What to do when you grow tired of the hunt?

[Deja vu]

Blasphemy? I know to some of you it is.

I have been trying to mix up the hunts recently. I have tried archery, black powder and even handgun hunting. Its kind of lost its spark for me. I do try to kill a deer every year for food. I occasionally hunt Elk and black bear and have even done a few exotic hunts such as a Buffalo and a Big horn sheep and one ill advised trip to Oregon to hunt hogs.

Any way you guys have any advise? I mostly hunt big game but do hunt some upland game and occasionally water fowl.

p.s. a guy at the local range told me to try hunting deer with a lighter round. Well I mostly use a 357 magnum rifle now so I am not sure if that is good advise.

 

[Airman Basic]

I started shooting steel. Cleanup is lots easier.

 

[Blindstitch]

On the short I would say go fishing.

Beyond that I would try to figure out why you're getting bored or tired of what you're doing. Is it conditions, lack of thrill, not seeing anything....

The rhythm of hunting I use to do or like doing was grouse, geese, bowhunting deer, back to small game, firearm deer, muzzeloading, archery deer again if needed, followed by rabbits and on to fishing till spring turkey.


This year i'm pretty content with pheasant hunting and small game, firearm deer, back to pheasant hunting and small game and hoping to see antlerless deer next week, then rabbits and icefishing.

Basically when I get bored of what i'm doing I change tactics. If I'm sitting in a tree and tire of it I'll try to spot and stalk. Pheasant hunting I bust through tons of fields and put on hard miles. Most of which without a dog. You want to hunt pheasants the hard way leave the dog at home.

 

[Savage99]

I enjoy shooting my hunting rifles at the range.

My primary goal is that the first shot hit where expected from a cold barrel. I keep a record of each shot and refer to the records

For many rifles the number of shots has been reduced to two. Of course when it does not go just right I fire more.

Here is a picture of the pen and pad I use at the range. I record the date, temperature and wind and then a log of every shot along with the load, where the shot hits and group size along with the state of the rifle. ie: "cold clean barrel" etc.

 

[huntinaz]

You tried calling coyotes? That's a blast, I recommend it.

 

[Gunplummer]

You could try taking someone's kid that wants to go but has a single parent or something like that. Maybe get into photography, it is a lot less expensive now.

 

[eastbank]

sell you guns to me and take up golf or checkers, if you are fit maybe roller skating. eastbank.

 

[Old Stony]

In my opinion a guy has to approach hunting as a fun project and not an obsession. I have found myself obsessing about shooting, hunting, and all aspects of the firearm world...but I think I enjoy it all more if I keep things simple. Looking forward to a simple hunt can become sort of like a kid on xmas eve waiting for it to get light enough to start opening presents.
I hunt 7 days a week, but try to keep things simple as I check hog traps and make a jaunt through the woods with an eye out for hogs, out for their morning walks. I'm lucky enough to be in the woods 15 minutes from my house and I can do everything and usually be home in less than an hour.
If it all becomes like going to a job..it loses it's luster. Keep it simple and don't try to hunt everything on the planet.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Go shoot, go fish, go hike. Sometimes you just need a break from something.

Take a year off and your passion for it might return. If it doesn't, it doesn't however.

 

[4runnerman]

I was in your shoes about 10 years ago. I took up Comp shooting. It is more fun than you can imagine. Shooting 600 to 1400 yards is a blast. It never gets old,It's a forever learming thing. It's frustrating,Madning,erratating at times. Very humbeling at times. And---paper cooked the right way tastes good too

 

[2damnold4this]

You could try taking someone's kid that wants to go but has a single parent or something like that.

^this

Taking a kid hunting or shooting and watching their enthusiasm may bring yours back.

 

[Mobuck]

If you feel you're "so good" there's no challenge anymore, get into mentoring or assisting handicapped, beginning, or wounded warrior hunters. I can virtually guarantee you'll be both humbled and proud of what you're doing.
I have ups and downs but the feeling of helping someone less able or less experienced is always an "upper".

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Bored with hunting. I just un-load the deer rifle and load-up either the ATV or snowmobile for my next trip to the cabin. At this time of the year "There's always something to do in the woods with a chainsaw" But than again.

Snowshoe hunting is on my mind lately. ~~Yup!! Maybe its time. Let's see? ~~
I need that little Iver Johnson 410 single-shot cased and ready for the next trip. Oop's I almost forgot. I got to get out the Mec 600 Jr. and make up some shells for that 410. 3" #6's will do. ~~" Wow!! after some thought Deja vu. How could anyone get bored w/ hunting?

 

[hooligan1]

YES TAKE A YOUNG PERSON HUNTING, it helped me regain my interest after many successive years of hunting by myself, when my oldest was old enough to hunt we only had one deer rifle in the house and sharing it in the field renewed my adrenaline.

 

[Shotgun Slim]

Use your skills to get a new person started down the right path. Very rewarding.

 

[Pahoo]

It's natural and just switch gears.

Blasphemy? I know to some of you it is.

I guess I'm guilty as charged. The point is when you no longer look forward to something, change your routine. I use to love Bow-Hunting and now, no longer miss it. I also don't miss deer hunting but sure enjoy hunting Coyotes and Crows, punching paper, working on and collecting guns. I've got a new SideLock coming and "really" getting excited just like a kid. .....

Keep it fun and;
Be Safe !!!

 

[Savage99]

As a senior rifleman I have all the guns I need.

Of course I keep looking for another interesting one.

When my state made crossbows legal for hunting I got one. It's sort of like a new gun for me and interesting.

I can shoot it in the basement with no noise and also the back yard!

There was a Barnett Recruit model on sale so I got the whole kit for $199! While I tried archery decades ago and have a bow I was never interested in it.

The cross bow is interesting to me.

 

[kraigwy]

There is more to hunting then shooting critters.

One of the best hunts I was on was a moose hunt in Alaska. I got into a slough off the Big Su River, camped on a little island and spent a week watching a beaver building a damn.

This last year, it was too warm for elk hunting in the Big Horns, I spent 7 days the first trip, and 5 days the second finding and photographing old cow camps and cabins or just exploring the mountains.

One of my better hunting trips.

Some of my fondest memories is not the kill but my hunting partners.

There is something to be said about having the only snowmen in elk camp.

Or having your granddaughter fix thick chocolate pancakes or breakfast, raw in the middle burnt on the outside and eating them anyway.

The same girl who sets Hunting Fashions;

No sir, I'll never tire of hunting.

 

[BumbleBug]

I believe sportsmen approach hunting with specific personal goals & that those goals evolve & change over a lifetime of hunting. At first it maybe finding that trophy animal or challenging yourself with a primitive hunt in the wilderness or participate in a deer drive or introducing your son/daughter to hunt, etc.

I've kind of gone through these various phases but one thing that is important to me now is the comradery of fellow hunters. Not just any yahoo that shows up, but like minded, safe, legal hunting partners I enjoy sharing a campfire with. I especially enjoy hunting with my brother.

If want an introspective quiet outing I go fishing!

...bug

 

[tahunua001]

I've hunted deer with 9mm, i wouldn't call it ill advised but I wouldn't use it past 75 yards myself. a 50 yard shot with a 147 had about 8 inches of penetration into thick muscle and bone, still got pass through on the skull though.

if you normally go scoped try going open sights, it's a completely different experience for me. I also have hunted with older rifles. I got my black bear with a 75 year old battle rifle.

for elk next year I'm torn between using a 6.5 grendel or scoping a 114 year old swedish M41b sniper of mine and using that. hunting with old sniper rifles is a ton of fun. here's one I intended to use but traded off before I got the chance.