Strange Day for Me in the Woods.

[SOLANCO]

Like I told my wife when I die don't bury me just take me to the scrap yard, I must be worth something with all of the metal I've got in me

Wonder what the funeral directors do with all that metal after cremations?

 

[SOLANCO]

Plenty of hunters in this area so deer population does not reach nuisance proportions. Coyote chips in too. That said.......
South wall of dining room is composed of four big sash windows. Have seen deer in the garden outside those windows I could pet were it not for the glass. Guess reflection blinds them to me? I have aged out of hunting them. And there is no sport to sitting on the kitchen porch to snipe them.
Few years back two November bucks were fighting before dawn in a back road I use. When I blew my horn one ran off but the other hooked out a headlight with his antler before running.

 

[Banjoman]

.

 

[rdavidson]

Even at my advanced age I still like a walk in the woods with my dogs and always carry a rifle. Don't have any interest in killing anymore I've done plenty of that and often wish I had done less.

 

[bigstick6017555]

I am a few inches from reaching 80. Just got back from the Pa 3 day elderly hunt, had flintlock, and unmentionable along could have used either one any day, was using the excuse to early yet, or weather to warm, just could not seem to pull the trigger. Had a great time and will be back at it at the next deer gun season in Pa,.

 

[springfield art]

Went out hunting this afternoon here in NW Missouri. Our regular Firearm Deer Season is currently open, and I elected to take my Pedersoli Frontier Rifle in .54. Hunting a remote piece of public ground where only muzzleloaders are allowed. Walked way back in the woods and found a spot that looked promising, and sat on a handy fallen log that was up against a tree. Beautiful day, and as far as I could tell, I was the only hunter around. Half an hour after sitting, two does came ambling by, and I watched them wander off after several minutes. An hour later as I was looking off down the holler, I saw a large, majestic 10 point buck headed my way. I first saw him about 130 yards out, and my heart started pounding as he came ever closer. I watched him for several minutes, and he eventually came within 20 yards. He was a large mature buck, with a wide spread and high antlers, a rarity on public land. As I watched him and positioned myself for the can't miss shot, something strange happened. I have been a lifelong hunter, taking many deer over the decades, but today was different. As I watched him eat acorns, totally unaware of my presence, I was overcome by a desire to not kill him. I went out today with every intention of killing a nice buck if the opportunity came. However, as I sat there watching him, I was actually saddened by the thought of him being dead, especially as he was just enjoying the day eating his lunch. I lowered the hammer on my rifle, and just watched him for several more minutes, until he finally meandered out of sight.

Don't know what happened, but I do know I have killed my last animal. Not turning woke or going vegan, nor am I being critical of those who do hunt, but all my desire to ever shoot another critter died today. I shot my rifle into a stump and cleaned it this evening. I will be out in the woods again tomorrow, rifle in hand, but it will not be loaded. Hopefully I will see my new "friend" again. Getting old does weird things to a fella.

I'm with you! Never was a hunter but support legal ethical hunting. Thanks for sharing, as Oprah would say!

 

[springfield art]

Even at my advanced age I still like a walk in the woods with my dogs and always carry a rifle. Don't have any interest in killing anymore I've done plenty of that and often wish I had done less.

In the woods, it's good to have an un-mentionable along for protection against un-mentionably-behaved humans!

 

[Nav]

That's happened to me more than once when I was so hungover from the first night at deer camp that the thought of cleaning one, dealing with a big carcass, and getting blood and viscera all over me just wasn't appealing that morning. That said, I still gots miles and miles of kill in me, but occasionally I can be lazy or particular about it.

In my 20s hunting off a kill permit on my buddy's farm in Western Ohio, mid '90s, we shot about thirty one night spotlighting them, and we were cleaning deer till dawn. There was literally a river of blood flowing out of their garage, and with no sleep all night we then visited all the homeless shelters, food pantries, and soup kitchens in Wheeling WV. We arrived with the bounty of the harvest to the grateful and gushing proprietors. They would see us on the street with a bed full of coolers and rush out to help carry it all in praising Jesus the whole way. It has had a lifelong effect on me both as a hunter and as a philanthropist. I bet that the shelves in those food pantry's are near empty today, at least they are in my AO. There are hungry people out there this very day. My AL Post is a big donor to Hero's Care, and they are in dire straights. I plan on dropping off a couple of hundred pounds of meat this season, because they really need it.

 

[smoothshooter]

I had two thoughts while out in the woods today.
#1 I saw 4 bucks chasing a very tired doe - but she wasn’t ready for the boys. Three of the bucks were very nice. I drew a bead on one and thought “bang” in my head - but let him go. How would any of us like it if we were in pursuit of a little *** and only to get shot???
#2 I bet a bunch of us can testify that it’s ok to leave a ML loaded for a good while…

Truth be known, there is probably someone reading that next to last sentence above that knows EXACTLY what that is like!

 

[smoothshooter]

I've told my wife many times, one good thing about being older is we won't have to put up and deal with all the bad stuff that's going on and what's coming for very long. I know it's just the nature of things and history repeating it's self but getting tired of it. Yes i don't hunt much either for the reason you stated. Last year got some deer meat because of road kill .

I am 68 years old and have been appalled and worried sick about the future of my wonderful country for some time.
All through the 1960’s - 1980’s the main thing we worried about was nuclear annihilation.
Most citizens were roughly on the same sheet of music, most of the time, so to speak. Few really wanted our country or system of government to fail; they just had sometimes varying ideas on how to make us better.
I can’t say that anymore. Half of our citizens are ashamed of America and our traditional history and culture and would like nothing better than to see it taken down several notches for punishment and our culture destroyed and replaced with something else.
But I am old and don’t expect to be around much longer. I don’t particularly want to be around anyway to see what is coming our way the next few years if the elections this fall don’t go what I consider to be “ the right way “
I fear God is losing His patience with us.

I think I was happier worrying about nuclear annihilation.

 

[Eric Krewson]

When my wife was dying of cancer, (we hadn't heard the word TERMINAL yet) she loved to look out the window at the birds on the bird feeder. Every time I filled the feeder the squirrels and an occasional **** would come over for dinner. One day she said to me "you have to kill those dang ***** and squirrels so I can watch my birds". In the past I went to war with all of the invaders, I killed 50 squirrels in the back yard one year when they were tearing up the deck furniture.

After taking care of her 24-7 for over a year and watching her fade away, I just didn't have any kill left in me and told her I just couldn't and why. At that point any life seemed very precious to me, I just couldn't do it.

After she died my killer instinct came back. I still love to hunt but physical and mobility issues keep me close to the house. Unless the freezer meat is getting lean, I let just about everything walk, I use the excuses we all use as we get older, it's too hot, too cold, she has a fawn, looks like it is going to rain, I don't have a clear enough shot or its too far for my flintlock, I don't have any ice, my back is hurting and so on and so forth.

I will kill one deer a year for the freezer, my interest in big bucks is "0", I let them all go so my much younger neighbor, who is still into big racks, can have a crack at them. I will shoot a fat doe or a year and half old buck for the freezer with my flintlock, if I fail, I have a bunch of wack-um and stack-um friends who will bring me a deer. Deer meat is the only red meat I eat unless it is a burger from a fast-food place.

 

[aleksa oldfart]

When my wife was dying of cancer, (we hadn't heard the word TERMINAL yet) she loved to look out the window at the birds on the bird feeder. Every time I filled the feeder the squirrels and an occasional **** would come over for dinner. One day she said to me "you have to kill those dang ***** and squirrels so I can watch my birds". In the past I went to war with all of the invaders, I killed 50 squirrels in the back yard one year when they were tearing up the deck furniture.

After taking care of her 24-7 for over a year and watching her fade away, I just didn't have any kill left in me and told her I just couldn't and why. At that point any life seemed very precious to me, I just couldn't do it.

After she died my killer instinct came back. I still love to hunt but physical and mobility issues keep me close to the house. Unless the freezer meat is getting lean, I let just about everything walk, I use the excuses we all use as we get older, it's too hot, too cold, she has a fawn, looks like it is going to rain, I don't have a clear enough shot or its too far for my flintlock, I don't have any ice, my back is hurting and so on and so forth.

I will kill one deer a year for the freezer, my interest in big bucks is "0", I let them all go so my much younger neighbor, who is still into big racks, can have a crack at them. I will shoot a fat doe or a year and half old buck for the freezer with my flintlock, if I fail, I have a bunch of wack-um and stack-um friends who will bring me a deer. Deer meat is the only red meat I eat unless it is a burger from a fast-food place.

I'm not into killing because of size of antlers either. I kill for meat. Last year got my deer meat because I call the local police and got on the road kill list . Get called ,go pick it up, then do your thing with it. Only bad thing is they might call late in the night early mornings. If the deer stay in my woods they turn nocturnal manly. I got one squirrel for a meal going to get 1 or2 rabbits for a meal. Got a lot of raccoons in the woods. Their doing lot of damage to the field crops and afraid the might try moving to the barns and fruit trees. Don't like killing to kill but some of them got to go.

 

[oldwoodchas.]

Last year I found a nice young buck supposedly hit by a Buick 'bout a mile from home. If it's still hot , it goes home w/me. At 70+ yrs. , getting up the last rung on the ladder stand , wearing heavy warm boots , is challenging. Still remember the time I could go out on the mtns. and chase deer down in snow. I'll take my favorite flint long rifle to the range on a more seasonal warm day and shoot . I just cobbled up a steel gong target that needs shot. Enjoy your days with your flintlock , time is short.

 

[Rebel bull]

That's happened to me more than once when I was so hungover from the first night at deer camp that the thought of cleaning one, dealing with a big carcass, and getting blood and viscera all over me just wasn't appealing that morning. That said, I still gots miles and miles of kill in me, but occasionally I can be lazy or particular about it.

In my 20s hunting off a kill permit on my buddy's farm in Western Ohio, mid '90s, we shot about thirty one night spotlighting them, and we were cleaning deer till dawn. There was literally a river of blood flowing out of their garage, and with no sleep all night we then visited all the homeless shelters, food pantries, and soup kitchens in Wheeling WV. We arrived with the bounty of the harvest to the grateful and gushing proprietors. They would see us on the street with a bed full of coolers and rush out to help carry it all in praising Jesus the whole way. It has had a lifelong effect on me both as a hunter and as a philanthropist. I bet that the shelves in those food pantry's are near empty today, at least they are in my AO. There are hungry people out there this very day. My AL Post is a big donor to Hero's Care, and they are in dire straights. I plan on dropping off a couple of hundred pounds of meat this season, because they really need it.

we used to donate to the food banks but then they got the idea that the venison might be contaminated with lead and quit taking it

 

[Nav]

I ate a tenderloin from a giant buck with a huge rack last weekend killin' ducks, and it was tough as hell. I had to cut it wafer thin to enjoy it. It was delicious, but like eating skirt steak or round steak tough. Honestly, if I had it to do over I would have beat it to hell with a meat mallet before grilling it. Proof the tenderest cut of a big buck is still like shoe leather.

she has a fawn,

I've shot quite a few fauns over the years. The deer that still have spots are the tenderest and best tasting by far. The brisket on a faun is world's more tender than that tenderloin from the big buck. I have pics on my phone of me holding a deer up by the hind legs (like a rabbit).

If I'm being honest I throw away meat from the deep freeze, but when I get a baby it all gets eaten before summer. Anymore I eat the hanging straps immediately and just take the tenderloins from a buck. The rest I grind into sausage and have made into other stuff.

 

[smokepolehall]

Well when you sit & watch those Tick Toter you learn things you wouldn't if you shot everytime one came in range. I have sat many a day just watching them in the past 20 years, i have killed a couple of train car loads of them past 62 years i have hunted them.

 

[Marshhawk]

Shot a few late fawns through the years. Wife refers to them as "butter does." They are the best ones for the plate.

 

[knifemaker]

When my wife was dying of cancer, (we hadn't heard the word TERMINAL yet) she loved to look out the window at the birds on the bird feeder. Every time I filled the feeder the squirrels and an occasional **** would come over for dinner. One day she said to me "you have to kill those dang ***** and squirrels so I can watch my birds". In the past I went to war with all of the invaders, I killed 50 squirrels in the back yard one year when they were tearing up the deck furniture.

After taking care of her 24-7 for over a year and watching her fade away, I just didn't have any kill left in me and told her I just couldn't and why. At that point any life seemed very precious to me, I just couldn't do it.

After she died my killer instinct came back. I still love to hunt but physical and mobility issues keep me close to the house. Unless the freezer meat is getting lean, I let just about everything walk, I use the excuses we all use as we get older, it's too hot, too cold, she has a fawn, looks like it is going to rain, I don't have a clear enough shot or its too far for my flintlock, I don't have any ice, my back is hurting and so on and so forth.

I will kill one deer a year for the freezer, my interest in big bucks is "0", I let them all go so my much younger neighbor, who is still into big racks, can have a crack at them. I will shoot a fat doe or a year and half old buck for the freezer with my flintlock, if I fail, I have a bunch of wack-um and stack-um friends who will bring me a deer. Deer meat is the only red meat I eat unless it is a burger from a fast-food place.

Riding the trail down as far as I could go with my wife made a big difference to me in my drive to hunt and remove those pesky seed stealers. 15 years later, my #1 grandpup is 12 and going on his third year of squirrel hunting. He is trained and safe and stealthy. I take him hunting but my focus is on guiding him.

 

[zerosprk]

You do you!

 

[yellowhammer]

I have a friend who is just filled with raw blood lust and the braggadocio of posting his kill pictures. Kill kill kill. He appalls me. The sportsmanship and mercy some have described in here is just absent from him for some reason.