|
Forums46
Topics537,755
Posts9,728,709
Members87,039
| |
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
 Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8471903
12/10/21 09:22 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,012
Old Stony
Pro Tracker
|
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,012 |
I've had to give up hunting and it sure hurts !! I retired from another state and moved into east Texas as I wanted to stay active and live a long and good life. I managed to kill 808 hogs in 12 years, along with numerous deer every season. Now my old body has told me it's time to give it up and it appears that my life is going to be very limited. I love shooting muzzleloaders in matches and hunting both, and now I can't manage either !! When a guy gets to the point of retirement, it's time to get active and make your body do amazing things. I hope all the other old guys out there can keep it up even longer than I have !!!
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8472831
12/12/21 03:02 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 580
ErnestTBass
Tracker
|
|
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 580 |
"No Kids first 2 weeks of deer season". Well why not? My boys go with me whether we are hunting or not. IMO Family leases are becoming a thing of the past, trophy hunting only and its very sad. That's just crazy to me. I'm far more interested in putting my kid on a good deer than I am shooting one myself. In fact, helping my kid get a good deer is a bigger accomplishment and an investment in a long term hunting buddy. What kind of jerk bogarts the opportunities for himself instead of his kids? Maybe someone who's never shot a good deer yet? I guess I might understand that. I'm definitely a supporter of family hunting. However, I have to wonder how many kids who are put on well-fed trophy buck as young teenagers (if not before), will still be eager to hunt many years down the road. It's these later years when a lack of time, career needs, and interest in other hobbies can make people decide that monster they killed as a teenager was enough. Eh, biggest deer I killed for over 30 years was a 150+ I shot rambling the ranch with my grandfather when I was 9. helped instill a love of hunting in me that lasts to this day.
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: txtrophy85]
#8472840
12/12/21 03:27 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 580
ErnestTBass
Tracker
|
|
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 580 |
"No Kids first 2 weeks of deer season". Well why not? My boys go with me whether we are hunting or not. IMO Family leases are becoming a thing of the past, trophy hunting only and its very sad. That's just crazy to me. I'm far more interested in putting my kid on a good deer than I am shooting one myself. In fact, helping my kid get a good deer is a bigger accomplishment and an investment in a long term hunting buddy. What kind of jerk bogarts the opportunities for himself instead of his kids? Maybe someone who's never shot a good deer yet? I guess I might understand that. Two sides of the coin here......Guy who spends his entire year going to baseball games, ballet practices, cheer competitions; may just want a little time to himself. Guy who has recently acquired the funds to be able to afford a lease and is looking forward hard hunting/letting his hair down may feel put out by another member showing up with his kids in tow and catering to them the entire trip. I've been a member of a lease where opening weekend was a kid free weekend and other leases where kids were allowed and encouraged anytime. I have 3 kids and I love the time i spend in the woods with them, that said, there are times/trips where its adults only, and they understand that. That being said, they are not hurting for opportunities to hunt at all and they turn down more trips than I ever got to go on at their age. My kids have had way more opportunities than I did, but I do take out of state or some big time trips that are men only.
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: txtrophy85]
#8477534
12/16/21 03:43 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,061
Wilhunt
THF Trophy Hunter
|
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,061 |
"No Kids first 2 weeks of deer season". Well why not? My boys go with me whether we are hunting or not. IMO Family leases are becoming a thing of the past, trophy hunting only and its very sad. That's just crazy to me. I'm far more interested in putting my kid on a good deer than I am shooting one myself. In fact, helping my kid get a good deer is a bigger accomplishment and an investment in a long term hunting buddy. What kind of jerk bogarts the opportunities for himself instead of his kids? Maybe someone who's never shot a good deer yet? I guess I might understand that. I'm definitely a supporter of family hunting. However, I have to wonder how many kids who are put on well-fed trophy buck as young teenagers (if not before), will still be eager to hunt many years down the road. It's these later years when a lack of time, career needs, and interest in other hobbies can make people decide that monster they killed as a teenager was enough. Killing 1 good deer is not the end all be all to a hunting career. Lots of other animals to shoot besides whitetail deer. If that’s all it takes to make them stop hunting then they were never that into it to begin with Killing the deer is just a part of the pleasure of hunting. Not the only thing.
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8478001
12/17/21 12:19 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,322
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
|
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,322 |
I’m 79 and still love to hunt. I own my own place just South of Bowie. Bought the 133 acre POS, all rocks and trees, hills, a creek and 2 good fishing holes about 40 years ago. $408 per acre and I love it.
I still enjoy hunting but, due to some nasty colon surgery, have only been able to go twice this year. I saw nothing and didn’t hear a shot. One of the grandsons girl friends poked an arrow into a very nice 8 point that dressed out at around 180 pounds. I enjoyed seeing her smile more than I would have if I had gotten it.
The urge to hunt is still there but my worn out old butt isn’t cooperating. Hopefully I’ll be back in good shape next year.
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8478071
12/17/21 01:37 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,817
Wildphilhickup
Veteran Tracker
|
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,817 |
Some of us have a small bucket list, some of us have a bucket list that would take a dump truck to fill.
There is only so much time, as we all know. I was in Ireland many years ago at a pub. One of the Irish guys there says to me, "What's with you Americans? You people live to
work. In Ireland we work to live."
I still hunt, more bow than gun, just not as much any more. The hunt is more fun to me than catching something. I fish a lot more now.
And NOW . . . I travel, race karts, ride motorcycles, ride my mule, restore vehicles, scuba dive, trap & skeet shooting, building a barndo - by myself.
*** As you get older, you really understand the value of TIME.
MILL CREEK HONEY BEE FARM, LLC
millcreekhoneybeefarm @yahoo.com
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Wildphilhickup]
#8479529
12/18/21 05:54 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,251
Texas Dan
OP
THF Celebrity
|
|
OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,251 |
*** As you get older, you really understand the value of TIME. Someone once said don't spend your money on more stuff but more experiences. That seems to go hand-in-hand with making better use of both your time and money.
Last edited by Texas Dan; 12/18/21 05:55 PM.
"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8479608
12/18/21 06:56 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,000
Barcelona Rick
Veteran Tracker
|
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,000 |
My Son & I always loved to hunt. My health went down the tubes about 10 years ago so my hunting days became sitting in my truck or in a ground blind with either my Son or Grandson and sometimes with both. Warmed this old man's heart to be with them. We lost the land that we hunted for years. Had 2 more places to hunt that were sold. Being of modest means we cannot afford the costs of leases now. AR has really improved the number of trophy bucks taken each year but it has really (in my opinion) driven up lease prices in East Texas. So my Son & Grandson are not able to hunt. I know there is some Public Land in East Texas but I guess they are concerned about who they will be hunting near. My biggest failure in life was not buying apiece of property for family recreational use.
rick
|
|
|
|
Re: People you know who have left the sport
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8480593
12/19/21 07:51 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,670
10 Gauge
Extreme Tracker
|
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,670 |
I feel like I am barely getting started and I am about to hang it up. At least for a little while. I just don’t have the time or the energy to do it all anymore. Just working myself to death, trucking and unloading this touch freight pays good but so does your body. Then I go home one day a week and there is so much to do, I have to make a conscious decision to neglect my family and my home to hunt. Family is not interested.
So there is a good 45 minutes hike to a place I know there’s good deer on public land. I sit for maybe two hours, hike back, go home. Half the day is gone and there’s so much to do.
I need to buy a property and build some box blinds for next year. Maybe the kids would be more interested. A short hike to me, is like the Bataan death March to these kids.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-14
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|
