Are there any hunters left?

[Zee]

I’ve noticed the progression over the years and variations of the forum, that we have fewer and fewer hunters left. We have our fair share of old school gun collectors, modern gun tinkerers, and general shootists. But, hunters……seem to be a dying breed.

How many we got left? Pipe up!

[Wambli Ska]

An old mentor told me years ago that at a certain age all the fun of hunting end the second you pull the trigger. At the time I thought he was NUTS!!! Now when I'm headed to my 69th B-day in a few days, I absolutely get it. While I'm in great health and excellent shape physically (Thank God!) and can take on just about anything I want to do, I really just don't want to do some things anymore. The idea of field dressing and dragging a deer off a field does not appeal to me at all and quite frankly I'm the only one that likes venison in my house so the meat would be a waste.

I'm probably going to be selling off most of my hunting rifles this coming year and just keep a select few that are basically irreplaceable or otherwise special because of friend or family ties. Anything run of the mill is trade/upgrade fodder. I do intend to hunt in my future but the curve ball fate threw at me this summer says I'll have limited time and much higher priorities...

It's all good, I've killed more deer and other game in my life than I care to even think about. I'll just book a hunt or two a year and have someone else gut and quarter that elk I've been wanting for a long time, and I do want to go shoot a Buffalo old school with some friends. That's about the only stuff I feel like hunting for nowadays.

[Bigslug]

I’ve noticed the progression over the years and variations of the forum, that we have fewer and fewer hunters left. We have our fair share of old school gun collectors, modern gun tinkerers, and general shootists. But, hunters……seem to be a dying breed.

How many we got left? Pipe up!

Headed up the mountain again in a few days to spend a week in the attempt. Gonna gauge the level of enthusiasm for it. . .one. . .more. . .time. . .

[Diver43]

Will be hitting up Escambino WMA and the Blackwater Forest soon. I've done a little scouting and have seen lots of small young does but no antlers yet. Florida regs don't make it easy. Thinking next year I need another trip to Texas.

[PFD45]

I'm one of those guys.
I grew up with a Marlin .22 and a mini-bike in the AZ desert full of jackrabbits and cottontails. .22 LR were 95 cents a box at the Western Auto.
I'm in my mid 60's and I remember when a deer/elk hunt was something that consumed me for weeks before opening day.
I had a printed list of camping stuff, I laid out my clothes and put them in a plastic bag with "dirt scented" pucks. I hand loaded Nosler Partitions for my Weatherby '06 to .005 off the lands and made sure it hit 1" high at 200 yds.
It would have taken a lot to stop me from doing that at the time.

Today Im lucky enough to do pretty much whatever I want and I have to give myself a pep talk to go to the garage.

Youth is wasted on the young. . .

[Wambli Ska]

And at the end of the day buying prime ribeyes is cheaper than hunting anything for meat. I’m still very active outdoors, more than most, but hiking and camping my style requires no prep. I can be on the road in 10 mins when the spirit moves me.

I MIGHT look into varmint hunting in NV. The idea of shooting something at a distance from the bed of my truck and leave for the buzzards and worms to feast on still has appeal.

[jbp-ohio]

All of my places to hunt are gone. Public ground is over run. If I owned good hunting ground I would hate to have someone bugging me to hunt it and I can't imagine doing it to someone I don't know.

Last few times I went was with my brother and his beagles. He's 69 years old now and only has one old timer dog left.

I still have plenty of groundhogs in the back yard. Up to six I think this year. Although I have missed a couple. For some reason my 10/22 has decided to shoot high. I haven't done anything to it since I got the Leupold and sent the Nikon to CPJ. 10 years? 15?? Shot the last two with my MkII.

[Orchidman]

Still here.....Went hunting yesterday with Arnie ( report done)
Have shot over 20 deer so far this year.... Wont be stopping anytime soon ( am 72)

[sakodude]

Still have the desire but medical issues have been a problem the last few years though they are getting a bit better. Secondary to that, Colorado has made it more difficult to just draw a tag. I have never hunted for a trophy preferring to tag a doe or cow elk but those tags are gold these days.

[Chiro1989]

I hope to barely make it out to my deer stand at an advanced age and tip over there during rifle season, kids and cousins have been instructed to put 20#'s of tannerite under my chair, crack the valve on my 20# propane tank, close the windows and doors, and fire for effect, put me on the express to the Pearly Gates. I don't hunt enough as it is, I can't imagine hunting less.

[rberg]

Haven't hunted in years mostly because have no one to hunt with. I can literally hunt out my back door and maybe will some day.
would like to have some fresh venison!
I had bought my hunting license along with a turkey tag a few years ago but then hurt my shoulder and was unable to hunt.

[CPJ 2.0]

Still after it, still enjoy it. More so on the hunting than the killing. The experience, the friendship, the memories. Being jackasses and busting balls. Over eating. Camping. Cleaning critters is a pain in the cocknballs. But I’ve got that part down to be fairly efficient.
Few more years I can take my grandson. Whole new chapter.

[Freezer]

I used to really enjoy still hunting blacktail deer and duck hunting. Where I live now there's no duck hunting to speak of. At almost 70 with two steel knees, a steel ankle and minor back issues I just can't hunt alone anymore let alone drag an animal out of the woods or navagate a marsh. If I step wrong or on something awkwardly, I'll fall. I have built three deer blinds in the area we hunt and maintain two more. I will archery hunt on weekends when I have family in the woods and I love to call turkey in but, it's not hunting. Sitting in an office chair, in a heated shed just doesn't excite me. I would prefer to be moving slowly through the woods like a preditor. I used to enter the mountain at 4:30 am and not come back to camp until after dark or with a buck. We do have a 7 kids hunting with us this year, some as young as 9 years old. It is great to see their excitment and our sheds sure make the experience more palitable for the little ones. I have three doe tags this year and will fill at least two of those but....

As a side note, when Al Gore created the internet, I had a wife in college and three small children. A man named Mr. Wilson sold me his elk rifle for a price I could afford. This year I'll be looking for a broke butt that needs the blessing I received from him. I'm going to thin the collection and keep two rifles, my bullpup and a Savage 99, that's more than I need. I'll narrow down the shotguns also. I have one with multiple barrels including a slug barrel, that will suffice.

[Wambli Ska]

Still after it, still enjoy it. More so on the hunting than the killing. The experience, the friendship, the memories. Being jackasses and busting balls. Over eating. Camping. Cleaning critters is a pain in the cocknballs. But I’ve got that part down to be fairly efficient.
Few more years I can take my grandson. Whole new chapter.

I used to have all that when I owned the ranch but it’s all gone now and I don’t have anyone locally to go hunting with. My son and daughter hunted and enjoyed it when they were young and it was our land. Today both are too busy with life and careers to put any effort into this, and as I look at my grandkids I know I’ll have some firearms enthusiasts down the line but I don’t know that I’ll have any hunters in the mix.

[FJB]

Been enjoying most all hunting and fishing since my first duck at 6. 68 now and slowing down. Have 7 grandkids and 5 of them are 8 or less. Most enjoy hunting and/or fishing though some are too preoccupied with sports activities and now the oldest has discovered girls. I much enjoy mentoring fishing, hunting, the outdoors and all things firearms for those willing to spend time with Pop Pop.
Personally, I had to give up on my vertical bow due to shoulder issues. Besides helping the grandkids along, I still much enjoy firearms deer, doves, annual prairie dog shoots in SD, spring snow goose hunting, crappie fishing, handguns, sporting clays and informal long range rifle matches with some buddies after crops are off the fields.
The rest of my time I just waste!

[Rugerfan]

I grew up with just small game hunting. Added deer hunting after I could drive plus it took that long for deer to move into our side of the county.

I’ve basically quit hunting. I just don’t enjoy it that much. Plus, our land doesn’t have the deer that it once did. Also, only a couple of us will eat it. I’ve also gotten a bit like Goldilocks: it’s either too hot, or too cold. It’s not often the weather is just right. I need to stop thinking about it and build a shooting house so my son or I can take my grandson

I want to take my grown son’s squirrel hunting this year. Idk that they have ever done that. Unfortunately, they’ll never experience a covey rise.

[JunkCollector]

It's in my blood.
My youngest is going out this year.
I didn't picture him hunting but asked after last season if he'd shoot a deer and I and the rest of the family were surprised when he said yeah.

He'll be using my favorite double