I too use a Spot and as a solo hunter I prefer it to an InReach. I hit the "ok" button in the morning and before bed. The second button says " elk down, clear out the freezer". The non emergency button tells my wife that I'm ok but to send a tow truck to the coordinates on Spot. I put together a list of who to call from the nearest town before the hunt.
With dual communication, my hunt would go something like this:
Me: Hi baby, hunted hard today and found elk! Formulating a plan to close in on them tomorrow. Wish me luck.
My Wife: The pool guy didn't show up today and my mom thinks she has a brain tumor. Good luck.
Day 2.
Me: Closed with a nice bull but ran out of daylight. I'll get him today I hope.
My Wife: Mom's tumor turned out to be a headache but she's sure her pacemaker is cramping out. The pool's turning green.
Day 3:
Me: Another foot and I would have had a clear shot at that bull. I'll get him today!
My Wife: Jill called in sick so I'm stuck with her work as well as mine today. Still no pool guy. Mom's ankles are swollen. She thinks it's a blood clot. Enjoy your day.
Me: I'll be home later today.
I've really appreciate having the InReach. There has been a number of times where it's made my absence a lot less of a PITA for my wife... "What's the password to the...", "where is the key to the .....", do you have ..... phone number, etc.
On big trips it's probably not necessary as I plan them out and make sure things at home are in order. But because I know that I can talk to my spouse if something comes up I feel a lot more confident doing more spur of the moment trips.
That said, my wife typically can't respond to a text message when she's at work so being on the other end of this equation most of the time she is very deliberate about usage. YMMV
Two points I want to add. 1) It is important to get the meat a reasonable distance away from the gut pile. Often times I will pack my quarters a short distance to staging area where they are safe and visible from a reasonable distance so you don't have to kiss a bear. 2) I hunt nasty enough places that sometimes I can't get horses to the site. In those situations I carry two packs. I load both packs and take 1 a reasonable distance and set it down. Then I rest walking back to the other pack. I get the other pack up and carry it past the first pack and go beyond to wherebI can set the first pack down and go back for the first pack. I repeat this event yoyoing the meat to the truck.
It gives you bit of a rest and saves you some of the endurance fatigue. When you run out of strength - hang it up in a tree and come back the next day.
That sounded like a super strange thing to do when I first read this, but as I think on it...you may be an EVIL GENIUS!!! Totally going to try this for my CO, OTC archery hunt! Thank you for this bit of wisdom.
Switch it up and come out to Idaho. I have been looking for a archery elk hunting buddy as my friends seem to always bail out. I have everything you would need from canvas wall tent to ultralight tent with stove. Just need a buddy to help call and pack out elk with! If it’s something you want to do let me know. I am 32, socially drink (not to much) disabled vet and father of three who loves the outdoors!
They just upped the prices for Idaho on non res licenses and tags. How crowded does the OTC units get? This will be my first year hunting anything bigger than a jackrabbit and that was with an air rifle.
