I sit here, about to get ready for an early morning hunt. Buck already in freezer. It's always been about meat. 60 years now, since that first deer. Soon to be 73. Open heart for a cow valve 4 years ago. New knee shortly therafter... no problems. I love to backpack meat out. Only about 3/4 mile out now.. So much fun. Antlers all over garage, etc. Always wanted to hunt on my 80th. Thinkin' it may end sooner... Just my wife and I now. Youngest, college Jr... No real longing. Suppose one year I just won't go. Time to get ready, to be on stand, just before Sun up....

I'm 69, still in good health, and still get as excited about seeing a deer as I did when I went on my first deer hunt 55 years ago. But, it's different today. There was a time when I was consumed with the need to kill a deer. A season was not a success unless I did. These days I take the grandkids, and do more scouting trying to locate one for them or my son than I do for myself. If I shoot one, it's going to be a big mature buck, and if I don't, it doesn't bother me in the least.

I know that someday, in the not so distant future, deer season here will come and go without me being here. I feel like it's my duty to try and pass on the legacy that I started to my survivors, and hopefully keep the tradition going. I've already killed my buck, and will spend the rest of the season watching and seeing what's left out there to make until next deer season.

I'm 15+ years younger than the two of you. I still get excited the night before a morning hunt or throughout the day before an evening hunt but my focus has shifted to my 13/14 year old. Times have changed so much in regards to hunting tradition and the number of kids getting involved is waning for various reasons. I figure getting the boy up and running at least teaches him about a different aspect of life that otherwise he won't experience e.g. the actual killing of an animal, processing, and seeing how much work is involved as to not take it lightly or for granted.

On the other hand as he and I talked this weekend while out hunting, are the moments in time that one experiences while in the woods and what really matters. To see his eyes light up when awakening from a nap and having a nice buck standing 15 yards away, hearing his breathing as gang of gobblers walked by within 5 yards as we sat motionless and listening to their sounds of contentment, seeing a pair of raccoons climbing up a tree for the first time, and the boy commenting on how cool the woods sound as they awaken and how beautiful the sunset is as it fades over an open pasture across the tree line are the experiences that to me, really sum up what it is all about.

At some point I see myself carrying no gun but walking along with my boy just as my dad with me.

Sir, you've earned the right to do whatever you feel!
With as little worry as possible...You may never feel like going, or you may skip a few years and get the urge again.

I hunted regularly from the age of about 13 - 25. Whatever was in season. Squirrels, rabbits, deer, quail, doves, etc. Then from ages 26-46, I did not buy a license. I had a bunch of other things going on, and basically I did not make time for hunting. Fast forward to last season. My youngest son expressed an interest in deer hunting at the age of 14. I jumped at the chance to “get back into the game” so to speak. It has been wonderful, not only for him, but also for me. We were able to take a few Kentucky deer last season. The spike buck he took last year as his first kill was as meaningful to me as any trophy I have taken.

I take more time now to appreciate the hunt, the chase. Before, it was about my desire to tag game. Now, it is more about passing along a hunting tradition.

There are like four or five different stages of deer hunting that a guy goes through in a lifetime and I too am getting real close into stage five myself. I enjoy rambling around in the woods and frankly I enjoy watching wildlife more than shooting it. My issue this year is hunting out of the cottage where the wife's kid invites his buddy who is still stuck in the limiting out stage. While I've been passing up deer in favor of sitting by the fire place with a few scotches that evening, the kid has a pocket full of doe tags and three or four deer in the truck that need to be processed. It is a damned lot of work and I can't very well sit there by the fire while those guys are out in the garage processing.

I’ve heard the story of my great grandfather having to be carried in the woods and sat in a chair and killed a monster buck with a 12 ga double barrel that’s how my last hunt will be

Keep after it guys , I love seeing old gristles still out and about when I'm huntin..

ts

NO criticism here.

No one knows the future - even tomorrow. I don’t know the future and will not
allow dread or disappointment ruin NOW. I’m knocking on 70.

In our local paper today is the Obit for a pretty , young 23 yo young lady.
Unknown to me and cause of death is not listed.

All that said, Live for today and don’t let the unknown rob you of joy, happiness, &
excitement of today.

Jerry

ps: I was 40 in my first MotoX race.

Since I started this, thought I would share... I really appreciated the comments. I shot a nice 8 point the other day. As is my custom, hang and rough butcher, on the spot of kill, and into my backpack. My aortic heart valve transplant, and knee replacement, have continued to let me do my backpack hunting. I had just under a mile pack out at 73. I don't know how many hunts or time I have left, but I just wanted to let folks know, that I wish you all many more glorious days afield....

Good work gristle!! Hit er again next year!!

Fantastic and Congrats
Thank You


Jerry

When you start thinking you can't, you won't.
76 here and I plant to be hunting when I am 80. Staying active seems to be the rule to staying alive longer