Beginning to lose my interest...

[Wolfbane]

The learning curve is a big part of the shooting sports for me. It is more about learning and mastering the skill than savouring the success in terms of where I get most enjoyment. That in turn results in quite fluid hunting interests over the years.

 

[jethro224]

I never could understand how people could spend thousands of dollars on far away hunting trips just to bag a animal that is almost guaranteed.

Just the other day, my wife asked me what I would give up for the "perfect hunting spot with a guaranteed big buck". I told her "Nothing. It wouldn't be fun if it was guaranteed." She gave me a purty funny look.

She figgered me out quick tho and asked what I'd give up for the perfect spot without the guarantee.
"A lot!"

 

[Rocky Johnson]

I am 70 and I and I can't wait for deer season this year. I remember most of the deer I have shot I have no idea on the count. Can't walk like I used to but I am A better hunter becouse of that. Wife don't eat much meat so one is all I need so will try for A dry doe or a wall hanger.
Happy and sad at the same time yep

 

[Walks with fire]

I still enjoy deer hunting at the age of 53 but I really don't feel like going unless there is snow on the ground. Centerfires don't get much use anymore. I like to hunt with my flinters and just enjoy tromping around the woods in the snow. Don't really care if I shoot or not but still want to see deer.

 

[MercerLake]

:bow: :v Roundball, from what I have read of your "other interests" you have contributed to the level of researched knowledge on the forum.
At 66 I hope to keep my interest in hunting and all that goes with it for many years yet. I quit "just killing" along time ago, as I'm sure that you and many others have also. I still hunt for many reasons including the great eating. So if you take a break from hunting, just think of the time you'll have for pursuit of "ideas" and "what ifs".
Smoothbores and small edible game are still a grand excuse to get up in the morning. Best of all more chances find a kid or beginner and pass your skills and love of the game on. :v

 

[Halftail]

Roundball,
Interesting what you saying is exactly what my father told me just the other day.He's 68 and says he's loosing the passion to kill Deer and he hardly ever hunts ducks anymore.He was my main reason for becoming a hunter.When I was a kid I looked up to him like he was God,when he had a gun in hand.I hope that day don't come too soon for me.

 

[10 gauge]

Try taking a vacation from it all for a little while, then come back to it. Maybe take a vacation trip involving no shooting or hunting. Or go see a part of the US that you have never seen before.
Sounds like you hit a burn out slump. In Trap shooting the best medicine for a slump is to walk away from it all for 1-3 months then start back with the basics.
Years ago when I worked for Dillon Precision Reloading co. I got so burnt out on guns, ammo and reloading, 40 hours a week with guns,ammo and reloading was work not fun. One of the best things that I ever did was leaving that place. I soon then started liking the sport again.

 

[PaulN/KS]

I had been away from hunting for a lot of years but got back into it in 1990 or so. It was a lot of fun getting the gear and scouting the public lands in Oklahoma. Even got a bird dog and got into quail hunting and a retriever for duck hunting. Well, I'm 54, the pointer is 15, the retriever is 13...guess one of us will still hunt for a few seasons.
I have a seven year old daughter and would like to be able to let her have the choice to hunt when she gets old enough. Guess we'll see what happens... :hmm:

 

[MikeC]

I can understand where your coming from roundball. Like you I have been blessed with great private land and more deer than I can count to harvest and I have to be honest some years I have shot more than some do in a lifetime, most of those deer fell to an arrow from a stik-bow. I still love to hunt deer, more so with a bow but I do love carrying a muzzleloader when it's cold out still hunting deer. That being said the past couple of years I have been spending more time hunting squirrels and love it, plus you can't beat squirrel for eating. Change it up a bit, cut your deer time in half or less this season and see how you feel next year.

 

[oneshot]

Well I have never ate much of any meat that wasn't wild game or Fish.I've been hunting since '59.

I'm getting ready for our season in 9 more days.Last year I was worried about health problems.Quit the season after 4 Deer.Still have the problems but I know what is going on.Its not going to kill me might make it harder getting Deer out.

But I'm pumped as much as ever.
:grin:
oneshot

 

[shootemup]

Go do something else Roundball. You seem to enjoy shooting; do that.

Look, this is all a hobby. Hobbies are supposed to be fun. When a hobby starts producing stress, it's starting to resemble work. SCREW that.

Face it, you're old. :grin: Just kidding. I hope I can be having a discussion like this when I'm 70.

Spot

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Road hunters, ATV's and those thousands of repetitive videos and TV shows have about ruined any interest in deer hunting I ever had.

Prefer the birds on the wing and the rabbits in a circle. They lend themselves more to the atmosphere I prefer in hunting.

I have a large piece of land I live on and over the years have let friends hunt on it. It had gotten so recently that I was nothing more than a place to hunt. My original intent was to have people over to hunt WITH me and not just hunt my land. Cutting it off to a slow drip this year and having a select few for some colonial style camping and hunting.

 

[Bearbait2]

Capt. Jas,
That is a great idea! You folks have fun.
Best Wishes

 

[doulos]

Spot your dead on . Its supposed to be fun! My wife commented to me a few years ago how I don't hunt in the rain anymore. If it is pouring when I get up I usually go back to bed. When I was younger sometimes my hunting was so die hard that it turned into a self test of how much discomfort I could take. I never let almost any weather stop me and stayed out sometimes when I was just plain miserable. Don't get me wrong I will put in my best effort especially in recovering hit animals. But I wont torture myself anymore while trying to endure some of the brutal weather we have here.

 

[slowpokebr549]

I have lot's of friends around deer season. I only let family hunt our ground.I like to have folks come and quail hunt cause it is a social occasion we all join in.Deer hunting seems to bring out the jackass in some folks though, so we limit it to family only now.

 

[roundball]

I hope I can be having a discussion like this when I'm 70.

So do I...but that's 8 long years away in 2016

 

[BrownBear]

Got any grandkids to share this stuff with roundball? That sure put the pep back into my hunting and fishing.

Though our granddaughter doesn't live in the same town, I'm getting much the same kind of enjoyment out of shooting and hunting with longtime friends, as well as mentoring some youngsters.

Much as I enjoy being in the woods by myself, between times it seems to be the friends and relatives that keep me going.

 

[shootemup]

So do I...but that's 8 long years away in 2016

I'm sorry - when you mentioned in another thread that you had voted for John F. Kennedy back in the 1960's, I assumed you would have to be at least 69 years old now. After all, the last time he ran was in 1960.

Maybe that was a typo?

 

[tg]

Roundball, it may be time you found some funny looking clothes to wear while hunting, and maybe do a little stalking rather than hunting from a blind...I think the clothes are the way to go, it might open up a whole new dimension for you, something else that can put some spark in your pan is to get a novice preferably a youngster started in ML hunting, I did this about fifteen years ago with a friends kid(dad didn't hunt but was pro-gun/hunting) and I think I got a bigger kick out of it than the youngster did.

 

[rabjr]

:rotf: http://www.ghilliesuitclothing.com/index.php?cPath=22&page=1&sort=3a