Age and Hunting Dreams

[uncle sage]

This is indeed a timely topic as a busted up and broken down 65 year old, i've been thinking a lot about just how much physical effort it takes, my degenerating body, and the small fixed income i have to live on. Seems to me that i've always saved then spent a major portion of my disposable income on outdoor pursuits. Money well spent! i sensed early on in my life that Africa and Alaska were probably not in my future so i fixed my sights on what then seemed affordable and made those efforts a major priority. No regrets.

If there came a stroke of prosperity, there is one trip i've longed to check off the list and might still can do, catching a billfish on the flyrod.

Most probably a topic best addressed by Randy, a thought or two for some of you guys not yet set up with a nice pension or retirement program. Get your House, vehicles, and credit cards, everything paid off. If not for the fact that i have no debt, i wouldn't now be thinking of which spot i'm going to be fishing next or which unit to best try my 6 points for in state Muleys this year. Best Wishes!

 

[BrentD]

For me, there have always been dreams of hunting lots of different animals in lots of different places, but The Dream was always Moose and always Alaska. I am not sure when the dream started, but it was long before I was 10 yrs old. In 2015, I finally did it. it wasn't terribly expensive, being a DIY (minus the rental of gear and being dropped from a float plane). The story is right here http://www.bpcr.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7311.

I just may do it again, but it will never be as great as the first time.

Now, I don't have any major dreams to solve, but I don't mind doing a lot of them over again.

 

[MooseCaboose]

Maybe happened a lot earlier for me than many others. Had a cancer scare at age 19 and decided it was time to quit dreaming and start doing. Bought a bow and haven't looked back.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Your signature says it all buddy. Don't bet on tomorrow.

Don't bring a single camera.

This. Except please do at least take a bunch of still pics so we can share the hunt with you vicariously.

 

[NoWiser]

Do it Randy. No video camera. Take a bunch of pictures and post the story for us to enjoy if you feel so inclined. Go have yourself the adventure of a lifetime!!

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

I second everybody else with saying don't bring a camera go enjoy yourself. I always have told myself that I don't want to have a single regret we can all kick the bucket tomorrow unlikely yes... I had a cancer scare about 3 years ago and since that day I've started taking notches off of the bucket list go do it!

 

[FishN4Eyes]

Yep, I'm there.

Life has thrown a couple curve balls at my family the past few years (sister passed away, 20 YO daughter been through a recent health scare) that made me realize there are no guarantees in life.

I'm doing what I can while I can as long as it doesn't negatively impact my family finances too bad.

With that in mind, I leave tomorrow for a Desert sheep hunt with Mr. Roe.

Go for it, Randy.

 

[Big Fin]

With that in mind, I leave tomorrow for a Desert sheep hunt with Mr. Roe.

Serious dream fulfillment with that hunt. Good luck. You are surely in good company.

 

[Southern Elk]

I could die a happy man if I could just kill a bighorn sheep. I've been dreaming about it since I was a kid. It's the ultimate trophy in my opinion. Maybe one day I'll hit the lottery and draw the tag. I got to see a herd of them today. I guess I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight.

 

[jryoung]

I came to this realization a few years ago, seeing Dad get older, just feeling older myself, and knowing that in few short years I'm hoping that my hunting focus will be adventures with my son, my "dream" hunt opportunities are limited. Our trip to ANWR pretty much sealed it for me, I realized how "easy" that hunt was to do. Sure it takes some specialty gear, and a lot of commuting, but it really isn't too hard to put together. I need to hunt sheep in that country and I will likely do so in the next 5 years. In addition, I'm just hoping to hunt as many species, in as many places as I can each year. I'd rather go someplace new and try and solve a riddle, see a new place, and meet new people that learn a single spot and probably kill more animals.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I think about this a fair bit. Even though my dad took me on my first hunting trip when I was 10, and tried for many years to light the fire for it, I didn’t get seriously into hunting until later in life. Now I’m 35 and doing everything I can to make up for lost time. It’s a delicate balancing act with one kid under two and another due next month. My wife is supportive and generous, but I’ve got to watch how I push my luck over the next couple years. I really can’t wait until I can bring my kids with me. My dream would be a bighorn, but my focus is on killing a truly big mule deer.

Like others have said Randy, go for it, and do everything you can to enjoy the hunt for yourself. You do so much to inspire and help other hunters that you really deserve to make this about you. If that means no film crew, then I say hell yeah.

 

[Lone Elk]

As stated above, a timely topic. I am the same age as Big Fin, and the last few years have realized Father Time has become a more frequent visitor in my mind, when it comes to
realizing that my dreams may start slipping away. This last season I decided to start trying to make them happen. A solo archery elk hunt, in MT. I was successful , but I was also
successful when I left the trailhead, whether I would have made a harvest or not. A dream fulfilled. I've decided to try to go 'out west' every year from now on, as long as health allows.
Many more dreams to chase.
Randy, great topic and go chase your dreams. And enjoy them for what they are. Post pics and stories for us to enjoy, if you would please.

 

[ovis2]

Living the dream(s)! Way to go, Randy! There seems to be a lot of, let's say "maturing" hunters contemplating the same. I've been able to experience a few adventures from my dream list - including an elk hunt with Big Fin - and I hope to fulfill a few more before this body says no more. Good luck to all who take that deep breath and leap into their long-dreamed-about adventures whatever they may be.

 

[teamhoyt]

Definitely go have a great hunt, enjoy the experience for what it is and damn sure leave that camera at home. Go hunt for YOU!

 

[BigHornRam]

I've been fortunate enough to do a few "dream" hunts over the years. Meeting new people, seeing new country and wildlife has been very rewarding. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but after booking 2 Canadian hunts, I ended up drawing 2 bighorn sheep tags for that same season here in the states. Dream hunts also made me realize that are still a lot of really cool places in my own back yard that I have yet to visit. For instance, the million plus acre Selway Bitterroot wilderness is right across the valley from me, and I doubt if I've seen 10 % of it. If it's a dream of yours Randy, I say go for it. You only live once!

 

[JEL]

I think I am about the same age at 55. I honestly don't have far reaching desires to go on hunts out of state. I have spent the last 24 years raising three boys and hunting with them. They are now better hunters than I am and far more driven. Honestly now I have trouble keeping up with them. Funny how things go full circle. I do have one thing sticking in my mind. I love hunting eastern Montana mule deer and I have a trip in mind that just includes me, a pack and rifle and public land. I am hoping to take a couple weeks off next fall and make it a reality.

 

[hank4elk]

Dreams. Elk & deer. Life.
I realized I have pretty much fulfilled my dream & live it every day. I live with them & see them almost daily,at least the elk.

Always wanted to hunt bulls & bucks in the Gila & Aldo Leopold Wilderness. Big bulls. The ones I would see in pics,my dreams. Bucks ,dream bucks.
I had been drawing tags all around the "Gila" & hunting huge bulls. Passing on 320 bulls for the one shot at those 360+ bulls. Had the safety off or the hammer back a dozen times on 6 hunts & could not get "The " shot....
Sitting on my little ranch now, I realized after retiring before I dropped working,becoming pretty much debt free, a heart attack out of blue & making it, not drawing a Gila tag again, poor me... I had a tag in hand for my own place.
I saw a 380+ bull here the day before my hunt started,went out & there was a maybe 250" 6x6 bull & took the clear shot without hesitation. I am eating excellent table fare. That big 380 is still around here & I have seen him several times this winter.
I plan on hunting the Gila or Aldo still this year. No way I am going to wait anymore for book bulls if I draw it. No real way I will get one out by myself. But I have plans. Dreams. Back up plans.

My plan is to fill a tag,any tag & take a good clear picture of one of those smoker bulls and hang it on my wall.
The 6x6 on my wall is near perfect fit. I can watch the smoker walk by. Life is good @ Camp Hank.

 

[Nameless Range]

I don't have lifelong dream hunts, but dream from season to season, with a lifetime's worth of hunts existing 100 miles from my house. If I dream of hunting any place, it exists in the future with my kids when they are old enough.

Very cool and perspective-setting thread.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

I reached that point about 5 years ago. I have always been good at saving and planning for the future. After current bills got paid, then future bills got paid(kids college savings, retirement, etc.). It got to the point where all I was doing was watching accounts grow, mind you not a bad place to be, but always looking to the future and not enough time in the present. Finally decided to subtract a little from the future and spend it on the present. Took time and lots of planning but that is what I am good at. I too had the dream of wilderness adventure. I wanted a sheep and an AK/YK moose hunt badly. I had another hurdle towards that and that was the whole guided hunt stigma. I wanted to go but knew for the sheep I would have to go guided. I let the ridiculous concern of would I be doing it the right way by going guided stand in my way of actually going for 2 years before I finally determined I was using that as an excuse. Just another self-imposed obstacle that I was choosing to stand in my way. Spent the time finding the right person to hunt with and pulled the trigger in 2016. Had the adventure of a lifetime and don't regret a second of it.

BTW, while in the NWT chasing sheep and moose I managed to stumble upon this Mnt Caribou. A little something to wet your caribou appetite.

 

[1_pointer]

I very much appreciate the tone of this thread. My dad died when he was 58. In the last few weeks, him and I talked about the things we did and not the things we had. In many ways those talks changed me and especially changed my views on hunting. If having to choose, due to finances, I always choose a trip over things, hunting related or not.

I've checked off the top of my hunting list a few years back with my first bull elk. Next one was getting and training a bird dog. We're not very good, but man we have fun trying! One problem I do have in fullfilling dream hunts is that I have hunting ADD; I'm easily distracted by some new place or critter all too often. New critters or old critters in new country is what trips my trigger. I'm hope like heck I'm doing a good job of instilling a sense of adventure and wonderment into my sons to pursue their dreams.