Have you ever lost your desire to hunt, or to associate with your Trad brothers?

[Dogboy900]

Well at the moment according to my g/f I am obsessed with bows and hunting. But I lost all desire to hunt or even shoot for a long period (maybe 5 years)and I did other things.

A couple of years back a friend invited me out hunting I turned him down saying I was out of practice, but it got me thinking and I started to shoot my bow again (Wheelie bow)... a little. Next time he invited me I went but wasn't too enthusiastic.

Then we did a few overnight trips and I started to shoot my recurve again.

I am still not sure if it is the hunting I enjoy, or the feel of "everything coming together" when I draw on an animal, or the time out with my buddies, or more importantly the time I spend alone surrounded by nature.

I always feel some remorse when I kill an animal and I think if that stops it will be time to stop hunting.

It obviously bothers you that you have "lost the fire" I think let it go and if its something you need it will come back, till then enjoy what it is you enjoy and don't regret that you no longer feel you need to hunt.

For me one of the greatest feelings is loosing an arrow and KNOWING it is going to be a great shot BEFORE it ever even leaves the bow. It can be a target or a clump of grass or an animal.

Sometimes you have to stop doing it for a while to truly appreciate it.

Hope you find your way dude.

[alligatordond]

PJ, I remember hunting pigs with you one afternoon on my Florida property. If I recall, we spent most of the time just having an enjoyable chat. A good hunt in my book. I sometimes find my fire for bowhunting waning a bit, usually when the days are hot and I have the flyrod in hand. But the first cool, dry evenings usually get my fire stoked and I head out. I did stop recently for 3 years, only hunting a couple times a season and didn't really miss it for about the first 2. But I'm fortunate to have alot of other activities to do year 'round.

[Bakes168]

Pray about it...

Bakes

[Canyon]

Not really over all.

There have been times recently when I have just not had the the hunt in my heart so I got in my truck and went home. I think these recent events have more to do with not having my kids or wife as constant hunting companions.

[Swamp Pygmy]

Just sounds like you are in the doldrums. I personally would not be worried so much about not wanting to hunt. But the general trend. As you get older you lose some things worth keeping you know.

Don't lose your fire. Things are probably just all the same for you. Try doing something interesting. Maybe hunt a new species or just go somewhere new. Or it doesn't even have to be hunting related. Knock something off your "bucket list" and I think you'll feel better.

[DeerSpotter]

Yes, about a month ago.  I used to post all the time, just about every day.

This first-time post in while, it just takes a few bad apples.  I still hunt with bow ,
I haven't picked up my traditional since then.

Eventually I will get over it, and I realize it is my problem, because it is all my choice.

What's helping out, is I at work in the best bow shop in the area part time.


Pastor Carl

[NightHawk]

PJ,

I think you put so much effort into helping at the club and at the "TRAD NATIONALS" that by the time season is here your burnt out on archery/bowhunting.

I really hate to say this as you do such a great job at the cloverdale club, but maybe you should take a break from the club for a few years, or at least cut your involvement w-a-y down. It seems as if it has become like a second job to you and your not haveing any fun. I hope this helps

             Friends

               Joe Doyle

[Ron LaClair]

PJ,

Hunting season is the culmination of a year of planning and anticipation. If your plans sometimes don't pan out the way you hoped they would you may be disappointed even to the point that you lose some of your enthusiasm for the hunt...and that's understandable.

Having said that, the actual "hunt" is only a part of the big picture. Granted it's a big part but only a part none the less. I have been a hunter all of my life.  I started as a kid on the farm at 9 years old. I'm now 72 and I still have the fire in my belly. I've said many times if the hunting experience was taken out of my life you may as well throw dirt in my face.

To help keep that fire burning I am constantly feeding the flames of my hunting passion. I talk hunting and hunting equipment nearly every day with whoever I can engage in a conversation about it. I am continually looking for and trying new or different gear for the upcoming hunting season.

Last but not least I try to keep challenging myself in some way. It may be by going from carbon arrows to wood, from recurve to longbow, from tree stands to ground hunting. What ever, I've found that by increasing the challenge of the hunt  it enhances the enjoyment and excitement and makes the reward of success that much sweeter.

Here's a clip my Son put together for youtube that was on a TV show some years back.

May you have a   HAPPY hunting season      

 http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCZL15gFJ4

[P.J. Petiniot]

Well, Let's see. I post a short message during a bout of self pity, lol. Hurricane Ike strikes the mid west (pretty strange for sure) i have to go out of town to participate in storm restoration (I work for a large power company) for a week. I come home and remembered that I posted this message and decided to check back and see what the scoop was and whoa, quite a few post.

First off, let me say thank you for all of the kind words of encouragement.

As those of you that don't know me, or have ever even heard of me for that matter should be able to tell by some of the post, I have been blessed by sharing the company of some of the finest men and women bowhunting has to offer. For this, I will be eternally grateful.

I love to hunt, I really love to Bowhunt. I just seem to have temporarily lost that "FIRE" that all truly serious bowhunters have. I have no doubt that the fire will return with a vengeance as I have a 4 year old son that will be hard to keep out of the woods. Since Ian has a tendency to get into trouble when left to his own devices. I am obligated to see to it that he is kept safe, and the rest of the free world is kept safe from him, lol.

Part of my problem of late is the fact that my oldest daughter use to be my pre season scouting buddy. She helped me set stands, cut shooting lanes ect.. She is now almost 16 and the I pod and the teen aged boys have replaced me and the woods.

My youngest daughter would be compelled to recessitate any creature that I was to mortally wound. This child has plans on being a vet and I have no doubt that she will do it. She does like eating venison though. She just doesn't want any part of the killing.

Ron LaClair described what my hunting seasons use to be like. They lasted 12 months. During the winter I spent time recapping my past season and attending various bowhunting functions. Spring came and I built equipment for the up coming 3-d season and spring turkey season. Summer was spent shooting, scouting and planning any adventures outside my normal activities. Fall brought what we waited for all year. I shot my bow virtually all year long and I was a great shot. I talked archery and bowhunting with everybody I could.

I truly miss the positive sides of these activities as well as the people. I don't miss the B.S. that seems to come with the territory these days.

While working on storm restoration in southern Indiana I met many of my company's employees from North Carolina and talking about hunting during some of our brief slow time did get me thinking about it (Hunting) more than I have in a long time.

I'll add more notes to this post tomorrow.

Some things happened last week to make me want it just a little more this year. I'll elaborate later.

P.J.

[IndianaBowman]

Good luck PJ!  Only you can know what makes you happy. The rest of us can only have opinions. Just do what makes you happy!  Life is way too short to try to fit into someone else's pants.

As you can see from the above posts - you have lots of friends that just want the best for you.

[alligatordond]

PJ,

Come down and fly fish with me for some snook. We'll stay at camp and I'll show you a hog or two and IF you feel like loosing an arrow you can. If not that's cool too.

I believe I used a fly rod you made this summer that our pal Don T bought at an auction. Caught my first rainbow with it. And it was as nice a 5wt as I have ever cast.

[P.J. Petiniot]

Don,

Be careful what you wish for, I just might show up, lol. I have wanted to catch Snook ever since I saw an old Sports Afield show with Homer Circle catching snook when I was a kid. The thought of back country fly fishing appeals to me and I am always up for hog hunting. I enjoyed your company and hospitality and I need to reciprocate one day.

Like many of you have eluded to, my recent lack of variety as far as game animals may be part of my problem. The past few years I have only hunted whitetails in Indiana Farm Country. Whitetails are challenging, beautiful creatures, but I need some more spice in my bowhunting life.

The little bit of hog and Javelina hunting I have done is enough to have me hooked. I need to do some more of that for sure. I know it's sort of cliche, but hogs and javelina were made for bowhunters. Even mediocre hunters can have success with these species, plus, they are tons of fun.

My old buddy Bob and I have talked about hunting for Moose and Elk for years and years. We need to do that before the guy gets too old, lol.

KB and I have talked about AK just about as long. KB has been several times, I have yet to make the trip. I want to make it happen.

Bill K has invited me to hunt with him as well. I cannot think of a nice guy to spend time with.

IndianaBowman and I had planned on chasing some of Indiana's critters, but he had to go and move on me, lol.

Mike B and Flatstick are two of the best that the Hoosier state has to offer, not just as bowhunting archers, as men. These guys are a couple of good dudes.

B Glass is another bright spot in the "what it's all about" category. She came into this sport with nothing more than a desire to learn about something totally foreign to her. Bona not only learned from many of us, she taught us much about what archery and bowhunting should be all about.

All these people and others like them are the reason I have felt so blessed by being involved with archery and bowhunting. All these years. I truly have received far more than I have given back to archery.

Nighthawk and 2big undoubtedly have some validity to their points. I have spent a lot of time doing for others within the traditional archery fraternity and I am burned out.  have been asked to volunteer more time for various groups, as well as being asked to be more involved in various leadership type of roles.

When Ian was born, I vowed that I was done serving on boards and committees. For a while people thought I was kidding when I said "Don't ask me again until Ian graduates high school.

The girls are to the age when they need a wiser, older, been around the block kind of parent. Ian will be needing me to Coach, as the girls did when they were younger. I have no doubt that my wife enjoys having her husband's undivided attention now days.

Mike, You are correct, I do need to build a self bow. You'll need to give me some pointers.

This past week I did see some things that rekindled my bowhunting spirit. First off, I saw parts of Indiana that made it hard to believe I was still in the Hoosier state. Old growth forest with rock bluffs, river bottoms and huge hay fields. I saw many deer and turkeys and even saw a badger. I have only seen 3 live badgers in Indiana since I moved here as a kid.

While working in some of the most beautiful country I have seen in the mid-west, I couldn't help but want to go back and explore the creeks and rivers with my fly rod and maybe even do a little hunting ground research.

I saw 2 trophy class bucks that made me long for my longbow and a quiver full of Zwickey tipped arrows.

I believe my hunting soul is still alive and well, it just needs a little break.

[Bonebuster]

Be brave P.J Petinoit.

It`s the only advice I have.

When you NEED it, the solice the hunt has to give will be there waiting for you.

For me, hunting has always been the time when I am able to hear myself think. It is when I can take the time and truely count my blessings.

Priorities...get done what you must...get done what you want...go hunting and thank god for the opportunity to continue the path that is life.

Be brave, without hunting, I`m not sure what I would do.

[alligatordond]

PJ,

Come chase snook with me next summer. It's catch and release but you'll have a blast. I'd take you now but I've got a legit 130 ish FLORIDA buck fanning the flames of my fire right now. And I'm trying to get him without the aid of a treestand. Just my way of throwing fuel on the fire

[BodarkOkie]

PJ,

I understand about the daughter thing.  It's only a temporary thing...at least in my case.      

They came back and I have another little one to start.



Good Luck and Keep your fingers crosssed,
Gene

[WarDancer]

I know PJ and he ain't no wuss, a man's man with a beautiful wife and  beautiful children my advice is spend as much time as possible with what God has blessed you with. Enjoy those babies while they are still young. Bill from NM.

[Brian Krebs]

What a great family you have Gene.

I was talking to a non-hunter about the difference between hunting elk and deer. I just shot a cow elk and cut it up for the freezer; and ate some of course.

 So- I went into an explanation of the difference of hunting deer and elk; and there is a difference; and I really didn't mention it as I could have.

It took being at home eating some elk stroganoff; while contemplating making some elk summer sausage.

I remembered what a bowhunting friend from Sweden ( raised on moose meat from the villiage meat locker) said when he ate some elk over an open wood fire. He said " they are made of candy!".

And you see I live nearly year round and certainly all winter round - with 300 to 500 elk.

I listen to them when I am laying in bed at night -mewing and occasionally bugling. All winter; everynight.

Somedays when I am elk hunting; I don't really want to elk hunt. Some days I don't really want to shoot a deer. Somedays I just want to shoot a really huge buck- when I know that chance is remote.

I am really not hunting those days - as much as -just being the preditor; but more just: observing.

I enjoy being the observer sometimes; just seeing what is out there; from the birds; to the beaver taking down trees along the river. I have found areas along the river that hold populations of frogs - something you don't often see in Idaho.

So - I see having days when I am not hunting; as part of who I am as a hunter.

Elk are different than deer; in that elk are indeed made of candy.

You can eat delicious steaks; and burgers; and everything requiring burger - all year by just going to the freezer and pulling out a package of elk that you put there - after taking it with your bow. Its really good meat; and yes sometimes I am completely emmersed in that desire to fill the freezer - over the hunt 'quality' itself. I indeed have a cow elk in the freezer ... not one of the bulls I have seen.

This elk in my freezer might have been the one that I heard in the night by my cabin; on a frigid night... echoing off the mountains in the darkness. And yeah; I think about that; and somedays I just don't hunt as much as observe.

I have the luxury of a month long hunt in September; and a month long hunt in December - and that allows me to enjoy the hunt; including days I do not want to just - hunt.

So yes; I do have times when I do not want to hunt.

Are there times when I do not want to be around my trad brothers and sisters ? Yes.

Bowhunting is for the most part a solitary experience. I do like that about bowhunting. It  is a good way of being with another hunter; but too : a wonderful experience--without being with another hunter.

You can get together after the days end; and compare notes; and tell of experieces of the day. You can laugh together; and then go off to your own man cave- or sleeping bag- and get some sleep. I think that is what most of us do when we hunt 'together'.

Elk hunting can be more of a gregarious activity; you have one person that will do the shooting; while one or others: hang back and try to call the elk by the shooter.

So you hunt together; and actively exchange observations about elk sign; noises; smells; and too; the beauty of the area. While I can look at a huge visa before me while alone; having someone else there to breathe it in for a few minutes with you; has great value too.

But there are times when hunting all alone; and not being with anyone is a great bowhunting experience.

Walking in the wild; discovering a deer or elk before it discovers you; stalking up on it and making a shot - or not- or missing - it all is important and precious... and a great memory - even when you are alone.

So; yes there are times when not being with another hunter are normal and do not interfere with my enjoyment of hunting.

When I am with another trad hunter; I often like to see that person suceed with a kill: over my own success taking an animal.  

I had a great week with a trad ganger this year; where neither of us got an elk; but had a great time together. We both have the memory of a herd of some 65 elk hitting the river at one time; a visual and audio experience: that never either of us: will erase from our memories.

But tonights hunt? It will be alone with no other trad persons. Just me; and that is part of bowhunting; and it does not cheapen the hunt at all.

Bowhunting for me is answering a call from within me. Part of that call is to kill an animal; but the great part of that call is to be where the animals are; and be in their world.

Sometimes I need time away from it; perhaps to just remember; or to think about- where its tracks and trails have led me.

But throw down the bow forever? Not in my thoughts - ever.

     

[P.J. Petiniot]

Well, I thought I would give you all an update on my hunting, or lack of hunting this season.

I have yet to carry my bow into the woods this hunting season. I have done some fall fly fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities.

Indiana's gun season opened last weekend and I went to the woods with my muzzle loader (don't throw rocks). I had 8 different deer within bow range. 3 of these deer were bucks, although they were smallish, they did have antlers. I was talking to myself during each encounter, all the while telling these deer that each and every one of them would have been dead if I had my longbow in hand and was in the mood for killing.

The friend of mine that owns this particular piece of land has a 14 year old son that just started hunting deer this year. I offered up my hunting spot for the next day's hunt, hoping this youngster would get a close encounter at least and be able to kill a buck at best.

Long story short, the father and son team went out in the morning, one of the young bucks came in where I told them he would, the new hunter was able to kill his first deer.

I am going to hang a couple new stands for the late bow season. I hope we get some snow, because I love hunting in the snow.

I am slowly getting back in the mood to do some hunting.

I am going to do some hunting over the Thanksgiving holiday.

[Rick Perry]

I'm going thru the same thing right now !! ............... I havent hunted since mid Oct.  ........... the weird thing is right before season opened I was fired up more than normal !!!!!  

Somehow I seem to know its a temporary thing ,but I may as well kiss this bowseason goodbye !!!!

[Biggie Hoffman]

Geez if I don' go for 4 or 5 days I get withdrawls......