[willyp]

I have hunted for ever,well it seems as if i did ?
I pounded the woods since 1958. My legs and feet were my quad. Up one ridge down into the next hollow and up the other ridge ! None of that tree stand stuff for me. I was my own 180 pound Land Rover !
It was called still hunting,i guess,walk and wait,then move thru the woods. Man,how many deer i took and had to drag back the way i had come in? That was no problem ! I would get near my truck and see older guys about a 1/4 mile from my parking spot. "Were you get that one?" they would ask and i'd say "In so and so hollow!" They would say that they would never go in that far,but i did and loved it!
Well gang,about 20 years ago,the Land Rover started to slow down? Right now its about to less than a short crawl.
I am one of the fellows whom doesn't go very far into to the wilderness these days ! Still get to see some deer and harvest one every couple of years! It now is up to my sons and grandchildren to get them. I have actually little care to kill any,i just love seeing them that brings back memories that make a big smile come on my face. It is even bigger when one of the crew comes out of the woods,after taking a hike as i use to with a nice buck or a doe?
10 years ago,i developed a strategy,for myself? It has 3 points.
#3-Don't shoot anything down hill.
#2-Don't shoot anything unless one of the boys is near by.
And my main rule,
#1- When you go into the woods and you turn around and don't see your car,you went too far .
I just go for for fun now days anyhow!
Guys,believe me,99% us,this sneaks up on us?

 

[bobdoo]

Completely.

 

[RobOz]

Sounds like you had a good run and got your share.

 

[good ole boy]

No stopping father time my friend.I refuse and will not accept the still hunting farce label.I sneak and stalk and slither thru he woods.That term was introduced by some mag writer and has no merit unless you are 100% immobile like on stand.

 

[fall gobbler]

"A man's got to know his limitations."

 

[Heit]

So true, time marches on. I can still do everything I used to do when it come to hunting.....I just don't do it as fast. It's all good, it's life and the nature of things.

 

[Ron pa]

Last Buck I shot, 3 years ago, took Me about an Hour to drag it 300yds. The missus would carry the Guns and I would drag it a few Yds then rest up . A History of Heart and other issues kinda prays on your mind when doing this. But, i really kinda enjoyed it!! Don`t really care if i get another Buck but I do like an eatin` size Doe and they are much easier to get out of the Woods. Old Pappy time has hit Home for me also...

 

[GermanHillHunter]

I'm only 38. Where I buck hunt the first day is a long way back in. I keep a cart in the truck. When I get a buck I walk all my stuff out. Strip down get the cart and hike back in and get the deer. Usually around a 5 hour ordeal. Me and my buddy were just talking about it this year. We know that this honey hole we have won't last forever. It beats us up so bad when we get our bucks. 2 years ago we both shot bucks first day and it took us just short of 7.5 hours to get them out on that cart. Its funny because 10 years ago it didn't bother me one bit. Now the next day I have trouble getting out of bed. I can't imagine what I'll feel like 10 years from now.

 

[treemouse]

It won't get easier. I do the same thing you do, usually in archery. I was 5 when willyp started hunting so I'm not far behind him. I still run and lift year round to keep in shape. The running is not very fast anymore.

 

[casey]

 

[WildBill]

At 67 my thoughts today...
The deer are where <span style="text-decoration: underline">they</span> find me.

Why should I hunt the deer, they ain't lost.

Snoring will not scare deer however waking up and holler'n "holy ****" will!

Bill

 

[trapperrick]

My dad is 76 and he does a good job of getting "back in" off the beaten' path to hunt. However, he cannot stand for more than an hour any more on cold days. My 77 year old father in law has bad knees but he's still at it also. He obviously can't get around much.

I'll be turning 50 on Thanksgiving Day this year but can still run and gun. I will attempt to defeat Father Time but I know I will lose....

 

[Honkers51]

I'm not there yet..lol

 

[rflktrman]

Seems many of us are learning how false our science teaching was, mainly that the hills are eroding. Any hunter getting advanced in years knows the hills are really growing steeper and higher yearly! Hang in there younger guys you will learn this too.

 

[jimbridger]

God love ya. As long as you are having fun you are hunting the right way and in the right place.

I hunt with my brother 20 years older than me. I have watched how he has followed the same path you described. I can only hope to do as much for so long. The good part of hunting with someone like this the vehicle is always warm when I find my way back. Waugh!

 

[NanookOdaNorth]

It amazes me with each passing year how obvious the "overlooked archery hotspots" are and how satisfying it is to find one and hunt close to the truck!

I still like to adventure farther than the other guy during gun season, though...at least while I still can!

 

[htephil]

Amen brother!
I use to wonder how hunters could just sit it elevated hunting stands and miss out on the excitement & experience of "Still Hunting" deep into the big woods of North Central PA. Several years later a hip replacement, a few other operations, grandkids starting to hunt, has tempered my view quite a bit. I still sneak off on solo hunts but have found that sitting in a warm dry hunting stand conversing and mentoring a grandchild an awesome & fulfilling experience as well.

 

[quackmaster4]

Been fighting that battle for awhile. My double knee replacements have slowed me down some, and my son has some health problems, so we usually try to plan our hunts accordingly. We killed a pair of doe last season. We were only about 1/2 mile from the truck, but took us almost two hours to get them out. We decoded it might be in our best interest to only shoot one at a time from now on.....

 

[loridr]

At 50 I was still running ridges. At 55 my lungs started to go, I was diagnosed with emphysema, and it became harder and harder to hike and climb over the next 9 years to the point that now, at 64, I can no longer climb hills at all, and certainly can't hunt alone which was always my preference. No other issues... heart, blood pressure, muscular/skeletal, weight, all good, but when you can't breath, not much you can do about it.

Pretty much limited now to stand style outfitted hunts, and am fortunate enough to have the resources to do two or three each year. I'll continue to do those as long as I physically can travel and my money holds out.

 

[Uncle Johnny]

I can relate, as I am starting to slow down too. Still doing the hills and valleys because I am stubborn, but it is beating the heck out of me these days, and my recovery time is no longer immediate. I keep saying to myself, "I will not be able to do this in a couple of years, so I better get it all in now."