[OriginalOscar]

Based on your dates we're same age 58. I feel blessed to have grown up rural with men in my family who taught me much and we had experiences I will always cherish. Thinking back they loved to tell "back in the day" stories and gripe about how things were with less game, gates, and poor ethics they saw.

Funny somehow over the years I've replaced pheasants with chukars, deer with elk and have been able to draw OIL and LE permits that didn't exist in my mentors "good old days".

If you fail to see what opportunities we do have, that's on you! If you're done hunting, be done! You create your own joy; or not!

 

[Gordon]

Pheasant hunting now, is paying $15 a bird at a farm

I got news for you. No where has $15 birds anymore......

 

[Vanilla]

The funny part about pheasants in Utah is they are not native. As at least hinted at earlier, pheasants are an experiment, not necessarily a failure.

Full disclosure: I love hunting pheasants. I wish we still could in ways like when I was a kid, which were still somewhat limited, but at least available, but citing pheasant hunting and its demise isn't really an indictment on anything here in Utah. We tried them, they worked when there was lots of conducive farm land for them to invade, but now that these farms are disappearing, the experiment really just doesn't work.

That is not wildlife managers fault.

 

[Wyo2ut]

The hardest thing about getting older is dealing with the inevitable changes that come with time. I see it every day in my work...hunting is not immune to those same kinds of changes. The reality is that we can either learn to deal with the changes and play the game, or we can quit the game altogether.

 

[taxidermist]

Ah hell, if I want to kill something, I'll just go out and kill it. Who needs a permit to do that? After all, rules, regs and laws are just guidelines. 🤷‍♂️

 

[taxidermist]

If you remember, I've been discussing maybe giving it up in the near future. A few people told me to try hunting different ways. I ended up buying a 10x10 Kodiak tent and have started having a roadside base camp. I really enjoyed my new tent and camp this year. I think the days of backcountry backpack hunting is coming to an end. I also scouted less this year than I have in the past 30 years.

That's "camping" in my book be it in a tent, trailer. Hunting is to me is when your in the woods looking for the critter your tag says you can harvest.

 

[johnnycake]

That's "camping" in my book be it in a tent, trailer. Hunting is to me is when your in the woods looking for the critter your tag says you can harvest.

Move to Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana then. Plenty of resident hunting opportunity either OTC or basically guaranteed draw.

 

[2full]

Ah hell, if I want to kill something, I'll just go out and kill it. Who needs a permit to do that? After all, rules, regs and laws are just guidelines. 🤷‍♂️

Just like stop signs, turn signals, and speed limits.

 

[BPturkeys]

Wait a minute, you're only 58? Hell I got underpants older than that. I'll tell you, there is nothing new or unusual about your desire to hunt and kill to slow as you get older. It normal, it's real and it don't make you a bad person. Stop worrying about it, Try and stay in as good of physical condition as you can and do what gives you enjoyment, given your physical condition. Don't remorse what you can't do, celebrate what you can do.
It's a plain simple fact, you're not much relevant any more. But who cares, it's your life, live it to the best you can. Embrace being an old coot, get happy, love a little more, hug your wife a little tighter and stop kissing your grand kids on the face, geez man, your breathe smells like an old man. Lighten up, let the kids drive, and enjoy that beautiful sunrise, cause really, it might be your last.

 

[taxidermist]

It has always amazed me at how many psychologist are on this site giving out a diagnosis of what someone is or isn't doing correct and how to "FIX" them. There may only be one person on this forum that actually knows me. Others might "think" they do, but not really.
I didn't know you had to be over 65 years of age to gain "CRED" and have that crystal ball in your back pocket. BP I'm happy for you that you have undies older than me. Maybe it's time to change them and get a new set?
I voiced my frustrations with the system (many times) and out of the woodwork comes the Dr. telling me how dare I, or, it's your fault and your doing it wrong, or something to that point. All I asked for was a way to see another side of the coin and maybe I could try that and see if it helps out. Many have done just that, I thank you for the positive assurance. But lately, I see individuals in what I would call an "attack mode". Don't know why either.
I think I'll just eliminate visiting this forum (just like Cowboy did from being ridiculed) and do what I have and always do....That's have fun in the outdoors and enjoy nature. Been doing that before I can remember.

 

[Vanilla]

[/QUOTE]

It has always amazed me at how many psychologist are on this site giving out a diagnosis of what someone is or isn't doing correct and how to "FIX" them.

Ummmmm….

So let's hear more of ways to repair a broken program or a broken dont give a chit anymore hunter.

Didn’t you openly ask for advice on how to “repair” (IE-fix) what you termed as a “broken don’t give a chit anymore hunter?” This was just 48 hours ago you asked for advice. I think you’ve got some great advice in this thread. It’s very weird you ask for advice and then lash out at the wanna be doctors you are targeting. Very weird.

I think I'll just eliminate visiting this forum

You definitely have been super negative on this forum for a while now. Like, SUPER negative…about everything. Maybe a break from here would also do you some good? Hope you can get some happiness back and return to the conversations here in the future.

 

[Wyo2ut]

Ok, now I will tell you how I really feel...quit acting like a whiny entitled teenager and recognize that you don't always get what you want.

 

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Aw, poor you. But wait, if you quit, I have a better chance at drawing a tag. So, please join the "I'm out" group.
I moved here over 30 years ago and have hunted just about everything I could possibly hunt that swims, crawls, creeps, walks, etc. The last two years have been fantantic deer seasons in the area I hunt. It has equaled what I observed in 1992 and I didn't think that opportunity would return when I killed my first mulie with a bow. I passed up more bucks the last two years, especially this year, than I ever had, including the years I grew up hunting in Michigan where I could legally kill 4 deer/year. Juding how old you are by your previous hunting dates, I would guess you and I are very similar ages. You already realize how much Utah has grown and many things have changed for those reasons. (i.e. loss of habitat, farming practices, etc.) so why belly-ache about it? Its not gonna come back. Instead, you should try to adapt and hunt other species, in different areas, etc. that I agrue, are thriving. One thing for sure, change is inevitable and it will happen regarless of what you want to think. I say: change with the changes, or become a disgruntled ex-hunter/fisherman. Its up to you. Anyway, my old dove fields are a subdivision, I actually killed two elk where there is a 7,000 sq foot house (yes, the exact spot where I gutted them is the new house's living room! I have the GPS locations!), where I killed my first phesant is a 50 yards from another group of houses, my favorit duck hunting slough has a brand new house built withing 20 yards of "my" old blind. I could go on, but you get the idea. I have searched out new places and enjoy them while I can. There are only so many days in our lives, so you got to live-it-up or sit and whine about it while not enjoying the outdoors. Once again, the choice is yours. (Do I sound mean/harsh with my response? Yes. However, I think back to my high school days where I had a "mean" teacher named Mr. Snider. We'd say, "Mr. Snider, give us a break today and not give us so much homework". Mr. Snider would respond, "The only break I'm gonna give you is at the base of your neck, so bend forward". That statement taught me a lot about life......suck it up, change with the changes, or sit on the sidelines and whine where you'll be miserable). I'm out.

 

[Dahlmer]

No advice or suggestions here. I wish you the best as you try to figure out how you want to move forward.

 

[Pokesmole]

I really enjoyed hearing some of your stories of hunts passed when we met up. I know things aren’t how they used to be. But I’ll be the one here that says stick with it. Even if it’s just to be the camp chef. I’m sure having to front the bill is frustrating. But If hunting once brought you joy then I’m sure the fire is still kindling somewhere deep within. Muzzy season is the best time to be in the woods. Bugling bulls to distract ya if the deer hunting isn’t what you hoped for and very mild weather usually until the last couple days. Get the tag! Stick it out!