in hunting. when i was younger i was the guy that wouldnt stop no matter what. but for some reason i dont have that desire anymore. im not old, 44, but just dont have the drive i use to. and i will be honest, the killing bothers me. im not in any way saying its wrong, its not. just saying im changing and not sure how or why and dont like it.
anybody lose interest
- Thread starter bnsafe
- Start date
If the killing is what\'s bothering you, but you still like the hunt. The answer is simple. Do the whole hunt, but don\'t pull the trigger. I\'ve done that so many times I couldn\'t count them. For me the hunt is everything, and getting the elk in my sights is very satisfying. The kill is just for meat. If you can do without the meat. Just do the hunt.
If you\'ve lost the desire to hunt. I can\'t help you. I\'ve never felt that way. Maybe taking a break for awhile will help.
If you\'ve lost the desire to hunt. I can\'t help you. I\'ve never felt that way. Maybe taking a break for awhile will help.
I have never lost interest yet. I plan to hunt as long as my body will allow me to. I plan on ramping up my fishing after that. I think it is in my blood. Both of my Great Grandmothers were 1/2 Indian. Both born along the Mississippi River. One in a teepee the other in an old cabin. One was a comercial fisherwoman until she was 74. Like Stillhunter I think I would have been happy living in simpler times.
Scott you could carry a camera instead of a weapon. No season. No limits. Same reward minus the meat.
Scott you could carry a camera instead of a weapon. No season. No limits. Same reward minus the meat.
Scott
Its OK to F5 (refresh) every once in awhile.
I have found that there are other factors in life that take away and drain my enthusiasm from things I really like to do.
Work/eliminate on those things first, what ever they may be.
The hunting, shooting will be there if you want to give it a go again.
Its OK to F5 (refresh) every once in awhile.
I have found that there are other factors in life that take away and drain my enthusiasm from things I really like to do.
Work/eliminate on those things first, what ever they may be.
The hunting, shooting will be there if you want to give it a go again.
Scott,
I can relate to that. I have loved hunting since I was a little kid. I spent every chance I could at my grandpa\'s farm chasing rabbits, squirrels, ducks, quail and when I got older he took me deer and turkey hunting. The older I get though I realize my family doesn\'t seem to eat the venison near as much as we used to. That\'s one reason I just started trophy hunting for WTs. It doesn\'t mean I don\'t like to hunt though I still like to be in the woods and come spring I\'ll be chasing gobblers. I don\'t even like to eat them but my family does so that doesn\'t bother me as much. I\'m 42 and over the last several years I don\'t feel like I have to kill anything to feel like I\'ve hunted. This September was one of my best experiences hunting and I didn\'t kill a thing. One of these days I may quit killing but I don\'t think I\'ll ever quit hunting. There\'s always somebody who\'s never killed a turkey or deer and to be honest some of my favorite memories are calling in birds for people who have never been turkey hunting.
Brad made some great points too, life can get to be a grind sometimes something has to give somewhere.
Still hope to make it over your way some time. If nothing else we may be able to chase some gobblers in April.
I can relate to that. I have loved hunting since I was a little kid. I spent every chance I could at my grandpa\'s farm chasing rabbits, squirrels, ducks, quail and when I got older he took me deer and turkey hunting. The older I get though I realize my family doesn\'t seem to eat the venison near as much as we used to. That\'s one reason I just started trophy hunting for WTs. It doesn\'t mean I don\'t like to hunt though I still like to be in the woods and come spring I\'ll be chasing gobblers. I don\'t even like to eat them but my family does so that doesn\'t bother me as much. I\'m 42 and over the last several years I don\'t feel like I have to kill anything to feel like I\'ve hunted. This September was one of my best experiences hunting and I didn\'t kill a thing. One of these days I may quit killing but I don\'t think I\'ll ever quit hunting. There\'s always somebody who\'s never killed a turkey or deer and to be honest some of my favorite memories are calling in birds for people who have never been turkey hunting.
Brad made some great points too, life can get to be a grind sometimes something has to give somewhere.
Still hope to make it over your way some time. If nothing else we may be able to chase some gobblers in April.
I go huntin\' as much as I can but I don\'t go killin\' as often as I did sometime back.... Don\'t get me wrong I don\'t mind the killin\' and eatin\' part of it but I love to see others enjoy their hunt and the thrill of the kill... Over the years I\'ve most likely killed enough critters to make a few truckloads.. 
Don\'t nead to kill um any more except when I need meat OR it\'s somethin\' I hunted for years but never kill yet....
My ol\'st son gets mad at me when we are duck huntin\' and tells me to start shootin\'... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: I enjoy callin\' um in and watchin\' a good group of mallards throw back their heads, drop their butts, kick out those feet and fall in through those littl\' holes in the timber as much if not more than pullin\' the trigger...
My opinion.... Everone has a choice... Ya can hunt and kill... OR ya can hunt but kill when ya want to... I do the latter myself but it\'s up the each of us how we handle it...
Don\'t nead to kill um any more except when I need meat OR it\'s somethin\' I hunted for years but never kill yet.... My ol\'st son gets mad at me when we are duck huntin\' and tells me to start shootin\'... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: I enjoy callin\' um in and watchin\' a good group of mallards throw back their heads, drop their butts, kick out those feet and fall in through those littl\' holes in the timber as much if not more than pullin\' the trigger...
My opinion.... Everone has a choice... Ya can hunt and kill... OR ya can hunt but kill when ya want to... I do the latter myself but it\'s up the each of us how we handle it...
Lark Bunting
New member
- Sep 14, 2016
- 710
I\'m very new to hunting so I am not there yet. But, I fly fished since I was a kid. As I became an adult I was enthralled with fly fishing. I tied my own flies, built my own rods, furled my own leaders, traveled to numerous states, and spent a part of my honeymoon on a flats skiff. I read every magazine and forum I could.
A few years ago, I was standing in the river close to home wishing I\'d stayed home to do some of the things I needed to get done around the house. I started noticing this feeling every time I\'d be on the water. I noticed my fly tying room was slowly packed away and converted to other space. My rods were getting dusty. Heck, I didn\'t even buy a fishing license last year. I was burned out!
I have the itch now to get out but will wait until April 1 for the new annual license. I made a promise to take my kids more this year...and actually fish.
Take a break.
You may find that you will miss it and have a spark again.
A few years ago, I was standing in the river close to home wishing I\'d stayed home to do some of the things I needed to get done around the house. I started noticing this feeling every time I\'d be on the water. I noticed my fly tying room was slowly packed away and converted to other space. My rods were getting dusty. Heck, I didn\'t even buy a fishing license last year. I was burned out!
I have the itch now to get out but will wait until April 1 for the new annual license. I made a promise to take my kids more this year...and actually fish.
Take a break.
You may find that you will miss it and have a spark again.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
Scott, I would replace the bow/gun with a camera if I was feeling that way. Still takes just as much stealth/ skill to get in good camera range for action photos. :think:
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
i did.
when i got serious chasing girls. damn it if the ladies didnt do the Jedi mind trick on me. i quit hunting!!
now i\'m married, so i can hunt again
when i got serious chasing girls. damn it if the ladies didnt do the Jedi mind trick on me. i quit hunting!!
now i\'m married, so i can hunt again
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
i\'m not thrilled about the killing either. call it the \"hunter\'s paradox\".
i am happy about how i feel. i know i wont ever take the responsibility for granted. i love how the animal is free and happy (i\'m guessing it is happy) until i come along. i wish our domestic meat industry had the same luxury.
i am happy about how i feel. i know i wont ever take the responsibility for granted. i love how the animal is free and happy (i\'m guessing it is happy) until i come along. i wish our domestic meat industry had the same luxury.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,332
Scott, I don\'t know a ton about you, but know you have had some success with hunting. I have another hobby that I got very good at to the point of near perfection, or as close as I could really get. I worked very hard at it for a number of years and all that hard work paid off. However, I have gotten good enough at it to where I have lost some of the thrill of practicing it or doing it anymore. There isn\'t a ton of room for improvement, so putting in the effort isn\'t worth it anymore for me.
I don\'t know if this mirrors you with hunting, but if so it wouldn\'t surprise me. Sometimes when you have all of your \'trophies\' mounted on the wall, you wonder what more there is to accomplish. Maybe try a new tactic when it comes to hunting. Longbow, muzzleloader, rifle...there are a number of different things you can try to shake it up. I have contemplated that myself with my other hobby. Maybe something new to work at will get your gears going?
I don\'t know if this mirrors you with hunting, but if so it wouldn\'t surprise me. Sometimes when you have all of your \'trophies\' mounted on the wall, you wonder what more there is to accomplish. Maybe try a new tactic when it comes to hunting. Longbow, muzzleloader, rifle...there are a number of different things you can try to shake it up. I have contemplated that myself with my other hobby. Maybe something new to work at will get your gears going?
G
Guest
Guest
Scott,
No worries. I have called in 40-50 bulls in every year for the last 3 years !! It\'s like catch and release fishing !!
You do not have to kill to enjoy the hunt !! Try different tactics like a slip system or some new calls !! Get aggressive and see what gives you the heart thumping moments !! Basically try new things and see what works to get your mojo going !!
You don\'t have to kill to enjoy this game !!
Trav
No worries. I have called in 40-50 bulls in every year for the last 3 years !! It\'s like catch and release fishing !!
You do not have to kill to enjoy the hunt !! Try different tactics like a slip system or some new calls !! Get aggressive and see what gives you the heart thumping moments !! Basically try new things and see what works to get your mojo going !!
You don\'t have to kill to enjoy this game !!
Trav
Lose interest? Sometimes, but rarely, and only after hunting for weeks and weeks.
Have a distaste for the actual killing? Yep ... regularly. Seems \"worse\" over time. Yet ... to paraphrase John Goodman in \"Raising Arizona\", I wouldn\'t be \"true to my own nature\" if I wasn\'t out there! The regret/remorse I feel for taking a life seems to make mealtime a bit more -- special. I don\'t see that as a bad thing.
Have a distaste for the actual killing? Yep ... regularly. Seems \"worse\" over time. Yet ... to paraphrase John Goodman in \"Raising Arizona\", I wouldn\'t be \"true to my own nature\" if I wasn\'t out there! The regret/remorse I feel for taking a life seems to make mealtime a bit more -- special. I don\'t see that as a bad thing.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
Great movie.
\"F M\" said:
In my experience and this is just me, if you start using traditional equipment, you will be hunting more and killing less.
Most folks go through several stages of hunting in their life, from going out and getting all they can, to having it more about the \"experience\". Maybe you aren\'t really loosing interest as much as changing your interests?
