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For you hunters 55 and older
- Thread starter Milkman
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Dixie Shooter
Member
I’m middle aged. I forget now, sixty something. There’s more days than not that I feel like I’m from the Middle Ages.
I can still use a climbing stand but rarely do. It’s the carrying them in and out that wears on me.
Archery fell by the wayside. Between eyes and shoulders I don’t have the confidence I need to go after game with good conscious. I’m old school. I’m not knocking crossbows they simply don’t interest me.
I’ve been quite surprised and successful using ground blinds. I admit part of trying one was to help protect myself from direct winds and rain. My tolerance of cold feet has never been great and has only worsened over the years.
I ponder squeezing the trigger much more now than I did in past. Fun ends and work begins. I enjoy simply watching deer and other game more now. I do look forward to getting a coyote in the crosshairs. They’re usually on a trail of a young deer when I spot them. If they stop for more than two seconds I can usually end the chase.
Another thing I’ve noticed is even though I’m always up before the crack of dawn I enjoy evening hunts more now than I ever did when I was younger. Even if we don’t choose change living long enough will do it for us.
I can still use a climbing stand but rarely do. It’s the carrying them in and out that wears on me.
Archery fell by the wayside. Between eyes and shoulders I don’t have the confidence I need to go after game with good conscious. I’m old school. I’m not knocking crossbows they simply don’t interest me.
I’ve been quite surprised and successful using ground blinds. I admit part of trying one was to help protect myself from direct winds and rain. My tolerance of cold feet has never been great and has only worsened over the years.
I ponder squeezing the trigger much more now than I did in past. Fun ends and work begins. I enjoy simply watching deer and other game more now. I do look forward to getting a coyote in the crosshairs. They’re usually on a trail of a young deer when I spot them. If they stop for more than two seconds I can usually end the chase.
Another thing I’ve noticed is even though I’m always up before the crack of dawn I enjoy evening hunts more now than I ever did when I was younger. Even if we don’t choose change living long enough will do it for us.
71 in November and I’m still kicking it. I’ve humped farther than the youngsters today too.
saltysenior
Senior Member
I"m 84 still have all the hunting stuff and plenty of time and $$$ to do what i did for over 65 yrs.. The problem is that I no longer have a desire to shoot or kill any thing..
Dixie Shooter
Member
I understand feeling like that. Deer hunting was once a competitive sport for me.
When younger I looked to fill tags. Many times I would donate the animal to local organizations that would distribute the meat to the needy, still there was no reason for me to feel as if I had to fill those tags.
I do however still take destructive creatures like groundhog, yotes, and other vermin. Never lost a minute of sleep over killing a coyote.
Even though a predator of many game animals I enjoy watching bobcats as they move stealthily through the woods. There was a time I felt differently about them.
baddave
Senior Member
66 here. Have hunted since I was a child. I wore my knees out from working and playing all my life. Have had 2 total knee replacement THIS year. I feel like starting over now. Going tomorrow to the farm and I plan on doing some hunting fishing and some dragging .
bfriendly
Bigfoot friendly
Keep on keeping on y’all! I sure plan on it! I’m 55, but in the best shape weight wise than I’ve been in decades! We never had much growing up with 4 sisters and a brother. Mom got me fishing and a friend down the street took me hog hunting……with a pit/cur named Spike! I’m getting to the point in my life that I feel like I’m being rewarded for working hard, then saving later on in life……finally!
I am enjoying my life now more than I ever did in the past. I love life! I’ve always been happy go lucky and content. I always knew if I wanted something, I had to go get it, period…..nothing is free and no one is giving you jack!
I was Raised knowing God watches over us and I have truly felt him inside me many times…..without question he was taking over! God completes me, wholly. I’m not living a Christian life as I should by any means. But God is always there for me and I count on him selfishly. I pray he watches over all of my brothers and sisters here round the campfire. As the years pass, I enjoy naps more often, but I love to see the sunrise! There isn’t t a better place to do that than in the woods!
I am enjoying my life now more than I ever did in the past. I love life! I’ve always been happy go lucky and content. I always knew if I wanted something, I had to go get it, period…..nothing is free and no one is giving you jack!
I was Raised knowing God watches over us and I have truly felt him inside me many times…..without question he was taking over! God completes me, wholly. I’m not living a Christian life as I should by any means. But God is always there for me and I count on him selfishly. I pray he watches over all of my brothers and sisters here round the campfire. As the years pass, I enjoy naps more often, but I love to see the sunrise! There isn’t t a better place to do that than in the woods!
Triple C
Senior Member
So true. At 66, even though I'm up by 5:00 most every morning, I find myself skipping more morning hunts and enjoying the afternoon sits. Odd how that happens.
I tote a recurve to the woods. Sometimes I think it may be that I know I'm gonna enjoy watching many, many more animals than I will ever loose an arrow at. Particularly doe(s) and young bucks. I've yet to kill a 3.5 yr old or older buck with my recurve. I want to accomplish that goal. But dang, those suckers are so alert and ready to jump out of their skin when they get within my effective range of about 12 yds. Been busted a number of times trying to stand or draw on one. But still trying and enjoying the time I spend afield. Other than a few aches, still enjoy good health and no shoulder issues.
I'll be trying again this year and a lot of that will be on afternoon sits.
Dan DeBord
Senior Member
70 next JAN. Wore out knees. Still enjoying sitting latter stand . Coon hunt cur dogs after leaves get off. Chase hogs when handy.
Hoss
Moderator
Just realized this year, I will have been deer hunting for half of my life. Got a late start at 35. In-laws followed us to Georgia and he needed someone to hunt with so I took up deer hunting. Hooked for life. I do love sitting in the stand watching nature at it’s finest. Oh and taking the occasional nap.
Yep.
That sums it up perfectly. This is my new mantra...lol
I`m 67, fixing to be 68, and been hunting since I could keep both ends of a gun off the ground at the same time. Started with my Grandfather at a very early age, turkey hunting, then squirrels and summer ducks. There was no deer season until I was 10 or 11, and started hunting them too. Killed my first turkey, squirrel, duck, and deer, all within a couple of hundred yards of each other, and caught my first fish in the Oconee River in that same area of the swamp. I loved it. All I wanted to do was hunt, fish, and read about hunting and fishing. Didn`t care for TV, sports, or anything else much. Now that I think about it, I haven`t changed all that much since then, except that the rigors of a hard physical job have made me old and worn out before my time.
At this stage of my life I don`t have the stamina to hunt and fish like I did in my younger days. The fire is still there but it`s more of a bed of coals than a blazing fire. Just being out there counts a lot for me these days. We`re only bestowed so many sunrises and sunsets. I`m trying to enjoy as many as I can.
At this stage of my life I don`t have the stamina to hunt and fish like I did in my younger days. The fire is still there but it`s more of a bed of coals than a blazing fire. Just being out there counts a lot for me these days. We`re only bestowed so many sunrises and sunsets. I`m trying to enjoy as many as I can.
Yep. These days it's an effort to do it but once I'm in the stand or out on the water all that effort melts away and I'm where I need to be.
Geezer Ray
Senior Member
Falling into the category of the thread I want to say at 65 I had to renew my license. I bought a senior sportsman lifetime this time. Now just hoping to be able to hunt long enough to make the purchase a deal. Really being in the woods is good for the soul and recharges my battery.
mguthrie
**# 1 Fan**OHIO STATE**
Have no fear. You will get there one day
