Jet lag is hampering my hunting rituals

I had hoped to spend some of the weekend catching up on my hunting, but the 9-hour plane ride back from four time zones away left me totally unprepared for early mornings.

Our family vacation to Hawaii was an incredible experience, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. But Hawaii’s a long way away, and the fact that it’s four time zones later than we are messed with my internal clock. I spent most of my time in Hawaii waking up way before the sun came up and falling asleep at the dinner table, so I thought maybe I’d be able to readjust to Mountain time easily. But that plane ride did me in.

We took the red-eye back from Hawaii, then we had a three-hour layover in LA. Despite being so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open, I couldn’t fall asleep on either of the flights. So much for sliding back into my usual routine. It’s almost a week since we came home, and I’m still not back to normal.

I set my alarm for 3 a.m. both days last weekend, thinking I might be able to force myself back into my hunting season schedule, but I was so tired, I slept right through the alarm both days. That’s how I know I’m in bad shape – I always thought I could get up to go hunting even if I were on my deathbed.

Hopefully I’ll be rested up by this coming weekend. I’ve still got a deer tag and an elk tag to fill, but we’re in the lull between waterfowl seasons right now. By the time waterfowl opens again and the pheasant season starts in earnest, I should be good to go again.

The interrupted hunting season is a bummer, but it was worth it. If you have a chance to visit Hawaii, take it. But don’t spend your whole trip in Waikiki. Get out to the less populated north shore, or one of the other islands. Maybe even sneak in a feral hog hunt, if you can’t bear to miss hunting season. Just plan your return trip better than I did, so you don’t get jet lagged.