Retiring

[Old Hunter]

Awhile back I posted a thread saying I was retiring from hunting. I was serious when I posted it. It started to eat on me, and I was having second thoughts.

Then a thread was posted on the 24campfire forum that completely changed my mind. It's a great thread about an old hunter, and made me feel embarrassed to think I was retiring at such a young age of 70. So, i'll continue to hunt until I reach this old dudes age, or die trying.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/7179688/1/elk_for_my_98yo_great_uncle

 

[Kevin Root]

98 and still hunting is awesome! Heck at 98 and being able to still take a breath is amazing in itself. My thought is each and every day and moment is a gift. Each person will use that gift in the way that fits them. I hope I'll be able to enjoy some of my future days in a similar way as that 98 year young gent did, doing something in the outdoors he enjoied. To me he is not 98 years old but 98 years young. Our bodies do age as we get older but getting the most out of what we have been given and that adventure is a special gift in itself.

I'm glad that thread inspired you Old Hunter. I hope the future adventures and hunts to come will bring you much joy and happiness. God bless you.

 

[Old Hunter]

Thanks Kevin.

 

[xtreme]

Well, I have four elk PP, that should get me a good hunt somewhere while I try to get enough PP for a decent deer hunt. See how much influence you have Pete. Heck I am loading the Jeep, ready to start scouting. Got my Zen Rays, got my Olympus No gun this time. Merry Christmas

 

[Old Hunter]

I've tried to add more difficulty to my hunts from now on. I really want to bow hunt, but my beat up shoulders won't allow it. So, i've come up with something close. Sort of.

I'll continue to use a muzzleloader, but instead of an inline with scope and modern bullets. I'm going to use a sidelock, iron sights, and a round ball. (PRB) With my poor eyesight. This will limit my shots to 50yds. My goal will be a bull and buck.

I predict many passed up shots, and tag soup, but I can't wait for the feeling i'll get if I can get it done. As usual, i'll be hunting alone on public land. It should be a fun journey.

I'll keep thinking of the 98 year old gent to keep me going.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Lost my Dad this last October at 94, we hunted together all my life (71 years). Dad killed his last elk with me here in Colorado when he was 90. the way he whooped it up afterwards, you'd of thought it was his first. We hunted geese here last January, last time he picked up a gun.

Bottom line....hunt until you drop, literally. I am not quitting until I can't walk anymore, then I'll try to convince my son to drive me around.

 

[Jerry]

CC and Old Hunter you have rekindled my fires. All though I am Social Security age I don't feel that old except at times when the aches and pains start complaining! There is no doubt that I will continue to hunt in some fashion as long as I am able to pick up a weapon of some sort. A buddy of mine knew an old guy that was still hunting in his early 90's and was in the field only a couple months after having double hip replacements. Us old guys still rock!!!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Jerry...as I said in another post, the real key to staying active and hunting at a ripe old age is to stay fit. I am in better shape now that when I was 50! I work out at the gym 3 or 4 times a week and walk the other days. Like ol' Satchel Page said...."Don't look back, they might be catching up".

 

[Old Hunter]

I just got back from my daily hike in the mountains with the pooch. A foot of snow made the hills a little harder today, but I feel good now. One year I let myself get out of shape during the winter. I never got fit enough through the summer for the fall hunt, and almost passed out hunting. I won't do that again. I'm out there everyday in blizzard, or heat wave.

 

[Jerry]

I work on a horse ranch and clean sixteen stalls every day packing hay etc, keeps me fit. CC i too am in better shape now than when I was fifty. I sat behind a desk, then retired and now have lost most of the weight I would like to lose (about 15 pounds to go) Most of my stamina and wind has returned. Though I was a little bummed out this year because my 40 year old son out hiked me this year for the first time! Oh well try again next season!

 

[Backcountry Stalker]

This is a very inspiring thread....sometimes I get disheartened hearing and talking to people who started hunting in their teens. And, here I am just starting to hunt in my mid 30's. Feels like I missed alot. But, reading some of the posts in this thread just gave me the hope that I still have ALOT of years to enjoy myself and age is nothing but a number...

 

[homegrown]

Old hunter I missed your post stating you would retire from hunting. I am glad you changed your mind though, I am a young guy compared to 70 and to be honest some of your opinions in your posts drive me crazy. I kind of think of you as a contrary old goat, no disrespect meant. But, the one thing I can't argue with is your 70 and still out there, I look up to that from some of the older hunters on the site and hope I can do the same some day. Please don't ever quite, that way every time I'm spent on the mountain I can think that there are 70 and 71 year old guys doing this, I'm 34 I can surely keep going.

 

[Old Hunter]

Yeah, I can be cranky, and opinionated, but that's one of the perks of being an old fart. Just ignore me when I get like that.

No harm is meant. I'm probably just dealing with some new pain I haven't got used to yet.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I'm probably just dealing with some new pain I haven't got used to yet.

Yep...we like to be a big pain in the A## sometimes too. As we get older, we feel like we've earned that right!!! In my 71 years if I havn't learned enough to be opinonated and a pain in the rear sometimes, then I guess I'd better styart over.

 

[Fink]

Man, I personally think you'd have to be crazy to just retire from hunting. Guy work their entire lives so they can retire from work, and spend it hunting! My grandpa quit hunting when he was in his mid 70's. It got to be too hard for him to get into the woods, and then to stay in the woods.. When he quit, his body was pretty beat up, but his mind was still excellent, and I know it killed him to not be out there with us.
I'm glad you're back up on the horse OH, don't quit until you have to..

 

[Old Hunter]

I might be a little different than the average hunter. Hunting has been a priority in my life since starting at 8 years old with my dad. In 61 years of hunting i've never missed a hunting season. So, retiring hasn't gotten me more hunting. It just got harder with way too much time to think about it.

I fill in the time by scouting new areas. I probably scout 300 days a year now. Along with some fly fishing.

 

[Eberle]

CC & OH,

When you guys need a break from the mountains or if it gets to physically challenging, come to Oklahoma. You guys can spend some time with me. I'll put you on some whitetails, you can hunt out of a ladder stand, tri-pod or ground-blind. My dad is 63, semi-retired & he still goes pretty strong at hunting. I would have blast listening to you guys tell stories. I've learned alot from my elders, it has made me a better sportsman. You guys have a standing invite.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

CC & OH,

When you guys need a break from the mountains or if it gets to physically challenging, come to Oklahoma. You guys can spend some time with me. I'll put you on some whitetails, you can hunt out of a ladder stand, tri-pod or ground-blind. My dad is 63, semi-retired & he still goes pretty strong at hunting. I would have blast listening to you guys tell stories. I've learned alot from my elders, it has made me a better sportsman. You guys have a standing invite.

Thats mighty generous of you. Hope to got to Texas in April to do turkey & hogs. I have a good friend who lives in Chelsea, Ok who is always after me to come shoot whitetails with him. Got to do that sometime.

 

[Old Hunter]

I agree. Thanks for the offer.

 

[Eberle]

Gentlemen, your welcome. You 2 have a standing invite, should you change your mind.