change

rmocarsky · January 12, 2018, 08:01 PM

I started hunting (with a BB gun) when I was around 10.

Started hunting seriously at around 25 and hunted every year up until about 4 years ago (I am 66).

Four years ago I had a heart attack and spent 72 hours in CCU.

It seems from that point on, I have no, I mean NO desire to cause anything to die.

So . . . my hunting days, I fear, are over.

I miss them, but I don't think this is going to go away.

Rmocarsky

Tallest · January 12, 2018, 08:31 PM

Rmocarsky,

Thanks for sharing your sentiments! I know a little of what you mean. My mother had a severe, surprise heart attack about three years ago, and while she was never a hunter, it caused some permanent changes in her mindset about certain things. Primarily how she uses her time.

Also, I don’t think you should feel compelled to regret this change. You had your season to hunt, so to speak, and imagine there will be other rewarding enterprises arising for you!

All the Best!

Matthew

Scorch · January 12, 2018, 10:11 PM

I can understand the sentiment. About 30 years ago, I had a difficult divorce, and lost much of the desire to do certain outdoors activities. And again, after another difficult relationship, I cut down on my hunting, fishing, and outdoors activities. Nowadays, I am finding joy in mentoring others. And yes, I avoid certain types of relationships.

Blindstitch · January 13, 2018, 01:15 AM

I gave up hunting/fishing while in college and took a while to get back into it after due to lack of money and moving into a new area. But now I hunt and fish as much as I can. One of the things I like doing the most besides shooting/catching something is mentoring others and sharing the rewards with them.

This pheasant season I hunted with an 89 year old air corps veteran and his 50 year old son. I've been hunting with him for 2 seasons and he probably knows way more about it than myself But we do short hunts and then he usually sits down when he gets wore out and sends us on our way for 30 mins to an hour where we meet back up and walk out together. I usually carry his gun and walk close to him in case he trips on the 1/2 - 1 mile walk back to the truck.

Someday he won't be around but he gets a real thrill out of it whether we get a bird or not. Probably put in 3 days a week for 2 months. I hope we can do it again next year.

buck460XVR · January 13, 2018, 09:24 AM

While I didn't have a heart attack, my story is similar. While I still enjoy the hunt very much, the kill has lost it's charm. Used to be coming home empty handed was the walk of shame and I would do everything legal in my power to make something happen. nowadays, it's a successful hunt just to make it out and back. I don't do the all day, thru the swamp sneak hunts and the 3 mile drags out by myself anymore, which is one of the things that was most satisfying to me in my youth when it came to deer hunting. Nowadays, while I may make the sneak, it takes something pretty special to shoot in order to make the drag. Even then, the cell phone and my two sons comes into play. One of the things we teach in Hunter Safety is hunter development. Getting to the point of respecting quarry to the point of watching it walk away, is the last stage.

zipspyder · January 13, 2018, 09:41 AM

I gave up long ago the mentality to have to come home with something or it wasn't a successful hunt. It's about enjoying your surroundings and the people you hunt with. Harvesting game and enjoying the meat is just a plus. OP is going through the later in life thinking about mortality phase. I'm old enough to realize that now and enjoy the experiences more than the harvesting. OP if hunting isn't your thing just find something you like and move on. No shame in that.

603Country · January 13, 2018, 11:22 AM

I had a brain tumor. Thought for sure I was a dead man. But i’m Not. Sure changed my thinking. I finally went back to hunting and a lot of other stuff. Except for food for the freezer, I don’t feel the need to kill deer. But hogs and coyotes, I’m after them all the time.

Whistlebritches · January 13, 2018, 11:53 AM

I spent about 3 years feeling the same way after returning home from a 10 year stretch in the military.Eventually by the grace of God,a loving and understanding wife and cooperative children I managed to get back on that horse.Couple years I only did range time.Then one day on a friends farm a 6 point buck popped out........I instinctively dropped him in his tracks.It took me about 20 minutes to get my schit together but all of the sudden it just felt right again.That deer probably had more to do with my recovery than I or anyone will ever know.

Hope and pray you too will once again find the peace the outdoors and sharing God's creatures can offer.

Don Fischer · January 13, 2018, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buck460XVR

While I didn't have a heart attack, my story is similar. While I still enjoy the hunt very much, the kill has lost it's charm. Used to be coming home empty handed was the walk of shame and I would do everything legal in my power to make something happen. nowadays, it's a successful hunt just to make it out and back. I don't do the all day, thru the swamp sneak hunts and the 3 mile drags out by myself anymore, which is one of the things that was most satisfying to me in my youth when it came to deer hunting. Nowadays, while I may make the sneak, it takes something pretty special to shoot in order to make the drag. Even then, the cell phone and my two sons comes into play. One of the things we teach in Hunter Safety is hunter development. Getting to the point of respecting quarry to the point of watching it walk away, is the last stage.

Met a guy in Colorado years ago that at one time was an avid elk hunter. He told me he doesn't hunt with a rifle anymore, instead he used a 35mm SLR camera. Boy he had some beautiful photo's. For myself, hunting Africa has been a want to since I found out about it, lot of years ago. Cost kept me away though. Still have the desire to go but my choice of weapon has become a Digital SLR camera also. At some point along the way the trophy lost it's shine and never could keep meat as far as I know!

Don Fischer · January 13, 2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 603Country

I had a brain tumor. Thought for sure I was a dead man. But i’m Not. Sure changed my thinking. I finally went back to hunting and a lot of other stuff. Except for food for the freezer, I don’t feel the need to kill deer. But hogs and coyotes, I’m after them all the time.

But coyote's and hogs huh? Funny thing but other than to fill the freezer I don't think I'd hunt big game. But hog and coyote's, Yep, well yep I though as I recently watched a youtube video on casing out a coyote to save the hide. Well I watched and this guy hung up a coyote to do. Looked exactly like a dog to me! Imagine that. Then the guy got the hide off and around the eye's and got the ears. What was left hanging there could well have been one of my beloved bird dog's! Damn was that a turn off!

Then there's my Missy. Stray Border Collie that I had marked for elimination as she was killing my chickens. Then a local rancher stopped in wanting to know if I'd seen her, one time was all before I figured out it was her killing my chickens. Story was, as is true, soon as she saw a human she'd leave fast as she could. Well the rancher had a home for her so I though I might catch her. I did and this was one abussed dog. On top of that she had an eye that needed removed! Took a week or so to move the feed bowl over to me the get her in touching range. Hunger was my friend with her. Turned out because of her eye and how timid he was, the guy wanting her changed his mind. That was over a year ago and my Missy is still here. I took a look at that skinned coyote and it looked just like my Missy! Now I'm pretty sure I could still kill a coyote but don't think I could skin one now!

Beside Missy I have Squirt, an English Setter and Stormy, an Red Setter!

GeauxTide · January 15, 2018, 01:05 PM

After beating cancer and a Quad bypass the last 3 years, I like to fish more. I'm feeling better and working myself back into shape. At 69, it's more difficult than I thought it might be, but I love the Outdoors.

Pahoo · January 15, 2018, 03:32 PM

Quote:

It seems from that point on, I have no, I mean NO desire to cause anything to die.

Hunting has never been a desire for me but has always been a way of life. As my birthdays pass by, I hunt less with a firearm and more with my eyes and camera. I really don't miss the hunts, just the outdoors buddies to share good times with.. Most of my hunting buddies are no longer around. I still go out and get my usual batch of Squirrels and have a nice family feed. .....

What I kill, I eat, whether it's a squirrel, fish, sweet-corn or tomatoes. ......

Be Safe!!!

gw44 · January 21, 2018, 09:28 PM

I had a triple-bypass 17yrs ago, i have been a more caring person scents, I love the outdoors even more, I am not the bow hunter I once was, but I hunt every day of the rifle season !!!

Mobuck · January 22, 2018, 08:12 AM

I must be more "cave man" than others. A "near death" experience years back had no bearing on my desire to hunt or my capability to kill as needed. On the other hand, old age has worn some of the rough edges smoother.

Picher · January 23, 2018, 02:32 PM

I'm 73 and for several months, I've had stiffness in my hands, so holding a rifle or shotgun is getting a bit difficult. I like to walk out back on my son's 40 acres, but he's had a timber harvesting company doing a lot of cutting for about 4 months and it's quite difficult to walk in the woods and the haul road is often not pleasant to walk. However, we spent a lot of time in the North Maine Woods, using a used camper in September and October. I shot a big 860 lb. moose, but neither of us shot a deer. We had fun hunting for grouse and woodcock with his new Pointing Griffon, though. I see my hunting waning, as walking in the woods becomes more difficult and it may not be long before I have to stop. Still, I've hunted for more than 60 years and enjoyed it immensely.

jersurf101 · January 23, 2018, 03:22 PM

It has otter harder and harder on my psyche on the actual killing aspect of hunting as I get older. I just am not fond of watching Bambi expire, especially up close. I like having a full freezer though and I wouldn't give up spending time with nature for anything

Sevens · January 23, 2018, 06:10 PM

I have absolutely enjoyed all of the posts in this thread. I often feel like I was born with the gene for hunting but yet I am hardly a hunter and likely never will be. I never had a mentor and deer season has been my heavy work season since I was 18.

Hunts: twice for ducks when I was 16yrs old, both were memorable. Once in my 30's on a paid "guaranteed to get one" wild boar hunt. The experience and camaraderie of the weekend was a blast but hunting hogs is not my thing.

I do an annual Prairie Dog hunt and I live for this trip. But let's be honest, this is hiking, long range target practice & pest elimination, it is "hunting" only by name.

I can't imagine too many folks that admire & support hunting and YET don't do it much more than I do. I love to read the tales, I live to hear about kids & Grandkids successes and beaming-proud parents and mentors.

If given the chance to tag along for nearly any real hunt (with a quality, experienced hunter), but without a rifle, I would leap at the chance to do it.

hooligan1 · January 25, 2018, 08:05 AM

I have 2 stents, after 3 heartattacks and 3 cathorizations.
Id like to think I havent changed but we all know thats not true, I still hunt and fish as hard as I want, could probably do both more, but not lime I was 20 or 30...
So I try not to walk out so far that my sons wont have a bad drag, but I gotta hunt.

January 12, 2018, 08:01 PM	#1
rmocarsky Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Posts: 406	change I started hunting (with a BB gun) when I was around 10. Started hunting seriously at around 25 and hunted every year up until about 4 years ago (I am 66). Four years ago I had a heart attack and spent 72 hours in CCU. It seems from that point on, I have no, I mean NO desire to cause anything to die. So . . . my hunting days, I fear, are over. I miss them, but I don't think this is going to go away. Rmocarsky

January 12, 2018, 08:31 PM	#2
Tallest Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2016 Location: West of the Atlantic Posts: 418	Rmocarsky, Thanks for sharing your sentiments! I know a little of what you mean. My mother had a severe, surprise heart attack about three years ago, and while she was never a hunter, it caused some permanent changes in her mindset about certain things. Primarily how she uses her time. Also, I don’t think you should feel compelled to regret this change. You had your season to hunt, so to speak, and imagine there will be other rewarding enterprises arising for you! All the Best! Matthew Last edited by Tallest; January 12, 2018 at 08:40 PM.

January 12, 2018, 10:11 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I can understand the sentiment. About 30 years ago, I had a difficult divorce, and lost much of the desire to do certain outdoors activities. And again, after another difficult relationship, I cut down on my hunting, fishing, and outdoors activities. Nowadays, I am finding joy in mentoring others. And yes, I avoid certain types of relationships. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

January 13, 2018, 01:15 AM	#4
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,691	I gave up hunting/fishing while in college and took a while to get back into it after due to lack of money and moving into a new area. But now I hunt and fish as much as I can. One of the things I like doing the most besides shooting/catching something is mentoring others and sharing the rewards with them. This pheasant season I hunted with an 89 year old air corps veteran and his 50 year old son. I've been hunting with him for 2 seasons and he probably knows way more about it than myself But we do short hunts and then he usually sits down when he gets wore out and sends us on our way for 30 mins to an hour where we meet back up and walk out together. I usually carry his gun and walk close to him in case he trips on the 1/2 - 1 mile walk back to the truck. Someday he won't be around but he gets a real thrill out of it whether we get a bird or not. Probably put in 3 days a week for 2 months. I hope we can do it again next year. __________________ NRA Lifetime Member

January 23, 2018, 06:10 PM	#17
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,755	I have absolutely enjoyed all of the posts in this thread. I often feel like I was born with the gene for hunting but yet I am hardly a hunter and likely never will be. I never had a mentor and deer season has been my heavy work season since I was 18. Hunts: twice for ducks when I was 16yrs old, both were memorable. Once in my 30's on a paid "guaranteed to get one" wild boar hunt. The experience and camaraderie of the weekend was a blast but hunting hogs is not my thing. I do an annual Prairie Dog hunt and I live for this trip. But let's be honest, this is hiking, long range target practice & pest elimination, it is "hunting" only by name. I can't imagine too many folks that admire & support hunting and YET don't do it much more than I do. I love to read the tales, I live to hear about kids & Grandkids successes and beaming-proud parents and mentors. If given the chance to tag along for nearly any real hunt (with a quality, experienced hunter), but without a rifle, I would leap at the chance to do it. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 13, 2018, 09:24 AM	#5
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	While I didn't have a heart attack, my story is similar. While I still enjoy the hunt very much, the kill has lost it's charm. Used to be coming home empty handed was the walk of shame and I would do everything legal in my power to make something happen. nowadays, it's a successful hunt just to make it out and back. I don't do the all day, thru the swamp sneak hunts and the 3 mile drags out by myself anymore, which is one of the things that was most satisfying to me in my youth when it came to deer hunting. Nowadays, while I may make the sneak, it takes something pretty special to shoot in order to make the drag. Even then, the cell phone and my two sons comes into play. One of the things we teach in Hunter Safety is hunter development. Getting to the point of respecting quarry to the point of watching it walk away, is the last stage.

January 13, 2018, 09:41 AM	#6
zipspyder Junior member Join Date: June 13, 2017 Posts: 429	I gave up long ago the mentality to have to come home with something or it wasn't a successful hunt. It's about enjoying your surroundings and the people you hunt with. Harvesting game and enjoying the meat is just a plus. OP is going through the later in life thinking about mortality phase. I'm old enough to realize that now and enjoy the experiences more than the harvesting. OP if hunting isn't your thing just find something you like and move on. No shame in that.

January 13, 2018, 11:22 AM	#7
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,996	I had a brain tumor. Thought for sure I was a dead man. But i’m Not. Sure changed my thinking. I finally went back to hunting and a lot of other stuff. Except for food for the freezer, I don’t feel the need to kill deer. But hogs and coyotes, I’m after them all the time.

January 13, 2018, 11:53 AM	#8
Whistlebritches Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2017 Location: Northwest Texas Posts: 107	I spent about 3 years feeling the same way after returning home from a 10 year stretch in the military.Eventually by the grace of God,a loving and understanding wife and cooperative children I managed to get back on that horse.Couple years I only did range time.Then one day on a friends farm a 6 point buck popped out........I instinctively dropped him in his tracks.It took me about 20 minutes to get my schit together but all of the sudden it just felt right again.That deer probably had more to do with my recovery than I or anyone will ever know. Hope and pray you too will once again find the peace the outdoors and sharing God's creatures can offer.

January 15, 2018, 01:05 PM	#11
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,423	After beating cancer and a Quad bypass the last 3 years, I like to fish more. I'm feeling better and working myself back into shape. At 69, it's more difficult than I thought it might be, but I love the Outdoors.

January 21, 2018, 09:28 PM	#13
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	I had a triple-bypass 17yrs ago, i have been a more caring person scents, I love the outdoors even more, I am not the bow hunter I once was, but I hunt every day of the rifle season !!!

January 22, 2018, 08:12 AM	#14
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I must be more "cave man" than others. A "near death" experience years back had no bearing on my desire to hunt or my capability to kill as needed. On the other hand, old age has worn some of the rough edges smoother.

January 23, 2018, 02:32 PM	#15
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	I'm 73 and for several months, I've had stiffness in my hands, so holding a rifle or shotgun is getting a bit difficult. I like to walk out back on my son's 40 acres, but he's had a timber harvesting company doing a lot of cutting for about 4 months and it's quite difficult to walk in the woods and the haul road is often not pleasant to walk. However, we spent a lot of time in the North Maine Woods, using a used camper in September and October. I shot a big 860 lb. moose, but neither of us shot a deer. We had fun hunting for grouse and woodcock with his new Pointing Griffon, though. I see my hunting waning, as walking in the woods becomes more difficult and it may not be long before I have to stop. Still, I've hunted for more than 60 years and enjoyed it immensely.

January 23, 2018, 03:22 PM	#16
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	It has otter harder and harder on my psyche on the actual killing aspect of hunting as I get older. I just am not fond of watching Bambi expire, especially up close. I like having a full freezer though and I wouldn't give up spending time with nature for anything

January 25, 2018, 08:05 AM	#18
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	I have 2 stents, after 3 heartattacks and 3 cathorizations. Id like to think I havent changed but we all know thats not true, I still hunt and fish as hard as I want, could probably do both more, but not lime I was 20 or 30... So I try not to walk out so far that my sons wont have a bad drag, but I gotta hunt. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

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