A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

For years I have road the wave of being able to hunt when I want. My first job out of college was great, I could work flex hours and was 20 mins from where I hunted. I hunted at least 6 days a week, second Job at Cablea's was even better!! I was 5 mins from work and could hunt in the morning.

Then we had Hillary and my hunting sufferd a bit, but not much. Form 1998 to 2006 I average 1 mature buck a year in MI, no small feet, but I hunted a lot.

I now find myself with two kids and one who does everything, LOL. If I hunt two nights a week I am lucky, it hascauses a different hunting approach. If one is going after big one in MI, I can no longer afford stupid mistakes, I have to be smarter. I was sitting in the stand last night, waiting for Preacher to pray me in a beast and thinking about what is to come of my hunting life. I foresee in getting smaller forthe coming years, it's ok. Hilllary and Zach need me around, I am ok with it(kind of). I do long for the days of hunting every night, but I am afraid those days are gone[&:]

My first Job I met my best friend Don, I used to laugh at how busy he was, always running somewhere. He was a big hunter also, he was my age when we met. He now loves to here me whine about not hunting, he just laughs.

To all you young guys, hunt hard while you can, you SOB's:D

Side note Preacher prayed for me yesterday. 5 mins later a small doe and a sorry excuse of a Rob buck came by, LOL Thx Preach[:-]

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Ill keep you in mind...:D;)

You still get to get out though, and quite a bit still actually. Being a dad comes before anything else, atleast you realize that. Im fortunate my dad was always around for me, and active in my sports as a coach and such. He even got me started in hunting even though he had quit 15 years prior.

I think you will still crack your fair share of bigguns over the next years....who knows once they get old enough, maybe your kids will take an interest in it and go with you. Once the kids become my age, you will be back to hunting every night too.;)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I hear ya. I have three kids...6, 4, and 2 months. Best thing to happen to me in the past two months is that I went to a 12 hour work schedule. I only work 14 days a month, so when hunting season opens up in 2 days, it is on! Last year was very hard hunting, I basically had to die to hunt. Getting up early at 5am to hunt in the morning, then going into work from 3pm-11pm. This year :)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Gary....I know how you feel. I met with a company this morning....and I was offered a position that would have me away from home quite a bit. I'd work from here.....and basically it would be treated as MY business (with their capital)....but I KNOW I'd feel an obligation to them and me to be "out there" a lot more than my previous position allowed. I'm gonna give it a lot of thought over my vacation.

The up side is...."maybe" the slow time in that business would coincide with hunting season. I also have the luxury of being close to the "office";). I'd also be looking at quite a bit more $$. So the trade-off isn't dismal.

If bowhunting was still a big part of my life at 50 yrs old.....with this venture....I might be able to do it full time, THEN.;)

Gotta think about our families, first. You;re a great dad and husband.....and I'm sure you're doing the righ tthings.

Damn straight......hunt while you're young.;) Or....realize it's a high priority (higher than some other things in your life).....and make your life decisions, accordingly.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I think you'll be able to hunt more and more as the years go. As they get older you will probably be able to spend more time in woods again. I know right now (at age 20) my father can spend more time in the woods than I can, and this has been the pattern for the last few years.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I feel ya bro! I haven't had the time to get out there like I want to either. Between my job (which takes up most of my time) and the remaining time I try to spend with my family, my time in a treestand really has suffered. I've come to the conclusion that if I can take one good deer a season I'll be content with that.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Germ....any suggestions for someone thats 21 and no kids and not married to ensure a life full of hunting???:D



just kiddin....i dont think its the end of the road for your hard huntin days....before you know it, your kids will be grown and off to college...dad just got a new job and after all these years he has days off...and me and my sister are off to college....my mom works a 9-5 job...dad works shifts...but he has days off now which my whole life, he really never had a "day off" if he did, he was busy....we spent a TON of time together when i was 12-16 hunting...even before that...since i was 16 though im lucky to see him a couple hours a week...between me working and now at college, schedules are hard to meet up...but now he is bored outta his mind when he got days off!! tells me all the time he needs a hobby....i just might get my huntin partner back! im kinda pumped...id love to take my buck early this year so i can spend some days huntin tree rats and fall turkeys with DAD...havent hunted a day with him since i turned 16...he started working a ton....hopefully next year hes back in the stand with a bow in hand...he used to be quite the bowhunter from what absolute strangers have told me when i first meet them and tell them who i am....

good luck Gary....life is full of choices and priorities...you know that...and you got em straight....kudos....

next year i aughta be unemployed right about this time.....im going to hunt my heart out just because i know my day will come when im posting somethin realllll similar....i cant imagine being unemployed all fall and winter....it makes me smile just to think about it :D i will finally get to hunt PA BEARS if all works out....but im also going to be trying my hardest to find a full time permanent position so i could be changing gears REAL quick...

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

LOL on the prayer, Gary :DIt aint over yet!!!!;)

Now on to the meat of your post ..... I am where you are coming into ...... the last 7 years I have been in the Christian school .... the time off is in the summer [&:]I love to fish, but not anywhere near as much as hunting ..... my kids are much older now ... my finances are finally getting in order (the ministry does not pay much) and due to that, this year I will be hunting with a fellow HNIer in PA .... Hopefully be going out there next friday afternoon, hunting Friday night and all day Saturday ....gotta look for horns tho ...fine with me, I'm not out there just to kill something, after all ;)

You have the right perspective, Gary .... it'll come back around ... mine is starting to....:)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Sounds like you will have to hunt SMART, very smart!

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I know what you are saying. I have a 1 year old son, and a 2 1/2 year old daughter, so if i can get out one or two evenings a week and on Saturday, I am doing pretty good. But it is all in what your priorities are, and family is my first priority. Good luck in your limited time the season!

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

But just remember, in years to come you will be able to hunt with your kids, that alone is worth the sacrifice of limited hunting time right now.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

The kids soccer games and such rank way up there on the must attend list. I see my15YO daughter looking for me on the sidelines and know in a few years she will be off on her own and time WILL be mine.
The 17 YO boy is off in his car with better things to do than hang around with Dad and I remember doing the same thing when I was his age...

How come the song" The Cats in the Cradle " keeps popping into my head. The songs probably to old for most of you kids to remember..

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Germ, I feel your pain. My sons are almost 13 and 11. This is the first year they are hunting with me. We also have a 10 month old daughter, so my sleep cycle is shot LOL. I'm working 50-60 hrs a week right now, so hunting is taking a back seat....as much as I still love it.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

And the silver spoon nope I'm old enough.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Growing up my dad used to miss my soccer games to go hunting and I didn't mind. Heck, most of the time I would have rather been hunting also. My son, who is one week older than Gary's son, already expects me to come home with a deer every time. I can't let him down:D

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I do think some of us miss the point, that what makes us happy makes them happy too.

With cell phones and email they can just about be in the tree with you.[:-]

Jeff probably won't believe this but years ago when my daughter was two or three years oldI shot a buck. Really I did.;)
I had it hanging in the garage and had just cut the front legs off before starting to skin it. My wife brought my daughter out to see it before she went to bed.She looked at for a minute or so andI asked her what she thought,

After a long pause she said ......"he can't get away now he doesn't have any legs"

It was a great moment.:)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Keep your pants on; problem solved. :D

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I totally understand where you're coming from Gary, but in a little different way. Before Wyatt, Jill and I used to be able to do what we wanted when we wanted. Now, everything we do, we have to consider him. Don't get me wrong, its awesome, but its different.

Now, as for hunting in the fall, I'm in a little different boat. I work all spring, summer and early fall and have the rest of the fall off....so does Jill. Over a 6 week period, starting October 13th, I'll see them a total of 4 days max.Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the wrong thing, traveling to hunt, but she's fully supportive.

The hardest part of it, for me, is missing out on the little guy changing.....as they do so fast at this age. (21 months now)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I do, but as my grandfather tells me "Your wife wears the panties"[:@]
Huntingson big change comes with two kid[8D]and when they get older.


I have made a commintment to both my Kids to be at every game or event I can. I won'tmiss an event for them for a deer. Hence why we came home Friday for KY. Soccer game on Saturday;)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Hey!!! I thought you were hunting today?!?!?!?

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

After work, LOL I schedule a Dentist appointment a 2:15 so I could hunt[&:] I think my Boss is on to my tricks[8D]

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Yes, people told me there would be a big change with marriage.... nope.
Then there was a big change when we had a kid.... nope.
Now it will be a big change when/if we have another kid... we'll see[8D]

I don't fear change, change fears me:D

I gues I just believe that the people in our lives that we lovewill change us, but we should never have to change for those in our lives that we love.

You can write that one down if you want:D

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Uh, somehow my post went up twice. I guess anything worth doing is worth overdoing;)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Well ... I prayed for ya ..:)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

Don’t be starting already to make excuses for Mr. Mass eluding you for another year. [8D]

Just kidding man, good luck finding time, getting out and maintaining balance in the family life.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

As Tuco would say....

>>>BAM<<<

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I hear ya, Germ. I've held the same job (7 years)since college because I make my own schedule. I've turned down better because I couldn't be a 9-5 guy...at least not yet. It's the two young ones at home that reduce the number of hours I spend on stand. I try to hunt 2-3 mornings a week and maybe mix in an evening now and then. The evenings are tough because my wife teaches fitness classes 3 days a week in the evenings. Yeah I wish I could hunt more, but I wouldn't trade what I got. I saw 3 deer this morning, a spike, 7 pt, and 8 pt...all within 15 yards...all yearlings.[:@] I thought I was going to have a chip shot at a doe before it turned into a spike.[&:]

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I feel your pain..... I've got 3 kids all under age 6. Actually hunting is probably easier to do now than it will be in a few years when all 3 will have activities going on. My wife also works 30hrs a week, so that also plays a factor in when and how much I can hunt.

I'm also in a white collar position that is strict 8-5,so that forces me to be a weekend warrior. On the upside I make good money, I own a 1/3rd interest in 500 acres of timberand I will be able to retire early and hunt as often as I wish, Lord willing...... Its all give and take. I choose to work hard now and play hard later.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I was naive as you when I was your age:D I wrote it down.

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

OUCH! Touche old man. Touche:D

You realize of course that I am only a few years younger than you? Our washing machine has been broken for over a month, but I didn't buy a new one. Can I have your oldelk hunt... I mean washer:D

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I hear ya Gary. It wasn't 2 years ago that if I got out 5 or 6 times in archery season I was lucky. Going to school, having our first child, working, and moving into a new home is not conducive to having a lot of free time. Things are settled now and I do get out more, but not nearly as much as if I were a young single guy. At the same time, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I applaud you for sacrificing for the family. Not because you have to, but because you want to. That is a good display of your character. Just be sure to take enough time for yourself. Not only to keep yourself happy, but I wanna see a damn picture of Mr. Mass!;)

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

It's not all about you anymore[&o]:eek::D

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

damn that stung:D I not even allowed to wash my hunting clothes in the damn thing. [:@]

RE: A tough new era in my Hunting life
 

I can definitely tell you are married with kids. You are participating in a KY shoot off with two other dudes ona camping/hunting trip.[:-] A KY shoot off should be done in the privacy of your own home! What is the video titled, Brokeback Hunting?[8D]