I’ll shoot a couple of does for the freezer. Probably won’t shoot a buck unless a spectacular one show up. I will be in the stand this year. I’ll have my coffee, my recliner arm chair, a good book, and my 260 or 270. The coyotes and pigs better be careful this year.

I can’t remember how long it’s been since I shot a deer with a rifle.
I just bow hunted for years before my shoulders and eye sight started getting bad.
I own my own ranches and hunt with the grandkids and really enjoy that.
Now that they are getting older and getting into bow hunting they keep telling me they want me to shoot a buck but I’d rather see them do the shooting.

Im not to the age range you describe, but I've killed a healthy number of deer I think. I have certainly laid off on my drive to shoot "bucks" because I have more restraint now and want them to grow. I like the hunt, the successful hunt and the rest of the process too much to just go sit and not shoot stuff. I thoroughly enjoy processing making sausage etc. with my family, i need some meat to fuel the other hobbies.

That's what I'm talking about.
I get far more enjoyment out of seeing my son as well as other folks lay a nice one down.
Once my son started knocking them down (age 6 was his first) my drive to shoot went down significantly....unless it is a hog or other varmint standing out there. lol

I'll likely shoot 3 or 4 bucks this year. It's either shoot 'em or feed them, one or the other. I do shoot 5-8 deer each year, but must say I am more keen on helping others clean their game than I am about cleaning my own. I'm still not that good at it, but it does get done.

Last deer is killed was 8 years ago. Last deer lease was 6 years ago. Only hunt birds with my dogs now. Looking forward to my 2 grandsons getting to the age when they can start going, then I’ll start deer hunting again.

I am 43. I haven't shot a WT in the past 3 seasons though I have seen plenty mature ones to shoot. I simply just go to the lease to get away, enjoy being outdoors and to allow the kids to harvest the game. That brings me more joy at this time in my life. Simply hanging on to it I feel for my kids and the mule deer hunting. WT hunting has become something I am less and less interested in doing each year. Part of that is because I have shot what I feel is a buck of a life time. The other part of it is the effort to maintain the lease by myself. I don’t consider myself lazy, just that my time is more valuable attending to other things. I debate each year that this will be my last, but not until the kids are ok with it. As long as they want to do it I am all in.

We eat deer year round. We need 5-6 deer a year to feed us and my wife's parents. My MIL usually shoots one every year...occasionally two. The other 4 - 5 are up to me and my boy. As he is getting older, I am killing less, and he is killing more. But I still get excited, and I still have the drive to get one bigger.

sounds very similar to me ... only 1 season about 7-8 years ago I did not take a deer ... been hunting for 57+ years and that is the only season I did not put meat in the freezer. On my east TX place (MLD) I have only taken 2 bucks in the 6 years I have hunted there, both very mature 6+ years old. I still take 3-5 does each year between both my leases. I spend a lot of time in the woods but I just enjoy watching what God has provided more than killing everything I see (except hogs, shoot on site). I definitely still totally enjoy the hunt, being out in nature, camp life cooking.

i don't shoot nearly as many deer as i used to, and i don't HAVE TO shoot a deer to enjoy the season. I don't think i've gone a season and not shot at least one deer, even just a doe or management buck, and usually like to shoot at least one deer. My kids shot their first couple deer last year and i really enjoyed watching that. I probably will do more watching than shooting this year. As long as meat is going in the freezer that's good with me.

I haven’t shot a deer in eight years. My number one grandson has been keeping me in meat every year. That may not be the case this year. He’s 18 years old and in full-blown rut himself. I’m thinking may be hard to pull him off the two legged doe’s this season.
May have to get my own meat this year

I can't imagine not wanting to kill critters, I love every aspect of hunting. The work year round (mowing/shredding/filling feeders/fixing whatever needed etc), set ups & maintenance, watching God's creations and killing them, cleaning the animals and teaching youngsters how to/helping others with their animals, teaching kids how to read tracks-sign/blood trails, cooking at camp, processing my own game and making all sorts of sausages & meat products & teaching youngsters how to, etc etc....I am more of a meat hunter, I want meat in my freezer. Deer, pigs, javi's, rabbits, birds, exotics, whatever. I can't see me ever getting tired of it (I'm 44). Hunting & fishing has always been a big part of my life.

So, my normal hunting situation has changed now and I'm looking for a new family oriented place. Until I get reestablished somewhere I don't care if I kill another animal as long as my kids have some shot opportunities.

It’s already a given, that as you age, you lose your desire to hunt. No big deal, it just happens. There’s a lot of other things that mean less also. I don’t think there’s a pill for it. It is being noticed by the state, less overall hunters, less money, dying sport. With me, I’m Tom Brady and still in the game. I do more now than I ever did; to get that one big one. And that may be the one big factor, I’ve never had the money/opportunity to go out and kill ever Boone and Crockett of every species on earth, including Africa. I don’t have this giant trophy room and claim to have shot 1000 bucks. I’m still out there looking for that one big buck. Just like all the other NFL players, who play till they can walk, trying to get a super bowl. Buy the way, any of you guys getting out and selling guns cheap, text me.

I'm still killing yotes and pigs just not bucjs with the regularity I used to. No issues with pulling the trigger just more selective I guess.

I like hunting birds behind bird dogs. I like going to deer camp to drink beer and cook. My sons will do the deer killing from here on out, unless one attacks me in camp. I killed hundreds of deer in my youth and really don’t care if I kill another one.

I gotcha bud. Nothing wrong with being selective.

Most BIG bucks I've been around I wasn't allowed to kill personally. I've killed some pretty decent deer but no B&C bucks, lots of culls & does and still have a passion for killing pigs of course.

Someday I'll own more than 5 acres and I'm sure I'll be pretty selective then, saving good bucks for kids & grandkids. As much as I love to squeeze that trigger, I get more enjoyment out of watching a youngster do it.

I do enjoy filling feeders, planting food plots, cleaning deer ect.
I let the sons and grandkids do the shooting I set with my grandkids and really enjoy that
After they are done I will go out and sit and watch the deer and maybe a hog or coyote will come by.
I always buy a super combo and a duck stamp to support wildlife.
I have seen some really nice bucks and felt good about letting them walk away.