30 years and done.

[Wanttohuntmore]

I believe you guys missed it. Basically I have no one to hunt with but still have to use my mind. What would you guys do in my shoes or do you see me as a failure?

I enjoy hunting with others and my kids soon, but typically hunt for myself, by myself. I work harder so I can hunt more, I'm a part-time guide so I make extra money to hunt by hunting, win win! I figure by the time I am stove up and no longer able to hunt the way I want I will figure out something else to do or maybe just die. I would rather enjoy life while I am able as opposed to wasting my time making sure I have $$$ to count in my wheelchair or give to hospitals. I remember my technology teacher teaching us about compound interest as a freshman and building a program on an Apple II, pretty impressive stuff but not what I want predicate my life on. I bet there were a lot of people that lost their ass in the last crash that wished they had spent time hunting vs. minding their portfolio

I totally agree.  We all are dying.  Why not make the best of it and have some fun along the way.  I am a saver, always have been.  That just makes my future a little more set, but by no ways makes it the correct path.  Only when I'm at the pearly gates will I know if I did the right thing.   As far as giving up hunting?   That will NEVER happen.

[hdshot]

Done my fair share of solo, boring until I got injured hunting alone then solo became no fun. Still don't know how I got out of there with deeks and all. Been harder to find others to hunt less people doing it or just look at hunting for spots.

[jrebel]

 I have seen many a guy give up hunting because his hunting partner died or moved on to greener pastures.  After hunting with a good hunting partner for most of your hunting career, I couldn't blame them.  This is going to be the death of our sport.  Too many people getting old and not enough young hunters.  My advice, because you asked, find a camp / group to go with.  Save money by not hunting (buying ammo, guns, equip, ect....) but go and pass on your knowledge.  Be a camp cook and great companion.  Find other outdoor activities that you can promote youth involvement in the outdoors.  If it is truly a passion, you will find a way to make it work.  You don't need to carry a gun to have fun and pass on the sport.  Giving up cold turkey.....that would be the death of me. 

Also...stop dwelling on the past.  Should have, could have.... invested more, etc.  If everyone thought, the way you are, about investments we would all just drink the cool aid. Conversely if we all made the right decisions when we were younger we would all be millionaires.  Live life as it is dealt with you and keep your head up.  A man’s character is worth more than any dollar amount.  Be proud of who you are......I'm done, sorry for my long-winded rant.

[h2ofowlr]

Done my fair share of solo, boring until I got injured hunting alone then solo became no fun. Still don't know how I got out of there with deeks and all. Been harder to find others to hunt less people doing it or just look at hunting for spots.

I relocated due to my job and had to find all new hunting partners at my new location.  I still do a week long hunt with my old hunting partners and stay in contact.  Sometimes change comes at unexpected times.  Roll with the times.  Easy to find hunting partners it takes a while to find good ones though that you can trust not to post all your spots on a forum or bring other to it.

[JoeE]

I'd hunt solo. I have a few hunting partners that I go with on occasion but hunt solo a lot. I like things about both. If money was an issue I'd cut back on how much I hunt and only hunt locally. I grew up in a very poor family. Deer hunting was still the best time of year. So it's doesn't have to be about money.

[hdshot]

I have seen many a guy give up hunting because his hunting partner died or moved on to greener pastures.  After hunting with a good hunting partner for most of your hunting career, I couldn't blame them.  This is going to be the death of our sport.  Too many people getting old and not enough young hunters.  My advice, because you asked, find a camp / group to go with.  Save money by not hunting (buying ammo, guns, equip, ect....) but go and pass on your knowledge.  Be a camp cook and great companion.  Find other outdoor activities that you can promote youth involvement in the outdoors.  If it is truly a passion, you will find a way to make it work.  You don't need to carry a gun to have fun and pass on the sport.  Giving up cold turkey.....that would be the death of me. 

Also...stop dwelling on the past.  Should have, could have.... invested more, etc.  If everyone thought, the way you are, about investments we would all just drink the cool aid. Conversely if we all made the right decisions when we were younger we would all be millionaires.  Live life as it is dealt with you and keep your head up.  A man’s character is worth more than any dollar amount.  Be proud of who you are......I'm done, sorry for my long-winded rant.

Your not ranting you just know what's going on.  I have another buddy who I hunted with back in the day and he moved on to greener pastures as well.  He claims the group he is in got 2500 ducks and geese on private land.  My two friends will always be friends but they just won't be hunting friends by two different scenarios.  Now looking at the big picture it's just weird how one group can get that many and mainly public hunters pay for the lucky few and I believe many are starting to see themselves on the short end of the stick.  Just hard to think paying the same as a solo for mostly poor hunts. I have no solutions because there probably are not any. 

[idaho guy]

take a year completely off try to not even think about it and I will bet you will be back with a vengeance within a year or two. Or if you are just tired of it do something else!   

[hdshot]

I believe you guys missed it. Basically I have no one to hunt with but still have to use my mind. What would you guys do in my shoes or do you see me as a failure?

 I bet there were a lot of people that lost their ass in the last crash that wished they had spent time hunting vs. minding their portfolio

The people who lost their ass were the responsible ones.  Basically what happened banks were forced to ease up on restrictions loaning out money to people for housing.  The housing market exploded in value because now anyone could get a loan for a house.  To make matters worse these people then started to get home equity loans on the increased value of their home, then many took that money and spent it like drunken sailors on fancy cars, vacations, and etc.  Not only they were over their head on the mortgage payment they couldn't pay to begin with, now they had to pay the home equity loan, car payment, and cc.  That is why many banks folded like a deck of cards along with portfolios.       

[BD1]

"The people who lost their ass were the responsible ones."

  Not sure I follow that one. As far as your original post, it sounds like you don't enjoy hunting anymore. Find something you enjoy and pour yourself into it. Hunting takes too much time and money to do it if you don't enjoy it. Life is too short. That 'something" is out there, you just need to go find it.
Best of luck,
BD1

[hdshot]

"The people who lost their ass were the responsible ones."

  Not sure I follow that one. As far as your original post, it sounds like you don't enjoy hunting anymore. Find something you enjoy and pour yourself into it. Hunting takes too much time and money to do it if you don't enjoy it. Life is too short. That 'something" is out there, you just need to go find it.
Best of luck,
BD1

Well it is pretty simple because I lived it , was saving for a house the housing market artificially exploded on paper when the money wasn't there. My gut told me not to buy but panic set in to buy now or that house will be way to expensive.  Now the past is history but the history is still haunting me today with this house that is still not worth what I paid for.  About hunting I love it and maybe hope to come out of retirement but not solo only.  And you know how hunters are not eager to invite if they don't know the person which I understand because have been burned. 

[AWS]

Hunt solo, no waiting at the landing for someone to show up, never have to feel like you let someone down if it was a poor day, nobody drinking your good scotch and then bringing out Black Velvet like it was awesome stuff, never getting stuck with the cooking AND the dishes,  and never arriving at your spot and finding your hunting partner and a few buddies already taking up the space.  Solo hunting has it's virtue.

[hdshot]

And don't have to worry about my legal weed going up in smoke while picking up the deeks and someone shooting my one or two hen mallards that wonder my way every season. Oh crap, now who can I get to take it home?

[hdshot]

Well there's always football and fishing......  time to take up trail cams and get outdoors.  Change is good just don't let the recliner get to firm a grip on you 

Had a major change after my wife got laid off after almost 20 years the day before April fools and now our income is almost slashed if half.  She has since started some part time temporary work while hunting for a new full time job.  After years of buying fancy shotguns, decoys, ammo, and other supplies now I remember the red sky in the morning but wasn't the sailor that took warning.

Appreciate the advice and hope it helps the new people wanting to get into hunting are reading how helpful seasoned hunters are.