# End of an Era



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

After 43 years of deer hunting together my friend and myself both decided after Saturday mornings ML hunt we are done hunting deer.
A couple of reasons have brought us to this decision but I guess the number one reason is we've lost the desire to kill any more deer. Another reason for losing interest is the stealing of stuff out in the woods. It doesn't happen everyday but it happens enough that it's a real turn off. We know nothing is safe out there. We suspect most of it is being done by guys who work on the farms and their friends but we can't prove it. 
Now the work begins, since a lot of our stands (like us) are pretty old and need to be replaced or repaired we want to take them down. We plan of giving some of the good stands to one of the locals who hunts a neighboring farm. I have an old quad and a decent trailer I'd like to get rid of probably in the spring or early summer once we finish with the stands. Hopefully I can find someone who is either young, broke and starting out (like we were) or an old fart (like us) who needs one to keep him in the woods.
Since we didn't hunt yesterday and it was too nice of a day to waste inside, my friend and I went fishing. I think we're both sad to realize that part of our life is over, it's like we lost a good friend but we both think it's time to move on.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I guess we all have to make that decision at some point in our lives. I do find the older I get the less I want to shoot animals. I’m not saying I won’t take a nice deer but the days of shooting as many as I’m legally permitted too are long gone. Many days I’m just happy to watch the wildlife and consider that a good day in the woods. 

It’s a darn shame that thieves have played a role in your decision though. 
Enjoy your friends while you can and have a great fishing season.


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## worminator (Aug 20, 2004)

I'm almost in the same boat as you. As a matter of fact I sold my boat a few years ago and now I'm looking at giving some guns to my daughter. After having both hips replaced and now needing a knee I just don't get around in the woods like I used to. Don't even send me to a tree stand unless it has an elevator. I did decide to purchase a very nice camera instead of a gun a while back when I took a vacation to Montana. I think I may just go out, sit for a while and get some pictures of the stuff we all see once in a while and would like to store it in the memory banks. The one thing that has improved is my ability to sit still for long periods of time. You don't have to take a trophy to make your day. Make the day your trophy.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

bobk said:


> It’s a darn shame that thieves have played a role in your decision though.


We both knew this day has been coming for a few years now. It wasn't an overnight decision and I had mentioned it earlier in the season to my friend. I think he's been ready for a while too. Neither one of us wanted to make the call.
We still turkey hunted a little but we kind of gave that up this past spring. We liked the hunting but IMO they aren't my favorite meal. I called in 4 birds last year, the farthest one was maybe 12 yards and I let them walk. After talking we both knew we killed our last turkey years ago. I love to call in turkeys but I don't need a shotgun in my hands to do it.
Last year though towards the end of the season I had one of my cameras stolen. The stealing isn't rampant, it's like every 3 or 4 or 5 years we have another "something" missing. In the back of our minds we just know...so we won't buy a ground blind or we won't buy that ladder stand that we really want or we won't get a super cool camera that sends pics to us. It wasn't even an expensive camera but for some reason it took a lot of wind out of my sail.
We are going to wait until next year to talk to the landowners just to make sure but in my mind I know it is.


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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

Crappiedude, cherish the memories-that can never be taken away!


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## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Did you catch any fish yesterday?


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Just b/c one is done hunting doesn't mean one can't walk in the woods any more. Nature will still be out there. Enjoy it.

I think the older we get, the more exposed to death we become....and hate it. At some point, killing things has less and less appeal. At the same time, enjoying life's simple pleasures and creatures becomes more meaningful.....IMHO.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The decision to give up hunting was made for me back in 2007 when i had some health issues. I truly miss all forms of hunting but enjoyed bunny hunting with my beagles. Though my legs are, somewhat limited, i can still fish and hope to say good bye when on the water.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

A good hunt is about the experience not the size of the animal. With that being said you have been blessed to have a long run hunting. Let's see a picture of your favorite memory and tell us why this particular animal was your favorite. It's all about the memories.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

kycreek said:


> Did you catch any fish yesterday?


Yes...we've been on fish pretty good for the last month. I started to go again this morning but I need a break. All these lakes are giving up some nice fish. That river is a mess.


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## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

It sure is.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Flathead76 said:


> A good hunt is about the experience not the size of the animal. With that being said you have been blessed to have a long run hunting. Let's see a picture of your favorite memory and tell us why this particular animal was your favorite. It's all about the memories.


I don't think I have a favorite...they were all good but I can share a few tidbits.
My buddy and I are lifelong friends, grew up and went to school together. Went in the Air Force together. We started deer hunting in 1975 when we got out of the Air Force.
Much like now neither of us had a clue as to what we were doing. Back then there just weren't many deer around and what deer we did see were pretty safe from us. It was 1980 before my friend killed the 1st deer and 2 weeks later I killed my 1st. It was pretty funny because it never dawned on us we'd ever even take 1, much less 2 in the same year.
After that there were lots and lots of deer and lots of memories. Like the morning I rattled in a nice 9 point in the fog for him. Or the morning we both filled our buck tags during bow season or even the evening when he killed a 165 11 point and I got a hernia in my abdomen from dragging that beast in. Another year he talked me in to hunting a field stand I was reluctant to hunt and I killed an 11 point that scored 171, he reminds me all the time about that one. On another evening hunt I killed a monster doe and she ran the wrong way after being hit, I had no idea he had plans for later that evening but he still gave me hell for it, it took quite a while to get her out of the woods.
I could go on and on.
In the morning we never hunted close to each other but in the evening we hunted the same field but maybe 150 yards apart. It was a V shaped field with him on one side and me the other. There are a lot of memories from those evening hunts along the field. We saw a lot and killed a lot of deer out there. My fondest memory of hunting though isn't really about the deer. What comes to my mind is actually after the hunt, after we came down out of our stands and we'd meet out in the middle of that field. What I remember and will miss the most is that walk in at night. Just me and him, in the quiet of the night just walking, talking, laughing and rehashing the days events. That's what I'll miss.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

bobk said:


> I guess we all have to make that decision at some point in our lives. I do find the older I get the less I want to shoot animals. I’m not saying I won’t take a nice deer but the days of shooting as many as I’m legally permitted too are long gone. Many days I’m just happy to watch the wildlife and consider that a good day in the woods.
> 
> It’s a darn shame that thieves have played a role in your decision though.
> Enjoy your friends while you can and have a great fishing season.


I agree with you CD I get as much enjoyment watching the woods wake up as shooting a deer Im not quitting yet but its not as important to shoot a deer or run back into the woods to get a second or third deer I also have had tree stands stolen  Deer camp and its allure will remain with me forever as all the stories good and bad ( ill take donations of youre old stuff )


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

if not for my oldest son and his wife I would have give up deer hunting myself. I don't really feel bad about not shooting a deer I just love spending premium time with the kids. next yr we start teaching the grandson to shoot his muzzleloader I just gave him. hopefully he likes shooting.
sherman


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I haven't lost the desire entirely, but for quite a few years now I've been more than satisfied with one nice mature doe. I have venison to eat and am thankful for that. Besides, there are a lot of days when I'd rather go to the club and hunt pheasant w/my buddy and his GSP's. I do enjoy watching the dogs work.

My buddy had a friend, now dead, who said that with every passing year he could feel himself getting closer to the day when he'd hang up the gun and pick up the camera. Hmmmm. There's an idea for a new hobby.


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