Quitters

[recon6036]

I chewed tobacco for almost 30 years. Quit Cold Turkey in Sept 2011.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I smoked two packs a day of cheap cigarettes during stints in Vietnam. Quit cold-turkey in 1980 and now can still keep up hiking with grandkids.
'Ran (using the term loosely) the Icebreaker, the Governors Cup, the Longest Dam Race (across Ft Peck Dam) 5k's and the John Colter Run this year.
If you are hooked on tobacco but want to keep moving and hunting ... then QUIT NOW!!!

 

[schmalts]

I ran out of beer. Left camp to drive 45 miles one way to get more. Missed half a day of hunting, but no regrets. Another time I broke my leg mountain biking and turned a deer tag back in for Colorado.

 

[FREAK]

I ran out of beer. Left camp to drive 45 miles one way to get more

That's not quitting, that's perseverance...

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I've quit a few boyfriends because I've been told I hunt too much....I don't even get much time off, you gotta go when you can!

I haven't quit much, sure gotten upset and needed a moment but not quit.
One time I was going in for a cow elk hunt with my father and we finally figured out the pattern of the herd and kind of knew where to be at first light. The road uphill had melted and then froze over night. As we were halfway up this hill, we started sliding backwards. It was terrifying. Thankfully we came to a stop at the bottom but I took one look at my dad and we definitely both felt it was best to go home and not deal with anymore slick roads for the day. No regrets on that one as multiple hunters ended up sliding off the road that day.

I do know a guy that drew a moose tag for a unit he didn't mean to put in for. It was relatively close to town so the drive wasn't very far. He ended up hunting a few weekends before giving up because he couldn't find a single moose.

 

[Oak]

2017, backpack deer camp, great hunting weather. After about day 3 I'm thinking about all the work I've got piling up at home, etc, etc, and bail. @Dinkshooter misses a 200" buck the next day, in the same spot I hunted the day before.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

2017, backpack deer camp, great hunting weather. After about day 3 I'm thinking about all the work I've got piling up at home, etc, etc, and bail. @Dinkshooter misses a 200" buck the next day, in the same spot I hunted the day before.

It's OK 2017 Oak, a later Oak will find a suitable deer to quell your anguish.

 

[Nameless Range]

When it comes to hunting, I can think of a couple permits I have thrown the towel in on - both being pronghorn permits.

About 15 years ago I had a buck tag for a western MT district. On a thousand or so acre chunk of public ground I found a buck, missed it, found another, and missed it. Both just awfully. When I got back to the truck I talked to an old man who witnessed the whole debacle from his perch who properly made me feel like a real POS, and I headed north with my tail between my legs. That man shamed me into only hunting that permit one day and he was right to.

There are certain pronghorn units in MT that are highly migratory, and if ya don't find what you are looking for in the first couple weeks, the vast majority of them may become inaccessible. Last year I had a doe pronghorn permit in one such district. My boy and I went down there, hunted one day, and I kind of resigned to the fact that all the pronghorn were inaccessible. Were they really? I don't know, but that is another special draw permit I only gave one day to. Though, it was still a really wonderful day with my son.

 

[MTTW]

I quit on a MT bull moose tag once. It didn't help that I had a goat tag and a late Gardiner bull elk tag at the same time. I always wondered if I would have drawn a sheep tag if I would have applied.
Anyway, I hunted moose every day off that I had in Nov. and the only one I saw was laying dead at the end of a set of tracks that I had been following for half the day. I had ran it across the road in front of the only other tag holder in the unit. I helped him load it in his truck whole and decided that I had enough. There was 1 week of season left and it was costing me a deer season and screw that. I never applied again and that was 40 years ago. I figure let someone have the tag that wants it. I still wouldn't buy the tag if it was otc.

 

[tjones]

I buddy and fellow HTer quit archery elk hunting one day for a minute or so. Missed a nice bull just below a FS road and with a very impressive toss he helicoptered his compound down the hill about 20 yards.

Not like shanking an expensive tent as the bow survived rather unscathed.

 

[atlas]

 

[TOGIE]

i was a couple years into being a hunter. pulled a pretty quality, albeit low point, late season cow tag.

i pretty quickly spotted cows, some distance off, with some very nasty terrain between me and them. it was very cold, lots of snow and damnit it was going to be a trek. i had only been out there a day. i started hiking down to start working my way over there and it was instantly slapped in the face by my first time experiencing overwhelming solo hunting anxiety. it stopped me in my tracks and i couldn't keep going.

i regret it, to this day. i vowed to not let that anxiety i always experience solo stop me that hard again, and it hasn't, but it's still hampered me many times.

it didn't have to be 4 more years before i finally shot an elk, but it was and only i was to blame.

Moral of the story, the opportunities we get to do stuff like this are too fleeting and precious to listen to that little voice coming up with reasons to quit. Recognize that entire part of your mind for what it is- a bunch of excuses- and send it packing. Worst case scenario, you finish knowing you did your best. Best case scenario, you end up with a memory like this you'll have til the day you die.

^repeat this to yourself, myself, over and over.

 

[Jbotto]

When hunting from deer stands in the Midwest I quit on my resolve to not eat candy bars until after 9am to stay focused.

I don’t think any of my snacks ever survived to 9am.

 

[Letthemgrow]

Snacks?
You can make lunch make it to 9AM???

 

[rogerthat]

I buddy and fellow HTer quit archery elk hunting one day for a minute or so. Missed a nice bull just below a FS road and with a very impressive toss he helicoptered his compound down the hill about 20 yards.

Not like shanking an expensive tent as the bow survived rather unscathed.

I spiked mine like a football after I just scored a touch down after shooting a big bull. At least that’s how I tell the story

 

[Kaitum]

Drew a SW MT antelope tag once. Hiked into an area I thought was off limits to vehicles. I quickly realized the error in my assumption just before sunrise. Sat on a big hilltop most of the morning watching a herd of antelope a couple miles away ping pong between groups of hunters in the distance. Left that afternoon disgruntled. Returned four weeks later when I knew no one would be antelope hunting (2nd week of elk and deer season) only to find all the antelope moved to Ia different unit for the winter. Went to the local cafe to drown my misery with a bacon cheeseburger, said F it, drove 30 miles west to the area I elk hunted and killed a bull that evening. Sometimes a little aggravation fuels you to go do something else.

 

[starvingoutdoorsman]

I learned the hard way why people tow $100k worth of toys and camper behind an $80k+ diesel this year after my paid off pile of crap spent half the season being troubleshooted and the other half waiting on parts. So unless I get a new 2024 silverado, 36+ foot 5th wheel, and polaris razr I am quitting because I am not sure I can stand to be stuck at home working on this thing another full season again. lol.

 

[Dinkshooter]

2017, backpack deer camp, great hunting weather. After about day 3 I'm thinking about all the work I've got piling up at home, etc, etc, and bail. @Dinkshooter misses a 200" buck the next day, in the same spot I hunted the day before.

@Oak I spotted it the next day. But didn’t get the shot that was heard around the world until 4-5 days later. Also most likely 215 ish, not 200.

I really “shanked the tent” on that one.

 

[The Hedgehog]

@Oak

I really “shanked the tent” on that one.

But did you shoot a Cushbuck?

 

[802flyfish]

Rehab is for quitters.