Natural progression of things

[RUGER]

I have been deer hunting for over 30 years.
There have been countless Friday nights spent tossing and turning waiting on opening day of bow season.

Deer season has been open for over a month in KY and has been open several weeks in TN.
I haven't even gone yet.

Body has a couple issues that makes mobility an issue and comfort is something that apparently is a thing of the past.

I had to pass my bow down to my son because I can't pull it anymore.
Tried the crossbow thing, not for me.
Got a bow to use but I don't have the fire.

As with all young men, my son's fire to deer hunt is but a smolder right now.
He has a great girlfriend and of course he spends alot of time with her and away from me and hunting and fishing.

His fire for hunting is there but it is consumed by duck hunting and the thoughts of upcoming duck season.

My sole happiness and mostly my sole purpose for deer hunting over the last 11 or 12 years has been to teach my son woodsmanship and share in his happiness, success and alas failures in the woods.

Without that to push me, I have nothing left to make me go.

Still love to fish and have been doing more and more of it.
I can still do that without TOO much pain and I don't pay for it for days afterwards.

How did you guys with kids keep the fire when your partner took a break?

 

[in the dog house]

Find another young hunter to mentor

 

[catman529]

I noticed you were only posting in the fishing forum I bet you will go kill a deer at some point before January.

 

[KENBOB10]

Go if you want to go. If not, go fishing. There is one thing for sure and certain, he WILL be back. Might take a few years, but count on it.

 

[Trevor2]

Told the gf when we got together hunting comes first. Spend as much time with dad hunting as possible and I'm 25 now

 

[Trevor2]

I did feel this last year though...dad had knee replacement and couldn't hunt and I just really didn't care to hunt much guess it's bc it wasn't the same idk

 

[treefarmer]

Take up duck hunting!

 

[X-Tennessean]

Kinda in the same boat as you Ruger but roles reversed I guess you'd say. Mine is with my father, like yourself he raised me to the same principals and no longer cares for deer hunting much. He will go 2-3 times a year and thats pretty much it. It doesn't feel quite the same just to be honest about it and it crosses my mind quite often. Fortunately I have 2 nephews that I am able to mentor and teach as my father taught me. Hoping one day soon I can rely on them to have my spot ready and me just show up to hunt with them !

 

[CBU93]

Leave the deer alone for a while...reestablish the joy of small game.

 

[Winchester]

I grew up hunting with my dad and still do to this day. I too have spent the last 10 yrs teaching and watching my boys and I gotta tell u I truly dread the day and hope it never comes that I don't have the boys and my dad to hunt with. I'm sure it may happen but I'm praying it doesn't. The lakes and woods are my livelihood!!! I hope it all comes back for u Ruger!!!

 

[BSK]

Just don't pressure yourself to do something just because of "tradition." If deer hunting is not your thing anymore, so be it. Maybe you will come back to it some day, and maybe you won't. We all grow and change during our lives, and in our later years it isn't at all uncommon to pick up completely new and unexpected hobbies and passions. Go with it. Free yourself to try new things. If hunting draws you back, great. If not, expand your horizons.

 

[rem270]

Just don't pressure yourself to do something just because of "tradition." If deer hunting is not your thing anymore, so be it. Maybe you will come back to it some day, and maybe you won't. We all grow and change during our lives, and in our later years it isn't at all uncommon to pick up completely new and unexpected hobbies and passions. Go with it. Free yourself to try new things. If hunting draws you back, great. If not, expand your horizons.

Exactly what he said! Don't make yourself go just because you've done it for 30 years. You may take 1 yr off and that little of time off may strike that fire again with you.

I didn't hunt a lot last year. Don't know why just didn't have the desire to go much. I had better deer on camera last year than i do this year and want to go everyday this year for some reason.

 

[moondawg]

What BSK said. Maybe this is the time to delve more into trout fishing. Or something else you've been wanting to do. Don't think of it as quitting deer hunting...think of it as taking a time out. Temporarily, not permanent.

 

[megalomaniac]

Do what I do...

Only hunt during the very best periods (rut). I don't do that by choice, but because I have 3 little ones and just don't have the time to go as much as I would like.

When I was a teenager, I always broke up with my girlfriend at the start of deer season, and didn't bother dating again until after season was over. I couldn't imagine choosing a girl over hunting

This year, I elk hunted first week of September for myself.

Got Juvie weekend with my eldest daughter coming up this weekend.

MS juvie hunt in MS with middle child Nov 8-9.

5 days hunting rut in TN with friends mid Nov with ML

4 days hunting with the kids in TN opening week

No hunting till rut in the MS delta around Christmas- taking son for 3 days then.

Another hunt for just me outside Starkville Jan 1 during their peak rut

Hunting with the kids in South MS during peak rut Mid Jan to end of Feb.

That way, except for the early season juvie hunts, I'm only in the woods during peak rut times for each area. Makes hunting a lot more fun!

I don't know if I'll ever get burned out on deer hunting... I'm always trying new experiments on the properties... this year I may just experiment and see how many bucks we can kill in 1 year and see how that affects the age structure for next year. I think we can take 20-25 bucks between myself, friends, and kids this year in less than 10 days total hunting.

 

[deerhunter10]

I'm opposite I hunt way more then dad he has a toughw work schedule but his drive has gone down hill not the end of the world go if you want don't if you don't. But IMO as ducky as it is to "loose" a hunting partner I would say you're drive is still there just hidden because its not normal to go without him. Fish if it is what makes you happy take you're wife find someone.

 

[gator-n-buck]

Everything goes full circle especially when your kids become young adults. There's a period where must of us that grew up hunting venture off with other interest (girls/boys, sports, college, and other hobbies). You will find when they get a little older and settle down that hunting becomes a priority again.

As far as you.... Get up and go hunting and no excuses...

 

[bigtex]

About the time you think its gone "full circle" hopefully you'll have some grandkids.
That is my case anyway. My grandson and I are looking forward to spending some time in the stand together this weekend.
Hopefully there will always be someone to mentor and keep that spark alive.

 

[TheLBLman]

I think most of us gung-ho passionate deer hunters have been guilty of believing more is better. But we really can have too much of a good thing, at which point it becomes, even if subconscious, more dreaded than enjoyed, more work we force upon ourselves instead of fun.

I can remember at Age 22 hunting every single day of Tennessee's early archery season. Even at that young age, I was really looking forward to the last day, as was "worn out" and looking forward to going back to work. Back then, the deer season closed on October 31st, and remained closed until gun season opened. Having no open deer season in between archery and rifle, kinda forced a better balance of other hunting and other things we did for fun.

I think the trick for me has been to focus more on the quality of the deer hunting than the quantity of the deer hunting, and to seek a better balance between all those things I enjoy. Much of my early bow hunting has been replaced with more scouting and hiking, working with trail cams (both for deer and monitoring property lines).

Still, much of my year-round activities are some how tied into my deer hunting. Even much of my turkey hunting is as much about seeking deer trails, looking for shed antlers, and learning the land layout better for the next deer season. There's really a lot more to enjoying the deer hunting than just sitting and waiting on a deer to come along. Maybe the stand time just becomes the icing on the cake.

Hopefully there will always be someone to mentor and keep that spark alive.

I believe that is a big key to it ---- being able to share these experiences with friends and family.

 

[buckaroo]

You haven't been yet. I have had years that way. But after I go a couple of times it comes back!

 

[BSK]

I believe that is a big key to it ---- being able to share these experiences with friends and family.

I couldn't agree more Wes. I've hunted so many years that eventually I accomplished every deer hunting goal I ever set for myself. Yet eventually I realized the most "fun" part of deer hunting was those aspects shared with friends and family. Now I hunt more just to have hunted with my favorite people than I do to kill anything in particular.

 

[Mike Belt]

OK you guys convinced me. Anyone want to buy 20 various stands, a bunch of camo clothing, several different calibers of rifles, a couple of muzzleloaders, a couple of bows, and a bunch of odds and ends gear? Just kidding but less and less of it gets used every year now. My archery hunting has dwindled to 1/2 dozen hunts per season. That fire is gone and I'd rather spend my time in more opportunistic seasons. I really think I missed my calling because I'd almost rather scout and hang stands than to actually hunt them. (Goes back to that anticipation thing).

Prime time hunting is my foremost interest. Even at that sometimes it's hard to make repeated daily trips especially if none of them are panning out. Still, during that time frame I can't imagine not being in a stand. On those days I sit it out and the day turns out to be a perfect hunting day I kick myself for not going. I've almost always been a solo hunter which means I've almost always hunted for the thrill of the hunt as opposed to the comradery... and I've spent a lot of time in the woods. I enjoy hunting with someone but that's not the draw. I'd love to get my grandkids into it but 3 of my 4 kids don't hunt and I doubt that over 1 of my grandkids will.

 

[KENBOB10]

I always enjoy prepping for hunts. Still get a kick out of it.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Take up duck hunting!

x2 Ruger.

It can be work in the beginning and costly.... but some of my best memories growing up were duck hunting with my uncle and his buddies on the Tn. River and Birdsong Creek backwaters. Best thing about a duckblind... if it is rainy or really cold, you can huddle around a heater in back. Then with a "spotter" keeping watch, when it's time to call/shoot, ease up to the shooting holes. We always had a charcoal stove and eventually went to a propane/gas stove from an RV. Worked great for warming food or baking toast/biscuits/sweetrolls in the oven... and frying bacon/eggs/ham/sausage on top. Some of the best breakfasts and wild game lunches were had in a duckblind on a cold day. You will have good days and bad... but the memories will last a lifetime.

I have moved away and most of my uncles buddies all but got out of duck hunting. My uncle still hunts but only when he wants to and the ducks are "there".... I miss those days, but will always remember them!!

 

[BSK]

I really think I missed my calling because I'd almost rather scout and hang stands than to actually hunt them.

Honestly, I enjoy running trail-cams more than I do hunting. In fact, that is just about all I do for clients in the fall--help them set up cameras and analyze their pictures. Lately I've been analyzing >25,000/week. Love it too!

 

[TheLBLman]

Now I hunt more just to have hunted with my favorite people than I do to kill anything in particular.

Pretty much me, except it doesn't matter whether it's with or without other people ---- I'm going hunting.

The other day someone asked if I still did much hunting. I just smiled and said, "The only time I go hunting now is when I'm by myself or with somebody."

 

[Tennessee Lead]

I really think I missed my calling because I'd almost rather scout and hang stands than to actually hunt them.

I love hunting but I get more excited about going scouting and looking over new ground than I do for hunting.

 

[Kingston]

Not 100% certain that I would still be hunting if my best friend didn't come back from PA every year to hunt a couple of days. My XBOW looks mighty lonely every time I walk by it anymore. Normally I would have ventured out a time or two by now but each year it seems later and later into bow season before I get any kind of urge to go.

 

[TheLBLman]

Having something to look forward to, that's the epitome of happiness.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I got burned out in the early 1990's and as a result I quit for about 11 years. I'd still get out sometimes with a deer rifle and walk through the woods but didn't actually hunt. Bottom line is, If you don't want to go, don't! We do it for fun and if you're not looking forward to it, then it sure isn't fun. I eventually got the urge back in 2002 and now enjoy it again.

 

[Snake]

I have been deer hunting for over 30 years.
There have been countless Friday nights spent tossing and turning waiting on opening day of bow season.

Deer season has been open for over a month in KY and has been open several weeks in TN.
I haven't even gone yet.

Body has a couple issues that makes mobility an issue and comfort is something that apparently is a thing of the past.

I had to pass my bow down to my son because I can't pull it anymore.
Tried the crossbow thing, not for me.
Got a bow to use but I don't have the fire.

As with all young men, my son's fire to deer hunt is but a smolder right now.
He has a great girlfriend and of course he spends alot of time with her and away from me and hunting and fishing.

His fire for hunting is there but it is consumed by duck hunting and the thoughts of upcoming duck season.

My sole happiness and mostly my sole purpose for deer hunting over the last 11 or 12 years has been to teach my son woodsmanship and share in his happiness, success and alas failures in the woods.

Without that to push me, I have nothing left to make me go.

Still love to fish and have been doing more and more of it.
I can still do that without TOO much pain and I don't pay for it for days afterwards.

How did you guys with kids keep the fire when your partner took a break?

I understand completely ! With my bad back , having to go on shift work a couple of years back and age (60) I rarely feel like going . When I was younger I could push myself plus the desire was greater . If my grandson didn't hunt with me I would be safe to say I probably would just only hunt a few times each year . Ruger I think the health issues stand in our way more than we would like to say but no matter what's going on if you don't feel like going it's hard to force yourself once you get older . When I do get a few days off I just want to rest my weary bones . I have only hunted a few hours one morning and I used to couldn't wait to sling an arrow . I don't think it's desire it's just hard to get up early and brave the cold feeling the way I do . The good Lord has blessed me with untold amounts of deer and a few pretty good bucks on my walls so I as I get older maybe I can look at those mounts and remeiness ! Dang getting old is not fun is it Bowriter ? :grin: