Not ready to retire, just bored with TV

[newB]

Been thinking about what I'd do when it comes time to retire. Been trying to envision what it might be like with lots of time and the wrong time of year /season to hunt or shoot. Winter sucks in N Illinois. Like to have 100 + acres somewhere a little more temperate where I can shot out the back door and nobody'd care. Might even have a few friends over to knock holes in paper.

When it gets in the cold season I don't want to be sitting around watching TV unless I'm just not able to do anything else.

What do some of our retired (or thinking about it) HuntChat members do? Men's night at the coffee shop, Bible studies, Local indoor ranges, Wood working, New hobbies, Part time job, Missions work, Walks with your wife (when its above 50 degrees),...???

Where do you think that place might be?


No raunchy answers please.

Remember,

God created, we manage.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

First thing I noticed is there are only 12 hrs in a day instead of the 24 when I had to work at a job. 2nd thing was how everyone would say "since you have nothing to do now" can you do this or that..it took a while to learn to say no to some. (I had to get some of my things done too) I figured I would do more hunting,fishing but again, there just seemed to not be enough time in the day. Honey do list. Amazing how that list just never ends. I get to spend more time at my sportsmens club and amazing how much needed done. Not much time for fishing there..more like working on equipment, grass mowing etc etc.. I still am up and outside at 4AM like I had been for years due to that internal alarm clock. The important thing is keep busy. Do at least 1 thing every day that makes a difference either in your life or someone elses. I guess that would come under the volunteer for something part...even though I learned from the military not to volunteer for anything..lol..you will get your turn. I love to wood carve and do so in some gun stocks and in the canes I make...dabble in the wet on wet painting...You still have to give back so volunteer for something. Keep moving if you retire but it is nice to move at your own pace. Enjoy life and family..we only get a short time on earth so make a memory.

[Nulle]

Well ya might try the Senior section on this site also for information. With me and if you are married you will not have problems with spare time lol Mine lasted about two months and I went back to work as a self preservation thing and I was really beginning to worry when watchin Dr. Phil and Opra.

[buckhunter]

I did the same as Nulle, retired twice and one lasted 3 months and the other lasted 1 month. Always something to do. Yard work, baby sitting, honey dew list. Notice I didn't say anything about shooting, hunting or fishing. Now that I am back at the grind everything manages to get done. Much of the stuff I had to do is now done by the bride. Why she couldn't do it then is beyond me.

I was home for 2 months recovering from cancer once. I remember like yesterday saying to myself one morning, "gee whats on Ophra tody". I knew then it was time to go back to work hurting or not. I hurt but still went back.

As far as domestic tranquility being with the bride 24/7 gets old.

The next time I retire it will be for real. I suspect I will still work a day a week at my current job or I will find something else to do. What heck I have learned to say will that be paper or plastic or will there be fries with your burger.

[Larryjk]

newB, A doctor talked to me about this many years ago. He said if you don't have a plan on what you want to do, you will do everything in 6 months and then die. I have so many hobbies I can't afford all of them. You have to have the attitude that whatever you are doing is important. I am a full-time gunsmith on top of my hobbies and my day starts at 6:30 am when the alarm goes off just like it did during my "working" years. I like to go to work at 8:00 or so and work the day. I'm only 71, and have a long time to go.

[Nulle]

I just turned 62 and feel like 40 so everything at this point is full bore ahead. Been up mountain lion hunting in my area but nothing but tracks so far. What I would really like to do is load the dogs and head South bird hunting. NO wife lol

[Catfish]

I`ve been officlly retired for alittle over 1 year now, but scalled way back about 10 years ago. There is almost never a day goes by that I do not have a gun in my hand for one reason or another. Got drafted this morning to help make peanut brittle. You just never know what the wife will have in store. I will not buy a fishing lincense this year. I have a 3 acre pond about 150 ft. out my frount door and acouple of others I can fish any time. I usually only fish in the spring or with the grandkids, 2 to 4 times a month in the summer. I even had or satlite TV cancelled do to lack of intrest. I live in Ohio so the weather is about the same as yours and love the snow and cold. When it get cold and snowy you just get a friend and drive the pickup out to where you can see a large area and glass for coyotes. After 2 months of retirement you will wander how you had time to work. BUT The main reason to retire is that if you don`t do it now, with that bunch we have in Washington now, you may never get to.

[rainydays]

Some people don't handle retirement all that well. I retired in my early fifties and never looked back. I live in an area where I can be out hunting or shooting in five minutes or less. Fishing isn't to bad either. Spend alot of time afield, especially during upland bird season. Also spend alot of time shooting prairiedogs and shooting in general. Do a lot of load development for people. It's really great to shoot other peoples guns, especially when its there ammo. Spend alot a time as training instructor for our local volunteer fire dept, and belong to an awesome bowling team. Do alot of cooking, grilling, sausage making etc. Have alot of parties out on the deck. Wife and I do travel quite abit to Idaho and Montana to vist friends and the kids. Fishing can take up alot of time also if you let it. Spent this beautiful day out in the Badlands on my skiis with my rifle strapped to my back and some coyote calls in hand. Had my Lab along for company. What a great day.
Have fun thinking about your retirement. It can be alot of fun if you are ready for it.

[Dan Morris]

LOL, at 67, I don't plan on retiring till 70....perhaps not even then. I enjoy a 10hr work day, go to range at least once a month and hunt as much as weather permits. Internal clock has me up at 4am n I hit the bed about 9pm.
My health is excellent and I simply enjoy life.....I bore too easily to hang it up!
Dan

[skeet]

Yep that's me. Specially the shy part. Actually I retired at 47..Boy..it's been a while now. I retired to take care of my father in law. He and my wife were like oil and water..no mixing.. except mixing it up.. So we went fishin..and hunting. and 4 wheeling. and we grew the garden etc etc. And I had the shootin stuff that I messed with. Well Father in Law died bout 9 yrs ago. Still do a bit of that shootin stuff.. Doing a little gunsmithing right now.. and tried for a nice little ol elk this year again. Ain't many elks up in them mountains now. The wolfies are really hurting them..as are the grizz. Lotta stress on 'em being chased all the time.. Been trying for some yotes here lately. They be getting really smart in this Neck O' the Woods. Still wake up at 0 dark thirty but have learned to turn over and go back to sleep..sometimes it actually happens. Still do the garden stuff but on an even larger scale. Gonna get bigger this year too. Couple acres of sweet corn and all the trimmings. Sell stuff at farmers markets. Did right good last year. Always busy. Now I got somethin to say bout retiring..I have a friend a year older back in Maryland. Had a very impotent job with the Gummit in the past..retired from that and went to work for a bank..Told me the other day..he's got cancer..pretty advanced too. A word to the peanut gallery. If ya have a good chance to retire..do it. You may not get the chance later. He isn't gonna. We were going to go to Argentina in late June this year. Dove shootin. Ain't gonna happen for him now Sucks for certain. Course part of the reason he didn't retire was havin to be to home with his missus all the time. Even he couldn't do it. When ya look the word witch up in the dictionary..there's her pitcher right next to it. Or if'n the word starts with a B there's her pitcher again.. Sometimes the who thing with life sucks..