Guys, This past weekend I took of Friday through Monday to bow hunt. I hunted a total of 4 hours! What is wrong with me? Here is a brief history: I bought a money pit of a house last year and this past year had me spending about $35K that I never anticipated. I did a lot of the work myself, thank God for my parents and Father-in-Law taught me how to be handy and fix things. Anyway, there are quite a few loose ends that needed to be tied up before the snow flies and inside work that make it look unsightly. The entire time I am in the stand, all I think about is what I have to do and how I have to do it on the house. So here is my question, am I losing my drive and desire to hunt or I am being a responsible homeowner and husband? Preacher Tony and my nephew (my bow hunting group) killed bucks this year and I guess the pressure is off, but it was never like that with me before. If they scored, I kept hunting because I wanted to score also. This year it is almost like "at least those guys killed bucks, maybe it isn't my year." I think I know the answer, but I wanted to bounce this off of like-minded people and get counsel. Thanks for your responses in advance. Sal
Sal, I think we need to do an intervention here! You left the stand to...........work on your home?!?!?!? What kind of example are you setting for other hunters. Now, their wives will see this post and no husband will ever get to go hunting again! I am sooooo disappointed! Now that I've had my fun, you did the right thing. If you don't have a comfortable home to live in when the snow flies, it doesn't matter how much venison you have in the freezer, you are going to pay for it via the spouse. Get the work done to a point where you can go climb into a stand for a while and concentrate on killing.
Hunting is a great release and hobby, but responsibilities come first. I was hunting out of town basically all day Sunday and Monday morning so instead of hitting the stand at noon, I took my girls out to lunch and spent a few hours with them, then hit the woods again. One of my best friends and hunting partner is in medic school. sure he can hit the woods and not study as much, but that's not going to get him through school. A hunter's arch nemisis is responsibilities. Putting the meat in the freezer is a great and responsible thing to do, but if there's no roof or power for the freezer, it's not really worth filling. Just get your stuff done and hit it next year. All you're doing is giving the big bucks another year to grow for you.
Sometimes life gets in the way, Sal. Some things are more important than hunting. Now if you are choosing to occupy your hunting time with a different "hobby", then you might be losing your passion a little. This is happening to me this year. Mostly due to loss of hunting properties, and the ones I can hunt have decreased in quality. I've only hunted about half as much as I normally do, and when I'm not seeing deer, I feel like I should have gone musky fishing. I'm thinking I need a little break or different place(s) to hunt. I still love being out there, just not at the same level as years past.
LOL @ IV however, that does have a point. LOL In the past I've been known to have said, I now place life on hold for bowhunting season. Today, I find that to be very selfish.. Life still has to take place and there will, as much as I hate it, be times that other things take precedence over my treestand time. We have other responsibilities like spouses, children, houses, family, friends, work, church etc.. The key to this is to give everything you have to all of those for 10 months out of the year and if you successfully have done this, it's not quite as selfish to ask for only the remaining 2 to do some hunting. However, even then, we'll find there are times that the treestand will either have to take second seat or we'll find, we simply want to do something else because it's the right thing to do.
Taking care of family should always take precedence over our personal "fun" activities. Your priorities are in the right place.
Its all good slab. You are doing what you need to do. There is plenty of time to hunt... I have found myself in a similar but different type of boat the past few years. I have a 14yo son that is a very high level athlete, and an 11yo daughter that isn't too shabby herself. My time most of the year for the past few years (and the forseeable coming years) has been more devoted to sports for them, than on my own interests. Yes, its frustrating at times...but I've come to grips with the fact that (as I tell my wife) "this is where we are right now" as we haul them all over to multiple sports. I hardly have time to breathe...much less spend the time I wish I could in the woods. I still go, but its not like I wish I had time to do. Thank God I have my own business and can set my schedule. I have no idea how families that work a 9-5 (or more) do it. Eventually we'll be through this stage of life....and I can get back to my hobbies!!! Don't sweat it man....do what you have to, and get out when you can.
Man, those posts are VERY helpful and insightful. Thank you men. The funny thing is too, is that my wife keeps telling me to go out hunting. She is awesome and has been with right next to me all summer and fall when I am working 12-16 hours on this house. It has been very trying on our marriage, but we are so much stronger...the quote, "what doesn't kill you will make you stronger" comes to mind. Over the last 5 years, we have left the church she has been at since she was a baby (reasons are too long to discuss, but let's just say it was a cult) and I was ordained at, lost a baby and moved from a house that I completely remodeled to this money pit, put into a position at work that is unrelated to anything I have ever did or wanted to do (at least I am still employed!). Such is life!!! I just don't want to lose my "killer instinct". As Preacher Tony can attest, I am a 100%er and this is trying on my patience! When I go hunting, that is what I am doing 100%, but lately it is siding, windows, trim, I've got to get home and .... Sal
You're doing the right thing. I'm know for being OCD about getting things done at my house and starting projects in the middle of other projects. I've sat in a tree just as much this year as in years past, but I'm getting to the point where I do think about things I need to finish before winter (bringing in wood, finishing leaf cleanup, putting the rest of the siding back on, etc). Part of it is simply poor planning on my part, but it's also the fact that I'm getting burnt out in the woods. Too much time placed in the stand, with little to show for makes me feel my time could be better spent elsewhere. My wife is pretty supportive (like yours) in this hunting obsession, but with her schedule and mine, I skipped quite a few days this season to just hang out, and while it's been a hard transition at times, I don't regret it.
Truly, in most cases only those closest to you are going to be able to answer that. On the one hand, hunting isn't a great need for most of us; it's a recreational pursuit, albeit one that has some dividends for the freezer/family. Most of us probably invest too much time/$$ to the detriment of other things. OTOH, some folks are simply worriers, and as we age, sometimes our anxieties increase with our age. That's why those who know you the best will likely be able to help give you insight into your dilemma. My wife is a great sounding board for those things, but my most objective source is a friend who has been like my brother for the last 10 years. We dig into each other's marriages, finances, and spiritual lives on a weekly basis. He knows me better than I do myself at times, and certainly sees some things much more objectively than do I. I'd look for that kind of feedback, because as you've already noticed, sometimes it's tough to see things in ourselves. God bless!
I've given up plenty of hunting time these last two seasons. I spent it working on my hunting land and trailer, making sure it would be a sound, year round deal. Live in Wisconsin, plenty of snow and cold. I sure missed some good hunting time, but I know it will be worth it in the long run. Your house is certainly more important than my trailer. You are doing the right thing. Good luck.
I know where your coming from. I built our new house by myself and it took year and half. Felt the exact same when I took a day off to hunt (guilty). Don't worry about losing your appetite for hunting it will come back and you will find peace in the stand again. Coming home to a completed project is priceless and definately worth the trade for a few hunts.
