Losing interest

[sambo73]

I wouldn't say I am losing interest in hunting....just hunting where I am. I have hunted almost every weekend since bow season and have saw 6-8 deer. I am not running cameras. mainly hunted over hand corn during bow season, and hunted overlooking a bottom in gun season. I still love the hunt, and love taking my kids, but not seeing anything makes them not want to go. I used to go to Coleman once or twice a year, but haven't been able to the last 3yrs because I work 1/2 days on Saturdays and only get so much time off and use that for family vacations in the summer. I don't have to kill something every time I go but do enjoy seeing them. I am going to try and get a couple hog traps and run them some, and maybe a feeder light and try to shoot some pigs. and hopefully taking my kids on a doe hunt after the first of the year in Mason will help them...my oldest said the reason she hasn't gone much this year is we never see a deer...

[MASTERS]

Still cant get enough of it. I have hunted for 25 or so years and killed piles of deer 5 months out of the year with mld permits. I get just as much excitement out of punching mld doe tags as I do killing a big old buck and I've killed some good ones. I try and mix my methods of killing each year to break the monotony if you can call I that. If you only gun hunt try and shoot farther by learning precision ballistic trajectory. If you only bow hunt get a traditional bow, that makes everything that comes in a target. I hope I never experience the burnt out feeling some of yall speak of....

[jshouse]

I can see where it would happen, time is too precious these days. Like many have said, I think if you changed it up and went out of state or gave up deer hunting for bird hunting or fishing for a year or two you would get it back though.

I grew up hunting places with either very few deer or no bucks over 120. The last few years I have been very lucky to find a few places close to home that have what I consider big deer as well as a lot of deer so I see something pretty much every sit which makes it easier with my busier schedule. I don't think I would be doing it if I wasn't seeing deer or was still looking at 120s.

I will admit that I have been a little spoiled though, I haven't hunted once yet this year because I haven't seen a buck I want to kill on camera even though I have pics of a few that 6 years ago I would have been sleeping in the stand to kill.

What makes it a lot easier is now both my boys are old enough to take and let kill something so this year has been all about them... so far

[Tx_Wader]

I get what you're saying, my Dad started feeling that way in his mid 60's and pretty much stopped going with me. Then at 70 he wanted to go lol.

I'm bummed out this year because my shoulder injury won't allow me to bow hunt so I've been rifle hunting and handgun hunting. I love hunting with my revolver out of my bow blind and I still enjoy rifle hunting but not as much as bow or handgun.

I like the meat so I'll never stop hunting until the Good Lord says I'm done but try to mix things up a bit maybe that will help or take off a season.

Some mornings I just want to take the boat and fish lol. My son has done that the past two weekends.

[SwampRabbit]

I'd say change it up. Doing the same thing over and over can get pretty boring. Different lease, different hunting style, bring a guest, guide a hunt, etc. It is easy to get burned out.

[Kdog]

Take a kid hunting or even a grown adult. Introduce someone to the outdoors. Or just do something different to make it more interesting. Set up in a new spot over some throw corn in a tripod with your bow. Good luck.

[Roy]

Loved it so much I used to guide on a few ranches and even got my degree in Range and Wildlife Management.

And now, I can honestly say I have only killed one animal in the last 10 years. Kayak fishing took up my interest recently, and online gaming.

[Rcole1310]

There was a time when I would make a 12 hr turnaround trip just to check cameras and fill feeders. Now you couldn’t pay me to do that. I still love hunting but
1) I drive a lot for work so that 6 hr drive to the lease is NOT something I look forward to. Hate it in fact.
2) I still feel blessed to be on a lease with great guys, many aren’t as fortunate.
3) My old Mexico lease had me on fire for hunting. Going there had a sense of adventure and you could have a legit chance of seeing a 160. Would love to go back, have to convince that wife that I won’t get kidnapped and ransomed.
For me BIG antlers and a sense of adventure on the hunt will keep me interested.


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[Capp35]

I am also in the same boat.
At 56 years old and hunting since I was 12, the passion is just not there. The cost of the lease, the 4.5 hour drive each way, and my 16 year old being more in to girls/friends than wanting to hunt, has really burned me out. After 1 weekend trip I am usually satisfied for the season. Most years I don't even shoot anything. I just enjoy sitting in a tree stand watching them walk by. The price/work of the lease is just not worth it for a couple of days out of the year. I would already be off, if I wasn't so worried about missing it.
I am on a lease with my brother and have already told him that next year will probably be my last. I would just like to be invited/ trade for work, for a weekend hunt each year.

[Rod]

It seems that I'm in the same boat with a lot of you. My priorities have changed and I don't seem to be as mad that them anymore. I have been hunting five times this year and we have two deer in the freezer. I'm mainly hunting for meet this year and not horns. I do have a 4 day bowhunt scheduled for December 14-18 in South Texas and usually I'm shooting my bow and getting everything ready for the hunt, but I'm just not there yet. I'm sure once I get on the road for the hunt I'll be more excited. I have found myself doing more dove and duck hunting with my son and we really enjoy it.

[Balcones_Walker]

For me:
1. When you see something you want on the gamecam and plan your hunt around targeting it, and then it actually shows up - never gets old.
2. Introducing friends/family to hunting.
3. Low fenced exotics in the Hill Country - the way you never know what's going to show up - keeps it interesting.
4. Hunting something new. I got really into doves this year and had a blast chasing them around.

[Duckhead78]

I've hunted the Piney Woods of East Texas as long as I've been hunting. I've had to change it up as I got bored with it also. I still enjoy killing them but as I've gotten older I've grown to enjoy watching them just as much.

[gingib]

Introduce someone in your family or friends to hunting!

x2

[awright]

in over 50 years of hunting, I've never once tired of it. I can still entertain myself all day shooting flies with rubber bands, I am not joking. Give me a pellet pistol and a lot of sparrows around a hog farm and I'm intent all day, every day.

[J_Foster]

About 5-6 years ago I lost interest in both deer hunting and fishing yet my love for the outdoors hadn't diminished. In order to revive my appreciation, I put down all of my modern tackle and took up the fly rod and longbow. It was like a complete reset. I felt like a kid again. And to this day, it hasn't wavered.

Unlike modern gear, both the fly rod and traditional bow forces you to actively practice if you wish to have any measure of success. In my case, it also forced me to focus more on my woodsmanship, which I had become lazy with by using modern equipment.

Additionally, as others mentioned, I rarely get to excited over the deer I'm blessed to be able to hunt when I have to "shoo" bigger deer out of my driveway when I return home. To get around this, I stopped hunting box blinds over feeders, preferring to test myself by hunting off of game trails or by simply by going out "stumping", while walking through the woods. You'll be surprised by how much fun you can have and by what you may encounter.