Huntinlikeaveteran

I have a question for some of you. Would you quit hunting after fighting in Iraq? My uncle is a Marine Devil Dog and got back a couple months ago from fighting in Iraq. Sad news is come january or june he will be there again. But we tried to get him to come hunt with us. He refused. He says he doesnt like the sounds of guns and wont listen to them until he has to in Iraq.



Tim

NEB.BuckHunter

I don't think that I could ever quit hunting. It's my time to get back to nature and enjoy the sights and sounds that we have been offered. I can understand his reluctance though. Let him know that we are all proud of the job that we are doing for his country and for the freedom of others.

Steve F.in MD

He may change his mind later. I wasn't too excited about hunting when I came back from Vietnam but after a couple of years I got back into it.

txbowjunkie

Like Steve F. said, he may change his mind later. My father quit hunting and it took me 15 years to get him back at it, so don't give up hope.

Coastie

Combat affects people in different ways. Don't push it and don't make a big deal of it. When he is ready he will go back to hunting. When he comes back for good, give him some time to readjust to "The World" and then invite him to go fishing or something. The outdoors is therapeutic (SP?) and just getting out may do him a world of good.

Aught Six

I agree with the others; he's probably dealing with a lot of stress from being away from the country he loves and over in that God-forsaken land with guns and bombs going off. The life of a combat marine is tough.

Besides, hunting's more than just guns going off. I'm sure that once he has some time to unwind and get back to normal life, he'll renew his interest.

huntnma

hopefully he'll change his mind, let's all pary that he and anyone else who has to deal with this will be able to lead thier lives as they did....try bowhunting....no shot sound......

NY Bowhunter

Usually getting out to the woods is a time to relax and unwind. Get away from your job and relieve some stress. Unfortunately for your Uncle, it not too stress relieving hearing gunfire around him. Right now he'd probably be as far away from hunting season as he can and understandably so. That's too bad. Hopefully after he can gather his thoughts again he'll be back out there. And yes tell him we're proud and thankful for what he is doing overseas. good luck

webejonesin2

As all the others have already stated, all in due time. Let him know that we are proud of him and all the rest of our troops that are fighting and who have faught for our country.!!

davidmil

He'll come around. I spent 2 years in Vietnam. Survived Tet 68 in I Corps. When I came back from Vietnam the second time in Sept 70, 2 purple hearts later, having survived malaria, being blown up and all that... I didn't want to do ANYTHING that might cause a hangnail. I went hunting for about 1 hour the last day of the season. I met my wife and we went to dinner every night. She pestered me for about a year, even after we were married. Said I drove like an old lady... both hands on the steering wheel(I guess she meant none on her[8D], 10 miles an hour under the speed limit, stopped at all lights, orange or red, etc etc etc. Two years later I was making like Dale Ernhardt with the pedal to the metal. She to this days says she should have kept her mouth shut. She says I'm a maniac. She also says I hunt to dang much. She said she didn't even know I hunted when we dated.(Which I guess is right because I didn't that fall) Heck, I'll shoot a gun once in a while.... no problem. But I tell you, when one goes off in the woods I'm looking for cover and some way to put a tree between it an me. He'll come around. Takes time. And if he doesn't.... live with it.

Now I can joke about it. As I say about my time in Vietnam. It was great hunting, no closed season, no bag limits and unlimited free ammo. He's just finished a tough hunting season. He needs a break. Shot up humans are not pretty. It's not like a deer on the ground or something like that. He's really got a lot going on inside. Let him do what he wants. He'll be better.