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Is it time to walk away?

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    Is it time to walk away?

    As a little kid I iodolized my grandfather he was my hero. I will never forget the day when I was four he took me to his frineds deer camp to see his buck hanging. Unfortuantly my stepdad didnt hunt or fish so I didnt get to hunt or fish at all except when I around him. I Just got glimpses of hunting and fishing when I got to go visit during the holidays and summer at the grandparents. So I spent many hours day dreaming about hunting and fishing. Then when he passed away when I was 13 I was lost. I have to be honest I went down a path of life I regret deeply that has cost many many things. But even thourgh living a life of chemical abuse I never lost the day dreaming the pasion to hunt. But because of living that life I didn't make a lot of frineds who hunted or fished. So for me from the beginning hunting was soooo much more than comraderi and sitting around a fire. It was about for the first time in my life being who I thought God wanted me to be. I fell in love with bowhunting. As a lone hunter the opprotunity to hunt reasonable price bowhunting dayhunts drove me to pick up a bow. That was in 1999. I was hooked and never looked back. TBH allowed me the chance to share and listen and be a part of a campfire. I spent hours reading through threads. Admiring and looking up for many. I am a bowhunter and for that I am proud and pretty dang good at it.


    But this year things have started to change. I killed my buck opening weekend. I didn't hunt much after that. For some reason I didn't miss it. There was a lot of negativity around the lease. I think maybe it took it's toll on me. The guys I hunted with the last 4 years are moving on. It hurts more than I thought it would. To be honest this was the first time I got to hunt with people who I truely enjoyed being around. The thought of hunting alone again sucks. I have the boys but the 15 yr old has girls on his mind and the 7 yr old. Well he would be the only reason I kept hunting. But maybe I could sell all the hunting stuff and buy us some golf clubs. At leat we would be in the outdoors and doing something together. But I feel like I am walking away from my identity and who I am. Not even sure why I am posting this. Maybe it's a see you later. Maybe I am admiting that the pain and hurt to be a hunter have taken there toll on me. How can something you love so much be so painful. Just another reminder you never can overcome your past. But on the other hand a testament of how hunting can change a life. It did mine.

    #2
    I couldn't quit huntin no matter what.I say keep at it for your boys......they'll thank you for it later.As for that older one......well I can relate to him because I like huntin them 2 legged deer myself but he can do that in his spare time.That's what Summer time is for.

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      #3
      Great story but I say keep hunting my friend. This should be time for you to relax and get away from this crazy world and find piece within yourself.

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        #4
        I quit for a while and the bug hit me again. Its ok to walk away for a while but I wouldnt sell my stuff. Just store it for a while and if some time goes by and your not interested then sell it all. Life changes and desires change as well, but I would bet you anything you will be changing your tune when hunting season nears again

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          #5
          You can never let the past define who you will be in the future....

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            #6
            I hit a roughpatch in my life about 5 years ago while in the military and my at the time wife left before i got back from deployment. i started drinking heavy and i was depressed like crazy. before that deployment i hunted with a great group of friends, but when i returned from deployment other than being seperated all my buddies had deployed. i didnt want to go in the woods or on the water at all. but one weekend while i was visiting my kids for the weekend my 5 year old son said he wanted to get a bow like mine. so we went to bass pro and bought him a little longbow and got him shooting. then he wanted to go hunting. aside from him being noisy and twitchy he made me realize what i was willing to give up. its my relaxation time. my one little bit of peace ya know. i know its discouraging but maybe take a break for a while and i bet youll miss it. believe me i loved hunting with my buddies, but at the same time i love to hunt by myself also. and i share that experience with my three older sons every chance i get. dont give up on it brother. youll regret it man. dont dwell on the past either. live life for tomorrow not for last year.

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              #7
              I've struggled with it on and off since my dad died too. I bought a small tract of land about 15 years ago so he and I could hunt together all the time. About 5 years later, he passed away. I spent a lot of time hunting mostly by myself (about 10 years). It was hard for a while to get out of bed early when going by myself. I was close to selling the land a few times. Now my son will be 7 in two weeks starting to go with me last year.

              What really kept me going was actually hunting on public lands with friends. Go to Amistad, Davey Crockett forest, etc. with a friend or two. Go to Colorado and hunt elk. Nothing like stalking animals with bow when the odds are against you. That challenge kept me going.

              Buy the 7yr old a bow and go shoot some 3d tournaments. Even if you take a break from hunting 3D shooting is like golf but with a weapon. Kids love it!
              Last edited by BigL; 03-22-2012, 08:07 PM.

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                #8
                You may just need a little break to clear the old head and re-group. It may be that golf, or what ever, take the place of the hunt for a while. I think I would keep your stuff for a few years and just see how it pans out for you. Things change and you may have just hit a slump or this may just be one of those steps in life that will get you to where you really need to be. Good luck and God Bless.

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                  #9
                  Life is always up and down and looks like youve figured that out. If you love hunting I'd hang in there and stick with it, maybe get on a diff lease thats more fun.

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                    #10
                    Wiki, first off I promise you that you HAVE overcome your past. According to your profile you have a great job and seems like you have a great family. That is more than the vast majority can say. I applaud you for overcoming your troubles in life and please dont ever think that you cannot overcome your past. You are an inspiration to anyone who is battling addiction. As far as your kids I also know (I am a teacher and see HS kids everyday) that your 17yr old will want to hunt again.
                    I like you hate change and it seems as if loosing your hunting buddies is what is so hard on you, I have been there and done that. When the lease I was on as a young kid was dismantled I was crushed, then when my lease I had during HS no longer let me go without an adult even though I was 18 I had to get off and it hurt once again. Now my dad and I are on another lease and have made several new hunting buddies and it again is great. Dont give up just because it is changing maybe look for a new lease that fits what you are looking for in hunting or hunt NF for a year. Good luck with whatever you decide

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by art745 View Post
                      You can never let the past define who you will be in the future....

                      100X this!!

                      Maybe you just need to take a break or maybe try some mountain hunting. Its almost like its become same ol same ol......I never get that hunting ELK. You tried that?

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                        #12
                        Mike,
                        Trey and I just went thru some negative stuff with lease members where we hunt now. It took two years for the bad ones to get weeded out. We have a great lease manager ,a good group of guys with familys and everything is on the up and up. We do have a pretty strengent set of rules. We did have one opening but, I think someone on TBH filled it last week. If you are interested in a place next year let me know and I will let the lease manager know. One thing that turns some away from our place is no drinking. Just a thought my friend. I do miss the times we had at Sommerville when I first started bow hunting again.Just remember if you still hunt there My tree is still marked in the back and has a bow hanger up about 25 feet.
                        Tommy

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                          #13
                          One door closes and another door opens.... I see this as an opportunity to meet new hunters and new oportunities afield. Hell, don't let the ole chemical dependancy get you down. There are a few people around this fire that had a little too much fun at one tie or another. God gave you broad shoulders to carry that burden. Let it be a lesson to you and your boys and thank him for giving you the strength, the wisdom, the commonn sense and fortitude to get off and stay of the drugs. I did.

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                            #14
                            Wow

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                              #15
                              IMO you dont need to give it up, just hunt different than you normally do. Make it more challenging for yourself. Good luck bud

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