Hunting Priorities?

[Wolfshead]

As we get older….
Some of your priorities are my dreams.
I’m gaining on 62 and what my mind wants to do and what my body agrees with are becoming two different things.
I’ve come to the hunting game late in life but love it none the less.
Maybe one day I’ll get a chance at Elk or a Moose, but most likely I’ll be content with hunting whitetails.

 

[diverdown]

Kinda thinking on the keyboard here, but it's a friendly audience.

Health issues took away my planned Africa hunt, and I'm coming to terms with that. I may not be able to travel long distances by air again. Okay. But... I live in "the west" and hunting can be pretty decent out here. Looking at hunting/outdoor experiences I'd like to try:

Wildlife photography - I'm including that with hunting as it's much the same, without any gunfire, and it doesn't fill the freezer, directly.

Fly fishing - I used to fish a lot and enjoyed. Would love to get back into it regularly. Just don't seem to make the time for it anymore. Not sure why. I've got good fly fishing very close to home.

Upland game bird hunting with my dog. Grouse, pheasant, chukar, quail etc... LOVE IT!

Annual deer hunt, preferably with my son. Gotta do it. If I can't do any other big game hunting, I want to make sure this always happens.

I'd like to take a deer with my bow... I've never done that.

Pronghorn Antelope - so fun to hunt! I've taken five. All have been delicious. I'd like to hunt them some more!

Bear - I'd really like to do a baited bear hunt. Idaho comes to mind. All mine have been spot & stalk which has been great, but I'd really like to clobber a bear at close range with my 45-70 or even a big-bore handgun. I think lurking around a bait barrel will give me that chance.

Elk - I keep hoping for another cow elk tag. Only a little interested in taking a big bull. Not much space for another big set of elk antlers and cow elk taste so good.. There's a good local tag I keep applying for. Got it in 2016 and it was a great late-season hunt. I'd like to repeat that. Should be getting close to having enough points to draw. Wouldn't mind going out of state for a cow elk either.

Buffalo/Bison - probably not much of a hunt, but... I want to do it, even just a ranch hunt. Great meat, and a good excuse to use the 45-70.

Moose - Will I ever draw a tag here in Washington? Kinda doubtful. Thinking Idaho, or possibly British Columbia for shiras moose.

Bighorn Sheep - I keep applying for the tag. Meanwhile I'll shoot 'em with my camera.

Auodad/Barbary Sheep? Hmmm. A reasonable substitute for the bighorn I'd think. I hear that the meat from a ram isn't so good.

Mountain Goat? Again, I keep applying for the Washington tag, but don't have much hope of drawing it. Maybe I can get some good photos.

Gemsbok - that was what I really wanted to hunt in Africa. Know what? They're running around loose and are huntable in New Mexico! Meat is supposed to be good, and Mama has encouraged me to explore that hunt.

Caribou was an option, but dang, that seems to have gotten expensive.

Hog hunt - always an option. Haven't done so in more than 30 years.

I'd so much rather spend the cash on hunting than on buying more firearms.

Thoughts? Your priorities? Suggestions?

Thanks for bearing with my musing while I sip my coffee and think about hunting.

Guy

Guy, my thoughts are with you on the health issues. Until six years ago (at 72 years of age) I was Elk hunting, Deer hunting, Duck hunting and anything else that came to mind. I felt great, was in good shape and did what a much younger person was capable of. Then I experienced my first Health problem (comes with age I guess). The first thing I was told was no more altitude (there goes the Elk hunting) Secondly, I'll be short of breath on occasion. Got to be on Blood thinners, (need to be on constant watch for bleeding). Really turned me off initially. The Doc's tried to correct the problem on a number of occasions but were only temporarily successful and it came back. Had an MI in July of 2020. Finally, as of this point I think I am pretty stable. Had some other work done which helped considerably. (four stents helped) I have to be very careful flying with the altitude issue. I'm back to Duck hunting but walking distances leaves a bit to be desired. At least I'm now off Blood thinners due to a product called a "Watchman". This was a great step for me. I got myself back into reasonable shape and actually did some stand Deer hunting this past season. I take it easy but don't give up. Best of luck with your issue!!!!!

 

[TKessel]

I definitely recommend an oryx hunt in New Mexico or Scimitar Oryx hunt in Texas. Both are great table fare.

I’m like you, as I get older I’ve have a few priority hunts to accomplish.

 

[BruceP]

My priority’s this year are first just to get in the woods more. I haven’t hunted much for the past several years and joined a lease for the first time in about 15 years or so. The lease is in an area with way more either sex days than the county I live in. Goals this year would be to put meat in the freezer while using various handguns from revolvers to XP100’s.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I've all but given up on hunting...I still love it, but there's just not much "hunting" to it here in Tennessee.

It's just shooting... go sit in the woods and shoot a deer when it comes through...I got bored with it I guess.

I've always dreamed of hunting elk in the mountains, I've read hundreds of books on it over the years, swore I'd do it one day, but that isn't likely to happen... and that's OK.

I've got back into fishing, bought a nice boat, rigged it up with all the cool toys and I'm loving it...29,000 acre lake a few minutes from home, and hundreds of thousands of acres of water within a reasonable drive (TN River system and reservoirs)... no leasing, no need for hard to get permission... just load up and go, year round.

I do still shoot my guns, had the 280 AI out for a bit just the other day, my son and I whacking steel plates at 300 to 800 yards... and I'll still shoot at least one deer per year, we use it for dog treats (dehydrated), but as I said, it's just shooting, not much hunting to it.

 

[desertcj]

Someone mentioned Texas already. Not the same as Africa but there are ranches with African game animals that could be an option for you?
Of course I love filling tags, but I'm getting to the point that just getting out there is what I want. I've killed a few bucks with a bow and it's awesome. I'd love to get a pig and a bear with a bow!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Guy my friend, you know where to come for Aoudad! And the ram meat was absolutely delicious just not as tender as venison but still good for eating.

 

[Guy Miner]

Guy my friend, you know where to come for Aoudad! And the ram meat was absolutely delicious just not as tender as venison but still good for eating.

Good to know! I've heard mixed reports about the meat.

Well... I'll get this bum left leg healed up and get to walking strong again and see about that Aoudad hunt...

I'm thinking that's a good hunt for the Ruger Number One, 7mm Rem Mag.

Guy

 

[xphunter]

Guy,
Aoudad is on my bucket list too. I would use a single-shot too, but it would be a specialty pistol though
I am already looking forward to reading about your hunt

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Good to know! I've heard mixed reports about the meat.

Well... I'll get this bum left leg healed up and get to walking strong again and see about that Aoudad hunt...

I'm thinking that's a good hunt for the Ruger Number One, 7mm Rem Mag.

Guy

That 7mm is as elegant as it is perfect for such a hunt! You might even be able to convince me to come along as a pack mule!

 

[hunter24605]

The last few days I’ve had to make trips to the barber shop, tire store, and the shooting range. I’ve talked to a lot of people about hunting and I was surprised by how many were just looking to fill the freezer to help out their food budgets with the current cost/availability of meat. Some said they haven’t hunted in a few years, but are this year and buying extra doe tags. Two guys said they were getting a freezer deer first, then going after the “big boy”. I’d imagine a lot of wives/girlfriends are getting their first license this year.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

The last few days I’ve had to make trips to the barber shop, tire store, and the shooting range. I’ve talked to a lot of people about hunting and I was surprised by how many were just looking to fill the freezer to help out their food budgets with the current cost/availability of meat. Some said they haven’t hunted in a few years, but are this year and buying extra doe tags. Two guys said they were getting a freezer deer first, then going after the “big boy”. I’d imagine a lot of wives/girlfriends are getting their first license this year.

This doesn't surprise me. Dan.

 

[KinleyWater]

This doesn't surprise me. Dan.

Nor I, that's what I'm doing. My plan is to run the first one 100% through the grinder, then worry about steaks and the like with the next one. Wife will be hunting, too. Not her first year, but her first *serious* one. The goal is for ~150 pounds in the freezer, and anything more is a blessing. Also looking for a place locally to hunt rabbit and other upland. Haven't done anything like that since I was a kid, but it's long past time I started back at it.

 

[Firebird]

You should consider a javelina hunt combined with quail in Arizona. Check out globe Indian reservation.
45-70 or a handgun on pig would be fun and quail and doves are delicious and wonderful hunting-

 

[cloverleaf]

Last night I spoke with an acquaintance, (working on friendship) who was on his way to Utah because his late 20 somthing son got a call from the game and fish in Utah saying that some one had needed to turn back in a limited entry elk tag.... Would the boy be interested? No time to scout or plan but would he want the tag? Apparently the answer was yes because my friend was on his way from Mn to Utah to sit on a ridge with the spotting scope while his son and a buddy go sneaking around the unit looking for a big elk. That is the definition of a hunting priority, if you ask me. Cant wait to hear the story and see the pics when he gets home. CL

Update- The young man would hunt wish his father and a friend for several days w/o success. As bad luck would have it, shortly after his Dad had to leave he was able to arrow a very impressive 6x6 at 28 yards. CL

 

[HodgemanAK]

Pretty good list...

Baited bear is pretty neat. It slows everything way, way down and you get to be in close range to bears and be selective about the shooting part. I guess the Canadians do a lot of guided bear hunts over bait that are fairly reasonable and highly productive.

DIY caribou in AK is way doable, even as a non-resident. If you shoot a bow you can do this as a road based hunt for low $$$.

Check out some waterfowl hunting by hitting a major flyway. It was never my thing...until it was and now I love it.

 

[Guy Miner]

Interesting. Yes, I shoot my bow pretty regularly, though I seldom hunt with it... Hmmm...

Waterfowl... Oh good grief, that was my father's passion re hunting. He was incredibly into duck hunting. Me? I go every 10 years or so when a friend drags me kicking and screaming to a duck blind. We get there about 0200, put the decoys out. Sit in a cold dark blind for 40 hours or so waiting for dawn...

Dawn comes. We can hear ducks everywhere! But it's foggy and we can only occasionally see the vague gray shape of a duck hurtling through the atmosphere at 97 mph...

Eventually, about the time I'm frozen clear through from sitting motionless in that torture device known as a duck blind... The fog parts and an idiot duck decides our decoys are his long lost buddies. He comes in... My buddy is quacking furiously on his duck call. As the duck sets his wings for landing, my buddy shouts, "Up, take him."

Long frozen muscles slowly attempt to respond after sitting motionless for 40, maybe 50 hours...

And then the duck is gone...

I don't hunt ducks often. Did learn how to cook them though. They taste great. Every ten years or so...

I do shoot my Beretta 390 pretty well though.

Regards, Guy

 

[Hammerdown]

Wishing you all the best Guy.
The best plans can be changed for health reasons. I know, as I'm not hunting this year; On 09/21/22 I had my Lumbar Spine fused, my fifth spine surgery. I had to turn in my Montana tags for this year. Hopefully, hunting is still in my future.
It sounds like your knee is hurting you, I wish you all the best with your health. Hopefully you fill many more hunting tags.
Blessings your way my friend.
Take care.
Randy

 

[Vince2]

You could always move to the land of the Midnight Sun for hunting.

That’s what I’m doing.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Guy,

Since long flights are out have you looked at booking a cruise that goes from the US to Africa. Would take some time but you and the Mrs would probably enjoy it. It would give a real old school charm to what used to be one long adventure.

Vince