I’m loosing my drive for Deer hunting and I don’t like it.

[Timberman]

It happens. It happened to me back in 2009 when the economy crashed and I had more pressing things on my mind. After 4-5 years when things stabilized I started back up. Now I’m full bore again like I was in my 20’s, albeit a little more purposeful in my actions.

 

[redneck_billcollector]

I guess it is where your priorities are. I used to be a deer hunting fanatic, this was back in the early and mid-1970s in SOWEGA when we would hunt for weeks and if you saw a doe, let alone harvested any buck, you were talked about. Deer were not plentiful and there was an aura about harvesting one, you had to be on top of the game.

Times have changed, deer are everywhere, and seeing deer when hunting is regular, and days without seeing them are the rare exception. It literally has become almost too "pedestrian". We have enough equipment now and your firearm is typically the least of your investment in deer hunting. Now we have box blinds, basically stands we can live in if we wanted to. We have feeders, trail cams on every other tree and the challenge is just not there.

When I started deer hunting your typical tree stand was a couple of 2x4s nailed between a couple of branches in an oak tree with a few nailed into the truck as your ladder. When climbing stands became the norm, I felt that was the greatest innovation ever to hit the market for deer hunters. Well, boy was I wrong.

I have never enjoyed the actual kill of any animal, I always felt sad, and still do when I take the life of anything. But I always took the position, and still do, that it is the natural cycle. Of course, deer hunting was more of a skill than the science that it has become today. I honestly feel the challenge has gone for those of us who started hunting way back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It has become almost too easy, and when that occurs, at least for me, the whole taking of a life has become "too easy" and with the ease, the act ceases to mean what it once meant.

The internet, 24/7 hunting shows and all the doodads on the market today have taken the adventure out of hunting, have taken the aura of mystery away. People try to focus on trophies, or whatever to try to renew the mystery and the excitement....but Pandora's box has been opened and technology has forever taken the place of the mystery and beauty of the act of hunting. There is an old saying that I always lived by...."I do not hunt to kill, I kill so that I may hunt." For too many it has become "I hunt so that I can kill."

As I type this, I have my old Model 670 Winchester 30/.06 that I purchased from J C Penny's as the first deer rifle I purchased as a teenager in the early/mid 1970s, prior to then I hunted with either a Model 12 Shotgun or an old Winchester 30/30. To this day,, with all the fancy rifles I own, this is still the rifle I will grab more so than not if I decide to hit the deer woods.

 

[kingfish]

Not sure what to say to you. Personally, I absolutely refuse to turn deer hunting into a job. I loved bow hunting, but gave that up because the Florida heat makes it miserable. I rarely hunt the afternoons, just don't want to fool with it even though I know that last hour of daylight is probably the best time of the day. I get up early, but not near as early as I used to. I wait until I can see without a light in the mornings so I don't have to fool with setting up my climber and climbing in the dark. I now stay a couple of hours longer in my stand in the mornings and the amount of additional game I've seen has been unreal. Saturday mornings are the best, because if I don't bag something, I cook a massive breakfast then watch and listen to football for the rest of the day. I guess what I'm saying is deer hunting is now all about me, my comfort and my enjoyment. I've never looked forward to the upcoming seasons more. Hope you rekindle your fire !!!

 

[mguthrie]

Most hunters are outdoorsmen at heart and love to be out but I also believe as most men get older, seeing the end of their own life, they start to see living things in a more personal way and as something more than food and loses the desire to kill unless necessary.

I still love to be in the woods but it’s getting harder to kill a deer these days. When I do make a kill I’ll field dress and sometimes quarter it up at camp and process it myself. Sometimes I’ll have one processed, but I have a harder time taking the life of a deer more these days.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

Do you hunt anything besides deer? I’m always wound up about some type of hunting but deer hunting has always been the one that comes and goes for me. I’ll get excited about it and take it pretty serious for a few years then barely think about it for a while. I wouldn’t be deer hunting at all right now if my kids weren’t so excited about it. It’s just never been at the top of my list I guess. Even when I’m down on deer hunting I’m still training bird dogs, shooting squirrels, fishing, and whatever else comes along. I would suggest giving something else a shot if you’re not already. There’s plenty of stuff out there with longer seasons, higher bag limits, and a lot of it you can do with other people.

 

[M80]

I fish a lot. I enjoy it more than deer hunting and I love Turkey hunting but that’s prime fishing time lol. I also rabbit hunt and crow hunt. I am excited about hunting in the morning. I got permission to hunt a piece of land I haven’t been able to hunt for 13 years. It’s the best bow only big buck place I’ve ever hunter. Scouted it Thursday and good Lord willing I’ll be seeing deer in the morning.

Do you hunt anything besides deer? I’m always wound up about some type of hunting but deer hunting has always been the one that comes and goes for me. I’ll get excited about it and take it pretty serious for a few years then barely think about it for a while. I wouldn’t be deer hunting at all right now if my kids weren’t so excited about it. It’s just never been at the top of my list I guess. Even when I’m down on deer hunting I’m still training bird dogs, shooting squirrels, fishing, and whatever else comes along. I would suggest giving something else a shot if you’re not already. There’s plenty of stuff out there with longer seasons, higher bag limits, and a lot of it you can do with other people.

 

[ScLowCountry]

I understand what you are going through. I'm dealing with alot right now and have lost my hunting drive. I've been 5 times since the opener. I normally would have been 25 times by now. I just don't have the drive to get up. I don't end. Want to kill a deer

 

[jbogg]

Sometimes making a change can reignite that passion for hunting. When I was in my early 50s I realized I wasn’t as excited about the approaching deer season. Around that same time I was on Woody’s and discovered the Bear Forum. I ended up quitting my lease of 23 years, and discovering National Forest. These days I walk a couple hundred miles per year between scouting and hunting, and I still can’t get enough.

Additionally, I switched to a recurve for bow hunting this year, and it’s like starting all over again as a new hunter. A bear in Trad bow range makes me fall apart like a small child with buck fever. I recently turned 60, and these days I’m more passionate about hunting than ever. Try changing things up a bit, and see if that helps.

 

[Geffellz18]

Most hunters are outdoorsmen at heart and love to be out but I also believe as most men get older, seeing the end of their own life, they start to see living things in a more personal way and as something more than food and loses the desire to kill unless necessary.

I can relate to this line of thought…I enjoy hunting, but am not passionate about it & as such don’t tend to go very often, other than when a buddy calls to invite or the time I go home to hunt with Dad. And even then, I let many walk.
Hunting with a buddy LY in his field and had the biggest buck I have seen while hunting come out. Can’t say I didn’t have ANY desire to shoot it, but honestly it was just as enjoyable watching him for nearly an hour do his thing with 8-10 other deer in the field. Left them all feeding at dark as we eased out.
That’s also why I don’t do any other type of hunting any longer since I don’t eat many other wild game. No need to kill it if I don’t intend to eat it.
I do enjoy being out there & enjoying all the things about the hunt other than the actual kill though!
Perhaps my enjoyment strengthens again in time! Currently, I’m not sure if I’ll do any meaningful hunting once Dad is unable to.

 

[Kevin Cox]

I get it. I’m almost 58 and have a wall full of trophy deer. I’ve hunted with a passion since I was 12 years old. I still like to bowhunt but only when I want to go. I use to force myself to go like it was my job. Now I go when I want to and not just because I have a spot for another trophy. What I still have a passion for is hunting in the Midwest with good friends in camp and the amount of trophy deer at our fingertips. I’ll likely just mosty do Midwest trips with friends going forward. I’ll hunt the Ga prime rut weeks and that’s about it

 

[DannyW]

Been hunting hard since I was 10 with my dad. Been bow only since 2006. Killed plenty of deer and one pope and young 2 years ago in Ohio. Been to Kentucky, Missiouri and Ohio. Yet over the last few years it’s hard to find the passion I once had and I don’t like it. I’m sitting in a double man stand with a 300 mag that I killed my last gun deer with in 2006. I would usually carry a stand way back and hunt a prime place with my bow and 44mag pistol but I just made myself go to this stand or I would have went back to sleep. Any of y’all went throw a lull where you just didn’t have the drive and it came back. I guess my biggest problem is I enjoy fishing to much. My 20 year old son is across the ridge and he don’t go but a few times. His passion is Turkey hunting and duck hunting. My 13 year old daughter killed her first deer last year but she didn’t want to go today. I guess I can see why a hunting club and just sitting next to a fire in the evenings is so enjoyable the older I get. Anyways it’s getting shooting light. Good luck everyone and I hope y’all kill a big one.

Man, I could have written this.

Started deer hunting in 1967. In middle Georgia those days, you could count on one hand the number of deer you saw in a SEASON.

And I went at it hard. During the 70's, 80's and 90's I went just about every possible chance. I would drive 2 hours after work just to be able to hunt an hour or two.

My loss of passion really began about 20 years ago. I was still hunting a lot, but just not shooting deer. This hit me hard one morning when I went hunting with the intention of shooting a nice healthy doe or young buck for stocking my freezer.

That morning I sat there and watched a nice young 6-pointer feed all around me for 20-30 minutes. I never raised my rifle. This made me question why I was there. Why get up at a god-awful hour of the morning, drive for an hour, walk to my stand, for what? Just to watch deer walk by? Sure, something could be said for watching deer, they are beautiful, but it could be done with a whole lot less trouble and effort.

I kept hunting, but with much less frequency, until about 7-8 years ago. Since then I have been deer hunting maybe 1-2 times a year, mostly on pleasant fall afternoons.

I know many are shaking their heads in disbelief that their passion for deer hunting could ever diminish. If you had told me that 20-30 years ago I would have laughed at you.

Yet here I am.

Maybe one day it will come back to me, I sure hope so.

 

[M80]

Man, I could have written this.

Started deer hunting in 1967. In middle Georgia those days, you could count on one hand the number of deer you saw in a SEASON.

And I went at it hard. During the 70's, 80's and 90's I went just about every possible chance. I would drive 2 hours after work just to be able to hunt an hour or two.

My loss of passion really began about 20 years ago. I was still hunting a lot, but just not shooting deer. This hit me hard one morning when I went hunting with the intention of shooting a nice healthy doe or young buck for stocking my freezer.

That morning I sat there and watched a nice young 6-pointer feed all around me for 20-30 minutes. I never raised my rifle. This made me question why I was there. Why get up at a god-awful hour of the morning, drive for an hour, walk to my stand, for what? Just to watch deer walk by? Sure, something could be said for watching deer, they are beautiful, but it could be done with a whole lot less trouble and effort.

I kept hunting, but with much less frequency, until about 7-8 years ago. Since then I have been deer hunting maybe 1-2 times a year, mostly on pleasant fall afternoons.

I know many are shaking their heads in disbelief that their passion for deer hunting could ever diminish. If you had told me that 20-30 years ago I would have laughed at you.

Yet here I am.

Maybe one day it will come back to me, I sure hope so.

Yep

 

[Bob2010]

Been hunting hard since I was 10 with my dad. Been bow only since 2006. Killed plenty of deer and one pope and young 2 years ago in Ohio. Been to Kentucky, Missiouri and Ohio. Yet over the last few years it’s hard to find the passion I once had and I don’t like it. I’m sitting in a double man stand with a 300 mag that I killed my last gun deer with in 2006. I would usually carry a stand way back and hunt a prime place with my bow and 44mag pistol but I just made myself go to this stand or I would have went back to sleep. Any of y’all went throw a lull where you just didn’t have the drive and it came back. I guess my biggest problem is I enjoy fishing to much. My 20 year old son is across the ridge and he don’t go but a few times. His passion is Turkey hunting and duck hunting. My 13 year old daughter killed her first deer last year but she didn’t want to go today. I guess I can see why a hunting club and just sitting next to a fire in the evenings is so enjoyable the older I get. Anyways it’s getting shooting light. Good luck everyone and I hope y’all kill a big one.

Been here. My boys don't hunt as much as they once did. Hunt from the ground with a hammock seat, buy your own land and shoot what you want too, plant your own plots and fruit trees, or join a club for fellowship. For me, I didn't want anyone telling me what I can and can't shoot. I also wanted control over who I hunted with. I wanted to do improvements to my place. Not for others. I love to hunt a nice buck. That's just not my end game anymore. Killing for horns leaves you empty inside at some point. Getting excited about a kid hunting and having fun never gets old. It's just a different mindset. Good luck.

 

[Big7]

I'm starting to have to "make" myself go
for the first season ever.

Got all fired up during the pre- season. Checked a few scopes to make sure I'm on.

Even FINALLY collapsed the back seats in the little van and put the bed and some storage totes in there.

Got some canned goods together, food cooler, drinking ice cooler, deer cooler, etc...

Everything pretty much tricked out and ready to go.

Soooooo.....
I scouted extensively a primary and 2 secondary places to hunt at Charlie Elliott. I just knew in my heart it was a matter of showing up and pulling the trigger. Feeling good and very confident.

Come to find out Charlie Elliott is now all quota like Clybel. It wasn't always that way and I didn't know it had changed.

Off in search of another place to hunt. Talked to the Ranger for my county and he told me a few places that wasn't quota. One of those is "buck only" until Nov 4. That means I have to get up REAL early or camp because the 4th falls on Saturday and I suspect a lot more people will be there because:
A) Saturday is the second day of the rut.
B) Younger people that work will be off.
C) "Buck Only" goes away and state laws now apply.

On the upside, I met a nice Mexican young man
(mid 20s) that spoke English and his father, English not so good- said they were coming back this weekend. (skipped last weekend)
Maybe they would help me get it to the road.
I would be happy to pay them or give them some meat.

I have/had a LOT to learn about public land hunting. Only 1 is close to me. The rest is where camping make sense, almost a necessity.

Good Luck Ladies and Gentlemen. I hope everyone is successful on their hunt.

 

[Big7]

33* at Skull Shoals as of 5:00am.

The little camper van is sleeping good.

You could see your way around the parking area up to about 4am like it was daylight. Little more than half moon sure was bright.

Driving over to the gate where I hunt now.
Going to have to think about this for a minute.
Dang! It's cold and the dew is heavy.

 

[sgtstinky]

Been hunting hard since I was 10 with my dad. Been bow only since 2006. Killed plenty of deer and one pope and young 2 years ago in Ohio. Been to Kentucky, Missiouri and Ohio. Yet over the last few years it’s hard to find the passion I once had and I don’t like it. I’m sitting in a double man stand with a 300 mag that I killed my last gun deer with in 2006. I would usually carry a stand way back and hunt a prime place with my bow and 44mag pistol but I just made myself go to this stand or I would have went back to sleep. Any of y’all went throw a lull where you just didn’t have the drive and it came back. I guess my biggest problem is I enjoy fishing to much. My 20 year old son is across the ridge and he don’t go but a few times. His passion is Turkey hunting and duck hunting. My 13 year old daughter killed her first deer last year but she didn’t want to go today. I guess I can see why a hunting club and just sitting next to a fire in the evenings is so enjoyable the older I get. Anyways it’s getting shooting light. Good luck everyone and I hope y’all kill a big one.

roll with it, don't force it, if you want to hunt then go for it, if not enjoy life