Last day of the hunt

[jb]

For this year, and very likely for my hunting career.
I'm pretty healthy, but walking better than a 1/4 mile into my blind is just getting to hard on these 74 year old legs. Footing is slick, lot's of blow downs to step over and then trying to sit for 5-7 hours takes it's toll.
This is hunting year # 60 for me, enjoyed every one, spent today with #1 & #3, temps in the high 30's, drizzle rain all morning, but still enough snow in the woods to easily see movement.
No shooting, but just pure enjoyment non the less.
This is looking down into a 40' deep valley (hard to see in the picture), it's where two other draws join together, been a great hot spot for many years.
Great memories made on this land.
https://i.imgur.com/dZa0Hp7.jpg

[BarryBobPosthole]

Congrats on an awesome hunting career Jerry. And some great naps too!
BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

That looks like a heck of a spot JB.


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[Captain]

I can’t imagine getting to that point JB but I’m sure I will someday if I live long enough.
In the past few years I have slowed way down on the number of days I hunt and I find killing a “big” deer is less and less important. It’s more about filling the freezer now and enjoying my time with friends and family. Fishing is taking place of what use to be hunting time.
Don’t go selling off all your hunting crap yet. You got three boys that would make it happen if you decide you want to venture back out.
I am sure thankful you and I got to make that hunting trip out west to Big Sky and Bwana’s place.
Thanks for going with me out there.
And just think about a 140 years ago I would have had to shoot your ass! ;)
Take Care, Captain

[BarryBobPosthole]

He’d be hard to miss wouldn’t he?

BKB

[Arty]

Probably take more than a .243 to bring him down.

[Captain]

Yes on both replies.

[Penguin]

I hope it was a good one JB. You never know, next year it might be 65 and sunny on opening day. But if it is your last you've had a great hunting career.

Salutes from my corner of the world to yours.

[jb]

While I sat in my blind, I thought about the past 60 seasons, and realized I've been very blessed.
I've hunted in Michigan,both above and below the bridge, New York, North & South Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa, Oklahoma, North & South Dakota,Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and along the Hudson Bay in Canada.
I've done this with good friends, and family. Great hunts, great memories, a few of those hunts were done without ever firing a shot, but fun just the same.
#3 is still trying to get me to go "out west" one more time, maybe if I find an outfitter that does most of his guiding out of a pick-up I'll do it one more time.
It's been a good life !!

[LJ3]

Pretty cool, JB. That's a lot of sitting and watching the world go by. Pretty good use of our time, if you ask me.

[BarryBobPosthole]

So here is a question that JB’s post brings up.

Jerry has posted before about how his hunting expectations have changed over the years and how during the last several years he’s been enjoying the process more than he has the end result. I happen to wholeheartedly relate to that.

So I guess it begs the question of what takes the shine off the process for us at some point? It happened to me probably eight or ten years ago. The year long process of deer hunting just got to be a grind for me. A hunting leaseor owning your own land is necessary here to in my part of the state if you want an honest chance to hunt. Too many idiots on public land here. And leases are, for the most part expensive and a pain in the ass. Seems like once you find a good one, you have to work hard to protect it. Sometimes even from the guy you’re leasing from.
And there’s stands and ladders and never enough ratchet straps and cameras and feeders and corn and bootsand really expensive socks and camo and buddy heaters and four kinds of bullets and five kinds of rifles and scopes and four wheelers and gambrels and ropes and knives and.....its a fucking grind!

I have five ‘go-to’ fishing poles and three smallish tackle bags that i can fish just about anywhere with for any thing I like to fish for. And a 14’ jonboat and a truck to haul it in and that’s 90% of my fishing. Oh, and a six pack cooler. And my feets.

I still like both the process and the end results of fishing. It hasn’t wore me out yet. If it ever does, it may be time to go.

We complicate shit way too much.

BKb

[LJ3]

I've seen your "tackle boxes". The rest of us call those suitcases. FYI.

I hunt these days to spend time with friends. The need for me to kill something was gone quite some time ago. I don't really hunt much at all, any longer.

[quercus alba]

If bubba decides hunting is too much trouble at this point in his life he's always welcome to drop in here and cuss and discuss politics with us experts

[BarryBobPosthole]

I've seen your "tackle boxes". The rest of us call those suitcases. FYI.

I hunt these days to spend time with friends. The need for me to kill something was gone quite some time ago. I don't really hunt much at all, any longer.

Au contraire, pike breath. You didn’t see what I have with me 90% of the time. Unless you paid attention to what I had at Larke’s.

BKB

[Penguin]

So I guess it begs the question of what takes the shine off the process for us at some point? It happened to me probably eight or ten years ago. The year long process of deer hunting just got to be a grind for me. A hunting leaseor owning your own land is necessary here to in my part of the state if you want an honest chance to hunt. Too many idiots on public land here. And leases are, for the most part expensive and a pain in the ass. Seems like once you find a good one, you have to work hard to protect it. Sometimes even from the guy you’re leasing from.
And there’s stands and ladders and never enough ratchet straps and cameras and feeders and corn and bootsand really expensive socks and camo and buddy heaters and four kinds of bullets and five kinds of rifles and scopes and four wheelers and gambrels and ropes and knives and.....its a fucking grind!

.......We complicate shit way too much.

BKb

I can definitely sympathize with this Posty. And I think it is one of the most pressing problems confronting hunting right now. If we get this one wrong I think hunting may turn out to be a strictly regional phenomenon with little national appeal. You'll have isolated areas where hunting is popular surrounded by large tracts where no one partakes.

As for the second part? Some of you may remember that I went old school 10 plus years ago. I remember talking about it anyway.

No bullshit hunting around for the perfect boots or scope of whatever. I just decided that I wasn't going to buy any more crap until something wore out or broke. I have stuck with it since then. I did buy a new pair of gloves a couple years ago but I needed those for winter anyway. No searching for the perfect load. No $1000 new camo outfits with their cutting edge fabrics. No trail cams or feeders. No tree stands.

I think we do complicate shit too much Barry. And I can tell you that simplifying things has really made hunting more fun for me.

Will

[quercus alba]

No bullshit hunting around for the perfect boots or scope of whatever. I just decided that I wasn't going to buy any more crap until something wore out or broke. I have stuck with it since then. I did buy a new pair of gloves a couple years ago but I needed those for winter anyway. No searching for the perfect load. No $1000 new camo outfits with their cutting edge fabrics. No trail cams or feeders. No tree stands.


Will

This sounds like a man whose camo doesn't match

[LJ3]

This sounds like a man whose camo doesn't match

Beer just shot out of my nose! FFS!

I’m with ya, Will. I still wear my camo overalls but they have 15 good years on ‘em. Simple is more fun for me.

[quercus alba]

I think the change for me came when my deer packers grew up and moved away. The preparation and hunting was still enjoyable but after the shot was fired, the fun ended. Too old and fat to drag and do all the butchering by myself. This year I've hunted two hours in 25 degree weather. Since then, I sleep in eat breakfast and then hang around the camp till the guys go to coming in. If you sit there looking pitiful you can get all the deer you want. They have to take care of the preachers dad. So far I've garnered about 60 lbs of boneless meat, A fish dinner, nine mallards and I've got four shoulders iced down right now. I help butcher and process anything that's killed and help keep the coffee pot empty. They think I'm a swell guy