In the past my father and I have always hunted together. My brother would a little growing up and my grandfather always did until he couldn’t anymore. My grandfather died a few years back and slowly my father has cared less and less about hunting. I can understand his mindset. There is not long left until my son will start to go with me. For me it was not as much about the trophy as it was about the time spent together and laughter shared. I wish for this for my son and nephews. Is there anything for me to do get his interest in hunting spiked again.

My Dad was an avid hunter for years and took me with him always. When he hit is 60's he started losing interest and put down the gun and started with a camera. He told me he just did not feel like killing animals any longer.

See if your Dad would have interest in going along to take photos of the deer and his grandson.

I think a guided duck hunt could do it. If you explain your thoughts with the guide, they should understand that you want a good experience

It may not be a good comparison but IMHO, kids are much like puppies when it comes to having a desire to become a hunter. Not every pup in the litter is going to take to hunting no matter how good a hunter the dogs that produced them. As with puppies, you just have to put them in the woods again and again and see if the desire ever shows up.

As for your dad regaining his interest in the sport, he may following the same course that I did and has re-evaluated how he spends his free time. He may simply have come to the conclusion there are more important ways to spend his last years of great health than sitting alone on a deer stand.

It doesn’t matter if he cares about hunting or not. Talk to him and tell him you’d like him to go with y’all. I don’t care at all about deer hunting but I still like to go to spend time with friends and family. If you ask him to go and hang out, I’ll bet he will.

Some people just sent hunters. Some are big into it as younger guys then lose interest in it, just like other things.

I would suggest hunting something other than deer. Go quail hunting, duck hinting or pheasant hunting. Travel to another local.

I know guys who have hunted all over the world several times and who own very nice places that won’t sit in a deer stand any longer. One of them has been to Africa probably 20 times and I don’t think he would pick up a rifle now and point it at a deer if you paid him.

Maybe his season for deer hunting has passed. Just find out if he has an interest in hunting something else

Thank you all for the advice and thoughts. I was thinking of trying something new to begin with.

Possibly he would be interested in helping bring his grandson and the others into the hunting scene with his knowledge. Stories around a campfire are always good.

Think about improving the comforts of the hunt. I am in my 70's, no way will I get out and freeze, or spend a night trying to sleep on a sorry bed. My body just cannot get going if I have had a bad nights sleep.

Ask him to help you create life long memories with his grandchildren.....doesn’t have to mean he hunts like he used to.

I've been deer hunting for 44 years now and I've always said the day I dont enjoy it anymore is the day I will quit. I have already killed 3 this season in Kentucky and even though i still thoroughly enjoy my "me" time in a stand I've come to dread what's next after the shot. I usually end up dragging, field dressing, skinning and processing the deer and by myself and it's a lot more work than it used to be lol.
if your Dad dreads all the associated work that goes along with deer hunting, maybe you could reassure him all he needs to do is hop in the truck and ride to and from the hunt...everything else is taken care of.
He might not want to admit it but if hes like me some hunts take a couple days to get over.
Best of luck to you