44 years......

joe skipp · August 02, 2012, 06:12:00 PM

Talking with my good friend this afternoon while taking in some sun on the deck...and sipping some wine...He thanked me for getting him into trad bowhunting 15 yrs ago.

Where the heck did all the time go? God, I wish I could turn back the clock to the late 60's early 70's when we had more land to hunt and deer were plentiful and big and bowhunters around here had the woods to ourselves.

I'll be 60 in a few weeks and sure wish I had another 44 years of bowhunting ahead of me....Sept
15th for CT and Jersey can't come soon enough.

Orion · August 02, 2012, 06:24:00 PM

Time sure flies. I've been at it a little more than 50 years. When I was in my teens and 20s, one could hunt about anywhere just for the asking. Was a dearth of information about archery though. Had to pretty much learn everything by trial and error. It's still possible, though much more difficult, to get permission to hunt private land around here. Most is now spoken for or leased. Have as many deer in my neck of the woods as we've ever had. Sure are more bowhunters after them however. Don't know how many more seasons I have ahead of me, but I'll cherish every one of them.

manitou1 · August 02, 2012, 06:40:00 PM

Yeah, I second that. A place to hunt is so darned hard to come by now. I may be wrong, but I credit a lot of that to LAWYERS making farmers afraid of litigation. Everybody is afraid of lawsuits now.
I do remember, however, sitting in a tree stand in the 70's for 9 days straight before ever seeing a deer... then I killed him! Here in Missouri, we have a LOT more deer than we did in the 70's. It is becoming very frustrating to hold on to good hunting property though.
I wish we could at least slow time down! The older I get, the faster it goes. The only thing that seems to make it slow down is to order a custom bow to be made... then time stands still until you receive that new toy!

jmrsyrs · August 02, 2012, 07:55:00 PM

Yep 58 this year. Where did the time go? Hope I've still got at least 20 more yrs. of good bowhunting left in me but..... Good luck this season to all.

Pat B. · August 02, 2012, 07:56:00 PM

I'm with you Joe.
Turned 58 last month, been shooting since I was six.
Where did it go?

BUT, life is good and I can't wait for fall!

WidowEater · August 02, 2012, 08:09:00 PM

Deer are more plentiful now then ever.

Same with hogs.

Keep on bringin' it.

J-dog · August 02, 2012, 08:22:00 PM

Widoweater depends where you have access to hunt!LOL but yeah there are a bunch of em. Not as old as some and older than others - time does seem to slip by us.

ronp · August 02, 2012, 08:31:00 PM

Time dilation or something. Each year seems to get shorter the longer we live. Think back to when you/we were in elementary school. Those summer vacations lasted forever. Now, they don't.

Nakohe · August 02, 2012, 08:32:00 PM

Turn 62 this year and yep real hard to find a place to hunt now. Back in the 60s and 70s just ask for permission. But yes way more deer now.

ron w · August 02, 2012, 09:07:00 PM

Turned 60 in June.....bought my first recurve in 1967 for a cost of $37. Now good raw wood shafts are more than that....lol! Been retired for 5 years and it seems like yesterday! Time does fly! Heck I worked at the same place for over 37 years, that don't happen much anymore!

3arrows · August 02, 2012, 09:52:00 PM

Remember when the best woodsman got the deer,or bowhunting anywhere you wanted.Stick and string standing next to tree killing deer.Gun hunters asking what your doing[thought you were crazy]playing with a bow and arrow.Getting a deer and small game with 45# bow and the old razerhead.64 still going.

centaur · August 02, 2012, 09:55:00 PM

44 years ago I was involved in another kind of hunting; much more serious and with a much more deadly opponent. But when I got back to the States, it wasn't long before I picked up a Bear Grizzly and got reacquainted with the pleasure and tranquility of bowhunting.

August 02, 2012, 10:27:00 PM

Congrats! I sure wish I had started the trad thing way earlier in my life.

Bisch

LA Trapper · August 03, 2012, 12:21:00 AM

Go get 'em Joe and Good Luck this year.

Billy

Shakes.602 · August 03, 2012, 12:27:00 AM

Had I started 44 years ago, I would have been 3.

TOEJAMMER · August 03, 2012, 01:12:00 AM

Shooting a bow for 67 years and hunting with a bow for 61. The only regret is that I can't look forward to another 61.

bamboo · August 03, 2012, 05:13:00 AM

take it EASY ya old fart!!!we still got few good years left!!----see ya in jersey!!!don't forget the ny opener was moved up......

Tater · August 03, 2012, 07:16:00 AM

41 years Bowhunting, a little longer than that shooting a bow.

The years do seem to fly by the older I get, 59 in November, but that just means it's shorter time waiting for each fall to come.

Good Luck to all this fall, enjoy the experience..!

curtinmo · August 03, 2012, 11:50:00 AM

Im 59 and started shooting when I was 14.Late sixties early seventies you were lucky to see a deer in Mo.Now its rare to not see one.We are blessed with lots of public land (archery only)

ronp · August 03, 2012, 12:13:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Tater:
41 years Bowhunting, a little longer than that shooting a bow.

The years do seem to fly by the older I get, 59 in November, but that just means it's shorter time waiting for each fall to come.

Good Luck to all this fall, enjoy the experience..!

That's a good way of looking at it, Tater!!!