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Growing Older and Past Experiences

megalomaniac said:
Agree 100%.

Although I still feel guilty when I'm secretly glad my kids say I'm too tired to go hunting this morning as I wake them at 5am. Does that make me a bad father?

Also, does it make me a bad father when I come home with a tom and tell them 'you should have seen the show he put on!' when they were too tired to get out of bed earlier that morning?

Love my kids to death! But there are no freebies when it comes to turkey hunting anymore. When they were 7, 8, 9, 10... sure. But after that, Daddy isn't holding their hand and setting them up for a slam dunk... if they WANT me to help, I'm glad to assist... but I'm not teeing up a bird for them any more.

Again, does that me a bad father? 😀
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I would consider reevaluating my priorities. I can assure you when your kids are grown and gone all the dead birds in the world won't compare to one memory of a special time you shared with them. There will be plenty of time for solo hunts later. My youngest will be 23 in a few days. Work schedules and other parts of life have kept us from hunting together much the last couple years. And when we do hunt "together" usually more than one bird gobbles and he wants to go separate ways. Enjoy the kids while you can. They'll be grown in no time and you'll wonder where the time went.
 
Amen brother, amen! Agree with @fairchaser, 50 ain't old (I turn 51 in March). I was agreeing with most of what you were saying @Coker. I've got a couple friends, some I've met here, but I mainly role solo if I'm working on the farm or tinkering in my shop. My young daughter is my trusty sidekick and "big helper" and I love seeing her discover new things and teaching her what work looks and feels like. There's nothing like breathing in the morning air and being in the trees. Great post and thanks for sharing.
 
IDK it really depends for me. I solo hunt 99% of the season mostly because I hunt a lot during the week when no one else can go or just because I like it. HOWEVER I have a few buddies Id go with all the time if I could. They are actual turkey hunters though and really good at it. If Im going with buddies and they know how to hunt these birds I really enjoy it because then I dont have to worry about them moving or I dont have to be "the one in charge" the entire time with added pressure. We can just hunt and bounce ideas off each other and help one another. Im talking about the type of buddy that each of you is trying to get the other one a shot and you no longer care who closes the deal.

as a whole though turkey hunting solo is a great experience and brings a sense of peace to the world thats like nothing else for me.
 
I am 69. God has allowed me to still climb trees with a climber, although I much prefer the quietness of a well placed 18 foot ladder stand. I have had cancer twice, but by His Grace, I have completely recovered. When I was about 35, I noticed that I preferred to hunt alone. I started going out West on big game hunts alone and just hunting in generall alone. I do like the solitude and the peacefulness of solitude. When I was younger I worried about if it was OK to be like this or if I was just too difficult to get along with? Then one day my mother mentioned to me how Jesus sought out solitude and lonely places. I know this will sound weird to some, but I am pulled toward lonely places at times.I never feel closer to God than when I am in a very lonely place. I am what God created, but my sin is of me. I try to always do the right thing, but sometimes I fail. I am grateful for every single animal that I have taken. I have always had an innate desire to take game cleanly and quickly. I hurt when I wound one of God's given creatures. I enjoy hunting with my sons and usually anymore we share Western big game hunts(Elk) and we have a whitetail lease in Illinois. My grandson is only four so we haven't had that opportunity yet to really hunt. I hope I get to see that day. My youngest son said to me last week that he is beginning to prefer to hunt alone without his friends or acquaintance because then he only has to worry about the decisions he makes. He said, dad I think I am getting like you. Both my sons really enjoy dog hunting, be it birds or squirrel or whatever. I do not hunt dogs much anymore as it hurts me too much when I lose a dog. I lost my Lab three years ago and I said that would not happen anymore. I am not afraid.....I am not afraid to live or to die. I am grateful for every day that I wake up and can walk.

Regards, Mike
 
atnvol said:
I am 69. God has allowed me to still climb trees with a climber, although I much prefer the quietness of a well placed 18 foot ladder stand. I have had cancer twice, but by His Grace, I have completely recovered. When I was about 35, I noticed that I preferred to hunt alone. I started going out West on big game hunts alone and just hunting in generall alone. I do like the solitude and the peacefulness of solitude. When I was younger I worried about if it was OK to be like this or if I was just too difficult to get along with? Then one day my mother mentioned to me how Jesus sought out solitude and lonely places. I know this will sound weird to some, but I am pulled toward lonely places at times.I never feel closer to God than when I am in a very lonely place. I am what God created, but my sin is of me. I try to always do the right thing, but sometimes I fail. I am grateful for every single animal that I have taken. I have always had an innate desire to take game cleanly and quickly. I hurt when I wound one of God's given creatures. I enjoy hunting with my sons and usually anymore we share Western big game hunts(Elk) and we have a whitetail lease in Illinois. My grandson is only four so we haven't had that opportunity yet to really hunt. I hope I get to see that day. My youngest son said to me last week that he is beginning to prefer to hunt alone without his friends or acquaintance because then he only has to worry about the decisions he makes. He said, dad I think I am getting like you. Both my sons really enjoy dog hunting, be it birds or squirrel or whatever. I do not hunt dogs much anymore as it hurts me too much when I lose a dog. I lost my Lab three years ago and I said that would not happen anymore. I am not afraid.....I am not afraid to live or to die. I am grateful for every day that I wake up and can walk.

Regards, Mike
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Well said Mike. You nailed it. Amen brother.
 
Specializedjon said:
Mar. 1st here

You're knockin on the door Gravey. Start stockpiling readers now 🤣
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Coker said:
March 21st and I do expect a Happy Birthday wish from all of yall.
Happy Early Birthday Specializedjon and Gravey!!!
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22nd for me and already rocking those readers. Have 6 pairs strategically placed throughout the house and barn. 🤣 Had lasik a year and a half ago and the doctor told me it would fix my distance but would accelerate the need for readers. That was a trade off I was willing to take compared to having to take contacts in and out every day as I'd done for nearly 25 years.
 
I hunt alone a lot due to scheduling and last minute hunts, but I relish the chance to hunt with young or inexperienced hunters and help them become successful and safe hunters. Many life lessons are learned in the woods and during travel on longer trips. Nothing beats the stories created and life experienced during the misery of dragging large hogs or deer out of the mountains from miles deep. I really respect the men who taught me the right way to do it and took the time to invest into me. The most valuable thing thing you can give someone is time.
 
Coker said:
As I grow older (turning 50 in March), the more I like to hunt by myself. Turkey Hunting is no exception (unless my daughter is with me). One on One in the woods with any game is incredible, especially turkeys. I have hunted with small groups and larger groups and it does not compare to being by myself. If I make a mistake and spook a turkey or get lucky and kill one, there is nobody to blame or congratulate but me. There is something special about listening to mother nature wake up in the morning, feeling blessed to be there, and having it all to yourself.
As I look back on past hunting experiences and reflect, I have grown to be somewhat of a loner. I am not sure why but I don't mind it at all. I do enjoy company and have many friends and family that enjoy hunting. I believe that being by myself is a stress reliever from the daily grind that helps me unwind and relax. Stepping away from it all and stepping into the woods.
There is a special place in my heart for hunting and being outdoors. It draws me closer to God as I see the wonders of his works and how much cant be explained but only enjoyed. If you have spent any time hunting, you know exactly what I am talking about. Its hard to explain in words but I know most of you understand.

All this to say, take the time to enjoy this Turkey Season. Go by yourself at least once and enjoy mother nature as she intended. You will be amazed at what you see, hear and learn.
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Well said.... an appreciation of God's wonders truly sets in when slone in the woods.....
 
Specializedjon said:
Amen brother, amen! Agree with @fairchaser, 50 ain't old (I turn 51 in March).
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Heck, that isn't old at all! I turn 63 in just over two weeks and age has been seriously kicking my ass the past few years. Guys, I'm breaking down faster than a rusty ole Chevy, and I'm not dealing with it very well, mentally or physically. I guess because I've always went 90 miles an hour from the time I woke up well before daylight until the time I went to sleep late each night. I'm just not used to riding the brakes the way I've had to the past few years due to medical issues. But all jokes aside, it does make me better appreciate each day I'm able to get out and enjoy creation, knowing that they are becoming more limited. It no longer matters as much whether or not I am successful on a hunt. Now the process and experience is much more important than the end result. Nothing like being on top of an oak ridge watching the world wake up. That is my new measurement of success. Now I find myself hoping I'll make it long enough to take my six grandchildren individually to the top of that mountain for the same reasons.
 
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