How old is too old to hunt?

[fmnjr]

If one is fundamentally healthy and can deal with all the things that crop up with old age, then it shouldn't be a problem. How old is the oldest hunter you know?

 

[Bob-WY]

A lot has to do with the support system around the hunter and how they hunt. A 90 year old probably ly can't do a remote elk hunt and pack one out, but antelope or whitetails from a stand you drive to? Sure

 

[hank4elk]

Several in their 80's near me. They get help and use quads.

2 68 year olds having fun at my place. Whippersnappers we are.

 

[fmnjr]

Was just reading about knee replacements. Doc says he did replacements on a 100 yo guy

Same doc says he's done hips on 90 year olds.

 

[Caseknife]

Think my Dad killed his last elk, a spike bull when he was 82 or 84. My uncle kept hunting well into his 90's from the same camp that had been there for over 70 years, on his own two feet.

Go until you can't anymore. There shouldn't be a limiting age set by someone else.

 

[MThuntr]

There are days that I feel too old.

 

[Akcabin]

Never too old. I have to use a wheeler with a winch and keep a come along on it to. And a pully on the meat pole to winch up big moose quarters. And to be able to still get out I'm sure glad we built a cabin. With a nice soft warm bed. Heck we even freighted out a freezer so I or we could process a moose out there.
I'm very blessed to be able to keep on hunting moose and feel that I can still do it on my own because I'm able to have extra help from machines n tools. And I can just sit on the front deck n call moose in. How old is too old ? Hope I never find out.

 

[gouch]

I'll be 70 in a month, and I still enjoy hunting even though my body makes it tough. My best friend is two years younger than me and has clamed that he is too old to hunt for the last two years. The guy I hunted with in my 20s and 30s always said that once you hit 40, hunting is a thing of the past. He quit at age 38. So, I guess there is no magic number just a mindset.

 

[hank4elk]

I'll be 70 in a month, and I still enjoy hunting even though my body makes it tough. My best friend is two years younger than me and has clamed that he is too old to hunt for the last two years. The guy I hunted with in my 20s and 30s always said that once you hit 40, hunting is a thing of the past. He quit at age 38. So, I guess there is no magic number just a mindset.

My ashes will be spread where I glass elk now.

 

[pabearhunter]

I am 74 soon to be 75 hunt alone or with my wife. Still can drag a whitetail out alone just not as quick. Hunt all of early and late season archery and all of gun season. Have to stop a lot more going up and down but don't plan on stopping till they spread me on a good track!!!!!!

 

[Steiny77]

My dad was hunting whitetails last year at 92. Couldn't get out this year as my step mom has been having some problems or he would have.
We set him up in safe, comfortable shooting houses and get him pretty close with the Polaris UTV to minimize his walking and he gets along fine, plus enjoys it immensely.

 

[BackofBeyond]

My dad called it quits in his late 40’s, but he didn’t have the love for it.

I, personally, would have a hard time coming up with a better way to go out than to take a little nap out hunting that I don’t wake-up from.

 

[JEL]

I am 61 and have no trouble keeping up with my boys (25-30). I don't see myself ever being too old to enjoy at least some aspects of hunting.

 

[SaskHunter]

I know a couple in their 80s, still killing deer! FIL just turned 70 and he still hunts pretty hard!

 

[Moserkr]

Grandpa shot his first elk with a crossbow at age 93, public land. We had a guide and rode a sxs in, then hiked around 400 yards to the hunting spot. We packed it out for him. Still, we did that for a week and he came back next year for another one.

He would also go pheasant/grouse hunting with us, and sometimes alone. He would sneak up solo on ducks too if they were in a field. He stayed away from water when solo though because if he got stuck in the mud, he might fall or not get out.

At 87 he fell into a 3' deep hole, and at 90, off a 5' embankment when hunting with us. Also found lots of badger holes in the Dakotas. Luckily he knew how to fall. Even with only a few months to live due to cancer, he was talking about next hunting season 6 months away.

My great grandpa hunted/fished alone and with friends until age 89. He only slowed down because the boat trailer hitch fell on him and broke his foot.

Both may have moved slower as they years went on, but neither ever quit. Both were working into their 90's, never officially retiring. Point being, stay busy, keep going until the end. Both passed away in nursing homes but would have happily died in the field on one last hunt.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Wy wife's grandma still hunts. She is 82. I don't think most men have any good excuses that are going to hold much weight.....lol

My dad is 73 and he hunts more now than ever.

 

[Happy Myles]

When my age was between 80 and 83 i killed a half dozen Cape Buffalo and large assortment of plains game. Now i am 85 and during the past year had a few health issues. Think i will hang up hunting the desire not what it used to be..

 

[406dn]

I'm still at it @72. A large reason that I am a regular at the gym is so that I can swing a leg over a horse. Many people give up on themselves far too soon. It is too bad, but it's pretty common.

My short-term goal is to still ride horses at 80. After that, we'll consider the options. Assuming the next number of years are a continued glide path of the last few, I think I will be still messing with bird dogs and being up to leading a horse off the mountain packing an elk.

But none of us are promised tomorrow.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

IMO and I'm sure I'll get crapped on a bit here....If you can't do all the same work as an "able bodied" person it's time to quit. It goes the same way for "how young is too young" for me with a few differences of course. If you are a safety hazard it's time to stop, if you can't hold the gun up without a stick, it's time to quit, if you can't get down and gut and retrieve the animal it's time to quit....etc.etc...mostly health and safety for me...but you see my points. You may not agree with them, but hunting with people with the above items, no matter how old I guess...is a concern in my book.

 

[fmnjr]

Everybody’s responses are great! Personally, I intend to go until the wheels fall off. I screwed up the last couple years by not thinking strategically about how to get hunting tags but I’m going to make up for it.