Sun Setting on My Hunting Career

UplandHntr said:
Seems like a good place to leave this….
I went to a wake for a friend last night. We worked together at my old company and now at our current company. Eat, breathed and slept fishing. Every weekend he was fishing somewhere. Either in local tourneys or for fun.
We rarely talked business. Always about where he was headed that weekend.
I saw him Tuesday afternoon in the iffice and we txt’d Wed afternoon. He took Th and Fr off to go to LaCrosse and fish the Mississippi For a few days. Fished all day on Th. Went to bed Th night and never woke up. Apparent heart attack. Fished up until his last breath. He knew he had a family history and personal health issues that meant he probably wasnt going to die of old age. He kept doing what he loved to do despite those issues.
Live every day like its your last I guess???
It just might be
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You can't do it much better than your bubby did. If we could pick our way out, that would be at the top of the list for most I am guessing.
 
I'm sure I'll be hunting Grouse longer than pheasants. Hobbling down a two track is far easier than fields and ditches.
 
I'll be 69 in January can feel your pain, had both knees replaced one seven years ago one two years ago. Ended up getting an infection and it went to the new knee replacement and ended up with sepsis that almost killed me. Ended up getting the new knee replaced again due to the infection and now on meds for infection supposedly for the rest of my life. Not ready to give up hunting but I have to be careful, now I enjoy getting the grand kids out and watching them work with the dogs. Don't think we'll be going to South Dakota this year but I purchased two hunting packages at local game farms. I plan on doing some local hunting this season on public land. I'll go on my own pace if I shoot a bird its a plus, just happy to be around to do it, and hopefully for another ten years.
 
Zeb, Your post has struck a chord with many of us. I'm 66, and have been wondering how many more falls the future holds. I pleaded (unsuccessfully) with a 84 year old friend from Michigan, to go with us to Alberta this year (he used to go until 10 or so years ago). He felt he would be a drag........................I told him no way, we would handle everything............he would not budge........
I am not in his situation, nor yours...............but sure hope I have the same offers to participate, whether I shoot or not................I have a close friend in Alberta that's 88, and still comes out..............just doesn't shoot anymore. Surely the friendships and camaraderie play an even more important role as we age. I truly hope you are able to enjoy this and future falls afield.
Have enjoyed reading your posts here through the years; one of my favorites is when you posted about your team winning the Huron pheasant festival competition, and Tom Knapp (on another team) missing all four shots! Now get out there with your grandson and continue to inspire him, as well as the rest of us!
 
I wish you the best Zeb and hope you can keep at it until you can't-for the dogs and grandson. I'll be 71 in December with an 8 yr old lab and a 7 mo old lab pup--the wildest of the 8 lab pups we have had. I just hope to continue to hunt for the dogs until I cannot. I try to live by that Toby Keith song.
Tom
 
Zeb, sounds like u have had a good run, reading through a lot of your post through out the time I have been a member, good luck and enjoy “retirement “ whenever that time comes. You will have plenty of memories and that’s what’s important
 
Back pain seems to last forever with no hope in sight but keep working on it and it will get better. It's such a depressing condition when you are in the middle of it with no hope in sight. It's messes with you more than any of the other ailments and I've seen it over and over. Mental stress is a huge contributor and shouldn't be overlooked. Do everything healthy for diet, hydration, ice/heat and going to physical rehab for it. You'll come out the other end with a new lease on life once you get through it. My dad smashed up his back at 28 and then started a 45 year pheasant hunting hobby. Believe us, you'll find new ways to hunt and make it work in the field if you want it.
 
I don't feel that way because I'm tired or old. I'm not happy when I'm hunting. I'm not happy when I'm fishing. But at what point this change occurred, I don't know. And I'm thinking about starting to do something else. I realize that at 40, it's too late to look for new hobbies or jobs. But my psychologist says 40 is a new youth, and I can do what I want. I wanted to find an occupation that would bring me both money and happiness. I've always had an aptitude for technology and electronics. I found an article on occupations where I read about the benefits of being an HVAC technician. It was this website https://www.vocationaltraininghq.com/hvac-certification-online/. I wanted to help people. Iэm well on my way to getting certified to work.
 
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Still dark here in Southern Nevada, so I have a few minutes to kill before the morning hike. First hike is with the four Setters, Three English and a Gordon. For me its about 3.5 miles for the dogs probably double that, 5-12 years old it keep them trim and in good form. Second hike before it warms up is by myself, four miles, last hike of the day after lunch three miles. I started hiking 35 years ago while in my career job, moving around I had time in the evening and keep it up to today.

Turned 65 last Summer, kind of a milestone with going on Medicare and all, few health problems like all who are lucky enough to grow old, some vision issues, irritating irregular heartbeat but all in all my Cardiologist says I'm in the 1% club. he is also same age 65, trim we compare notes on mountain climbs at each visit. We fight the good fight diet.exercise,proper rest and positive attitude.

Saddens me to see others in our age bracket self destructing, obesity is the common denominator, bad habits,smoke and booze, no exercise other than walking to the buffet table, doesn't have to be that way. Learn from those who went before you we all have witnessed healthy people blessed with longevity. Positive attitude, moderation with food, no fancy gyms needed etc, just walk a lot and keep the mind active.

Hunting is different now , no need to kill a lot of birds, the planning, road trips, good companionship form the dogs and watching their beautiful work in the field makes it a success and more memories added to 50 years of bird hunting.

Fight the good fight it is worth it!!
 
I turned 75 this year and realize there aren't that many days in the field left. I am leaving in 2 weeks for my 25th or so trip to South Dakota and i figure it is probably the last.
 
I'll be 75 in December. Because of my age and copd I have had to give up pheasant hunting. I am duck hunting now with my family. Much easier. Maybe I'll go pheasant hunting one more time to drive the truck and block. We'll see.
 
Zeb or any of you gentlemen that are getting up there in age and find it harder to hunt, fish, be outside and enjoy what we do, thank you!
 
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