Well one other thing. Getting up at 2 a.m., the long drive out in pre-dawn darkness, climbing up a tree with a flashlight in my mouth- I still do it but earlier (muzzle loader) I just did afternoon hunts except I got on the stand at noon or 1 p.m. and I was actually seeing deer mid-day.
So....for the oldsters out there, need to identify what it is that might be wearing you down. Maybe switch to banker's hours. You might not see as many deer but I was sort of surprised that I was actually seeing a few deer mid-day. If a lesser deer makes you happy- might think about mid-day.

At 27 years of age I am but a youngster. I have hunted and fished hard my entire life. I don't believe I will ever tire of hunting, especially with family and a few select friends(hunting by myself with no one else in camp isn't nearly as good as with good companions)

I like taking new people out fishing and hunting, but they have to appreciate it. I hunted bow season this year a couple times but since opening of general season ive been sitting with my wife till she tags something.

I can see myself not shooting any more deer at some point, but I plan on sitting in a blind every single season till I'm dead. Actually, I hope I am one of those lucky enough to fall asleep in the blind, and just don't wake back up. I would die doing what I loved, can't get much better than that. Can't get much closer to God, than out in His creation.

Big horns are great & all, but I'm more of a meat hunter than a trophy hunter - always have been. It's in my blood and will never get old. If hunting a certain way or certain species gets old, try something different or more challenging. Nothing like the preparation for the hunt, the hunt itself whether it's cull bucks or does or pigs or rabbits whatever, the preparation and cooking of the game that you killed, and the eating it. I love it all. I always have, always will take joy in taking kids or first timers hunting or fishing. I don't mind doing the extra work for them since they don't know how, as long as they are paying attention and learning to do it themselves. I reckon if I ever get too old & crippled to actually hunt anymore, I'll just be that old man at camp sitting in a chair spittin' tobacco telling them youngsters their doing it wrong.

Take a break from it..I did..bout 4 years..recharged me..Im at it stronger than ever..cause its just me and my son in law on our place..sometimes its just me alone on the place..I really enjoy my time at the ranch..sometimes I get up early..sometimes I dont..goodtimes for sure..

I guess I'll give up hunting when my eye sight is so bad that I can't see the difference between a cow and deer or the rifle doesn't go boom when I pull the trigger. I've been a meat hunter the past 50 years with only 3 bucks. 1st a 10 basket rack, 2nd heavy 8 that went 109B&C, and 3rd a 7 pointer that had terrible ground shrinkage. Don't care for buck meat and don't eat horns. Grew up on deer meat and inherited part of family ranch. I got the part with cabin since I am the only one living out of the area. With kids no longer at home, we don't need a lot of meat. I do get after them feral hogs year round and 1 son and family hunt. We also varmint hunt. Cabin has always been family oriented and is used year round for birthday parties, Christmas, wedding and baby showers and bachelor parties.
So for me, it isn't all in the deer hunting. Coffee and meals over a fireplace is yum yum. Always enjoy taking friends and grandkids rock hunting in them 200 ft. high hills.
A bunch of the grandkids are getting old enough to hunt. Need to get beer in al. cans so they have targets for the bb guns.

Give thanks for the surgery, my friend, messed my shoulder up falling off steps at work, back in the day whin they worried more about price of insurance going up. More than employee health know several people who still bow hunt after surgery, i can't even get a slip from doc so can use crossbow still go on my hog hunts getting tougher every year. Speady recovery my friend

When I am 6 feet under.

You don't need a slip to use a crossbow anymore, gettrdone!

public land, an like did at work, put up with the pain, Thanks for Yoiur concern work hard play hard

Yes, still a no on public land. and I do get concerned sometimes about my THF brethren.

I just still like hunting. Today it was colder than a mother-in-law's heart, but I was comfy in a heated blind. Rain was on the roof. Didn't see but a few doe, but that's Ok. Like so many of you, I don't have to shoot a deer to enjoy the hunt.