other hobbies

[Europe]

I had intended to wait a bit before asking this but would like to move away from the the "bad ideas thread" as quickly as possible, as I personally feel that those kind of comments are what the "anti's" love to find--and use as examples of who "we" are

Anyway, what else, besides, firearms, hunting, reloading------- do each of you enjoy-----

I have always enjoyed fishing--- river, creek, ocean, lake--but have never "noodled" for catfish. Saw it done, but I passed, no guts.

Absolutely love horses and can not remember not having one while growing up. My father and then my husband indulged me, so I went from cutting and roping, to barrel racing to jumping and even got to fox hunt.

This one surprises a lot of folks. I loved fast cars so again after the children were out of the nest, he let me invest in a drag racer and I did that for a bit. Just muscle cars not the expensive ones.

After my husband passed I took sailing lessons, loved it, bought a sail boat and a couple other widowed ladies and I took off ( btw, I waited on this one because he would get very sea sick )

your turn---what else do you do--including do any of you do woodworking like making a rifle stock from a blank in your garage. I met a fellow that started painting landscapes after he retired as an accountant and was darn good at it. As well as a couple dozen "chefs" lol. One fellow was an excellent chain saw sculpture,

 

[VikingsGuy]

My wife reminds me nicely that I have too many expensive hobbies and too little time to enjoy them in any event. My favorite hobby beyond hunting/shooting is scuba diving. Truly amazing times and experiences across the Carribean and South Pacific. But I have converted my vacation over more to hunting so haven’t made time for awhile.

 

[devon deer]

You make mine sound boring in comparison to your previous exploits, especially managing a fox hunt, which is now illegal in the UK, not that it is has stopped in any way shape or form!

So, fly fishing, it's both my hobby and my job.
In addition I have just joined a running club, I really enjoy it, although I'm aching a little after last nights run!

Cheers

Richard

 

[Sawtooth]

Fly fishing, Rod building, Fly tying, water and snow skiing, backpacking, wood working (hope to do more in retirement), travel with my wife and kids are some of the hobbies I enjoy the most.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

Mine also pale in comparison to yours, but, I love to fish, golf, cut wood, and ride Motorcycles....as if my hunting hobbies weren't expensive enough!!! LOL

 

[mtmiller]

Been getting into that photography thing the last few years.

 

[JLS]

We used to have horses, and one of my greatest passions was training, from ground to saddle. Now, we don't have horses and I focus my training on my dogs. Every bit as rewarding.

Other hobbies, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, fishing of all sorts, fly tying, reloading, and building fishing rods.

 

[BrentD]

For me, it is competitive shooting. It has become rather consuming, including international travel now, not to mention lots of days on the road shooting out of state. Thankfully, I don't have to buy preference points and suffer through lottery drawings to do it.

Building rifles and woodworking. I have a horse trailer full of freshly sawn walnut from my property that is probably frozen into one solid lump at the moment, I have another trailer load coming. Another first world problem to solve.

Fishing was pre-professor hobby, and I would like it to become one again. Fly fishing, in particular, can share a lot of commonalities with spot-and-stalk hunting.

Canoes. Love canoes, Italian bicycles, and especially golden retrievers.

I don't really think about my hobbies though, I just do them and this is what I end up doing as if there was no choice of doing anything else.

 

[JTHOMP]

I'm not big into fishing but I think I may make a few more trips this spring and summer and go after specks and red fish in the marsh. My boat is mainly used for hunting, but year before last I rigged it up for bowfishing. Only been able to make a few bowfishing runs since then, but I want to hit it hard this year. Around the house we always enjoy going to the river. Don't do much fishing just enjoy bringing the dog and having a good time. We also try take a few day trips floating the river. Hope to incorporate my nephews in that this year.

This year and moving forward I also want to get more into gardening and producing my own, but that may be more of a chore than hobby.

 

[noharleyyet]

...thoughtful topic Europe.

In order:
-traveling with my wife...especially spur of the moment road trips
-spending time with our children and grandchildren
-playing guitars,
-riding the motorcycle
-reading a new work by a favorite author
-sipping whiskey and catching up with good people

I love my work and the fact that it, and the support of my wife, makes all the above possible.

 

[blueridge]

I've never fit neatly in any one group, and my diverse hobbies and passions are evidence to that. Hunting, fishing, yoga, meditation, motorcycles, woodworking, time with my family, construction/building, world travel. Wherever and to whatever I feel the pull and feel fed and authentic.

I like this quote a lot:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Skijoring and backcountry cross-country in the winter
[video=youtube;CMzj3d-2hKI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMzj3d-2hKI[/video]

 

[bobbydean]

Diverse group.

My job is probably my main love outside of family. Pharmacist and cannot give it up. 68 in a couple of years and may then,

Hobby will always quarterhorse racing. Have 5 brothers and 3 have owned racehorses. I love the Triple Crown races at Ruidoso Downs, Our family does our family reunion there at the All American trials for the last 20 years. The guys have done it since early seventies and the gals thought if they wanted to see the brothers, then they would come too.

Do not make a lot of money, but pay some of the expenses, Did hit a 100 to 1 shot in the Trifecta. Been running in Houston and showed in the form. Ruidoso bettors do not respect Houston or California tracks except Las Alamitos. The elevation destroys those horses.

Europe you have your thinking cap on and come up with great topics. Big Fin ought to hire you.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Carp fishing, Salt Water fishing..

 

[Greyman]

Scuba diving, saltwater fishing, and amateur radio (ham radio).

 

[Dave N]

Boy, I sure would like to sit and talk with you someday! What a great and varied life you have led so far! Drag racing? Never saw THAT one coming!

I grew up with a love of cars and had my share of muscle cars in different stages of "niceness". Street raced most of them and took an occasional trip to the track. Car shows took up a lot of summer weekends. That progressed into 4 wheel drive trucks after I got married and sold my car to finance a wife! Small trucks up to big 3/4 ton mudders with 44 inch tires to have fun in the mud with. Now, I still look and admire but have settled for daily driver type vehicles.

That all got me into NASCAR as well as NHRA racing. Drag racing has faded away but NASCAR has come on strong. I took the wife on a NASCAR cruise to the Bahamas a couple years ago and met the King. She had no idea who Richard Petty was. That changed pretty quickly. That was when the person who would ask "is your little game on?" decided she wanted to go to a race. Last fall we went to the Bristol night race. The look on her face when the green flag waved was priceless! Jaw hanging down and hand over her mouth! CONVERTED! This year we're going back to Bristol plus Charlotte for the Roval. Her wishes!

I also enjoy food and cooking, especially grilling and experimenting with my smoker. I make salami from my deer I kill and it's pretty darn tasty. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, whole chickens, etc... We enjoy trying out different foods when we travel. Always enjoy a good steakhouse. We watch a lot of food and cooking shows on TV and have visited quite a few places that we've seen. Even made a long weekend road trip to New Orleans mainly to eat at one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants.

Lately, travel has gotten us to Alaska. We fell in love with the state and plan to move there when I retire. We've made several friends as well as meeting a couple Hunt talkers up there. 5 trips so far with one failed house purchase included. Still looking for "the one". We watch almost any TV show involving Alaska trying to learn more as well as find new places to go on our next trip.

Great post. Most folks put up things they enjoy doing. This gets them all in one place!

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

Things I enjoy
1. Trap and Skeet. Competitive ATA Trap
2. Walleye Fishing
3. Hiking with my Wife
4. Taking my Wife Wine tasting
5. Flying Planes oh that’s my Job. Yes I get paid to have Fun !
6. Golf
7. Anything outdoors even yard work.

 

[Backcountry Hunter 2]

Coaching high school baseball. Going on my 5th year.

 

[JohnCushman]

Europe..I would love to sit down and have coffee with you one day!!

When I came home from Iraq I pretty much isolated myself. I would hole myself up in my house for weeks at a time except for going to walmart at 3 AM or doctor appointments. I finally decided to try fly fishing to at least get me out of the house. After I caught my first fish I was hooked. I now have a rod for every possible occasion and have been on a couple of project healing waters trips. I find myself fly fishing for carp a lot now in the stocked ponds where they put trout. I will admit to slinging powerbait for the put and take trout, but I do love getting into the reeds for the carp with a 6 weight rod. When I go back home every so often I fly fish for bass too and really like that. Fly fishing has gotten me out of the house and into some social interaction that was once off limits to me for a long time. I took a fly tying class, but sucked at it, so I kinda gave that up. I love fly fishing for pike as well.

The HT bear hunt has gotten me way out of my comfort zone, and so far I have done ok with it. I fish and cook and last year I started turkey hunting, but I really love it. I have met guys from all different background in life and we all get along and everyone accepts me, quirks and all.

I also troll HT lol Being on here is 'safe' interaction and I have ended up meeting some great guys that I consider friends forever.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I grew up in Southern California, and my first love was surfing. It's all I thought about or wanted to do until I discovered fly fishing as an early teenager. Then fly fishing really took over, which I still love--especially swinging flies with two-handed rods for steelhead. Fly fishing has taken my wife and I all over the world. But those and all other hobbies have been eclipsed by hunting in the last four years.

I've gone through phases in which I was obsessed with playing guitar and bass, painting, illustrating, short story writing, restoring furniture, making street art, gardening, cooking--all done with enthusiasm but 'master of none' skills.

Besides hunting though, my big thing nowadays--though it could hardly be counted as a 'hobby'--is raising kids. I've got a two-and-a-half-year-old and a 10 month old. They're the best, and besides work and trying to be a half-way decent husband, they consume the vast majority of my time and energy.