Losing desire to hunt

[T.R.]

I've also lost hunting privileges on private farms when a group of Dentists and Lawyers leased the hunting rights. It's discouraging.

My suggestion is to get in on a wild hog hunt. They're available all along the southern Atlantic Seaboard from reputable outfitters. Last December, I hunted with Seminole Prairie Outfitters in central Florida and had a great time. In a couple months, I'm hunting at Whispering Hollows Ranch in Pennsylvania. The hunts are quite fun and the meat is good, too.

Exotic animals are creatures which are not native to North America. Nowadays, a hunter can choose from a wide variety of exotic deer hunts right here in USA. These include fallow deer, axis deer, red deer, and many more.

Good hunting to you.
TR

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Over The Hill Gang

Same here. 71 and not as interested anymore. All I do now is deer hunt in the afternoons some.

No way I'm getting up many times early in the morning to get in a deer stand. I'd rather sleep a little later, load up the wood stove, and drink some coffee.

Afternoons are pretty good to go unless the weather is bad or something more interesting comes along.

For some reason I've got enough rifle ammo loaded up to last a few more lifetimes.

 

[GAF]

Killed my first deer in 2006. I am now 62 and will be in the woods
during the bow and gun deer season here in Wisconsin until I cant
physically walk into the woods any longer.

 

[matrem]

Good point GAF.

In some cases it seems, age doesn't have nearly as much (or anything) to do with it, as just how much of it one has already done.

 

[jrdolall]

I started hunting in the early 60's, mostly squirrel and rabbit with my grandfather. I killed my first deer in the mid 70's. I have had access to some fine hunting property for most of my life and, hunting in Alabama, I have had the ability to legally kill a LOT of deer. Elk, antelope, bison, hogs, duck and lots of small game and varmints have been harvested over the year. It has been 15 years since I carried a gun turkey hunting because, while I love to hear them gobble, I really could care less about shooting a turkey. I have killed a few hundred in my life between AL, GA, FL, MT and TX.
As I said, I still thoroughly enjoy the experience of being in the woods, but my desire to sit in a stand or actually shoot things has fallen off.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I am noticing that for many of the posts here the desire has worn off due to, or despite, a lot of success with the game that has been hunted over the years.
For those of you who are good at this but losing the desire have you considered changing how you hunt, say using a flintlock rifle or shotgun, thus adding a new skill and degree of difficulty into the game ?

 

[jrdolall]

I went from shotgun and 22 to 30-06. I went from recurve to compound bows and then to crossbow when my shoulder gave out. In Alabama we get a whole 5 days of black powder season that runs at the end of bow season. Pistol? Been there and done that.

It's not really about the difficulty for me but more about a changing of attitude. I often spend the night at the camp and get up with the guys but just drink coffee and watch the sun come up. I help track or drag deer and listen to the stories. I went from a meat hunter to a trophy hunter without really trying. On my land I could kill plenty with just a bow but the prospect of "trophy" hunting has faded. I have plenty of mounts so I pass up deer and try to put others on the decent wall hangers that I see.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

Seventy years old next year and I've given up walking the marshes to hunt duck which as duck hunters know is the most shooting a hunter can have.

Grouse are so far down in numbers that without a flushing dog you can't find any to shoot at.

Passed up a bear last year, I already have a bear skin rug.

Deer hunting is hard work now but I still have different rifles and bullets to test.

Our area of the state has few deer and I have managed to harvest one over three years.

Half the fun of hunting is exploring anyway. I find the ridges steeper and the trails longer!

Trapping problem beaver fills the day between morning and night watch. Now that's hard work.

 

[jmorris]

If I hunted just for the kill, I would have quit a long time ago.

 

[Hardtarget]

I've seen some of myself in this thread. I'll be 65 this April. The last few years have been more duck and dove hunting. However I harvested my first deer in 2013. This past year I never got in the duck blind...except to help build it. I went deer hunting one time with my son and grandson.

My wife and kids are wondering whats up with me.

What I've found is my hunt interest has been supplanted with reloading and range trips. The fun of tweaking reloads is as much fun as anything. Maybe more so.

Don't lose heart! Just shift your direction a bit. I think I'm just echoing thoughts of others here.

Mark

 

[BurwashBob]

I grew up in SW Colorado and hunting was always a chance to get out and see the country differently. Those opening days made the woods feel--more alive. Over time I later worked logging in Canada and ended up in Yukon where I taught in a native village and hunting was part of thr normal cycle. I learned that the closer you seem to get to the hunting--the less the technical device (i.e. weapon) seems to be important--as long as it gets the job done. I went to Africa and lived in Libya and went for a lion "hunt" in Namibia, which would have been like killing a rancher's milk cow--I did not shoot, quit fantasizing Hemingway. I did, however meet a lanky old tribesman who was p reported to have killed lions with a spear.
I killed a moose when I was in Yukon--had a 7x57, and was three miles from the place where my Willys was parked--I will NEVER do that again. Harder than loading a field of hay-bales!
Now I am in Ak, lots of moose and stuff--to include the possibility of some animals a 7x57 may not work on.
Anyway, I am getting the old desire to hunt a Sitka deer for some meat and reciepes--I will probably buy a 30-06. since I hawked my 7x57 to get out here, but it may be more wise to get a larger caliber--I guess with all my wandering I have never hunted with the "right" rifle. My first elk was shot with a 38/55 single-shot Hi-wall. I might ust buy a 375 H7H then I could hunt anywhere--ther 375 Ruger is a good caliber--but gretting ammo?

 

[Cocked & Locked]

BurwashBob...You should consider writing a book!

 

[der Teufel]

Other Sports Beckon

I used to race sports cars. I did it for about ten years until I was laid off from work and the racing budget went to zero. That's another story except that there were folks who went through similar cycles.

A new racer would show up, full of enthusiasm, and have a blast for a few years. Eventually, however, they'd decide they'd "Been There & Done That" and they would move on to other interests. The saying among racers was "OSB".

Other Sports Beckon

Sometimes we get tired of doing the same thing and want new experiences. For me it usually means hunting with different people. I also means hunting less hard as I get older, taking more time to simply be outdoors with good friends.

OTOH, as the price of beef gets higher hog hunting begins to look like an economically sound activity . . .

 

[doubleh]

I do most of my hunting with a camera now days. I enjoy just watching animals and birds and taking their pictures.

Once in a while I will go coyote hunting. It's not about if I get a shot or not or even see one, it's about being outdoors.

 

[Steve2md]

Trying a different, more difficult game could be rewarding as well. Perhaps Mountain Lion with a bow, without using hounds or calls (glassing, tracking and stalking), coyote in the same manner, Traditional bow (if legal in your area) with hand made broadheads (flint knapping is pretty interesting).

 

[Bezoar]

its not lack of animals, though there is a MASSIVE lack of animals. but

PEOPLE.

you know, people who only have the urge to drive their dirt bike or go cart or 4x4 or quad during LEGAL HUNTING HOURS DURING HUNTING SEASON WHEN THEY THINK ANYONE in the area is hunting.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

I'm 58 and the sprit is willing but the flesh is getting weak. Alaska hunting is tough and I don't know how many more mountains and swamps I have in me. Never mind cutting up 1200 lb. moose. I used to live in NY and sometimes skip the Alaska season to bow hunt there. Walk couple hundred yards out of the car to the treestand get cozy on my hot seat while unwrapping slim jims and drinking coffee and wait for the deer to come to me.

 

[Cemetery21]

RC described my situation pretty well. Except that I do like to eat doves.
Out of the blue, my son started deer hunting a few years ago. I took him shooting and squirrel hunting as a kid but he had a lot of other interests then. Now, when he goes to deer camp, I'll go out and cook for them a night or two and come by for coffee some mornings. I built him a rifle and I load for it and keep it sighted in.
I'm still up for prairie dogs though. The ranchers really appreciate us being there although I can't see how shooting could ever control them. I hope I don't lose interest in building a better rifle or load.

 

[mooosie]

I am 69 be 70 in April , used to hunt squirrels, rabbits, coon deer and did a little trapping. Walking hills bird or rabbit hunting with 10 pounds of mud stuck to each boot is not much fun now . I don't trap anymore , I moved to Florida and fish a lot. I have a farm in southern ohio and put it in a trust for my kids and grandkids, my son is really interested and so are his kids . They fish and swim in the pond and hunt with their dad and me sometimes. I fly up every year after thanksgiving and we stay in a cabin on the farm and deer hunt. I didn't get a deer this year but still had a great time with the kids and grandkids. I think it is part of getting older, I still enjoy getting out hunting , fishing , riding my four wheeler, working on the farm in the summer, I spend the summers in columbus. If I get a deer , or a mess of squirrels that is great if I don't that's great, I am pretty healthy have two new knees and get around good and I just like time outside with and watching the kids hunt and learn the outdoors

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You are not alone my friend. I used to live for hunting season - any season. Now I'm happy just getting out in the woods and enjoying nature. Not saying that I wouldn't kill a big old buck if I had the chance, but I wouldn't take a chance at a hurried shot either as I believe in making a humane kill. I've passed on some critters that I would have hammered a decade ago, but that's ok.

 

[dogrunner]

Hell, I'm 74..........still at it. Got a couple of walker/bluetic pups this last summer & got 'em started at least. Problem is that I'm rapidly running out of hunting buddies......most were older than me and have left this world. The last in January of this year and he was almost a decade my junior!..........now that gets you to thinking. There was the time when I was the first to show up and the very, very last to leave, only to turn around and do it all the very next day, that's 'moderated' somewhat. Kinda like the old bull said about those cows, ya know, now I'm a lot more likely to just take my time about it tho in truth I didn't even bother to pop a cap this past year and I really need to run those two pups before it gets too warm. All in all it's been one hulluva run, and those memories........which is what and why we REALLY hunt.......are truly what it's all about.............good times, good dogs, good friends.........and hellsfire RC, even if you don't like to eat those doves go, pop a few caps and donate them to the crowd......how much time you got left..you are younger than me!

 

[sage5907]

I'm 71 years old and I still love to feel the cold wind in my face, to walk a mile in the dark without a flashlight, and to have the coyotes tell me it is time to go home. I'm a better rifle shot on big game that I have ever been and I don't plan on quitting. I'm still healthy and I have a wife that likes the things I do. I mount my own deer, load my own ammo, fletch my own arrows and I love to burn wood. I like forums like TheHighRoad because I'm always learning new things to try. I've never liked Hodgon powder but last week I bought a pound of Varget. Who knows what the future will bring?

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

If I had private property to hunt, it'd be different.

Not necessarily. We bought 35 acres with river bottom and 900 feet of river frontage 20 years ago. I thought I would be down there hunting every chance I got. The first couple of years, I kind of did. After that I guess I got lazy and would rather stay in bed instead of heading to the river in the dark. I WILL go though, when my son and grandson are going, but my son works so many hours that he hasn't had much of a chance to hunt lately.

I still enjoy our annual dove hunt though. This year we had about 20 hunters and bagged 235 doves (yes, you read that right). Most of them were Asian Collareds, and there's no limit on them. And I promise, every one of them got eaten. In case you're wondering, after our dove barbeque, every hunter who wanted it took home 17 ounces of dove meat. Wife weighed it and tried to make it as fair as possible.

 

[41 Mag]

I have to say that passing friends and family are one of the main reasons I have lost a lot of not so much interest but enthusiasm in actually shooting a deer. Don't get me wrong I still get up and out there when the weather is nice, but not so much in the conditions I once would have. I still do enjoy the thrill of putting on over on a mature buck, but it would have to be something pretty awesome for me to drop a hammer on one nowadays. I do still get cranked up hunting with my bow however as it takes quite a bit more to get things within range and still be able to make a shot. Even so I am not really out there for getting the "big" one as I am to simply put some meat in the freezer to supplement the grocery bill.

As for the hogs that run amuk yep I am on them like stink on a skunk. I don't cut them any slack. To me the more I get the better I sleep at night, but I sure haven't slept well in a while though.

Time for you to become a mentor to a younger hunter. If you don't have a grandchild to take, there are lots of young hunters out there that would be thrilled to have you share your experiences.

The spark will come back when you see them get excited.

This is where I am at right now. I have three grandsons who are all interested in shooting and hunting. I take them out with me when the weather is good enough for them to enjoy things. It might only be for a couple of hours or maybe less than an hour depending on whats going on. Still they enjoy the time and I have enjoyed the oldest learning to shoot since he was 3 and now at 13 he has some very nice deer and hogs under his belt. The other two are 7 & 8 and haven't had quite the urge the oldest has had. But I haven't spent as much time with them as I did him in his youth when he and the daughter lived with us.

My focus has now progressed from the gotta do it to well it's a nice evening or morning lets see what out roaming around. I plant food plots for the deer not to hunt but simple to supplement what they need, and keep feeders going for them year round. The wife and I enjoy taking a slow walk around the place and once in a while sneaking up on a fawn in the grass or having the does have them in the little half acre thick spot 50yds from the house them parade them through the yard for us to see.

I think as time wears on, the sense of finality comes to us all in one or more ways. Things take on new meanings, and more in new directions. It isn't a bad thing simply part of the big scheme of things.

 

[huntsman]

If I didn't have my own land to hunt I probably would quit back in the early 90's, but since I have guns and a place to go I still hunt.

Killing isn't the top priority anymore the hunt is and at 55 I can still get out so I do.