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Lost Passion

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Old 10-26-2011 | 08:34 AM
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Question Lost Passion

I know many of you have hunted Deer for years if not decades,Have you ever gotten to a point where you did not want to hunt anymore? Have you quit for a time but then had a renewed passion and now hunt again? What was it that caused you to lay down the bow or gun and find a new persuit in life? If you don't mind sharing I would like to hear some of the reasons your passion for the life style of deer hunting died down for a time. This is just my 3rd.year Deer hunting and I think I'm loosing the passion which once filled my heart for the hunt. Thanks
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Old 10-26-2011 | 08:41 AM
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I think I'm just the opposite, I'm 42 and my passion just keep getting stronger. But for me my passion is spring turkeys. Maybe you just need to quit for a while and see if the passion returns or how bad you miss it. Don't really know what to tell you.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 08:44 AM
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I have been hunting for about 20 years. There are some morning during the season when I don't feel like getting out of bed but other then that I have never gone a season without getting into the woods. I am not sure how many deer you have seen or you kill in your three years but that makes a difference. I was hunting a farm for a couple years and was just not seeing much. A couple of does here and there but that was about it. Now I still hunt that farm but have another place that is much better. Having a nice place to hunt really makes a bid difference. For me I like every aspect of the hunt. Last year I hunted by myself due to an injury to my hunting partner and loved it. Dragging the 2 deer I killed, breaking my back to get them into the truck, hanging, butchering etc. Doing it all myself from start to finish is a great time. To me once you kill a deer you are only halfway through the fun part.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 09:02 AM
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The only thing that slowed down my hunting was Pu$$y and/or chasing it. The older I get the less that seems to happen.....I dont know if that is good or bad. Bad for the deer I guess.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 10:34 AM
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Finding a good spot to hunt is what is causing me to lose interest somewhat. So much pressure and the fact everyone around me shoots everything that walks makes it tough to keep my spirits up. Lease prices are through the roof and I can't lay out huge money with a family to raise. Been deer hunting 30 years and I still hunt hard but I am getting very frustrated.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 11:10 AM
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Well for me I realized after last years season I was a stupid hunter and hunted too darn much for absolutely no reason. Frankly burned my stands out and burned myself out. So I approached this season differently. I scouted more and just took my time and enjoyed what got me into hunting. The birds, the falling leaves, blue sky. I found 4 great spots and hung stands and hunt them in a rotation. Not to burn them out. I hunt maybe 2 times a week maybe a little more now that the rut is coming soon. I've been blessed with a 150 lbs doe and a 185lbs 8pt buck this year already. For me just slowing down a little helped me wanna get back out there.

Yes the old saying goes you can't shoot them from your couch, but you can also hunt smarter not harder. Learn to follow weather patterns and dropping temps, or acorns falling. Not just the rush to make it to a stand in hopes this is your night.

Ok I'm done. Good luck!
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Old 10-26-2011 | 11:19 AM
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I'm 56, been deer hunting seriously since I was about 15-16...I've killed over 400 deer...

It's not the hunt, it's being in the fall woods...I love the scouting, reading sign, deciding where I need to set up the ambush site...I've also made my own flintlock, mold my own balls to shoot in it...I hunt with a bow, flintlock, inline, bolt action rifle and recently a pistol...

I've also got a 3 year old grandchild that I can't wait to start hunting...We'll hunt squirrels until he is ready and learns how to handle a gun and learns to shoot...

I also love to cook so we eat deer...I regularly make roasts, vegetable soup, spaghetti, chili, bbq and stews with deer in them....

This is what keeps it exciting, experience different ways to hunt and pass the experience on to others....
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Old 10-26-2011 | 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by deernutz
Well for me I realized after last years season I was a stupid hunter and hunted too darn much for absolutely no reason. Frankly burned my stands out and burned myself out. So I approached this season differently. I scouted more and just took my time and enjoyed what got me into hunting. The birds, the falling leaves, blue sky. I found 4 great spots and hung stands and hunt them in a rotation. Not to burn them out. I hunt maybe 2 times a week maybe a little more now that the rut is coming soon. I've been blessed with a 150 lbs doe and a 185lbs 8pt buck this year already. For me just slowing down a little helped me wanna get back out there.

Yes the old saying goes you can't shoot them from your couch, but you can also hunt smarter not harder. Learn to follow weather patterns and dropping temps, or acorns falling. Not just the rush to make it to a stand in hopes this is your night.

Ok I'm done. Good luck!
I think part of your insight is part of my problem,I've been at it hard since Oct.1 and I like Kybuckhunter have had many frustrations with ruined hunts that have left me asking the question is it worth all the trouble and exspense. I've been out 1 time in the last 9 days and just don't seem interested at the present. Maybe a little longer away from it will help revive the passion. I guess I have lost focus on all the other aspects of hunting that make it a great time.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 01:25 PM
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when you make it a chore insted of a hobby it goes to hell. I get like that about every 3 -4 years, and I have to step back and say to myself, I say self I am just sitting in this tree to forget about life, and relax ,I hope I am in the right tree to see my quarry is a bonus.
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Old 10-26-2011 | 02:35 PM
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I've been hunting for 25 years and still think about hunting everyday. Deer is my passion, but I hunt turkey, hogs, dove, predators. I've also been out west for Elk and Mule Deer (shot a mulie). With the 1st of my 3 kids starting college, I won't be heading out west for several years.

Like someone else said - I used to over hunt my stands. Now I'm for more patient and wait for the right wind and moon. Except for the rut - I hunt all day. I can't imagine every getting tierd of hunting. I can't get enough of it.
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