Retirement Effect Passion for Hunting?
Whitetail Deer
Assuming that retirement gives you more time for hunting.
How has retirement effected (more, less or the same) your passion for hunting?
It's the same,I go more than I ever did.
It has affected when I go hunt vs “ it’s my only time off so I have go hunting”!
I now pick my best weather and hunting condition times. I don’t have to hunt in rain or cold windy conditions. If I want to sleep in that’s ok too. I don’t hunt weekends- I avoid other people pressure in the woods ( normally hunt Tue- noon Friday, to avoid other hunters).
If I book a hunt, I try to hunt weekdays rather than weekends to avoid crowds.
Since retiring, I’ve also learned when to avoid crowds at Walmart, grocery store, interstate traffic and best time for dr. appts.
Buffalo 1 proved that at least some of us get smarter as we get older. I do much the same if I'm hunting where others hunt. If I'm hunting my properties, I go when I want to, not when I have to.
I simply never hunt when the wind is not in my favor. With four different places to hunt, one of them almost always has favorable wind. If not, I stay home.
I will be able to say for sure in 2 years and 8 months. I don't anticipate it will put a damper on my desire to hunt. Instead of hurried weekend trips I intend on making week long or more trips. Maybe even a month at a time.
Half way through my 4th year since retiring. I can't say I've been hunting more. I've also never been so busy, enjoying all those other things there wasn't time for between work and hunting. Life is a lot more relaxed and enjoyable. Now I hunt when I want, instead of when work dictated.
I would agree with many of the comments previously posted....and I highly recommend it!!
Long way from retiring but if I was I could actually attempt for a trophy buck instead of taking whatever passes by due to work and lack of time out in the field. I could also not have to debate between birds with the dog or go for deer. I doubt I will get bored retired!
Every day is Saturday. It will be 10 years (retired at age 55) for me in October. I average around 100 days bow hunting each year. When I was working I averaged around 50 days per year.
Many of my original bow hunting buds are retired from hunting for physical, emotional or second wife reasons. Very sad but thank goodness the Bowsite and P&Y Club has provided me amazing friends and opportunities.
No debt is more important that lots of money. Health is all that matters. Only fear is being left on the porch when I can’t go any more:)
Charlie X 2. Similar feelings, and I retired at 56 in CO, but went back to work for 5 more years up in BC. Can't hunt all of it but fun to try.
Retired 16 year's now and I find that I just devote longer a time period, early October, to late November, without leaving camp.
Being retired is a tough job, no paid vacation's, no paid time off no certain place to be unless you schedule it. Putting off what could be done to day until tomorrow.
YEP. every day is a Saturday, a tough, tough job.
:^}
Yep, what others said. I still hunt hard and often but don't feel compelled to push it if the weather is awful (like today in turkey camp) or if I need a morning or evening to reset mentally or physically.
But I think the biggest positive is that I don't think about work stuff when I'm hunting now. Before I was in an intense career and would often have to find cell service for con-calls, or hunt where I had connectivity in camp. Sometimes jump on a plane for a day in the middle of a hunt. Now I lose track of what day it is and it doesn't matter!
I hope we still have hunting when I get to find out in 20 years!
X2 Charlie.... I'm gonna keep doing this til I physically can't anymore... then I'll hunt whitetails and turkeys... Ed F
Retirement-not at all. Age, dang skippy Little Beaver.
When you hunt for a living, when it is your job, all retirement does is let you sleep in on rainy days.
Enjoy the liberty to hunt on the good days and play with the G-kids on weekends. I believe you are going to find, killing something is not nearly as important as it once was. Just remember, you have signed no contract that says, "This is your only day to hunt, you have to be miserable." If your butt hurts or it is cold and windy, go home. There is tomorrow and you don't have to go to work.
Oh, and leave your cell phone on off and use for emergencies, (yours,) only.
When I was young, My mom use to say "you don't have anything, if you don't have your health." She said that all through growing up and going on to school. At the time I thought it didn't apply to me. My gosh....that lady was so smart. Can't hunt without your health. Like many of us are now realizing. I tell my kids...I will keep climbing trees as long as I can...Like Charlie says, " i don't want to be left on the porch"!
I tend to avoid garbage weather since I have lots of time. I also like states like WY, MT, and SD where I can go for extended periods and if I want to stay longer I can. Since my thermostat seems to be going to the "can't get warm" side I like the early hunts.
I've been retired a long time now and it's the knees, hips and lower back that seem to determine what I'm going to do.
I'm 6 weeks into retirement, so this fall will be my "first".
But, I know a couple guys have warned me that it can turn into a job, and get burned out.
I doubt that will be an issue with me, but for the last few years I hunt on my terms anyway. If I feel like going, I will...if not, I won't. The BIG advantage I foresee is as others said, not needing to compact my hunting into a week's vacation. I'm really looking forward to hunting the entire rut.
Retirement in regards to hunting is great.Pick your days ,times and spots.We hunt all private,I do most of my hunting solo during the week and leave the week-ends to the kids and grandkids(hot rut may get me out).Carry a cell phone and try to shoot them where I don't have to drag by hand. I have gotten a lot more choosy the caliber of deer I shoot also.
Reading this on my last day of work, soon to find out about this retirement thing. I have 4 hours left of working 47 years, that’s enough.
Leave In few days for New Mexico Gembox hunt then on to old Mexico for some sun and sand. When I arrive back I hope to see the mailbox full of LE tags for this fall.
Huntcell, you'll have a blast after you let go and settle in. Time moves slower. Your blood pressure will drop. Things that mattered a lot will no longer be considerations after tomorrow. Go forth and live life - you earned it!
Jaq, is right on the money. I retired 12 years ago at 55 and haven't looked back. Only thing I miss is the paycheck I got then. My first year I retired I whitetail hunted 88 days and shot the smallest buck I'd seen all season on the last day and last hour of hunting time. I did other hunts too though. Being retired is great, but having your health is more important. My hunting has only slowed when my wife's health dictated it. She hasn't been as fortune as me but, it is looking better now. Just remember you don't have an expiration date on your body so enjoy it NOW!
Ground hunter...you're spot on about the physical activity! I grew up working with The Greatest Generation, my dad included, and these guys grew up under tough circumstances, in hard times, and knew only work.
I can't count the number of these great guys who retired, sat around, and died within a year. All they knew was work...they had no plan on what to do upon retirement.
I was an athlete until the knees went south around 55. Coached and refereed hockey for 34 years, caught fast-pitch softball til 40...that's when the knees started barking...lol.
Anyway, now that I've hung up the welding hood, I weight train every other day, core train with resistance bands 3 days a week, shoot trad archery, and play a LOT of golf. Got a walking membership at a local course and walk 9 holes at least 5 days a week.
Gotta keep moving!
I would say the passion is the same but I hunt way more now than I did before I retired ! I'm in Montana now chasing turks and just left Nebraska and Kansas to get here ! I also just found out i got a montana mule deer tag so be back in the fall.
I used to burn out on hunting when I was working, but don't now that I'm retired. When I worked I would hunt for 10 days straight, and I was ready to go home at the end of the ten days of hiking up and down mountains. Now I bow-hunt for 6 weeks, but take breaks all through the 6 weeks, and go to lots of different spots to hunt. The other good thing about being retired, is all of the time that you get to scout before season.
It hasn't change my hunting desire very much at all.
I pretty much hunted most all fall before retirement ( my tags or helping some one else) and I am looking at the basically same year in--year out, 2-3 states, 2-3 tags as a non-ressy ( I have already drawn Wyo and Az. elk tags) and of course my home state elk & mule deer tags.
Enjoy it all fella's
#LovinLife
Robb
I tried retirement hunting but much preferred to work and earn income, was more exciting for me. Hope to pay for the grandkids colleges, my new challenge.
Enjoy your retirement, fellas! I'm probably 5 years out but, fortunately, have a job I enjoy. Just wish I had more vacation.
"I hope we still have hunting when I get to find out in 20 years!"
I hope we still have retirement in 20 years! (Actually 9, but who's counting;))
Retirement ended up killing my desire a lot. I had too much time to hunt and it wasn't a treat anymore. Then again, I am also a lot older and that might also have a lot to do with it.
I have about 4yrs to go until my second retirement. I'd like to retire now but I'll get dinged on my pension. Retiring won't make me lose my desire to hunt. I'll probably spend more time hunting since it's my only real hobby.
Soon to find out.....I retired effective this past Wednesday. Have a lot of hunting trips already planned.
BOHNTR: Welcome to the brotherhood:) Congrats!
Congrats to you BOHNTR, welcome aboard.
My experience.....the last 5 years of my military career I was stationed inside the Beltway in Wash DC. Had a 52 mile RT drive everyday. Got up at 3 in the morning to drive to work, worked out in the gym, sat in a tiny cubicle in the HQ bldg, left at noon to drive back home and repeated the cycle every week. Great job, piss-poor location. I hunted alot as Maryland's seasons are long and the deer are plentiful. About my 3rd or 4th year I started to notice I was just going thru the motions when it came to hunting....get off work, camo up, sit in stand, come back home, go to bed, get up at 3, got to work, come home, repeat cycle. This was almost a daily occurrence during hunting season that ran from Sept to the end of Jan. I was using sitting in the woods as an escape from life and work. Often times I would just watch the animals walk by, no desire to shoot anything....too pooped out. The wife would often give me some jazz about hunting too much. The last year there I started to realize I was using "hunting" for the wrong reasons....I was burned out on hunting. I remember talking to guys on the Maryland Whitetails website about it. Some of those guys were in the same burned out rut called life and too much hunting.
Before I retired, I didn't have that rabid desire to hunt as much as possible post-retirement. However since I retired 7 years ago, the correct light bulb came on and I have learned to pace my hunting activities to get more enjoyment out of the process.....the small details, the constant learning, going places, enjoying the successes and failures, etc. I now enjoy the pace and have a better appreciation for the privilege and opportunity to hunt when and where I want with out deadlines or work obligations. Plus the wife of 36 years who is now getting into hunting and guns is cool.
So for you guys that are in a high stress, fast paced lifestyle and close to retirement....my humble recommendation is to step back a bit, (1) make sure you are hunting for the right reasons, (2) manage your post-retirement expectations, (3) get the wife and kids involved in the outdoors and (4) pace yourself to avoid flaming out.
Congrats, Roy! You'll love it. Now maybe you can finally kill a big mule deer after all these years of trying! ;-)
Could have went last December, but stuck around to get a new program off the ground. My bride can retire late next year and so will I. Looking forward to it daily.
Retirement has allowed me to hunt more if I wanted to. Gkids and family have taken up the 'extra time' I thought I would have. Aging has started to seriously restrict what I can do. A past of hard, physical labor has come home to roost. Have deer, turkey, quail, squirrels right in the back yard....only shoot the coyotes!
Good for you BHNTR!!
It takes a while for it to sink in, at first it was like I was on a long vacation time off but now------------>
It is Great
#LovinLife
Robb
I retired at 60 (16 years now). My Working years I'm guessing 3 weeks vacation + another 40-50 hours local bowhunting. Retired I try & make 1 out of state bowhunt with longtime friends for something & another trip with Son & G-sons for Hogs in the off season. I don't get to excited for Deer at home until last week of Oct & then I miss very few afternoons (I rarely morning hunt anymore) up until Gun season (I hunt weekdays & leave the weekends for those that work). I no longer shoot Does & very selective on what my next Buck will be. If wind is near 30mph or down pouring rain, I stay home. Snow doesn't deter me nor cold weather unless it's stupid freezing. My ideal day is a slight breeze, mid 30s & bucks cruising for a Doe not quite ready yet (pictured).. My summers are spent competing as much as possible (Field, Target & 3-D) & fun things with G-kids & fishing too. Family IS #1 over everything.
It's the best job I've ever had!
I am turkey hunting and just learned I missed a Board meeting tonight because I forgot what WEEK it was.
That must mean I've "arrived".
I retired this past May 31st, and so far like'n it more and more every day.
I've had a few years in the past that while chasing elk I was to worried about what was happening at work to be "in the game".
This past September - waking up in the tent, it was all about the elk and a big smile EVERY MORNING!
Being retired I hunt when I want. I hunt more and enjoy it more. But being retired and getting old I know it will end someday.
On another note of being retired my friend retired after 30 yrs in the Marines. Same age L am with health issues. On top of that at Christmas get together his teenage grandson asked grandpa " how much money am I going to get when you die"? "Not a damn cent because have to work for what you have". The kid sure didn't understand that very well.
Have had one simple message to my kids/grandkids....nothing will be coming your way! You will earn your way as I have or not at all. If I go first what the wife does with it will be of no concern to me.
I cannot wait to contribute to this thread some day. Lol. Will be awhile. ugh
Well guys, I am on the count down. 156 workdays left. That will take me to May of 2019. I work at the university. That means I have 75 days in fall semester, then 75 days in the spring. I will be 62. Looking for the day.
I have cherished my retirement as we all should. I sadly look back & remember friends & family that passed in their early years (Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s) for so many unforeseen reasons. Retirement is a gift many never receive. We have been blessed.
Wasn't going to respond to this one but what the heck. I planned well and retired at 50. Thought I would not touch retirement and continue doing what I was doing on my own , to see if I could make enough to not touch retirement. Well it worked out well. Hunt when I want and work too. I made a small electric motor repair shop in my pole barn. Work 75% for farmers. Got to servicing grain dryers. That is a fall thing , so I started doing a preseason service in the summer. The farmers i work for have this service or i don't service them in the fall. That service eliminates 95% of fall calls. Work 2-3 days a week from May to September. I still hunt all i want. Go to cabin in Michigan , to on my spring turkey and bear hunt s. I look forward to working and to playing . My school teacher wife is retiring next spring and helps me during the summer . Best of both worlds . I did find i get a little soft during the winter so next winter will work out 3 mornings a week. Still enjoy working and hunting at 62. Will probably completely retire in a couple years. Have my 99 year old Mom to check on so this works , for now.
Since retiring I hunt more than ever and enjoy it more. I can hunt weekday mornings now and I try to plan any other activities for the weekends. 2 other guys hunt the same property that I do and only on the weekends, so if I have something else to do I let them have the woods to themselves.
I retired when I was 62 (that was 24 yrs ago) and I still hunt all I can, at 86 I've slowed down a bit and have lowered the bow to 50lbs. Right now I'm waiting to see if I get a tag for Kansas again. Still go to 3D shoots nearly every weekend, Right now my 4 sons and grandson are turkey hunting, only one so far.
This coming fall is the last fall I'll have to use vacation time to go hunting.
I can retire Feb. 1, 2019 but I think I'll work until May 15 because that's my work anniversary and I'll get a nice bonus.
I can't imagine losing the passion and I look forward to trying to cash in my AZ and UT elk points as well as deer points in CO and UT. Also the thought of being able hunt Iowa the entire season sounds amazing.
I retired at 55, hunt almost as much as I used to. My brother who I hunted with quite a bit moved to Florida so I lost that hunting buddy. Have a few Co elk points but really no desire to go now.
Guys, do not be like a friend of mine, he retired and spends most of the time checking cameras and doing other things where he has/had permission to hunt. Several landowners got tired of him being on their land year round and gave him the boot.
I retired last year. We sold the big house and downsized and moved to the mountains. My wife and I have never been happier. The biggest change for me is I can now take scouting trips to my out of state hunts. I drew a NV Elk tag last year and was able to spend a week scouting a month before my hunt. I drew an AZ Archery Elk tag this year and just got back from shed hunting the unit and plan to go a week early and spend as much time as it takes during the hunt. I am fortunate to start drawing my banked points at the right time (sitting on 15 in Utah).
Happy for you guys!!
Exciting for sure
#LovinLife
Robb
