QuoteOriginally posted by Sipsey River:
... I still love to get into the woods with my bow, but when a deer is close, I really do not want to kill it.
Life goes by so quick, I do not want to end it for any living creature.

I've felt that same way a few times over the past couple of years.  I even decided one year that after I put one deer in the freezer that I was only going to go afield with my camera for the rest of the season.  It was great!

I've kinda hit that same place in my life. I am hoping bow hunting will rekindle that old excitement. I've always rifle hunted and have  been proficient with one (lot of practice) so I'd see an animal, boom they were dead. Then the work began, and with a big moose thats a lot of work. Plus a lot of it was the expanding population, most of the spots I used to have to myself, now has yahoo's with there four wheelers tearing around. That's why I didn't choose the tek bows, because aren't they just kind of a gun, just not as good ? If I had the money I'd do fly out hunts, have the place to myself, have the challenge of getting up close, now that'd be satisfying.

John

It's the process that counts the woods ,smells all the wildlife you get to see.  If you feel like some dinner than you drop the string, or not.

Bill

I FEEL CLOSER TO GOD WHEN I HUNT HELP"S ME GET THING RIGHT IN MY HEAD JUST BEING IN THE WOODS IS WHAT IT"S ALL ABOUT FOR ME

Take a kid. He/she will help you find it.

Guaranteed!

I still love to hunt as much as I did 25 yrs ago but I don't get into killing as much.  Hunting for me means working my land throughout the year, setting stands, planting food plots and time spent with friends.  I find that shooting a deer anymore just doesn't excite me like it used to.

I may or may not shoot one deer a year now for meat whereas it was once common for me to take 5 or 6 a year.  I kept track of 16 opportunities to take a mature deer (buck or doe) last year that I let pass and don't regret a minute of it.

I have a youth hunt planned in about a month which I have looked forward to as much as any hunt I've ever been a part of.

Brian "nature boy" from Tulsa

Hey PJ,

I flyfish a lot myself. Tie my own flies, have even made a rod or two. I like to bow hunt, I like to muzzel-loader hunt, I like to gun hunt. I like to fly fish, I like to troll for fish. Heck, I like to catch catfish from the bank with stinkbait. I like to sit in front of the TV and watch old cowboy movies or hunting and fishing programs.

I like it all, so I do it all. If you don't enjoy it, let it drop.

Spend your time doing the things that mean something to you (sometimes this even means doing things you feel like you HAVE to do). It doesn't bother me a bit to blow off what looks like a great hunting day to go and catch bluegills in the farm pond on size 12 poppers.

I am lucky (or unlucky some folks say) unmarried, no kids, not much in the way of family. I have one or two very good friends I like to spend time with, but if I don't see or talk to them for a week or two, they are still as close as ever when I do.

Someone told me once (or maybe I read it somewhere) "Don't sweat the small stuff, and it is ALL small stuff."

If you want to hunt but can't find the passion, try hunting something else. If you still like shooting, but don't want to hunt, shoot targets. Don't want to shoot, go fishing.

I don't think you have lost your way, maybe you are just tired of walking the same path. Getting a little lost might do you some good, some of the coolest places I have ever been I found while I was lost.

Tight Loops,
OkKeith

Nothing in my life refreshes me as much as hunting. I can take my bow and wander around on a place that I'm pretty sure holds no deer and still enjoy myself. I hope I never loose the thrill of watching the woods come alive at day break. It is the same moment of hope whether it is from a tree in my back pasture or in Montana. I think it is the anticipate of what MIGHT come by that fills me with hope.

I posted all most the exact same question earlier this year on a local PA bowsite. After having two back surgeries and missing more than I have hunted the last 3 years I was questioning if I was going to bowhunt anymore and I had zero desire to build bows, which I love. I just took some time away and found my passion returned on its own. Now I am back to driving my wife nuts since all I want to do is shoot or talk hunting   .

I lost the desire for many years.  At around 20 years old I just stopped.  I think it was mostly because my dad died a few years prior and I lost touch with most of his buddies I used to hunt with.  From time to time I would get the desire but not act on it.  Then my brother moved to Texas (he was never a hunter) and within a month bought his first pickup and shotgun.

It was on!

Since then I have been back at it like never before.  I think it was just the idea of having someone to go with that didn't make me feel like a 3rd wheel.

For what that's worth.

QuoteOriginally posted by Curveman:
[QB] If you were losing interest in most things you use to enjoy I would say you were depressed and should seek professional help.

I agree and had this problem.  I was unhappy about a lot of things and started to lose interest in the things I really liked because I was flat out depressed.  

I still sometimes wonder why I am in the woods when I could be with my daughters.  They usually want to play barbies more than anything, but I like to take them squirell hunting. I feel less guilty when they are in the woods with me. I do play my share of barbies though.    

If you are depressed, figure it out and make some changes. Life is too short!    

-Charlie

Hi PJ! I know that when I reached a certain age, late 30s-early 40s, I got to feeling kind of overwhelmed....kids were begining to get involved with sports and other school activities, there were chores to be done at home, church responsabilities, working longer hours and out of town. I just couldn't get fired up about hunting and when I did go, I had feelings of guilt that I should be doing something else. I still shot my bow when I could as kind of a therapy. Little by little, the desire to hunt started coming back....I think that as the kids got older and went off to college, I realized I suddenly had "free time" again! That period of my life went by really fast, driving/chasing kids around to basketball, soccer and track......don't know how I found time to eat and sleep! Now I hunt when I want to and as I get older, I want to more often! Take care old friend and if you want chase some Vigo Co. whitetails with me, just let me know! Tell the family Mike says "Hi"! Mike

I have been down this path as well.  In fact I am there also.  This is the first year I really have not pounded the mountains for elk.  I have relaxed and just enjoy the smell of the woods.  I to took my flyrod with me this year.  I also did some float tubing on some of the lakes.  Caught some really nice cuts and browns.  Provided supper for the troops that night with fish and fried spuds.  The campfires and friendship mean more to me than climbing a 12,000 ft. mountain looking for tracks, Ha.  Enjoy your time off.  I still shoot a lot of 3D tournments.  That is something I really enjoy, lots of others to share time with.  By the way, I have been shooting a recurve and hunting all sizes of game for over 35 yrs.  We still make a winter trip to Texas and shoot javelina.  That is a blast.  Try hunting something else for a change, it can be refreshing.

QuoteOriginally posted by BUFF:
 I hope I never lose the thrill of watching the woods come alive at day break.

     

Today, was opening day. I only had a couple of hours to hunt this evening. When I had to leave I was thinking how refreshed I was. No, I haven't lost the urge to hunt. But it is ok that you have. Jawge

nope

PJ, now might be a good time for you to make a selfbow. That will put the fire back into your hunting.

Mike

Never....

Hello PJ,,,The first thing I would like to say is thank you ! You have given to trad archery more then many of the rest will ever know of. You may not have a world renouned name or stack of books you have written, but you are one of the unsung heros that has helped rekindle and keep trad archery alive.

Don't be ashamed to take a break from it. If a break leads to a new adventure then so be it! I've learned to enjoy a morning sunrise wether it is from a deer stand, a mountain side, or the front porch. Enjoy life, family,friends and give thanks for what ever trail YOU choose to follow.

Actually I tend to get bored with a property every 3-5 years. Much of the quest (for me) is getting to know the property and the local herd.