I guess I just see it as another hog hunt with the option of killing a deer if I see one I want to shoot.

I think it also depends on what you’ve done in your hunting life. If you’re rich, get to hunt high fence or unbelievable low fence(ex. Waggoner Ranch) have killed tons of 150+ and many 190+. Shooting tons of deer in one season. Not to mention going to Africa several times; I’ve seen these guys burn out. Vs, the good ole boy who never has seen more than 2, 140’s in his life and he really doesn’t care. Just wants to go to the deer lease and see what happens. Always looking for that big one. These guys seem to last.

. . . . I’m know people who are not loaded, have killed many record book deer and are still pumped about getting out there and hunting.

Know others who can care less, take what comes and if they get one, fine, if not, that’s ok too.

Income has nothing to do with it.

One of the biggest whitetail hunters I know has killed over 1200 deer and still gets pumped about each and every hunt.

So, this guy you know kills say 30 deer a year for 40 years from say 15 years old to 55. (Not sure that is what I call hunting; some people might think that is killing) anyway, that guy “might” face burnout. And income, being rich, in hunting…..really?

So, this guy you know kills say 30 deer a year for 40 years from say 15 years old to 55. (Not sure that is what I call hunting; some people might think that is killing) anyway, that guy “might” face burnout. And income, being rich, in hunting…..really?

Spent some hours today getting ready. filled feeders cleaned stands checked rifles. Have 2 grandsons who are ready to hunt. I have put many kids on their first deer but really pumped that my grandsons are hunting.

I lost a lot of my serious passion for the hunt when my father, who was my main hunting buddy, died in 2013. None of my co-workers hunt and my hunting friends/family members live several states away so I end up hunting alone nearly all the time. Because I really enjoy venison I now hunt does for meat, bucks hold very little interest for me. I readily admit I now view hunting sort of like grocery shopping, a way to get my yearly meat supply.

Im on a place with 4-5 other guys. They never show up. I always have the place to myself, which is good and bad.



Loading a buck in the truck isn’t as easy as it once was.

Last season I lost the wind in my sails, I was burning through summer getting new stands set up and feeders.
Well in the process my BIL, who’s special needs, suffered significant injuries when my deer blind fell on him while he was helping me unload it from my truck. After that my desire to be out at the ranch diminished to zero. I went out a couple times to fill feeders but maybe sat once or twice last season. My guilt ate at me for the accident and I couldn’t see enjoying a hobby that led to him being badly injured.

This year it was hard going out again, couldn’t get excited especially with chores piling up and UTV not starting. I got some repairs done and paid for some others to free me up to do things I enjoy like filling feeders. Last couple weeks I decided I needed to get in gear. Topped off feeders rented a skid steer to clear fence lines and remove Rocks from feeder sites. Opened up some roads and intersections and got the UTV running again. This week bucks are back running around and I got a tower blind I bought last summer set up.

Now I’m pumped, I do miss the lease environment especially having fellow hunters to share stories with back at camp now on our place it’s normally me hunting alone. I’ll make the best of it and drag my dogs out and my daughters on occasion to fill the void.