How Long Have You Been Hunting ...

[johnraleksa]

My

 

[loflyr55]

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SUBJECT: How Long Have You Been Hunting ...

For me with health condition and the desire to give a 100% effort i had to stop. Didn't like admitting this but when it's time it's time. Now I go with the young guys and play camp cook, still buy a license for the season, have had some nice animals come through camp getting spooked from near by. Fun stuff and I like to hear some of the stories the kids come back with.

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Had some really good luck over the years.

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Fun and educational times with some really good folks, thank you.

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When you start hanging up old ventures, you decide to hang them all up at 50 years.​

Like said, "50 years seems to be my marker" on getting out and about. I miss all of these things, but need to know when to stop. Funny now after having a few health issues end of last year, but the timing was right on the money.

How are you guys doing as you get older?


..

Got my first duck at 14, first deer at 25 with a muzzleloader my brother built for me. Hunted Texas, Alaska, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Idaho, Utah, and Georgia. Now I’m 66 and only have access to public land with far more hunters than opportunities. Now I just take the flinter for an occasioal walk in the woods. Any success we be more deer suicide than hunting skill.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

48 years

 

[cynthialee]

First attempts at hunting at 7 and 9 years old with dad. I was so noisy we were never going to find deer. My guess is the old man was cool with that.

First real hunting, at around 21. I spent a Summer shooting rabbits. Roasted rabbit was much better than anything else.

Tried hunting with my brother a few times in my mid 20's. Never got squat.

10 years ago I decided to get serious. Got my first muzzle loader rifle (I have had BP colt style revolvers since my teens. Dad wouldn't let me shoot his .50 as he was sure it would be too much gun for me.) and started to learn them from this site. That Fall I got a deer. Since then I have gotten 5 of them.

 

[johnraleksa]

Been hunting since 1959 or so carried a daisy bb gun. Couldn't think of ever missing open day of deer season, squirrel , rabbit, ext. Now I go when I make time to go. Best time was taking the next door neighbor boys shooting and squirrel hunting. Because of them got to hunt squirrels with dogs. That was fun and easier for a old man. Shame those boys went off to college and started hunting girls more.

 

[Buckskinquin]

63 years, started with a 22 pump (1906 Winchester) my Dad had bought in his youth. Still travel to NY to hunt deer with my brother. Have found South Carolina one of the most frustrating hunting experiences in my life. Or should I say lack of hunting experiences.

 

[granth]

Haven't hunted deer before, but I've slapped my fair share of dove and duck. I would like to do some muzzleloading hunting one of these days.

 

[david w]

I've been hunting for about 4 years. I gave up on deer 8 years ago. I still squirrel hunt, but that's it. Fishing is a lot easier.

 

[tom_in_vt]

Since I was 12, 38 now.

 

[LSLibelo]

56 years so far. Though it's been only the stalk, no kill, since 2000.

Broken Spine and Pelvis reduces my strength and mobility.

But that's Okay don't need the meat.

 

[LME]

We wonder why it is hard to get youngsters involved in our sport. I see a theme here. In this thread most are 60+ and started hunting and shooting before age 10. How many kids these days have the opportunity to do that?

My boy nagged me all the time wanting a shotgun. He was ten years old and not ready for a shotgun. I finally decided to get him one so I bought him a pump action 12 guage. I knew he would shoot it one time and not want to shoot it anymore until he grew up some? He sure fooled me! When he finally shot it I could tell it hurt his shoulder but he was determined to shoot it. I sure figured wrong, he is 60 years old now and still shoots that same gun some times and he is a very good shooter.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I know where he is. We lived in that area near Lake Octorara before we moved here. He has lots of deer and turkey.

Yes, he worked for Phila Elec at the Peach Bottom plant!

 

[Tennessee Muzzy]

I started shooting a .410 single shot at 7, hunting small game at 8, ( in 1970 ) big game hunting when my grandpa gave me my first 12ga pump at 13. I’ll be 60 2mo. So 52 yrs ago. I started muzzleloader hunting about 35yrs ago.

Seems like 10 is a magic age for a lot of us I'm 77 got a JC Higgins from Sears for Christmas when I was 10. Still have it in the safe times and people have changed. I understand now what the good old days means and miss them

 

[Snake Pleskin]

63 years, started with a 22 pump (1906 Winchester) my Dad had bought in his youth. Still travel to NY to hunt deer with my brother. Have found South Carolina one of the most frustrating hunting experiences in my life. Or should I say lack of hunting experiences.

I also live in SC and have found it difficult to find decent places to shoot. Have not even tried hunting. Alot of "private" land here. Apparently a bldg. that is 40-50 yrs old or more, run down, falling down, never been maintained, is considered quaint in SC, I consider it cheap, neglected & trash. I live in the Aiken area and the closest range is SRRP Savanah River Rifle & Pistol club, which is still 33 miles away! Even at SRRP there are absolutely NO amenities of any kind unless you consider a wasp filled porta potty your cup of tea, and a piece of garden hose hooked to a faucet on a pipe in the ground for water.!

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Yes, he worked for Phila Elec at the Peach Bottom plant!

He still hunts at 75 every single season but bow! He hunts Rifle, Blackpowder & Primitive Blackpowder. We always hunted in McKean Cnty, Bradford Pa., because my Grandparents lived there. Icebox of Penna!, rugged area.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

54 years. Damned near got a rising pheasant with my first recurve bow at 14.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

60 years hunting, from rats to big game, but knees make the walks shorter or slower these days.!

 

[Ninering62]

56 years so far. Though it's been only the stalk, no kill, since 2000.

Broken Spine and Pelvis reduces my strength and mobility.

But that's Okay don't need the meat.

I feel for ya bud. I to have broken my pelvis, pubic bone, hip & sacrum as well as breakin my back in 4 places on top of two deteriorating discs. Between a near fatal fall in 03 & a near fatal motorcycle crash in 04, im busted up literally from head to toe & full of plates, pins, screws & severe nerve damage. So life in pain & limiting abilities are just the way it is. On a lighter note, I know rain or cold is on the way long before any dang weatherman does. At almost 60 now, I still hunt, & use a self climber stand, my days of hunting alone are nearly over due to my health. I’m grateful I can still shoot & hunt at all

 

[Rodd Boyer]

We wonder why it is hard to get youngsters involved in our sport. I see a theme here. In this thread most are 60+ and started hunting and shooting before age 10. How many kids these days have the opportunity to do that?

All I have to say about that is; my kids had the opportunity to shoot before 10 years old. All 3 of them still shoot to some extent. I never forced them to shoot, but asked them if they wanted to and let them make the decision when they wanted to. My son was pulling the trigger on a single shot .22 before he could speak sentences. He's been in the navy for 4 years this week.

 

[Texas Gil]

68 years ago I started hunting and never missed a season since. I still hunt doves and deer love the hunt and the outdoors.
Thank God for my dad and other men for including me . I have done the same for my children and their friends.