Getting old is not fun!

dawgs14

dawgs14

Active member
So my buddy owns a small house in the SE SD town we hunt near. For the last 25 years I have left a shotgun in the house, year-round. I get there this year for the 2nd weekend and cannot find my shotgun, a Browning hump-back. I come to the false conclusion that one of my buddies mistakenly took it home the year before. No big deal because one of my other friends brought two guns. Our first day, on the first stop, I kill a rooster with the borrowed Benelli but my friend's other shot gun will only shoot once so I insist I use the handicapped gun. Next stop, I kill a rooster with that gun but still only shoots once and jams. At lunch we stop by one of our farmers' house and he loans me his father in-law's full choke, pump Remington I think it was. Later in the day, I take my last rooster with that gun so I am talking all sorts of trash by now right? Day two, I borrow another Benelli from another farmer friend and finish with limits each day. My shooting has declined over the years but I was in the right place at the right time a bunch this trip. Plus the number of birds was insane. In any case I was lucky enough to take a four-day limit with four different guns. A fun first for me but certainly not intentional. The kicker is I got home only to discover my Browning was exactly where I had left it - in its Browning case, in the mud-room, ready to go to SD. I was so excited about the trip and I had trained my brain for so long that I had a gun in SD that it over powered fact - that I brought it home last year to practice with. That or old age has finally caught up with me.
 
dawgs14 said:
So my buddy owns a small house in the SE SD town we hunt near. For the last 25 years I have left a shotgun in the house, year-round. I get there this year for the 2nd weekend and cannot find my shotgun, a Browning hump-back. I come to the false conclusion that one of my buddies mistakenly took it home the year before. No big deal because one of my other friends brought two guns. Our first day, on the first stop, I kill a rooster with the borrowed Benelli but my friend's other shot gun will only shoot once so I insist I use the handicapped gun. Next stop, I kill a rooster with that gun but still only shoots once and jams. At lunch we stop by one of our farmers' house and he loans me his father in-law's full choke, pump Remington I think it was. Later in the day, I take my last rooster with that gun so I am talking all sorts of trash by now right? Day two, I borrow another Benelli from another farmer friend and finish with limits each day. My shooting has declined over the years but I was in the right place at the right time a bunch this trip. Plus the number of birds was insane. In any case I was lucky enough to take a four-day limit with four different guns. A fun first for me but certainly not intentional. The kicker is I got home only to discover my Browning was exactly where I had left it - in its Browning case, in the mud-room, ready to go to SD. I was so excited about the trip and I had trained my brain for so long that I had a gun in SD that it over powered fact - that I brought it home last year to practice with. That or old age has finally caught up with me.
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What sucks the most about getting old, is mobility issues, and memory issues.
 
I've got 68 on my odometer, and 9 1/2 on the dog. Growing up, I longed for the day when I didn't have to open ALL the gates, or sit in the middle of the seat in the pickup. Wow, how time flies. Going to the range now, or hunting in the field, I'm the oldest and all the other guys look like young pups full of energy. I think I'm in good shape till the 1st cattail slough. Then, it's thoughts of; "this is just getting harder every year".
 
CRP said:
I've got 68 on my odometer, and 9 1/2 on the dog. Growing up, I longed for the day when I didn't have to open ALL the gates, or sit in the middle of the seat in the pickup. Wow, how time flies. Going to the range now, or hunting in the field, I'm the oldest and all the other guys look like young pups full of energy. I think I'm in good shape till the 1st cattail slough. Then, it's thoughts of; "this is just getting harder every year".
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For reasons that you’ve mentioned, and, to be more effective in less time invested, I’ve really focused on “micro spots” these last few years…especially when solo or with one buddy. Sloughs, chunks of grass, dry creek beds that meander through picked crop fields, etc, it’s been fun! I’m 60 in March, and do like getting my steps in, but wandering a sea of grass or cattails is not on my list of best uses of my time. Dirty fencerows, small low spots here or there, etc, are much more to my
liking, and my old lab agrees…the 2 younger ones are happy anywhere, but I’m enjoying this approach…easier finding downed birds, too…
 
My Father is 73 and I have to basically babysit him when we deer hunt and fish together.

It gets annoying at times but its better than not doing it.
 
gim, my pop passed at age 89. He shot a limit of birds our last time out when he was 88. I knew many times he was hurting but never complained. He mostly sat in the truck listening to the radio while I was out walking for miles. When I would get back to the truck, he was sitting there grinning about the birds he got while I was gone.
 
CRP said:
gim, my pop passed at age 89. He shot a limit of birds our last time out when he was 88. I knew many times he was hurting but never complained. He mostly sat in the truck listening to the radio while I was out walking for miles. When I would get back to the truck, he was sitting there grinning about the birds he got while I was gone.
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My dad also lived to be 89, but I'm sure he did not shoot one single bird the last 10 years he hunted. He just like to be out there with his dogs, he couldn't hit anything. In his younger years he was a good shot.
 
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Goosemaster said:
My dad also lived to be 89, but I'm sure he did not shoot one single bird the last 10 years he hunted. He just like to be out there with his dogs, he couldn't hit anything. In his younger years he was a good shot.
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I’m 74 and got progressive glasses about 3 years ago. My shooting has gone in the toilet. I’m trying to compensate by buying new guns. It kind of works, at least it is fun.
 
At 81 this years outing ended out more about just being out there with the dogs than killing birds. What I realized is that my reflexes (flush, gun mount, sight, shoot) are just not whatt they used to be. It's ok thought, I'll keep practicing 'till next season.
 
TomU said:
At 81 this years outing ended out more about just being out there with the dogs than killing birds. What I realized is that my reflexes (flush, gun mount, sight, shoot) are just not whatt they used to be. It's ok thought, I'll keep practicing 'till next season.
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I retired my Citori this year and started shooting my Fausti o/u 20 ga because its much lighter. I do realize I need to exercise more because I tire easier. I will be 81 in June lord willing of course.
 
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