Yesterday I was scampering across the Rockies in five different western states, running after cougars in Idaho's Hell's Canyon, wading through Oklahoma swamps after whitetail and hogs....

Today, I wake up and look in the mirror...

And there's this grey headed, grey bearded, old ugly looking guy staring back at me...

How could that have happened so quickly?  Any of you have a similar problem?

Tom Kidwell

Yep!    

"How could that have happened so quickly?"

Time flies when you're having fun.

Look on the bright side Tom. If you had lived any life other than you did you would still be waking up of a morning looking in the mirror at a "grey headed, grey bearded, old ugly looking guy" but without those great memories.

We all age, but we don't all have great memories.

TomK,

It ain't age that gets ya, it the mileage!

OkKeith

I'm a poor Ga boy who's youth is slipping away.  I'm afraid I'll never be able to afford all the hunts I want to go on before I'm too old.  I'm not very grey yet, but am getting there.

Tom,  I'm still going to fight it every step of the way.  I just wish I had those years to live over again... how quickly they have vanished.

Keith,  You're right my friend... I've certainly got plenty of mileage!

Tom Kidwell

Kick that old guy out of your house and then hide the mirror.  You're as young as you feel!    
We just have to work harder at it is all......  :rolleyes:

Yeah Tom, I fight it too. But just between you and me (don't tell anyone I said this) most times it's a losing battle.

I don't need those years back....just the legs I had at 30.  

You're reading my mail! More inportant than ever to stay in shape to do our thing. When my summons comes, let it be in the woods.

yep...time is catching us all! just remeber this....you dont stop playing because you get old...you get old because you stop playing!  

As long as I have any strength at all, I'll be out there with my bow... and not sitting on the bench at Walmart watching people go by.

A little hard to deal with sometimes when I think of all I've seen and done... knowing I can't go back and do it again.  I'll just have to thank God for allowing me to do it back then.

Yeah.  I see an old guy in the mirrow as well.  Pretty incongruous because I know he still behaves like a kid, bad knee and all.  I do plan on going back and doing at least some of it over, albeit a little slower this time around.

It seems now like breakfast is every 15 minutes!    There was a great article in Field and Stream a few years back entitled: "Only So Many..." Great read if you can get ahold of it. I'm no doubt spending more than I should on these hunts but as my friend Tippit put it: "I figure I may have only 15 years of hunting left so I'm going on as many hunts as I can"(gist). Putting some things down as some concrete numbers can really help you focus-in a good way!  

Curveman,

Your friend Tippit has wisdom beyond his years.  Making memories.  How very sad and dreary old age would be if it were not for the memories.  I just had a book published, "Just Another Old Bowhunter."  Writing it, stirred a bunch of old memories that I'll cherrish until I leave for better hunting grounds.

The writer Kurt Vonnegut called mirrors "leaks" because they really do have the habit of leaking reality.

I am having the same problem with my mirror.

Wish I had 2 good Knees, damn football! but I still try...  

Hey TomK, I know how you feel as I am a couple years older than you. I too think back to all the hunts I've been on over the last 50 some years and the buddies that have long since quit cause they "got too old". Being young at heart is the most important thing. I just came back from Bear Quest III where I was the oldest hunter there. I felt just as young as the others except when it was time to carry a bear outta the woods.    

As soon as my wife heals from her hip replacement, we are headed to Colorado for the 46th straight year to hunt muleys and elk. It will be a long time before I'm done as this old body would rather spend time in the woods than waste away on the porch!

Naa it's got to be the mirror try a different one!  :eek:

QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Kissner:
Hey TomK, I know how you feel as I am a couple years older than you. I too think back to all the hunts I've been on over the last 50 some years and the buddies that have long since quit cause they "got too old". Being young at heart is the most important thing. I just came back from Bear Quest III where I was the oldest hunter there. I felt just as young as the others except when it was time to carry a bear outta the woods.      

Bill,  I sincerely salute you sir!  Now that's the attitude to have.  I'm 66 and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  Hang with it, brother!

As soon as my wife heals from her hip replacement, we are headed to Colorado for the 46th straight year to hunt muleys and elk. It will be a long time before I'm done as this old body would rather spend time in the woods than waste away on the porch!

QuoteOriginally posted by TomK:
[qb]  

QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Kissner:
[qb]  I just came back from Bear Quest III where I was the oldest hunter there. I felt just as young as the others except when it was time to carry a bear outta the woods.          


Bill,  I sincerely salute you sir!  Now that's the attitude to have.  I'm 66 and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  Hang with it, brother!

TomK,

Any relation to Dr. Jay Kidwell?

Pushing 60 and still feel like I am 25 but my body disagrees sometimes,LOL.

Danny