I miss the old days

[Caseknife]

@Caseknife, I love the old pictures. Thanks for sharing those.

I wish I had more of them, mainly for my own enjoyment. Maybe I better contact my cousins and get copies. Thanks for the compliments.

 

[Mica Man]

I very much appreciate the sentiment of this thread. I will however add on that you do absolutely have power over it as an individual.

I just had by far my most insulated hunting season as an adult, by choice. I hunted as much as ever, yet I never saw another hunter in the field, never saw an animal in the back of a rig, and never spoke to another hunter or check station. Hunted all public land, and 95% of the time never needed to worry about checking the GPS for land ownership. The only folks that saw the animals I killed in person were my dad, wife and brother.

No social media, very little picture sharing, and really only stayed in contact with a dozen or so friends and family.

It was great, and I'm very glad I approached this season this way. It reassured to me that I still hunt for the right reasons.

It was something else to catch up on hunttalk after tagging out, and finding out I was using the wrong gun in the wrong caliber, drove the wrong rig to the trailhead, used the wrong optics while hunting, and hunted in units that aren't worth hunting.

I do miss the old days however when you posted pictures on HT with dead whitetails and you in your signature Mariners ball cap.

 

[Europe]

I sorely miss a few real characters, now gone, who enriched camp and field experience.

I also miss those who I hunted with in the past, who are now gone.

My first big game animal ( Kaibab Deer ) was shot in the 1940's with my grandfather. That memory as well as many memories of hunts with my grandfather, father and husband will always be pressed lovingly between the pages of my mind.

But I have also enjoyed many hunts with my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, that have provided great memories.

Early in life my grandmother stressed to me the Importance of changing what I could, accepting what I could not change and having the wisdom to know the difference. Which I have always tried to do.

I am unable to hunt now, but when I was still able to do so, I insisted on doing things, what my grandchildren called, the hard way and maybe they were right. If one has the time and inclination, you can still find places away from the mainstream. My preference is to float plane in to a high mountain lake or go in via horseback. To me the horseback trip in and out was a wonderful way to enjoy the wilderness and provided wonderful memories and scenery. Fly in and hunt interior rivers via canoe can still provide some good "old days" memories. I even enjoyed spike camps, but in my family, I was in the minority. IMHO, "the old days" are still out there if your willing ( and have ) the time to look for them.

However; IMHO, not everything in the past was better. Bullets have improved, optics have improved, some even say the Creed is better than the Swede, but that one is debatable

 

[NativeIndian]

Great post! I love seeing a "hoss" but you can't eat those antlers! My son's first deer for a little fork horn but after that he was hooked for life. He's now in the woods more than I am. My grandson, I found out today, didn't get to shoot a deer because his dad and other grandpa wouldn't let him shoot a doe. It had to be a "trophy" buck. I told him not to worry. He can come over next season and we'll shoot whatever deer he wants on my place. He's got 5 years to legally hunt elk but he's already planning on going with me.
The electronics are great but most people these days would be lost if an EMP took them out. They'd not be able to navigate with a map and compass. I still love paper maps. Just something about them.
My son and I were able to meet a group of 4 Texans while elk hunting this year and had that good hunting conversation with them. They were all around my son's age but we had a great chat.
I love watching BRO, Corey, @BigFin, and others who appreciate the animal, the hunt, and the outdoors that the Good Lord above gave them. I don't watch the guys who just go looking for a "booner". It's why I gladly spent the $$ on FreshTracks+. BigFin keeps it real.
I'm ready for September but in the mean time I've got high school baseball to coach and fish in the lakes to catch!

 

[TheGrayRider]

I miss the stories that the old timers used to tell of hunting back in the 1940s and 1950s.

 

[steveshuntn1]

IMO, nothing has been worse for hunting than Facebook.

And I don't get the "tactical" and "extreme" with everything. Doesn't make sense at baseline but even so, the VAST majority of people eating that sh*t up are far too fat and lazy to be either.

You are spot on! I don’t have any social media and never will. Facebook has ruined almost everything the outdoorsman enjoys. I know guys who post trailcam pics up as soon as they get them and then wonder why all the neighbors are hunting the fence line. Then get pissed when “their” buck gets killed. Nuts!!!

 

[Gr8bawana]

View attachment 209088

I miss the stories that the old timers used to tell of hunting back in the 1940s and 1950s.

Ahhh...the good old days of hunting next to the paved road.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I also miss those who I hunted with in the past, who are now gone.

My first big game animal ( Kaibab Deer ) was shot in the 1940's with my grandfather. That memory as well as many memories of hunts with my grandfather, father and husband will always be pressed lovingly between the pages of my mind.

But I have also enjoyed many hunts with my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, that have provided great memories.

Early in life my grandmother stressed to me the Importance of changing what I could, accepting what I could not change and having the wisdom to know the difference. Which I have always tried to do.

I am unable to hunt now, but when I was still able to do so, I insisted on doing things, what my grandchildren called, the hard way and maybe they were right. If one has the time and inclination, you can still find places away from the mainstream. My preference is to float plane in to a high mountain lake or go in via horseback. To me the horseback trip in and out was a wonderful way to enjoy the wilderness and provided wonderful memories and scenery. Fly in and hunt interior rivers via canoe can still provide some good "old days" memories. I even enjoyed spike camps, but in my family, I was in the minority. IMHO, "the old days" are still out there if your willing ( and have ) the time to look for them.

However; IMHO, not everything in the past was better. Bullets have improved, optics have improved, some even say the Creed is better than the Swede, but that one is debatable

I remember hunting the Kiabab over OTC, the only drawback was the line at the check in station to have a deer tooth pulled.

 

[Europe]

I remember hunting the Kiabab over OTC, the only drawback was the line at the check in station to have a deer tooth pulled.

Not a problem in the 1940's

I was asked via pm about other critters on the plateau that can be hunted

For Brent : The Kaibab squirrel

For all others: Turkey, Grouse, mountain lion----

Dirtclod : Are Bison in 12 A now ?? Elk ??

 

[BrentD]

Not a problem in the 1940's

I was asked via pm about other critters on the plateau that can be hunted

For Brent : The Kaibab squirrel

For all others: Turkey, Grouse, mountain lion----

Dirtclod : Are Bison in 12 A now ?? Elk ??

This is actually on my bucket list. I think I'll make it before I die, unlike mule deer or elk, which I am hoping to hunt in my afterlife, but I am somewhat doubtful that I'll be able to get a tag, even after a literal eternity.

 

[Freduccine]

I'm a new hunter. this is my 6th year in the woods, and I'm in my 30's and didn't grow up hunting. I just wanted to say that my experience over the past 6 years has largely been what you described. granted im hunting in MA so im not encountering ranchers, but i have had plenty of great friendly conversations with land owners who have decided they dont want people hunting on their property, some of them have even hit me up afterwards changing their mind. also the community of hunters i've built around me is very supportive, last year i shot 2 very nice bucks and was elated, this year i filled the freezer with just a small doe and my friends are still stoked for me. Social media is pretty toxic and i've elected to not even post anything on their at all. Hang in there, us young folk are trying to carry on the tradition of conservation and a healthy relationship with the landscape, and i thin we are the majority, just not on the internet.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Not a problem in the 1940's

I was asked via pm about other critters on the plateau that can be hunted

For Brent : The Kaibab squirrel

For all others: Turkey, Grouse, mountain lion----

Dirtclod : Are Bison in 12 A now ?? Elk ??

April the Buffalo are moving into the Grand Canyon region.
I am not sure if they have made it to 12 A yet.
They are planning depredation hunts near the north rim.
As for Elk I don't think so.
Have a good one!
P.S. still in the 70's here, it has only frosted twice,
Just enough to get my pumpkin patch...but not my
garlic patch.

 

[Boarmaster]

Just do your own thing and be happy. Find others with the same goals and hang with them.

 

[CorkyM]

I miss all these guys, especially my dad, who is holding the stick. There are about five deer hanging up behind us. Two are a little hard to see. That’s me with my hands in my pockets. That was when most everyone wore Woolrich, 1974 deer season up on the farm. They are all gone now, everyone except the little guy in front, who isn’t so little anymore. Such good times.

 

[Ben Long]

Agreed, by all accounts, the 1880s and 1890s were pretty dang awesome.

Well... not ALL accounts...

 

[ammo]

 

[Howie]

The early 60s. Arrive in camp Friday or Saturday for the Monday Pa. deer opener. An annual reunion for most of us. The weekend to visit other camps, sighting in the rifles, camaraderie, tall tales and the wood stove. The tales got taller Saturday night after a few barleys.
A few deer hanging on the pole and by Wednesday most had to head south out of the mountains to return to school or jobs.

These memories always return when the snow flies.

 

[IDFireLass]

I miss my dad.
I miss my youth and the innocence of being the young hunter.
I don't know how to use half the electronic stuff that is out there.
I know how to read a paper map and pick out landmarks.
40 years a fire lookout. Everyone wants quick and easy. I've been in canyons that GPS' don't pick up signals.
My mantra KISS.

 

[hank4elk]

Damn, Just realized...I am in the old days. LOL

 

[Akcabin]

I'm sooooo blessed. Beautiful wife let us build a remote cabin when we could. And can still go out by myself. Don't use a GPS, have one and a game camera to. But don't know how to use them. Still get lost a lot. A moment of panic n move on.
Believe it forces me to rely on me . Really makes the experience nice. And spending time with family including the little ones. Hey start em young right