My enthusiasm for hunting this year is well not very enthusiastic

[The_Field_Ager]

Yeah, I am on something of a deer-kill-downer right now.  This will only be my 8th season. Just 3/4 seasons ago I was obsessed. Practically hunting all year long in my mind, planning scouting etc, watching videos all the time. Right now, the more I think about killing a deer, the less I want it. I love being in the woods. I love seeing the deer grow on cam. This year I just don't even know if I can do it. I got 2 lovely Bucks on the one cam I bothered to put out a couple of weeks ago on my back-up spot. I just came over all sad at the thought of arrowing one of them. I have not bothered putting out a cam in my own patch. My nephew is finally getting his license this year. I think I will put my focus and energy there, on helping him. I simply have no heart for it right now. Maybe that will change come the Fall.

Had someone, a Veteran, come by the house recently. We got talking about hunting. He said after being deployed he came home and went hunting. The first deer he saw in his sights caused him to break down. He couldn't shoot an innocent he said, not after all he had seen/done overseas. He sold all his gear the next day. That story has stuck with me.

If I really needed the meat I might feel differently, but things are OK now moneywise . I may donate the meat this year. That would bring some purpose to the whole affair. I will definitly go and sit my stands tho. I will at least do that much.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Papist

[ATbuckhunter]

Im pretty pumped. Got my doe tags the first day it was available. Havent been able to go up to hang cams, but Ill try to sometime next week or the week after

[Jdubs]

2 hours ago, grampy said:

I just reread my previous post, and it seems a bit down to me now. I'm very lucky to be busy the way I am! I'm working full time and keeping up with three different properties. Seeded the last plot tonight after work, before the next bout of rain moves in. So I am preparing for hunting season!Tomorrow will start hanging cams. Sometimes I'm just so busy, I don't take the time, to just sit back and and enjoy the fruits of my labor. It's always on to the next thing that needs to get done. How did growalot manage all the stuff she did? Hmmm...I'll have to ask her sometime! lol. Anyways, I just finished my biggest annual project at work, so things will start getting easier there.

No doubt when the leaves begin to change, and the first cool spell comes, with a hint of fall in the air. My thoughts will turn to the deer woods. It really isn't all about the kill for me anymore. As I have nothing to prove. It's all about sharing time with friends and family, seeing sunsets and sunrises, being alone with my thoughts. Its when I feel most alive. It's when I'm really me!

I know I'm closer to the end of my hunting time, than the beginning. But no doubt, when the time comes and my body can't make it to the hunting woods. My mind will always take me there. And a smile will crease my lips, as my heart warms my soul, thinking of a cool fall morning.

Beautifully said.  With your grandson just starting his hunting career, I think you'll find many more years of hunting enjoyment in those woods.

[bugsNbows]

I’m far to busy moving / relocating to even think about hunting. Besides, I have stuff in St. Pete, Whorelando and Hotlanta. Not sure where all of the hunting stuff is!

[airedale]

I think it is just natural that many times an activity if done a lot will lose some of it's shine because of familiarity. When I was a kid and had the opportunity to eat all the ice cream I wanted I could have put a serious dent in one of those old half gallon boxes. Last evening the wife and I stopped at an ice cream shop and I had a small bowl of really good store made butter pecan and that small bowl was all I wanted, I still love ice cream but like hunting these days I just do not need so much of it.

Age also becomes a limiting factor at some point, when you get old you just can not do things physically that you did when young.

Kind of an ebb and flow thing with me these days, I will say a new gun and cartridge will sometimes get me fired up to make a kill along with some hunting opportunity that I have not tried or had much experience with. 

Like Pygmy I still enjoy an awful lot the early season fall days in a good squirrel woods with a tack driving 22 rifle and think I always will.

Al

[Water Rat]

I'll be out there by hook or by crook. 

Whether or not I get anything is a different story.

[Nomad]

TF, I’ll have plenty of doe tags for 8H , so don’t apply for those, if you need a couple I’ll sign them over . 

Whats good about this year is being retired , last year with my daughters nursing schedule and my FF one , seldom did our off days match up .

[Robhuntandfish]

I have ebbs and flows with getting up for hunting .  But once it hits and I am in the stand and have some action, I am all in.  After opening day of gun i tend to become less interested again. 

Really got solid back into fishing this year.  Don't  as much for a few years as I used to fish 10x more than hunt years ago.  But last 10 years really been into hunting cause I have some decent spots.  Have done a lot of fishing this year and have had some success for sure.  But am starting to slide out of that and into hunting ......I can feel it coming....lol. 

[Pygmy]

All this hunting talk has me thinking...I still have a few squirrels left from last year ( frozen in water, of course)..

I better thaw some out and cook 'em up, so I'll have room for THIS year's harvest....

[Pygmy]

23 hours ago, philoshop said:

I still enjoy sitting in the woods as the sun comes up and the critters start to move. It takes me about two minutes to walk out my back door and do that. Sometimes I'll take a camera but neither one that I own has an off-switch for the shutter sound, and often I just don't want to disturb the woods like that.

Things changed for me when I stopped focusing on "the kill" and started thinking more about the quality time in the woods.

I still hunt squirrels, Pygmy. As long as I don't have to walk too far. Hint, hint.

Philo....One of my best squirrel spots is about a 200 yard walk on a level woods road... << Hint. Hint>>...

[greg54]

My mind is into it but sometimes the body and age try to get in the way....just try keep pushing though.

[philoshop]

31 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Philo....One of my best squirrel spots is about a 200 yard walk on a level woods road... << Hint. Hint>>...

I'm there my friend. I have plenty in my back woods, but it's always fun to see new territory. Keep me posted.

[Buckmaster7600]

I couldn’t care less about deer season right now. Been so busy with life new girlfriend, single dad, working way too much.

That first cool morning in September the switch will flip. New lease is Ohio to look forward to and I will be excited that first snow up north.

Honestly I’m most excited for deer season to end so I can get back to crow hunting!!


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[helmut in the bush]

11 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I couldn’t care less about deer season right now. Been so busy with life new girlfriend, single dad, working way too much.

That first cool morning in September the switch will flip. New lease is Ohio to look forward to and I will be excited that first snow up north.

Honestly I’m most excited for deer season to end so I can get back to crow hunting!!


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Where's your lease in Ohio?

[Buckmaster7600]

Where's your lease in Ohio?

Zanesville


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[chrisw]

I haven't had a chance to get real excited yet, summer has been so busy it's ridiculous. I just put my first camera out last week, I'm way behind on scouting this year. I scouted yesterday for quite a while and put on some miles, hung a few cameras, so once I start getting a few good deer on camera I hope I kick into hunting mode. I know I will, I always do, it just feels delayed so far.

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[helmut in the bush]

33 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Zanesville


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I hunt a little north of there in New Castle 

[G-Man]

i never get wound up for season its a lot of workand wasted energy. deer are plentiful and easy to get. i only get excited to see someone else get something it seems anymore.  my days of not being able to sleep are long gone. im more excited when it rains and we try someplace new for food...

[The_Real_TCIII]

I dont think a day goes by that I don't think about deer hunting, I'm already getting fired up for October.

[Nomad]

Haven’t been to the land since shed season , no cams up yet . I suppose once it cools I’ll hang them, two,new ladders to put up ( well haven’t bought them yet ) and a Couple existing to move. Need to weed wack around the hut, carry some sandbags ( rests ) to my range , as well as walk the boarders and check posted signs .

Just starting to think about it , I’m still in waterskiing and pool mode .