Age and Hunting

[Nulle]

You know I was in the mountains hunting last week and while I was sitting there thinking of how I have always hunted and will through this out for us to kick around.
I have always hunted alone and now with getting a little older I am thinking this may not be the right practice. What the heck would a guy do if the old ticker started acting up or a number of other things ? Might be kind of hard finding a good hunting partner at this age but I may just start looking.

[ringneck 1]

yea know what you mean .bein thinking about same thing .Ive bein switching from tree stands to ground blinds.falling is my biggest fear .person should let someone know what area your in before you leave

[Dan Morris]

Nulle, as kid didn't go this year, at my kids insistance, I carried an aquantance. I found out, after the fact, that any altitude above 7k bothers him and that he was subject to seizures. None
of which I wase aware of.....this was gonna protect ME?
You are right, it may be dificult to find a good partner...I think we are both picky who we go in the brush with! (or I thought I was)LOL. I just watch where I go and pace myself.
Good luck
Dan

[fabsroman]

I have ever rarely gone hunting on my own. For the most part, I hunt with my father all the time or one of his/my friends. What sucks is when they are sick of they just do not feel like going hunting. What I find hard about finding people to hunt with is that a lot of people are stand offish about hunting with other people.

I would invite guys to hunt with me, but I am so worried that they are going to have to drive a ways and it might be a goose egg day (i.e., we don't get anything). Delduck and I were talking about getting together to hunt over in Delaware this year and I think he felt a little worried that it might be a slow day when I hunted with him. I tried to reassure him that I didn't care because that is part of hunting.

By the way, I am 34 and always worry about something going wrong while I am out in the woods or marsh. Of course, having the cell phone with me gives me some reassurance, but I try to go into the woods/marsh as prepared as possible.

[Nulle]

I never came out of a Hunting Family as WWll took care of that for dad . What I have done and learned has been on my own so now I hunt secluded areas away from people and it takes some time to get into these areas and many hunters don't want to make the effort and also killing game is not Top on my list anymore its just being out .
Cell phones are just excess stuff as no coverage in some areas I hunt.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Nulle
I never came out of a Hunting Family as WWll took care of that for dad . What I have done and learned has been on my own so now I hunt secluded areas away from people and it takes some time to get into these areas and many hunters don't want to make the effort and also killing game is not Top on my list anymore its just being out .
Cell phones are just excess stuff as no coverage in some areas I hunt.

curt

some of my sentiments also, don't really care if i harvest anything or not. thats not the important thing. just being out and smelling the woods and seeing the animals is enough for me.

being out and taking a break, take out the thermos having a hot cup of coffee, lighting up a cigarette and just enjoying being out. if they find me dead consider that i died a happy man.

[rubicon]

Thats why we call it Hunting- killing is a bonus.

[fabsroman]

I agree completely with you guys regarding the hunting/killing issue. The only time I feel bad is when my retriever doesn't get any work. Where I am at in life is shooting a couple of birds here and there and making sure the dog has a good time. I don't care anymore if I shoot my limit, I just like to get out and hunt.

[Jonesy]

Nulle your just being paranoid. I've hunted with Nulle and he's like an old mt. goat. Up and down draws chasing grouse didnt bother him a bit. Curt only the good die young, so you'll probably live forever!;)

[Nulle]

Ya your right = what the heck am I talking about LOL.

[larryours]

Afew years ago, I decided to bow hunt a few days after Christmas,before the Archery season ended on Dec.31, 2005
I went to a friends hunting camp near Mt. Storm, I met them at the end of the road, and they told me to put my truck in 4-wheel drive, 4-6 inches of snow and wind was getting up. Made it to camp after busting through a couple drifts, they had been to the camp earlier, and built a cozy fire for me. They said they would be back in the next day to check on me, wrong... the wind got up that night about 1 a.m. when I got up to check the fire, I looked out the window and it looked like a sand storm, only it was snow blowing and drifting. Well, after three days, there was a dozer that a energy company had went past the camp knocking open the snow drifts, and I was able to get out. When I got back everyone said I was crazy, because I was by myself & snowed in,but those were three beautiful days, I bowhunted, without any luck, a bear hound appeared at camp one night, he was an old dog probably his last year of hunting, he was tired and foot sore from running bear in the snow, so I left him in camp, fed and watered him, he lay by the stove and slept. He was great company, his owner came by the camp the last afternoon and got him, I told him he was wore out, and I kept him inside with me and gave him food & water, most bear hunters don't want you feeding their hunting dogs, but since he was so old & possible his last hunting years, the owner thanked me for taking care of him.

Hey, I just turned 53 this past September, and I still hunt a great deal by myself. But even though I didn't kill anything bowhunting, those were three peaceful days that will remain with me for a long time.

[larryours]

(Continued) See I'm getting old, I automaticly added 2005 to Dec. 31. Afew years ago wouldn't be 2005
Have Mercy on me and the bear hound

[BILLY D.]

every day i wake up i read the paper. i anxiously check the obits and if my names not in there and if i feel like it i go fishing or hunting.

[tooldummy]

I'm an insulin dependant diabetic. I had a problem with one of the pills I have to take and was taken off it, and my blood sugar elevated a bunch. So I had really cut back on what I ate again trying to get it lower. Yesterday evening I went hunting and had to carry quite a bit of stuff back to where I wanted to set up. On my way out my blood sugar dropped back on me and I began to wonder if I was going to make it out. I got extremely weak and had to sit down and rest a couple of times. And knowing that nobody knew where I was at and I was back in a sort of remote area was something that sort of worried me. Fortunately, I wasn't far from my 4-wheeler and made it back to it.
I wish I could find someone to hunt with, but I don't make friends easily I guess. And then I can't make plans to far in advanse as I don't always know how I am going to feel the next day and may not want to go hunting anyway. But, like one of the other guys said, if I die out hunting, I'll die happy.

[catman2]

Nulle, Having grown up in SD I see where the black hills are the place someone does not want to be if some thing should happen. There is plenty of other hunters in need of a good hunting pal just start talking.

[buckhunter]

I guess I'm lucky. I do hunt on my own but have a good bunch of guys that fill that outher bill. Heck if something happens to me when I'm alone I just couldn't think of a better way to go.

When I'm alone I always give my bride a detailed description of where I will be just incase she needs to send the insurance adjuster out to verify my demise.:)

[Cal Sibley]

I'm 69 now and lost my interest in hunting a few years ago. I shoot a lot more now than before since I'm retired and spend most of my time at the shootig range. My interests turned toward reloading and accuracy. To be honest I don't miss hunting game all that much. Some of us seem to lose the desire to shoot animals with age. Actually I shoot much more now than when I hunted. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[Nulle]

Cal you know now that I think about it I am going that way myself on many things.
Deer hunting is still great but the interest in taking that big buck or anything is second to just going out. Bird hunting has slacked off also with the problem of finding places to hunt and slob hunters you run into while in the field and on the roads.
You know fishing is not looking toooooooo bad these days lol

[larryours]

I'm just waiting until the day I can take my grand-daughter hunting or fishing!
I've taken my niece's boys camping and fishing, I'm- great uncle Larry to them & they told their Mom, he did this or that. Took trout fishing and then camp out on Mothers farm, let them help build a fire and cook their own food, the oldest now 13 loves sports, baseball, hockey ect. Said Uncle Larry(about fishing and camping) this is best time I've had in my life(they are from suburbs of Pitts. Pa) hey, that makes the whole trip worth while.
My grand daughter will be two this year and I think(hope) she will be a tom boy for a little while, so Grand Dad can teach her about the outdoors.

As the saying goes "Pass It On !"

[12GA guy]

I still enjoy getting out in the bush, and love spending time around the campfire, with hunting partners, to swap lies. I hunted a few times on my own, when I was younger, but as moose is my main prey, I pretty well need a partner, to help with packing, etc. We still hunt individually, when in the bush, but remain in contact by radio, or have set meeting times, and know where each other is going to be.

A good friend of mine, and fellow goose hunting partner, was on a moose hunting trip a few years ago, when he had a major heart attack. He was in the process of field dressing a moose, when the pain, and shortness of breath hit him. Fortunately one of his partners arrived to help with the job. He built a fire, and rounded up some wood for the victim to stay warm while he went for medical help. As they were quite aways away from civilization, it took several hours before the chopper arrived to do a medivac.
This was a case where a partner saved anothers life. There was no way that he could have walked out of the bush in the deep snow, and driven to help, while suffering the way he was. Likely they would have found him frozen stiff.
This happened in Alberta, where you are not allowed to use radios while hunting..stupid law if you ask me.

I will only hunt with a partner now.

[AK NIMROD]

MY HUNTING PARTNERS ARE 15-20 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME. I'M 57. I DO FEW HUNTS ALONE HERE IN ALASKA. NOT JUST DAY TRIPS. PUT 7000+ MILES ON MY TRUCK LAST FALL IN 5-1/2 WEEKS ON 3 TRIPS.
THIS YEAR SOMETHINGS GOT MY ATTENTION SO I HAVE HAD A VISIT TO AN INTERNIST AND A CARDIOLOGIST. PASSED THE STRESS TEST AND STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAM JUST FINE. SO I GUESS I'M GOOD FOR MY GOAT HUNT THIS FALL.
HUNTING ALONE TO ME WOULD DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF HUNT FOR DEER IN LOCAL AREA I WOULD SEE NO PROBLEM DOING THAT IF IT WAS AN ELK HUNT OR REMOTE DEER HUNT I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE PARTNER TO SHARE CAMP WITH MIGHT HUNT ALONE DURING DAY. HUNTS ARE MORE FUN WITH FRIEND TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH.

[Cal Sibley]

Hello Nulle,

Another thing that has to be considered is how long your body is going to hold out mechanically. I don't walk well anymore so more and more of my shooting is at the rifle range. Even that is less frequently than previously. Age certainly has many ways to catch up with us. Best wishes,

Cal - Montreal

[MacD37]

Like a lot of guys my age (71) I hunted on my own since the age of six years, with my first rifle, a brand new model 67 Winchester 22 single shot. I still like to hunt alone, and again like most here, I really don't care about the outcome of any hunting trip. I just enjoy being in the hills, and mountains with God's creatures!

I lived in El Paso, Texas for about 45 years, and hunted vast areas of uninhabited land in West Texas, and New Mexico, in low deasert, and in mountains up to 14 thousand feet above sea level, alone! I trnsfered to the D/FW area in 1982, and retired in 1996. I retired from a job with the largest airline in the world, ans that job allowed me to hunt tree continents, and many countries, for some of the world's most exotic game. Of course many of those countries mandated I hunt with a PH, or guide, but in most I could have done as well on my own, and would have prefered it that way. Well that came to an end about a year ago, when I developed canser, and have been in doctor's offices more than I've been home since! I've take to hunting some game ranches in my stste, (Low Fence) for wild hogs from blinds, and doves on water holes, where I don't have to expend too much energy. It ain't my style, but better than sitting at home, cleaning my rifles! Sure a let down after spending as long as a month by myself in Alaska hunting, and fishing, dropped off, and picked up by bush plane.
Like someone else said above, if I die while hunting, I'll die happy. Infact! If you look at my tag line, you will see my feeling on the subject. :rolleyes:

[newB]

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

This thread is a little old but it pertinent. Each replier obviously had put some thought into the idea of hunting alone and hunting into the older years. I just recently turned 49 and for the past couple years have given thought to these ideas.

Hunting in/as a group has many rewards, I have found that often the hunt is because of an invite from one or the other of the hunting buddies in the group. Even if the group at one time or the other might have only been 2 people.

Because of the different connections each member of the group has this has enabled us all to hunt in places where we might not other wise have been able to as a single hunter.

As a single hunter it has lead to opportunities that other whys would not have been possible as a group because the group idea scared many land owners, mostly because groups perviously spoiled the opportunity given them. Also as a single hunter I have had more flexibility in making outing plans and certianly learned the hard details of hunting the animal I was after not just from the experiences of my hunting buddies.

Some of the issues about safety and health are pertinent. I have been out many times as a single hunter, even as youth, and came in thinking "that was kind of crazy" or "bringing the deks would have been easier with another" I don't want to take chances with my life but some times I/we do so because I/we enjoy the hunting so much that we kind of forget self preservation. Some times I go out because there is no one else to go that day... just something you've planned to do.

I've given thought to the old age thing and know that things start to happen in our bodies in the 40ies and don't get better. We all want to keep going like an old mountain goat, but just can't. I want to be able to hunt with my kids or perhaps my grandchildren, mostly because I want them to experience the joys I've had. I plan to hunt into my 70's -80's if that is what the Good Lord has for me, but if my knees give out or my eyes fail I will have wait on Him.

With the idea of getting older and thinking of potential harm that might come to me I've recently given more thought to hunting with others. In fact, because I feel that I am still able to go hunting, I'm offering to take older hunters who don't want to hunt by themselves and or perhaps have considered giving up hunting because of just such concerns.

I consider myself to be an avid waterfowl hunter and offer to any hunter 65-ish or anyone who considers themselves to be "older" the opportunity to join me someday on a waterfowl hunt in Illinois on the Des Plaines River at the confluence of the Illinois River.

For replies to the invite e-mail me at flethcrew433@att.net
. I am also willing to take disabled hunters of any age.

[rickjordan]

I agree that cell phones are a hassle! I am 38 and hunt either by myself or with my Dad. I know what people mean by the aches and pains and just not feeling like it! My Dad- I used to not be able to keep up with him when he was my age and now I have to be careful and wait for him and pace myself so I don't overdue it for him! I really don;t have any fears about hunting by myself! Most of the deer I have shot, I was hunting by myself and I have almost fallen out of tree stands and have learned my lesson regarding that! I have a son who is five years old now and he will be hunting partner for the next 30-40 years and I am sure he will say the same things about me when he is my age!