 

[River1]

[ QUOTE ]
"Now obviously our hunting/fishing habits have strained our relationship with our better half at some point, but how many of you guys/gals actually called it quits with a girlfriend/boyfriend or a marriage due to the amount of flack recieved for the time you spent outdoors?"


[/ QUOTE ]


I have a relative who was divorced directley due to his extensive time in the timber.

My wife and I happened to sit with a hard core trophy hunter at an IBA banquet a few years back. We got to talking about how hard it is to be succesfull, especially as consistent as he is. He told us that his fiance had recently left him because of his hunting devotion.

My wife likes to use those as EXAMPLES on occasion.

 

[avidhunter]

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, I don't live anywhere near my hunting grounds...so I don't get the chance to spend nearly as much time in the woods as I would like, which has probably been a positive thing as far as the marriage is concerned

 

[SaskGuy]

My wife's father is an avid hunter and fisherman and growing up I'm sure she saw how important they were to him and that her mother was very supportive of him. In turn she is supportive of me and I'm very lucky. She does however pull the reinds on me more now that we have a couple children.

 

[Shredder]

I guess I have been self centered and never really thought about it but she is still around and we have a great relationship. Over the last 5 years, she has taken an interest in my hobby and has started to join me in the stand and blind. I guess she thought if she ever wanted to see me in the fall, she had better just tag along

Now that the kids have grown up a bit and are wanting dad to do things with them, I spend a fraction of the time I used to in the timber.

I think if the spouse had ever tried to change my habits with hunting.....I would have just left...hate to think I would have ever thrown it all away for hunting but I enjoy this lifestyle and it is a part of me.

 

[Ghost]

Let's just say that good women are close to impossible to find...

Congrats to those of you that did!