FAMILY AFIELD
Don’t let having young kids keep you from your outdoor escapades, including backcountry hunts. With the right planning, you can bring them along instead
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Expect to hang around camp more than on solo trips#4 MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS
It’s not going to be like it was when you headed out with your significant other or your buddies before you had kids. Instead, you’re going to have to scale back your expectations when it comes to the distance you plan to cover, or the amount of hunting and fishing you expect to do. For example, instead of planning to portage three lakes deep into the backcountry in search of trout, plan to portage to just one lake. Or instead of hunting for eight hours a day, plan to stay out for just four. Include the kids as much as you can, and share the supervision and camp duties with your partner. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work.
When you cut back the intensity of your activities from what you’re used to, it can feel a little discouraging at first. While it’s true the adventures aren’t going to be the same, I can assure you they aren’t going to be lame, either. They will just be different, and once you wrap your head around that, you’ll realize it’s still amazing to be out there. And the memories you create will be just as good as, or even better than, before.
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You’ll also realize that scaling back your trips doesn’t make them any easier. The challenges may be different when you have kids along, but they’ll still test your problem-solving skills every day. And as with any outdoor adventure, the ability to overcome those challenges will ultimately be fulfilling. Also know that the added concern you’ll have for the well-being of your children will make a scaled-down trip still feel like a large-scale adventure. Remember, a little fear is a good thing, as it leads to more meticulous planning and better decision-making in the field.