I quit

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a1stooge

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So I'm quitting hunting, this is going to be a rant from somebody with 7 posts so move along if your not interested. The short version is I'm fed up and I do to enjoy it.

The long version: I have been trying to hunt for about 6 years every Saturday and after work during shotgun and blackpowder for 3 years and some turkey and bird hunting thrown in. I have never gotten anything I have seen 2 deer, one I didn't have a tag for and one was running 150 yards away. I have asked other experienced hunters to take me with them and they all agree. Until the season rolls around and then they must be washing their hair the whole month of December because they are no where to be found.

There was an incident last season where someone may or may not have shot at me. It's just not fun anymore. My wife wants me to to quit, when I asked her why she said you aren't the same person 3 months of the year. Your always angry. Aren't hobbies supposed to be relaxing. I didn't have an answer for her. I talked to my brothers who are the only people who I can con into go with me and one brother said he wouldn't care either way if we never went again. The other brother told me the last time we went he didn't even load his gun because "you can't shoot anything if you don't see anything."

the hunters that I do talk to give me pointers but most of the info they give me just confuses me even more. When you dig a little deeper they don't hunt in mass anyway. They take guided trips to PA. One guy took 4 deer last year in mass and didn't tag any of them his methods are questionable at best.

The last day I went hunting it was Christmas morning and I was so fed up I unloaded into a tree.

So o im done, I don't even want to shoot anymore at this point. Has anyone ever felt like this or am I just crazy?
 
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I'm a very unsuccessful hunter.
While I don't hunt nearly as much as I used to, I don't do it just for the kill/meat.
It's the stuff you don't see everyday. Fresh air, exercise.
Watching the critters. Light hitting patches of ice just right.
If I go out and come back with nothing but memories. I'm good. arigato.gif
 
I stopped deer hunting in NH because I only seen 1 deer while hunting but mostly it was my fault since I would always fall asleep under a tree. I now stick to Pheasant hunting in mass and I very rarely get anything either by lack of stocking or I let the younger kids bag them. I just enjoy being out there bullshitting and ball busting with the other guys.
 
Doesn't sound to me like you are really a hunter at heart. Even without someone to hold your hand you can learn the habits of the animals, their food sources, the effects of the rut, scout for them in the off season and enjoy the outdoors. I can understand the "must kill something" mentality of a new hunter. I remember being that way 25+ years ago. If you don't enjoy watching the woods come to life and the sun come up on a frosty morning or the challenge of trying to figure out WHY you have only seen 2 deer in three years maybe you are better off just walking away.

Then again maybe you just need a good mentor to get you going in the right direction and interested in the hunt. Either way good luck in what ever you choose to do. MA can be very daunting for a newbie, no doubt about that, especially if you are close to Boston and don't want to drive a good distance.
 
a1stooge said:
The last day I went hunting it was Christmas morning and I was so fed up I unloaded into a tree and then tomahawked my gun into some brush and started to walk back to my car. I did get the gun but if I'm going to get that emotional I have no place in the woods.
Click to expand...

That right there should tell you all you need to know. You don't have the patience.

Hey I've heard of guys who hunted for years without getting their first deer. I can't say shit though because I tagged a spike on my first day ever of deer hunting. After that first one, you have the itch and you push on every year.

I'm not going to give you any pointers or whatever, it sounds like you've made up your mind. But consider that the more time you spend in the woods, being quiet, watching, listening, taking it all in... the better of an outdoorsman you become. You can't just fixate on killing a deer. You have to become part of the woods. Maybe try duck hunting first. Deer hunting and turkey hunting is not as easy as you would think.
 
Once you pull the trigger, the hunt is over. That is but a small part of hunting. The thrill ain't the kill. It is being in the woods soaking up and enjoying everything that is there.

If hunting for you IS the kill, then you have it all wrong. Take up bowling.
 
dixidawg said:
If hunting for you IS the kill, then you have it all wrong. Take up bowling.
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This.

And no offense OP, I'm sure you were extremely frustrated, but anyone who throws their gun like that should not be hunting. I sure as shit wouldn't want to be in the woods with you and your gun with a temper like that.
 
Im going on my first deer hunt this year. NH and MA with people who have been hunting for years. Hopefully my experiences will be better than some others have had.
 
a1stooge said:
....Aren't hobbies supposed to be relaxing. ....

I don't even want to shoot anymore at this point. Has anyone ever felt like this or am I just crazy?
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Hobbies aren't necessarily relaxing. My favorite hobby was rally racing (Pro-rally) in the 70's and 80's. I absolutely loved it, and have fond memories. I got back into it in the late 90's for a couple of years. God, it sucked!!! All sorts of bullshit "safety" rules and other stick up the ass shit.

As for shooting: I've been shooting on and off for 50 years. Sometimes really into it. Sometimes put all but self-defense guns away for years.

"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting"
 
CockedAndLocked said:
Hobbies aren't necessarily relaxing.
Click to expand...

Tell me about it. I have the car hobby among many others, and after restoring an early 80's Mustang for over 2.5 years I'm never doing a personal project car again. Eff that... Too much time, money, aggravation, rust, blood, sweat, tears [laugh].
Worth it in the long run I guess as I love the car, but the huge dent in my tool box will tell you how I completely lost all patience late one summer night after smacking my head hard on my transmission trying to line the crossmember up.
 
45collector said:
This.

And no offense OP, I'm sure you were extremely frustrated, but anyone who throws their gun like that should not be hunting. I sure as shit wouldn't want to be in the woods with you and your gun with a temper like that.
Click to expand...

I don't blame you I try to be as safety conscious as I can around guns in general. I almost never loose my temper but What I did was inexcusable.
 
dixidawg said:
Once you pull the trigger, the hunt is over. That is but a small part of hunting. The thrill ain't the kill. It is being in the woods soaking up and enjoying everything that is there.

If hunting for you IS the kill, then you have it all wrong. Take up bowling.
Click to expand...

I used to go fishing for stripers in my free time, usually with my (now) wife and/or friends. There was probably a three year stretch where I didn't catch a single thing, but we still went out and still had fun.
 
Your walking into the woods with the wrong attitude. Then you are grumpy about it at home too? You don't need a hunting buddy, you need a psychiatric evaluation.
 
new guy said:
I used to go fishing for stripers in my free time, usually with my (now) wife and/or friends. There was probably a three year stretch where I didn't catch a single thing, but we still went out and still had fun.
Click to expand...

I am so f*cking stubborn when it comes to my favorite Striper fishing spots. [rofl]

Even if I know the fish aren't in 'my' areas yet and guys are catching lunkers at the canal or Race Point or where ever, I'll still be planted defiantly at my spot saying "I'm catching the first keeper from this spot this year. Mark my GD words!!!"

I believe this year it came true (early July finally. [crying])
 
Everyone has their own reasons for hunting, sounds like you just want to shoot something. Thats fine but you have to have a different mindset than you do now.

Personally I hunt to get something, but if I don't I enjoy the peacefulness of the great outdoors, the little critters flying and running around, the green all around you, the smells, the running water, look around and enjoy it!
I went hunting for seven years before I brought home a buck, I let him walk right up to me, about 40 feet before he saw me, no hurry to pull the trigger, I knew I had him, I just wanted him to know it too. Once he saw me, boom. The actual first time I shot one was two years before that, I had a doe permit and I got a lung shot, little bugger ran off down to a stream a ways off, lost sight of it. Looked for a couple of hours around where the blood trail stopped, nada. Went back the next day and there was the hide laying where we parked our rig. Some SOB grabbed the deer where it dropped dead, tossing over his shoulder and ran out of the woods with it, skinned it and dropped the pelt back where we parked that night. If that doesn't suck out loud I don't know what does. I was pissed but I still went back again and again for the experience of relaxing and enjoying the outdoors.
If you can't do that, then yes, you made the right decision.
 
I am going to come off as nice as possible because I really am not trying to insult you but a few things you can take from this…

1) You should consider what you discuss of your experiences on the web as it will follow you, think carefully before posting
2) Don't be a "quitter". Although you can consider quitting something that is not good for you may be the right thing to do, quitting something that could be quite beneficial to you is actually quitting a good thing and that should tell you something
3) You don't seem to have the patience for hunting, don't feel bad neither do I. I just don't hunt although I am very interested in it and have even done the right thing and got my hunters license in case I ever decide too.
4) Try something else within the shooting sports that is more you against you and not you against the world. You may just be a plinker too, likes to shoot on occasion and enjoy but don't have to be something your not. I fall within all of theses categories at times.
 
When I lived in Vermont a bunch of us would go up to a buddy's camp the first weekend of deer season, hang our rifles on the wall, and start drinking. We'd joke that the only way we'd ever get a deer is if it walk into the cabin and killed itself.

Sure we'd go out and legitimately try to bag a deer, but it was always about the camaraderie.

Of course, if I felt like someone took a shot at me, I'd retire right then and there.
 
Kicker96FS said:
I had a doe permit and I got a lung shot, little bugger ran off down to a stream a ways off, lost sight of it. Looked for a couple of hours around where the blood trail stopped, nada. Went back the next day and there was the hide laying where we parked our rig. Some SOB grabbed the deer where it dropped dead, tossing over his shoulder and ran out of the woods with it, skinned it and dropped the pelt back where we parked that night. If that doesn't suck out loud I don't know what does.
Click to expand...

If it was me, I would of looked harder or just been happy that it didn't go to waist. What should the guy of done? Posted an ad in the newspaper looking for the hunter that couldn't find his deer.
 
Sounds like a good idea to take some time away from the firearms. But if you getting that fired up in the peace and quiet of the woods over nothing maybe theres something else in your day to day life that has you all wound-up?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and just cause no one else has said it yet ill take any firearms and hunting gear you dont want anymore
 
a1stooge said:
The last day I went hunting it was Christmas morning and I was so fed up I unloaded into a tree and then tomahawked my gun into some brush and started to walk back to my car. I did get the gun but if I'm going to get that emotional I have no place in the woods.

So so im done, I don't even want to shoot anymore at this point. Has anyone ever felt like this or am I just crazy?
Click to expand...

You are just crazy... seriously you're a nut job! Stay out of the woods so the rest of us can hunt!
 
Dirtypacman said:
I am going to come off as nice as possible because I really am not trying to insult you but a few things you can take from this…

1) You should consider what you discuss of your experiences on the web as it will follow you, think carefully before posting
2) Don't be a "quitter". Although you can consider quitting something that is not good for you may be the right thing to do, quitting something that could be quite beneficial to you is actually quitting a good thing and that should tell you something
3) You don't seem to have the patience for hunting, don't feel bad neither do I. I just don't hunt although I am very interested in it and have even done the right thing and got my hunters license in case I ever decide too.
4) Try something else within the shooting sports that is more you against you and not you against the world. You may just be a plinker too, likes to shoot on occasion and enjoy but don't have to be something your not. I fall within all of theses categories at times.
Click to expand...


This! Also everyone seems to forget there is more to hunt than deer. Many don't require a lot of patience. Water foul is a blast and even if you can't hit shit you will usually get to take a few cracks at something. Hunting upland birds and squirrels, is more like a hike with a shotgun.
 
Good decision to quit if you don't enjoy it. No sense in spending money on being miserable.

But,.....it also says a lot about your level of perseverance.

I hunted for years without results, but I enjoyed the company of my fellow hunters, the peace and quiet of the woods, the warm sun on a winter day, a good meal when returning to camp, a few drinks with great friends, learning others ways, teaching others my skills, ect.

Being too results oriented can spoil any casual hunt.
 
I have been hunting since 1998, never even shot at a deer. Turkey hunting since 2001, only shot at one. Its the hunt, not the kill. That said, I do get frustrated when I never see anything, and I wont go more than two hours to go deer hunting. I also fall asleep, cause I am not a morning person. I hunt in mid VT with a friend. If I did not have him to hunt with, I probably would not go. Half the reason now I go "hunting" with him is to visit him and my goddaughter.

I almost quit hunting one year, we had spent two straight days doing 5am to 5pm, we got so tired that when I broke my friends scope, we couldn't even fight about it. It was not fun anymore. Bu them we stopped hunting with that group, and now it is much more relaxed. Half the time we are shooting the breeze, not deer.

I think you need to evaluate if you want to continue hunting, and if so, what would make it fun for you. Maybe a new location, new type of animal? Deer are very hard to hunt, they can hear you at a half a mile, and smell you at 1 mile, they can disappear like the predator. That is why people hunt them, because it is hard. There are lots of birds, and if you hunt turkey, you can hear them respond, even if you don't get them to come in.

Also, as others have said, save your rapid firing for the range, save your anger for when you are out of the woods. It's not safe, angry people make mistakes. And give fodder to anti-hunters and anti-gunners
 
Deer hunting trips = excuse to get out of house from wife for a week with buddies and raise hell. I won't go into details but it was ugly. My wife always ask you never get anything why do you go? It's the woods i tell her :) i love the outdoors. A bunch of grown men away from supervision for a week with firearms-what could go wrong :)
 

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