Cigars and other tobacco Related bad habits.

[JLS]

I like good cigars, but I have to rely on more educated friends than myself to pick them out.

I also love Copenhagen Long Cut, but I limit myself to 2 or 3 cans a year. They are usually reserved for elk hunting trips, or a multi day steelhead/chukar soiree.

 

[mtmuley]

Chewed Cope in Jr. and Highschool. Was a two pack a day smoker 25 years ago. Cold turkey, and haven't since. Been 27 years. mtmuley

 

[okie_hotrod]

I was never a heavy smoker but I've pretty much given it up so I could go elk hunting. I like dipping my mint Cope and find that much more enjoyable than smoking cuz it tastes better and I don't smell like a bar when I get home. I don't do either in front of my wife and kids because I don't want them picking up my bad habits

 

[NoWiser]

I allow myself a can of Skoal once a year on my annual summer fishing trip to Canada. I love it when I'm up there but can't wait to be done by the end of the week. Last year I had to skip it because I brought my 6 year old nephew with and didn't want him to see me doing it, so I made up for it this past weekend on our spring trip. As always, loved it but was sick of it by the end. I've always been lukewarm with cigars and hated cigs. Don't drink much anymore either. Ate a gummy while in Colorado last year and almost fell off the face of the earth. I guess hunting and fishing are my vices.

 

[deer_shooter]

I started smoking in high school and was a pack and a half a day smoker for about 15 years then switched to chew in late 90's. Went through red man to skoal to Copenhagen. Cope was a can a day habit for a few years until I quit cold turkey in 2003. Haven't touched any form of tobacco since.

 

[LopeHunter]

Ran through a lot of the usual vices as a young man in high school with money jingling in my pocket from a job, a trap line for fur to sell and a watermelon patch for roadside sales. Am fortunate that my personality is not to seek out addictive environments.

Smoking was the easiest to stop as sparked headaches.

Chewing was easy to stop, too, once I quit slow-pitch softball farmer league.

Gambling was easy to cut back after my first college Statistics class so now only participate a poker fundraiser event once a year or so. Found that gambling while played golf made it less relaxing so never got into that. If in Vegas for an event during football season will bet on favorite college and pro team.

Drinking contributed to spontaneous heart-racing episodes in my 20s so weaned back and now maybe nurse 4 drinks a year.

By late 20s, I was a boring guy with work and family filling my days and weekends. Not much time to hunt then but would fish locally. Hunting out of state or for anything but whitetail deer was a mere fantasy.

About that time I moved out West with a job relo and found myself next door to all sorts of interesting critters to hunt. Is as close to an obsession as have developed.

 

[Schaaf]

I’ll buy about 5 pouches of Redman per year. Usually on a camping or hunting trip. Never have been able to stand Copenhagen. Think it stems from trying my dads as a 5 year old and throwing up immediately after swallowing.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

I smoked lucky strikes and chewed copenhagen long cut in highschool and college, and quit after my future wife bet me I couldn't quit cold turkey. I will still buy the occasional can of Hawken chew if I feel the need, but it never really got to be a habit. I still like a cigar now and then, but I never liked the high dollar cubans, give me a backwoods or black and mild and I'm happy.

 

[uncle sage]

This has been a great thread. I'm sitting here now with a full bottom lip and two 3/4 full cans within easy reach. I got my Dr to prescript the patches and got tired of picking them off the floor. They did get me down to a can every 4 days instead of every 2. I went to a stop smoking program that was held at a Hospital that i was working at, Couple weeks later there was a 3 day weekend spent fishing on the lake... This may sound sick but i put in a fresh chew before i go to bed and recharge at least once a night. At this point in my life, i don't care to quit because of my health or any other reason other than to prove to myself that i can.

I envy you guys that could give it up or use in moderation, good on you.

 

[shootbrownelk]

I quit smoking and drinking some 25+ years ago. Used to smoke 3 packs of Camel straights a day. And I'm a recovered alcoholic. Don't miss either one.

 

[hank4elk]

Quit drinking 30 yrs ago,chew 40 yrs ago.
Smoke an occational cigar or roll my own for 20 yrs now after getting my mom to quit smoking ....lol
Dad & Grandpa always had a pipe or a stogie in their mouths as long as I can remember.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Cigarettes were cheap in Vietnam; 'smoked two packs a day. I think my daughter's first words were, "stop smoking, Daddy!" I listened and quit some forty years ago and can keep up with my kids and grandkids climbing the mountains hunting elk. At seventy-three, I still run a few races each year, including the John Colter steep seven-miler near Missouri Headwaters. Even the odor on smokers' clothing now makes me nauseous.

My father and both of my brothers smoked; they died way too young. My mother, never a smoker, suffers from asthma at 99 yrs, likely due to Dad's smoking. If you smoke or chew, I strongly encourage you to quit.

 

[llewellinsetter]

I enjoy a fair amount of cigars...eg, A. Flores Gran Reserva, Foundation - Charter Oak or the Tabernacle, Paul Garmirian LTD, Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne, My Father Flor de Las Antillas and Montecristo White to name a few. And while my friends give me crap, I still love a Swisher Wood tip on occasion.
In all honesty, the majority of good cigars coming from the Dominican, Nicaragua or Honduras are going to be better than 90% of the stuff coming out of Cuba these days. All the manufactures that were worth their salt packed up their seed and left for better places to do business.

 

[TexanSam]

I'm about 7 months free of Copenhagen, I still want to dip, yet it gets easier to say no as time goes on

 

[onelionhunter]

Can really relate to this thread. Started on Skoal back in junior high in the early 80s, switched to cigs just after highschool as teeth were getting loose. when daughter was on her way into world, quit smoking indoors, still follow that to the day. Managed to quit for 3 months here, 4 there over the years. last time i made it 5 months, Jan 1 until first week of June, sitting in drift boat on Bighole, salmon fly hatch full on, having a few barley sodas, wife needed a new leader, open up under seat storage, pack of Marlboros sitting right there from year before, had "just one" Fully hooked again by end of day. Something about being out on the river, sun, fish, beer, it all just goes together better with that nicotien. Did get myself 4 weeks of patches this spring after drawing that 380 tag, started into those and was doing well until global reorg started at work, just got back from week of meetings in Henderson NV, that town does not help a guy out much in regards to stopping bad habits.......

See how the summer shakes out, hope to just be a beer and scotch drinker by the time opening day of archery starts....

 

[Straight Arrow]

onelionhunter ... If I could do it ... you can do it, of that I'm sure!

 

[Steiny]

Got off the chew early this year.
Too many of my tobacco using friends and acquaintances have dealt with cancer, there is definitely a connection.

 

[MJE2083]

I like to smoke cigarettes when I fish and chew snuff when I hunt deer. Habit I guess. I try to keep it to a minimum, but those two activities certainly "trigger" me. Generally speaking, I have 1 dip per day, mostly after dinner. Cigarettes are mostly reserved for fishing. I love to smoke when I'm drinking too, but that's pretty rare anymore. Cigarettes take a toll on me for sure...makes me feel sluggish and tired, so I try to stay away, but I do enjoy them.

 

[onelionhunter]

Thanks for the vote of confidence straight! And here it is the first week of June, the Big Hole is dropping finally, and the salmon flies should be popping any day, timing of this thread is impeccable....

 

[Kakapb33]

Hello!
My favorite cigar is the Acid Blondie by Drew Estates. I generally like smaller sized cigars and this one preserves all the properties of the larger cigars. This is one of the best acid cigars out there with a distinct flavor. The smell is potent so you might not want to store this cigar together with unflavored ones. For those that enjoy cigars with a strong aroma you'll like the acid blondie. That's why I bought a good case for them, I check this review and choose one.