I'm losing it

[hps]

I woke at the tradition 4am on Thanksgiving morn, sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my face. (what i did next is becoming the norm), I fell back and went back to sleep. After 37 yrs of deer hunting it seems to be loosing its importance. Maybe i'll buy a new gun and that importance will return LOL!!

 

[CBR1000rr]

I remember that feeling. Mine occurred in 1999 when I returned to my duty station and actually had time to hunt. I remember sitting there and watching all of these deer and wondering to my self where the fun was. The deer population had gotten so enormous that they hadn't been much larger than a German Shepard and they were every where.

Here it is, 2012 and I find myself missing it dearly. I miss the woods and everything about it.

 

[trimman83]

I'm 47. I find myself feeling the same way some mornings, but I treat it like I have to get to work. My buddies and I talk about how many more years we will do it, and I like to think I will stay in good enough health that it will never end. It is definitely not the 9-5. My wife has no clue what, why, or how I get it done: Prep for an hour the night before. Prep for an hour morning of. Drive for an hour and a half. Paddle canoe for 20 minutes. Hike for 20 minutes. Hang stand at base of chosen tree. Hook harness to myself and tree. Climb tree. Hoist weapon and gear. Set up weapon and gear. 1/2 hour until shooting light. Enjoy the next 4-10 hours in the woods and whatever it brings. Repeat if necessary. It's the 4-10 hr timeframe and the unknown of what will fill that time that keeps me crawling out of a warm bed and into a cold woods every fall.

 

[Willie]

I'm 73 and I don't hunt near as hard as I used to. When I retired 17 years ago I thought "Oh, boy I can deer hunt EVERY day" and set out to do just that. When it got to mid-December and sleet and rain was hitting me in the face I got a wake up call. I had turned the fun of hunting into work. I vowed then to only hunt when I really, really wanted to. Now if I wake up and it is raining, or wind blowing 25+ mph, or zero degrees I just roll over, kiss momma and stay home - unless it is rut time.

I have vowed to never make a fun thing into work...

 

[Aggar]

I actually didn't go out this am because I got my buck opening morning. I'm only 33 and I was actually excited to go this year, had a new gun, new blind and had been doin food plots this year. Ive been trying to get a good environment for the deer and keep them around. I actually took my 3 yr old daughter and we sat in the blind Sunday evening for a bit so she could see the deer and turkeys. Trying to get her excited but I didn't let her see my buck dead. When I didnt have a good place to go hunting I had the same feeling of not really wanting to get up.

This is what it's going to be about for me. Trying to get my woods and farm to be a nice place I can take the kids to see wildlife and eventually get them into hunting.

 

[Hotdoger]

First time in the stand yesterday afternoon. Didn't see a thing. Pulled a neck muscle .
Last year 1 time in the stand and caught a wicked upper respiratory infection that kept me from going out again till muzzeloder.

Be thankful you are able to get out!

 

[hps]

First time in the stand yesterday afternoon. Didn't see a thing. Pulled a neck muscle .
Last year 1 time in the stand and caught a wicked upper respiratory infection that kept me from going out again till muzzeloder.

Be thankful you are able to get out!

Good post!! We went last weekend and the boy killed his first buck, a dandy 8 pt. I got to have that feeling of a "first deer" all over again, It was amazing!!! I have a amazing place to hunt that most would kill for, it just seems to be to much like work. Now, when spring rolls around and the gobblers are sounding off its a completely different mood.

 

[Hookeye]

Older, bad back for months, work odd shift 6 days a week.
Tired all the time.
Slept in today.
Might not tomorrow

 

[ISP 5353]

I still have the same passion for deer hunting that I always have. My hunting tiime is harder to come by though. I seldom sit from dawn till dark more than a few days a year now. I hunt when I want to and I enjoy it more. Each year I am thankful to return to my hunt ground. It is like coming home again.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I actually didn't go out this am because I got my buck opening morning. I'm only 33 and I was actually excited to go this year, had a new gun, new blind and had been doin food plots this year. Ive been trying to get a good environment for the deer and keep them around. I actually took my 3 yr old daughter and we sat in the blind Sunday evening for a bit so she could see the deer and turkeys. Trying to get her excited but I didn't let her see my buck dead. When I didnt have a good place to go hunting I had the same feeling of not really wanting to get up.

This is what it's going to be about for me. Trying to get my woods and farm to be a nice place I can take the kids to see wildlife and eventually get them into hunting.

This is a great story. Thanks for sharing the picture--that happy little smile put a bright spot in a bad day (funny how happy kids have a way of doing that!)

 

[Bersalover]

One of the guys I hunt with is 76 and we literally have to push him up into his fixed tree stand. The cold gets him more than us but how can we complain!

 

[Bounty Hunter]

I know that feeling well. I live to deer hunt, but the last few years, things seem to get in the way of it.

I set my alarm this morning, and left the phone on vibrate!!! I have the house to myself and no one to answer to this year, and still seem to get side tracked . I fixed the radiator hose and thermostat on my truck yesterday, because it was so nice out, and did not want to do that in the cold that is coming.

I grew up hunting, and love everything about it, but it is very easy to stay in a warm bed, or get side tracked with projects that need done before winter sets in.

Not a good feeling, I used to go no matter what. I took the week off to do just that, but have only been out a few times. Life did not seem so busy years ago, and did not worry about whatever else needed done, because it was deer season.

Time to regroup and get better organized...I think that would help.

I do so Love it though!!!!!

 

[Hookeye]

Another problem I have is:

Used to hunt good ground, now hunt lesser property.
Even the best of efforts now can lead to no shooters (doe or buck).

I'm not getting out of bed to look at a couple of fawns over and over. And staying out all day, for a week of vacation, to shoot some 80" buck or smaller, just doesn't cut it.

I've killed a few dozen deer, so the BTDT has had some effect.

Nothing wrong with shooting any legal deer, but after a while punching tags has other requirements.

I let 3 different 6 pts and 2 forkies walk this yr, even when using recurve. If I see two adult does I'll take em, fill my freezer and call it done.

The only reason I have any excitement is that I did see a 130 class 8 and have a new rifle to try out. But I have not been to that spot in gun yet, others hunt it, and am a guest. So...........my chances of seeing that deer may be done.

Even if I go to state ground, I run an 8 pt restriction for gun or wheeled bow. Recurve, from the ground, any antlered buck is fair game. Treetsand? 8 pts min.

 

[hps]

Well, gonna try again in the morning. still have all my stuff ready from this morns failed attempt. Maybe its the fact that I'm only after a 140 or better buck. I now consider myself a "Horn hunter", and know those animals are few and far between.

 

[djl02]

I woke at the tradition 4am on Thanksgiving morn, sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my face. (what i did next is becoming the norm), I fell back and went back to sleep. After 37 yrs of deer hunting it seems to be loosing its importance. Maybe i'll buy a new gun and that importance will return LOL!!

That didnt work for me. Bought a new gun for this season,and didnt get me fired up,but after seeing a huge 8 point running around in my hunting area,I've been getting out of bed the last couple days.Now thats starting to wear off,since I havent ssen him again.Ive only been hunting for 32 years though.lol Guess were just gettin old