Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Honoring those who made their last hunt

It's D-Day plus 1 here in Minnesota, as the orange clad army heads back to camp for another deer season. At many camps this year, there will be an empty bunk, a vacant tree stand, a spot at the card table unmanned. Every camp that's together for any length of time loses members of the group. As the old saying goes, dying is a part of living. To that end, I raise a glass and toast those who didn't make the trip this year. May they rest in peace knowing that the lessons they taught us have been taken to heart, and the future of hunting, and deer hunting in particular is in good hands with the next generation.

In the eyes of the youngsters we see that wonderment that comes with the first trip to deer camp. Hopefully the old timers bring them up right. For the senior members, this is their legacy we're talking about here.

Remembering those that went before us and won't be on stand tomorrow morning. May they look down on us and smile as we take the field.

Go get 'em boys.

i have friend that lost his dad a few seasons back. he always said if he died in the woods he would die a very happy man. they found him dead on his favorite stand.

My great uncle while still alive wont be able to hunt this year. Ive never seen the man miss a deer. Everyone around this area knows that frank Walton is the best on game shot in 5 countys. His arthritis is crippling him he has a pacemaker and he had pneumonia a month back and almost died. This passed Monday he had his gall bladder removed and is finally home resting and healing. I literally hero worshipped this man growing up. While ill still visit with him i would like nothing more than to get him in the ranger and go for one last hunt

Cool post, thanks.

We had the best of elk camp again this year. At 89.
Walked several miles, most days. Fell asleep in his chair most middays.
I hope to be half as sharp and can call my life half as successful.
I love the older crowd.
A toast, indeed.

GG,
Good post. Thanks for taking the time to write that one up. There are some folks I wish I could hunt with again.

I lost a very dear friend to cancer yesterday morning. He was a staple in our deer camp, a great hunter, story teller, cook, a Vietnam veteran, and someone you could always count on. John lead a very interesting life but would be the first to tell you that his greatest accomplishment was being the father of two sons, both of who served overseas in Iraq and Afganistan.

Camp will seem empty this year but I'm a better person for being able to call John my friend.

Well said. My dad (who passed 13 years ago) is with me every time I go hunting!

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing guys.

same here travelingman1... to this day I carry my fathers folding Case knife that he bought while still in the Navy back in '59, never use it, but he's with me. Good luck and God Bless to all....

Many of my first years hunting I spent out in the woods with my grandpa. I am one of over 20 grand-kids, but was fortunate enough to have that special one on one bond with him. A year or so ago he stopped by my house and handed me his fixed blade hunting knife, an old bone handled Schrade he's had for over 20 years. Said he was done hunting, too old and crippled. He passed this summer. Needless to say I carry that thing proudly.

Had to do over again, I definitely would have pushed for more outings with him, but am very grateful for the memories we made. One of the best was on a trip we had to borrowed my dad's shiny new truck for. The only cassette tape we had was the Highwaymen, which we listened to over and over again, while grandpa's window stayed open and he finished over a pack of smokes... I tried to tell him dad didn't want any smoking in the truck, but he just smiled and said 'It'll be alright, son', as he lit up another. Can't really blame and old man for being set in his ways. Rest in Peace.

I hope those who can are taking advantage of the older generation's knowledge and wisdom, regarding both hunting and life.

A tough issue to think about, but at 66 I found full elk quarters a bit heavy this year. Hopefully there will be a party that will let me hang around and do some camp chores about 30 years from now.

Yes, a tip of the glass and thinking of you to those that aren't out there this season.

This subject is very near to me....last season I assumed the role of "Old Man" in our camp, which has been around since 1938. I'm the last one of the 3rd generation. Pretty humbling stuff. Some times it's hard to fit in the cabin....or the woods with all the ghosts......Glasses will be lifted.

Nice Post thanks for making me realize again hunting is better when it is shared with those you love.



ddj

lost my grandfather in july, he was the one that tought me how to hunt. i'll be carrying his old marlin in 35 rem in his honor this year.

Well this is a good post. I hunted with my dad every chance he had to take me until a few years back. He has had several back surgeries and is now not able to get out and do much hunting. I really miss the days that we could drive thickets together and walk the hills and hollows of n MS. Now I have a 4x6 shoot house built for him with insulation and Sheetrock. It is super nice as I even trimmed it with crown and base and carpet. The funny thing is he drives his ranger and parks under the shoot house and still see more deer than me. I have a niece that will be 2 in jan that he is ready to take out. That is the best thing about the deal him spend time out with family. Wouldn't take anything for those memories we made and those still to come

sincerest thanks to GG for one of the best posts in a long time...

Tom Hanson was not a great hunter. He smoked on his deer stand, couldn't sit still for 20 minutes in a row, and was the worst shot I know of. But he loved to empty the clip on his old Remington 740, and he was the funnest guy to have around.

My memories of deer hunting will forever include him and the rest of our gang.

Tom didn't hunt for the past few years and he died about two weeks ago. It seems wrong to raise a glass to his memory because booze reduced him to a whisper of the man he used to be, and it's ultimately what killed him. But maybe I'll take my old Remington out and unload it into a tree stump like Tom did "just to get 'em movin' a little bit." I'll be hunting with his two sons and maybe his granddaughter in a couple of weeks.

Good post. Thanks.

Well guys this is hard for me to type and could not tell in person.

I HAD a neighbor & friend. A good hunter and ethical. Thursday of last week, 10-25-12, I was helping him cut a tree on the property line near his house. Long story short, things didn't go as planned. The tree twisted and fell the wrong way. He ran to his right and a limb hit him in the head and killed him.

IF only he had taken 1 step to his left he wouldn't have a scratch.

He was the DEFINITION of a good neighbor and friend. It's hard and impossible to be outside without thinking of Ed. I'm confident he's resting in peace, but MY WHAT A LOSS.


edited to add:

Ed also taught hunter ed classes and enjoyed it.

Great post and replies. Interesting, though, as I was just pondering this today driving around.

My grandfather started hunting the promised land in Feb. '10. I've finally reached a point where the thought of opening day without him doesn't twist my guts. I know he's with my brother and I pushing the ridges. When we buried him on our family property I left one of his '06 cartridges with his ashes. He gets every casing of every successful hunt I have (thanks for finding that ACP casing 'chucker!). My brother keeps his 742 in service at least part of the season.

I'd love to have my dad in the woods with me but he isn't comfortable in the woods due to hearing issues, his back, etc. Similary, my uncle is in poor health and won't be joining us.

That said, my son (7) will be joining the family this year hunting the "old spots". Time marches on.....

George