EKM

When/where/what was the last time you enjoyed hunting?
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FWIW, and somewhat unrelated....

Iused to go"Bambi popping" in the local deer patch back in Nebraska (usually we had 4 deer by noon opening day) with minimal effort or preparation and being hunting pheasants in the afternoon same day.

Now elk season is a major undertaking involving weeks (in varying degrees)of preparation.
I personally enjoy every bit of it and now Bambi popping is justa distant memory.
Elk hunting (or even deer hunting in the high country on public ground) is noteasy and isn't for everyone.
I've tried to impress that point on some folks in our discussions here on the forumsand it seems most that haven't done it expect it to go down like a Bambi pop.

Elk hunting is typically an epic.

muley69

MtBob and I have a spot, where I can pretty easily get into elk. I have no problem hiking many miles into the back country as MB can attest. I just don't want to. I'm not lazy, and I understand the difficulties of elk hunting, both the hunt, and the pack. Even though I am pretty sure I can get into elk, I just don't want to go. Packing the trailer, loading the gear, etc just doesn't do it for me. Same with antelope and deer. It's rather confusing as I have been hunting for 30 years. The excitment just isn't there.
Montana Bob: I will do some poking around, maybe come up there and work for a few months, get a feel for the place.

younggun308

Maybe you should hunt whatever you haven't hunted before.Is there anything you haven't hunted? Have you hunted billy goat or bighorn sheep? (Wait, that's even harder than elk hunting, right?)

Chantecler111

Hey, sometimes, a guy just has to find other interests in his life, but you cannot have any regrets whatever you do.

elknut1

Muley. I've noticed many of your posts in the last year now & this thought or feeling you have isn't new, it's been sort of eating at you for sometime now. But you're fighting it, plain & simple. Or else you would've been more positive in your thoughts to us here & more confident in your decision. I also feel that hunting isn't the only thing that you feel confused about, it's just the subject we here can relate too.

Certainly nothing wrong with hanging up the killing part. But your knowledge & presence here would be very useful to others. There's ways to be involved in the aspects of hunting without hunting yourself, being here is one example.

There is no black & white answer to your feelings, I too think you have a form of depression. But hey don't fight it & worry about what others think, except the fact you don't have strong desires to hunt & this will be a stepping stone that's a foot in the right direction. Sounds like you have great kids there & just maybe they require more of your time than hunting does at this time.

I think there's times we all have to stop take a deep breath & let it out. Pull out our hearts & examine it to see why we feel the way we do. Only we ourselves can answer that question, but we must be honest with ourselves. By doing this we may be able to make a rational decision for improvement in our way of thinking & heading in the right direction to once again have a positive outlook on the things important to us no matter what that might be.
Remember, we're always here!!! (grin)

ElkNut1

MThunter

I think one of the main things about hunting is keeping things fresh. You say you have a spot where you can get into elk. Well, havn't you already killed that elk then? I personally have grown tired, as have my hunting partners, of hunting out of the truck for ragheads around Helena. Now a lot of people would do anything just for a crack at a legal bull, but we've all already killed small 4 and 5 points out of the truck. I enjoy hunting timber, so I've spent a great deal of time working on that challenging aspect of hunting. So that way I've found to escalate my hunting experience. This year We really got into the horse thing, which is really what I thing hunting elk is all about. Going in 15+ miles, setting up wall-tents and killing wilderness bulls has been one of the most rewarding hunting experiences I've had so far. If it's the work you want to avoid, however; I don't know how much advice there is to give you. take care.

bigbulls

I feel much the same.

Since moving from Colorado and working in the gun/ archery business I have almost no desire what so ever to go hunt these whitetail deer. I am not sure if it is because I get to hearfrom all the slob, idiot, poachers that come in the store and talk about how they kill deer at night, with .22lr's, etc... would at least 50% or more of the deer they shoot at with their bows, have the same idiots come back time an again with the same problems but refuse to listen to advice, etc... etc... I honestly didn't think it was possible to wouldn this many deer. We wonder why we hunters have such a bad public image.

Or if it's just the fact that whitetail deer hunting has got to be the most boring form of hunting known to man. At least down there in Florida/ Alabama where you can't see but 20 yards if your're lucky. I went hunting yesterday (Sunday) till about 9:00am and then came home cause I was bored out of my mind.

It's just not fun.

Rebel Hog

Muley, I chased hog dogs for over 45yrs and if I could go tomorrow, I'd sleep in the truck overnight.

I understand where you're coming from, it ain't how it use to be!

Alsatian

What about trying small game hunting, such as hunting rabbits or squirrels with a .22? A very low investment of preparation time is usually associated with this kind of hunting. It is comparatively easy. It necessarily removes the trophy element (what would qualify as a trophy squirrel or rabbit?) and competitive macho element, if those are part of the problem. Maybe hunting something verybasic like squirrel huntingcan reawaken your love of hunting? Just an idea.

Garminator

While I guarantee that I haven't been nearly as long as most of you guys I can sympathize with what your saying. It seems that Hunting has gained alot of attention in recent years and most of the descent land tracts are going the corporate ($$$$) lease route which hurts the common folk who want to throw their gear together and head out for a couple of hunts a year[&o].....Alaska sounds great but my wife would never go for it[&o]