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

[P.J. Petiniot]

Although I have been shooting recurves and now longbows since my 9th birthday (35 years ago), I seem to have lost the fire in my belly for hunting.

I started hunting at age 15 and it has given me much joy and taught me much about the natural world. Many of my longtime friends are a direct result of being involved with traditional bowhunting, traditional events and traditional organizations. I get several invitations regularly to hunt with my buddies and the past couple of years, I am not into it. I would rather just hang out with my friends. Eating a good steak and drinking a cold one appeals to me more.

I haven't turned into a complete wuss. I still spend time walking in to some great places with my fly rod in hand. I spent a week in the keys chasing tarpon and a couple other trips chasing steelhead this year.

It just seems that I have lost the fire to bowhunt. I still love to shoot and find watching an arrow fly one of life's greatest joys.

I first noticed this change of heart when I lost virtually all of my private hunting land 3 years ago. This is going to be the 4th season that I am not hunting my old bowhunting Mecca.

At fist I thought I was suffering from some sort of strange "loss of hunting ground remorse" I think this was true the first season. I hunted this great place for 13 years and I wasn't into going out and looking at new areas and finding new ground.

I have since found a couple of new places to hunt and they are great places. I still can't make myself get into it like I use to.

I have a few thoughts on what may have lead me to this chapter in my hunting life. I would first like to hear if any other long time bowhunters have lost the desire to hunt for a while?

Sorry for the long post. This is the first post I have placed in many, many months.

P.J.

[Brian Krebs]

[bowhunterfrompast]

I lost the fire around 7-8 years ago.

I found myself sitting in my tree stand thinking I should be at my mothers old farm house working on it. So I put hunting on the back burner and started working on the old house.

Then I started having shoulder problems ( bursitis and a small tear ). Surgeon didn't think I needed surgery, so I've let time do the healing.  Construction work has taken it's toll over the last 36 years.

The fire has not rekindled as of yet, but I'm hoping.

bhfp

[BOFF]

P.J.

We all go through changes in our lives. Sometimes, through life's circumstances, our desires and needs, change.

I used to hunt only by myself. Now, if I don't have a friend or companion to go along, I usually do something else, as I prefer the friendship, and companionship more than hunting.

Nothing wrong with you. Place it on the shelf, and you may find you pick it up again with a new vengeance, at a later time.

Oh, and yes, I have lost the desire in the past to hunt. It has returned, but is no longer a "life and death" matter if I don't go. My wife will tell you I'm pretty cranky if I don't go though.

[Rick P]

PJ

 I have been a hunter since I was a child and have to at times "lost the drive" to hunt. I have had 2 periods in my life where being afield lost it's appeal, when I was about 16 my father decided we all needed to switch to wheel bows "because they were more effective". I practiced with that damn thing till my arms ached and every time that let off kicked in my arrow fell of the rest! I never was able to hit a dang thing with it, but Dad kept pushing so in part out of hatred of that bow and the normal father and teen son stuff I stopped hunting. Single shot rifles rekindled my fire and were very satisfying to hunt with for years. Later in my life I had to live in a urban setting and the disconnectedness I felt from the environment and frankly my own spirituality led to allot of problems. One of the first things to suffer was my hunting. Unfortunately I had to get divorced, clean and sober and move to Alaska to find myself that time. On the plus side I now have a wondeful wife and child, and Tracy has reintroduced Trad archery in my life.

I do think it's really important to hunt new areas , methods and species from time to time to keep the rush going. If all I hunted was whitetail it would definitely loose it's luster fast.

[vermonster13]

No

[John3]

I did for about five years in the middle 90's... I've since called these years the "dark years".

Moving to other states(4 times) with my job, getting married(to the wrong woman,LOL) were all factors. I just didn't "make" time like I had my whole life to bowhunt. I still hunted a very little bit; maybe a few times a year. This lasted five years and one spring after moving back to Missouri it just "clicked" in my head. I missed the lifestyle. I thought "I need to get geared up for deer season". Bows were bought, traded. All my archery "stuff" pulled out boxes to be detailed; started to shoot everyday and I was back...
My advice is to not sweat the bowhunting. Go travel, fish, spend time doing anything. Hang out with your buddies. Eat, drink have fun and don't worry about bows. It will come back.

"It" sure came back for me and I thank God that it did. I can't imagine life without traditonal archery in it. Most great things (friends, foreign travel, wildplaces) all happened when and because I had a bow in my hand. It just doesn't get any better than that !!!

Sanderlin III

[Mark Baker]

You have a lot going on in your life just with the family, and all that you've "given back" being involved in trad bowhunting....I'd say it's a normal thing my friend.   Burnout can manifest itself in a lot of ways, I know.   Enjoy a brief hiatus if you need to.   When you decide to hunt again, and you will I think, make a small goal each season to "go for" to keep the desire fresh, and the accomplishments special.   And find new places....that is hunting too. Good luck PJ....and my offer is still open.  Maybe at least bring the family to Yellowstone and stay here and cast a few flies out back. - Mark

[Tom L]

Went through that about 6 years ago. Have hunted sence I was 8 and for some reason I just didn't care if I went or not. I kept on spring turkey hunting because I do that with a buddy we set up under the same tree. But the want to bowhunt came back but it's different now. I don't care if I kill anything or not I just get my bow and go hunting. This year I think because of this site I would realy like to kill a hog. Never done that. But if I get to hunt them I will be a HAPPY man. And if I see one I will be over the top. I hunt public land all the time.
As far as my trad friends the guys I shot with were some of the reason I stoped. They were snobs if you didn't shoot a stick you were trash. I got so tired of it that I went back to a compound the last 2 years before I stoped just to tick them off. It worked aint seen them sence.  
Take the fly rod and go enjoy what GOD has made that's what it's all about or at least that what I think.
Tom

[Cherokee Scout]

I have experienced the same thing. But I believe the reason is that over the years as some of my hunting partners and friends have died, I appreciate life more, all life. 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.

[KSdan]

I am not some wierd guru but I am asked often to address this and other issues for men's conferences.  I will be leading a hunting retreat for men in a few weeks where we will address some of this.  I also work with this stuff on a daily basis. . .

My take would have something to do with your age and longings of a man's heart.  We were all created for something more than this world can offer.  As we work through meaning in life we go through four stages- wonder, truth/reason, love/relationship, security.  

At the mid-life time we realize that the temporal pursuits of this life just can not satisfy deeply. We start looking for something more in the context of relationships; i.e love, companionship, and ultimately being right with the One who placed us here (with these longings for Him in the first place.)

When we are younger, hunting can often become just another idol that we are seeking to use to try to fill something in our soul that can only be filled by relationship.  It is often like the guy who climbs the ladder of success only to find out it was leaning against the wrong wall.

Hunting, as wonderful as it is, can not fill our deepest longings.  Whether it be hunting or some other pursuit; at some point, often about mid-life, we get weary of the idols.  If we turn to the right relationship with our Creator (who is really there and He really has spoken), all of life becomes re-defined.  If we don't, we will either quit hunting, find another idol, or re-define hunting- though still never satisfying our deepest needs.  

Guys will do lots of crazy stuff at this age- like checking out of a marriage, start medicating more (drugs, alcohol, porn), buying more toys, and often become depressed.

Time off from hunting may get you some re-alignment, but if I were to bet. . .I would bet you are bored and even a bit apathetic (maybe even depressed) because your soul is looking for something that nothing in this temporal world can offer. There is only one place to find it. . .

My thoughts. . .Feel free to PM me if you have questions. . .

Dan

[tradtusker]

no and i sure hope i never do.

[Curveman]

If you were losing interest in most things you use to enjoy I would say you were depressed and should seek professional help but if you are still a very happy camper when you are flyfishing then I wouldn't sweat it. There is no "should" to hunting. You stated: "I haven't turned into a complete wuss..." Is that what has you down, that "real men love hunting?" I say nonsense to that! Never berate yourself about what YOU enjoy isn't what someone else would enjoy or vice versa! Just do what YOU enjoy and no, it doesn't only come from a belief in God. I believe, but I am in a joyful place when I am bombing down a mountain on skis or hunting! I hope you work it out but don't force yourself to go hunting if fishing is what grabs ya!

[Ben Maher]

i often wake up in camp, make that extra coffee, read my book and then whack some stumps with the others in camp. The rabbits will be there tomorrow... as will the deer and hogs. The reason we hunt , i think, differs from day to day and person to person. Let it always remain so....good luck to you . Ben

[Biggie Hoffman]

No and yes.

edited because I didn't see that it was a two part question..

[Kevin Bahr]

Never have lost the desire to bowhunt.  Oh sure there's days I don't go cause I just don't feel like it. I will say though, that sometimes I just don't feel like shooting a deer that walks under me, but I still get that "feeling" when the deer is there, still get excited, even by the does.  I too find alot of satisfaction in bowhunting with friends.  Most of the time that is just as much fun as killing something myself.  In other words, I don't "need" to kill something, but I DO NEED to hunt. I know the feeling of being burned out over some of this "organized bowhunting", an oxymoron as our friend E. Don says, and he is correct.  Take a break if you need to, but I hope you get that feeling back PJ.  You are one of the good people.

[Problem Child]

I lost my desire at the end of one season back in my wheelie bow/gun days. I was making myself go hunting and that's the WRONG thing to do.Since I started Trad hunting about 5 years ago,I'm back to the way I was when I was about 15 years old.Trad hunting is kinda like Bowhunting Viagra.......I think.  

[horatio1226]

I have recently acquired the desire to hunt. I have been comtemplating it for many years. I have a lot of questions about hunting including the emoitional aspects of it. I didn't think that I could do it. I now feel that I can do it and want to experience it. It is a part of life that I want to experience. I know that if I don't do it, I will regret it as I get old. If I don't like it, I won't do it anymore. All my questions will have been answered, but there will be new questions to ask. Am I a wuss won't be one of them. Just a different perspective. Good luck!
Brian

[2-BIG]

PJ, I remember talking with you on the phone one evening when I was contemplating joining ATHA. I have never met you but I definitely recognize your name from your being invloved in trad organizations and events. I would like to take a stab at what may be going on.
Being as involved in archery as you have been can be a good thing in the sense that you have given of yourself and you can say you have done your part. The bad thing is that you may have went to far, to the point of burning out. I can feel this happening with myself as I have been feeling somewhat the same as you describe but I found a cure. I have vowed that this is my last year serving in an official capacity for any archery organizations. Time to pass the torch.
The constant battles we deal with to make bowhunting bettter and to preserve our history can take their toll.
Even the constant barrage from the media to degrade bowhunting by pushing competition, trophy hunting, canned hunting, etc.... can get old quick.
I suggest this: Step back, take a deep breath, and put all aspects of bowhunting out of your mind. Hunt for yourself and no one else, but only when you are ready. Spend time with family and friends and let the bowhunting fire come alive on it's own.  

[George D. Stout]

Years of retail management and scarce time off took its toll on me at one time.  I still went hunting with the bow but my mind was not into it.
Don't do anything because someone else thinks you should.  I think 2-Big may have hit on a pretty good clue.  Take a break and look at what makes you happy.  If it is to be hunting, you will figure that out.  Just don't sell all of your bows 8^).