my wife asked me why at my age do i hunt alone??, so my question is why do others hun

I like being alone in the bush. It takes a couple days for a man's senses to clear and acclimatize to the environment and this happens better when you're alone.

Some people struggle with solitude because they haven't often experienced it. I like to hunt alone, and have companions in camp after hunting is done for the day, that's the best of both worlds. This year we did a 9 day trip with 2 old friends and my two adult sons. The weather was too warm, the animals weren't moving, and the hunting wasn't great. But it was a memorable trip even with a light meat pole.
 
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Twilldous said:
68 this year and I hunt alone wouldn't have it any other way. That's probably where I'll die and my wife doesn't like it but too bad
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I'm exactly that age, and this past fall I shot a nice big-bodied buck about 2 weeks into the season. The ground was still bare of snow, which is unusual for us; we had about 6 inches fall the next day, but that did me no good as I dragged that big guy almost a mile on dry, far-from-smooth pasture land using my ice fishing sled. First time I've not had the luxury of snow in at least a decade.

I gutted him and even cut off his lower legs to reduce weight as much as possible, but I wanted the head and the skin as well as the meat so it was still pretty heavy. I started out tugging him on a snow sled until I got tired, then rested a bit before continuing. By the time I got to the house, I was making about 30 feet of progress at a time, with long rests in between. I was watching my heart rate pretty carefully; certainly didn't want to punch out while doing it, but it kept occurring to me throughout that long drag that there were far, far worse ways to go than out in middle of a cold field in November, with a big buck on the ground beside me.
 
Hell, I'm well into my 70's, and totally agree with the above thoughts. I've hunted all my life and figure that's how I'd prefer to go, ... either in the back forty or in the barren-grounds that only I know, and let the government spend a fortune trying to find me. And I'd be happy if a grizz found me first so they would have a chance at revenge for their cousins I've taken over the years!
 
Arctic said:
Hell, I'm well into my 70's, and totally agree with the above thoughts. I've hunted all my life and figure that's how I'd prefer to go, ... either in the back forty or in the barren-grounds that only I know, and let the government spend a fortune trying to find me. And I'd be happy if a grizz found me first so they would have a chance at revenge for their cousins I've taken over the years!
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There's a lot of ways to go in the bush and I don't mind most of them but getting mauled/eaten by a grizzly ain't gonna happen to this cowboy. I have started carring a .45-70 loaded with my 400gr A-Frame handloads. A grizzly who claims what I have killed will be in peril.
 
Good thread. I am in my early 60s now and have been hunting solo for several decades. In those early years when I was a complete noob I tried hunting with others to build some experience. I learned very quickly that folks have very differing viewpoints when it comes to hunting if you get my drift. I just found it so much easier without the nutty banter etc. There is just something very special about heading out into the cold morning air, backpack full, and with nothing more than the moon or starlight to send you on your way to your spot. The calm and still beauty of the outdoors is hard to enjoy in those hunting parties. There is a time and place for that, but I truly enjoy the solo aspect. The only downside I've run into is schlepping the critter out of the deep woods solo. Enjoy all, and safe hunting.
 
I really enjoy my lone hunts. ( sometimes with my daughter as she learns ) but I also hunt with two groups ( close friends moose hunts, brother/dad elk hunts). I find the balance between them helps me appreciate both lone and group hunts evenly. As one day I know I may not have those quality moments with friends and family doing what we love anymore. Also knowing the possibility of my daughter having “ better plans”lol as the Luke combs song “hunting by yourself”
 
cant_rope_the_wind01 said:
well after a 1/2 a day I came up with her answer
I said honey
you asked why I hunt alone at my age
I told her
I wish I had someone to share some of the finer moments and joys I encounter out there
In my younger days I had three friends I hunted with , for 25 years
then as life would have it , with in a year my friends all passed away , due to accidents at work, cancer or some other illness
I have tried unsuccessfully to find new hunting partners over the years
I have never found what I call true sportsmen, outdoors men type of partners,
oh they all lay claim to be in the beginning
but after a few outings, their true colours come out
some are just guys wanting to shoot and kill something
some are and most of them are lazy,
none of them can appreciate, just being out there,
a beautiful sunrise, a quiet afternoon in the outdoors on a sunny hillside,
they all whine and snot and sniffle ,it costs to much, or its to much work and effort, or they have some kinda ache or pain
they have no heart , or drive , or incentive to educate themselves on hunting regulations, or ethics , of fair play , or the species of wildlife they are hunting for,
some want everything their way, when they cant have it their way every outing they throw a pout, and become want to argue and be miserable and ruin the day for themselves and others around them,
and mostly not one of them know the value of being a true friend or hunting partner
so I told my wife , I appreciate the solitude
the time alone, the time to reflect on life and appreciate all that life has offered me, the time to find me again
the time spent with my dog (who by the way is my best friend and best hunting partner I have ever had)
and if I ever had a heart attack or injured myself and passed away out in the outdoors all alone, don't cry
because I was alone,
that's the way I would rather have it then in some sick bed under a roof
and that's why I hunt alone
and besides life is to short to hunt with #######s
there was more said but in general that was my answer
then that blushing bride of mine looked at me and said
well you put like a dream of some sort , or a story in romance novel,
she said she now understood, and wouldn't bug me to take someone again
I'm adding this because I for got to mention this to my blushing bride
every year now since my grandson was 10 years old
on thanksgiving weekend
my grandson comes out for a goose hunt
we have turned it into an annual ordeal
he is now 19
it has changed from 3 days to 7 days
he is all about hunting, fire arm safety, is not lazy when it comes to setting up, or dressing out the fallen birds
and prefers bird hunting over big game hunting
he has strong ethics and respect for wildlife and nature, that's hard to find in todays youth
and wise beyond his years,
his mother and him are the only two I have hunted with in over 30 years now
and enjoy to spend time with out in the fields or the bush
this year he has asked if he could bring his two cousins, my other two grandsons
both are 14,
I think he is trying to get the other two into the sport
of hunting and has in a round about way picked me as their mentor
which I have no problems with, and look forward to spending some super quality time with my grandsons
as their mothers ( my daughters) are both single and the really don't like hunting
but my 3rd daughter is an avid hunter
and they spend an enormous amount of time with her, in the outdoors
so I'm hoping that maybe this year will change things and I will finally find my hunting group
if ya cant meet good hunting partners then raise them
is my view on it
so I hope you all have a safe, and prosperous season
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That's a epic story. Thank you first off and thank you for taking grandson out. I am 49 shot my first gophers at 6 years old with my dad and uncle bouncing around I a square body chev. My dad's hence passed uncle incapable he sold the ranch years ago. Shot my first deer there at 15. My honestly greatest youth memories are of the ranch and the family down in southern ab. Spent allota years hunting alone with my border collie. He loved fishing as well. Then I made a friend he's honestly the only man human whatever that I would let walk behind me with a loaded gun. We hunted for years together same as dog lives go things change. Hunting alone again. Unfortunately I don't have young one's to teach as you do. Teach them well build memories and keep this culture going
 
My grandpa was a real outdoorsman. Depending on where he was hunting, a 30-30 or 270 with a four power scope would go in the scabbard on a saddle and he'd take off for a few days and come back with a nice deer. I only really got to know him for a couple years because he passed away when I was 12. I found his reloading stuff and read the book cover to cover about five times and I've reloaded since I was 14. I still have all of his stuff plus about 30 times more. I was fortunate that he taught my dad though. My dad wasn't quite into the horseback hunting but he did it a few times. He was a pretty good Hunter and he was a pretty good teacher. I took my core when I was 11 and shot my first deer when I was 12. I hunted with my dad as much as I could at camp and stuff with his friends in the later years but he passed away about 5 years ago. I took a year off because I couldn't be alone in the woods. It's okay now. I have two sons that are going to be 4 and 7 this summer and the 7-year-old is on the autistic spectrum but hyper intelligent and I challenge any of you to play him in a game of chess. His math and languages are amazing and one thing I can celebrate outdoors wise is he will sit with me in a 12-ft aluminum boat without electronics for like 6 hours and just be cool. But I don't see him getting into hunting because he doesn't have that interest. However, my younger son searches the house for spiders and flies so I can shoot them with my bug assault gun and he's happier than you can imagine when we get one. So I think I got one. My wife and I took them both hunting last fall on just driving trips and you couldn't keep the little guy in the truck. If we saw some grouse he always had to carry it back to the truck afterwards. I'm pretty okay with making a fishing buddy and a hunting buddy for all the years I have left. I'm 45, but my dad and Grandpa both had fatal heart attack at 65. I'll get some good years in and anything past then is bonus.
 
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unstableryan said:
My grandpa was a real outdoorsman. Depending on where he was hunting, a 30-30 or 270 with a four power scope would go in the scabbard on a saddle and he'd take off for a few days and come back with a nice deer. I only really got to know him for a couple years because he passed away when I was 12. I found his reloading stuff and read the book cover to cover about five times and I've reloaded since I was 14. I still have all of his stuff plus about 30 times more. I was fortunate that he taught my dad though. My dad wasn't quite into the horseback hunting but he did it a few times. He was a pretty good Hunter and he was a pretty good teacher. I took my core when I was 11 and shot my first deer when I was 12. I hunted with my dad as much as I could at camp and stuff with his friends in the later years but he passed away about 5 years ago. I took a year off because I couldn't be alone in the woods. It's okay now. I have two sons that are going to be 4 and 7 this summer and the 7-year-old is on the autistic spectrum but hyper intelligent and I challenge any of you to play him in a game of chess. His math and languages are amazing and one thing I can celebrate outdoors wise is he will sit with me in a 12-ft aluminum boat without electronics for like 6 hours and just be cool. But I don't see him getting into hunting because he doesn't have that interest. However, my younger son searches the house for spiders and flies so I can shoot them with my bug assault gun and he's happier than you can imagine when we get one. So I think I got one. My wife and I took them both hunting last fall on just driving trips and you couldn't keep the little guy in the truck. If we saw some grouse he always had to carry it back to the truck afterwards. I'm pretty okay with making a fishing buddy and a hunting buddy for all the years I have left. I'm 45, but my dad and Grandpa both had fatal heart attack at 65. I'll get some good years in and anything past then is bonus.
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Great script.
Never say never.

Cheers
 
unstableryan said:
My grandpa was a real outdoorsman. Depending on where he was hunting, a 30-30 or 270 with a four power scope would go in the scabbard on a saddle and he'd take off for a few days and come back with a nice deer. I only really got to know him for a couple years because he passed away when I was 12. I found his reloading stuff and read the book cover to cover about five times and I've reloaded since I was 14. I still have all of his stuff plus about 30 times more. I was fortunate that he taught my dad though. My dad wasn't quite into the horseback hunting but he did it a few times. He was a pretty good Hunter and he was a pretty good teacher. I took my core when I was 11 and shot my first deer when I was 12. I hunted with my dad as much as I could at camp and stuff with his friends in the later years but he passed away about 5 years ago. I took a year off because I couldn't be alone in the woods. It's okay now. I have two sons that are going to be 4 and 7 this summer and the 7-year-old is on the autistic spectrum but hyper intelligent and I challenge any of you to play him in a game of chess. His math and languages are amazing and one thing I can celebrate outdoors wise is he will sit with me in a 12-ft aluminum boat without electronics for like 6 hours and just be cool. But I don't see him getting into hunting because he doesn't have that interest. However, my younger son searches the house for spiders and flies so I can shoot them with my bug assault gun and he's happier than you can imagine when we get one. So I think I got one. My wife and I took them both hunting last fall on just driving trips and you couldn't keep the little guy in the truck. If we saw some grouse he always had to carry it back to the truck afterwards. I'm pretty okay with making a fishing buddy and a hunting buddy for all the years I have left. I'm 45, but my dad and Grandpa both had fatal heart attack at 65. I'll get some good years in and anything past then is bonus.
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Great story. Enjoy the kids and may they bring you lots of joy at home and in the 'outdoors' fishing and hunting.
 
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