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Contributors to this thread:Moose
From: standswittaknife
20-Aug-20
I’m blessed to be going on my 3rd diy moose in Alaska in a couple weeks. Sitting back tonight watching YouTube of diy moose makes me a lil sad that my ole man won’t do this because he honestly has missed his window of life to be able to do this.. I am lucky enough to be able to plan, book, and fulfill lifelong dreams to do this. I’m 41 years old and am warning all out there to do it. Do it now before it’s too late..
From: Smtn10PT
20-Aug-20
Great advice.
From: HDE
20-Aug-20
Sounds good anyway.
From: Chief 419
20-Aug-20
Couldn't agree more. Guys should be working on their bucket lists before retiring and growing old. Just because you check a box off your list doesn't mean you can't add another adventure to the bucket.
From: South Farm
20-Aug-20
Then there's the flip side of the coin...I've been there done that, went on a lot of those trips, and the older I get the more I realize I'm just as happy pursuing opportunities closer to home. In fact, I wish I had every dollar back I ever spent on out of state hunts and taxidermy bills. The thing with bucket lists is it's never enough, the more things you check off your list the more things you find to add to it, all the while in the back of your mind having to constantly contemplate your immortality. I'd rather poke a rod in the sand along a nearby river, or chase the critters that live out my back door and actually live in the moment than spend money and time crossing stuff off a list. That and I HATE flying;)
From: SBH
20-Aug-20
To each his own. There's value in both sides. Follow your dreams. They may not be the same for all of us. I hear what you're say standswithknife. Have a great hunt and post up for us when you're done. Good luck!
From: Chief 419
20-Aug-20
Good points South Farm and SBH. We're all wired a little differently.
From: Predeter
20-Aug-20
South Farm, you may be the only person I've ever heard express that point of view. Not the enjoying things close to home, lots of people prefer that, but wishing you hadn't taken the trips you did. Interesting.
From: HDE
20-Aug-20
I share South Farm's sentiments as well.
From: Glunt@work
20-Aug-20
I have been fortunate to be able to do some big trips. When a family came along priorities shifted and there are a lot fewer of those sort of trips. I stretched the budget a lot as a young single guy and have zero regrets. Focusing on more simple hunts closer to home now and my son like to hunt so I'm usually just working on getting him an opportunity. But, looking forward to doing a few more big trips when he gets older. My daughter is showing a bit of interest as well.
Although I don't regret the big trips one bit, I do get what South Farm is saying about finding the same satisfaction from hunts close to home. Luckily I live in CO and what is a quick weekend hunt for me could be a hunt guys dream about and plan for all year.
From: Grey Ghost
20-Aug-20
I haven't taken as many "big trips" as some of you guys, but I certainly don't regret taking any of them. I've found that my bucket list keeps evolving. I no longer dream about far-away hunts, like Africa for example, like I did 20 years ago. But 20 years ago, I never dreamt about tarpon fishing in the Marquesas Keys, like I do now. 20 years from now, I'm sure my list will be completely different, if I'm still around.
Matt
From: Bou'bound
20-Aug-20
Never count another man’s money and never set another man’s priorities
From: ESP
20-Aug-20
I guess it is what drives you. Do you love the process of a big adventure hunt or do you love the process of learning the land and creatures around were you live.
I live in one of the bigger buck counties in Ohio. I should be all about finding a 180” whitetail every year. But deer are just freezer fillers to me.
From: Ok...Russ
20-Aug-20
Good for you Danny - sure it will be a blast and you'll bring home another big bull. Like others have mentioned, it's all about priorities. I've got too many things going on 'at home' to consider a big adventure trip like this. My big trips now will be in spring or summer so can focus fall on hunting property close to home.
From: Buffalo1
20-Aug-20
I keep this clipping on the refrigerator door to remind me “there is a window of opportunity” in life- both physical and financial. We must take advantage of those opportunities.
From: Keith
20-Aug-20
Too late!
From: standswittaknife
20-Aug-20
Some good perspectives here. I am in the crowd that loves new adventure. I live smack dab in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and Elk during the rut is by far my favorite. I do not seem do hunt the same elk unites year after year. I love to draw new units throughout the state, as well as chase them in Wyoming with one of my best friends that lives in Pinedale. I love new places, views, and perspectives.
From: badbull
20-Aug-20
Standswittaknife, I think that you offer good advice and are very lucky that you live where you do. Rocky Mountain adventures cannot be beat in my opinion. My philosophy is that I try to look ahead to new adventures in the Rockies even at my advanced age. Planning bowhunts and fishing trips for me and family is what keeps me going these days. I have been taking my sons on biggame bowhunting trips every year for over 40 years ( been going to the Rockies bowhunting myself since 1969). One cannot quote a price as to the value of these trips. About the smartest decisions that l have ever made (except for choosing the right woman for my wife in case she happens to read this). My advice would be make plans and stick to them because "someday" usually turns into "no day" for most people. Unfortunately, Covid does put a dent in things this year. Good hunting to all you Bowsiters........ Badbull
From: Bowboy
20-Aug-20
I've lived in the west my whole life except when the military sent me to lovely Korea for a year. Living out west I've been able to hunt a lot of various animals and been pretty successful. I've also hunted AK and quite a few Canadian providences. A lot of people I know have said I'll fish and hunt when I fully retire, to only get a curve thrown there way preventing them from achieving there bucket list goals or desires. I have no regrets at my age since I'll be 60 come December. In the next decade I should have some more great adventures and goals to fufill.
From: Aubs8
20-Aug-20
For me, life is about stories...when I am done making stories, I know I am done living.
This CoVid thing has strengthened my resolve.
Take care. Mike
From: Adventurewriter
20-Aug-20
Do it you'll run out of health before you run out of money...many of these trips require physicality it will leave us all if you life fishing close to home...or hunting great but nothing to feed to soul like getting dropped into the middle of nowhere in AK.... the bucket is never full
From: Moosemania
20-Aug-20
I try to go on a trip of a lifetime every year. Sometimes twice a year if I can swing it. Whoever already said you will run out of health before money is spot on. I will hunt and fish local when I retire. Leave in 3 weeks for a solo caribou hunt in Alaska as long as I pass my covid test. I'd for sure be a millionaire if I didn't spend all my money traveling to hunt but I've had some fun. Wouldn't change a thing. Go while you can is all I can say.
From: Hessticles
20-Aug-20
What drives me is watching my old man, when I was a kid, work 18hrs a day 7 days a week. Owned a business and also worked for someone else. He ended up getting divorced twice and pretty much lost everything he worked for. He started over in his 50s and he always talks of his dreams to shoot a bull elk or moose. He is a rifle hunter though. Hes almost 60 and not sure he could handle the mountains anymore being a heavy smoker. This is what has drove me to bow hunt hard and work hard but work less, I do have a pretty decent job and a great wife that allows me to. I'm 36 and have 2 young girls that are interested in hunting when they get older. I want to make as many memories for myself and my family as I can, because you don't know if you'll ever have to start over or be 6 feet under at any time!
From: Dale06
20-Aug-20
Take care of yourself and you can hunt lots of places later in life. I’m 69.5, and going on another elk hunt in 30 days. I work out six days a week, so I can hunt where I want. Thinking about a Yukon moose Hunt next year, but not sure I want to drop $25,000 plus to do that.
From: Adventurewriter
20-Aug-20
Unless you spend money its only marks on a statement sheet or pieces of paper....soooo many people die WAAAAY too rich....you goal should be to die broke.....Ohhh i wan to leave some to my kids and they go...wow we have all this money lets go sheep hunting!!!!
From: HDE
20-Aug-20
There's a season for everything. I've reached that season where exotic hunting just ain't that important right now.
Maybe later it will be again.
From: BULELK1
21-Aug-20
Good for you Dave, sorry about your Dad though-------->
Well said SouthFarm
Good luck, Robb
From: Mule Power
21-Aug-20
My perspective... I love knowing my hunting area and the habits of the animals at hime like the back of my hand. But when I say home I mean my home away from home. To me my elk hunting area is home. I have my plan down to a science and I’m completely at home and comfortable in my surroundings. It’s my favorite place to be so much so that hunting at home in Pa has become boring to me. I don’t take days off of work to hunt at home anymore but each year I dedicate more and more of my vacation time to my elk hunts. I do other trips and I do get excited about them. No regrets about any of them. What is life if you don’t explore the planet at least a little bit?
From: Kevin Dill
21-Aug-20
Matter of priorities which are always affected by age and timing....not to mention available money. I will say this: The things which are important to you today may be of lesser importance to you later in life. The hardest part is knowing what's REALLY going to be important in your ledger of accomplishments.
From: standswittaknife
21-Aug-20
Adventurewriter... i can hear your kids now..”it’s what dad would have wanted”...!haha
From: carcus
21-Aug-20
Im givener till I cant, after I am done my elk hunt this year will be doing flying out for moose for the 3rd year in a row, Moose is my favorite hunt, I will go every year till I cant or i am dead
From: Jethro
21-Aug-20
Not judging South Farm, but I find it sad that anyone would look back on their trips/experiences and wish they had the money back and didn't do them. I've been fortunate to do some hunts from PA to AK. I look back on those memories and wouldn't trade them for anything.
From: wild1
21-Aug-20
Yep, we're all different. I've thought about this and share some of the same perspectives, experiences and philosophies as mentioned above. I've never regretted any of my adventures, or any of my mounts (except one, the expense did not meet my expectations). There are some hunts that I haven't done, and there are some hunts that I'll never do, but on the other hand, my family is well taken care of and one of my biggest dreams/hopes, is that my children will be able to go to college and not have to worry about their tuition and expenses (like I had to) so they can have a full and successful/rewarding college experience - I'm happy to report that this WILL happen. My other dream/goal was/is to retire with stress-free financial freedom and security - I'm also happy to report that this WILL also happen. So, all-in-all, the hard work and a few sacrifices, have been well worth it.
From: Rob in VT
21-Aug-20
Live life to the fullest as tomorrow is not guaranteed.
From: cnelk
21-Aug-20
"the bucket is never full"
My bucket is pretty full. Ive done a lot of shit over the years. Nothing is really on the 'Have to do list' or even on the 'Want to do list'.
From: Adventurewriter
21-Aug-20
CNELK I too have done tons of cool shit...but want to keep doing it...never liked the "idea" of a bucket list.... always dreamed of getting a Cape Buffalo..... actually got two want to get a third!!! creeping through the bush after one of those bad asses Shot a big Alaskan Moose years ago and the tag Gods here in Colorado smiled on me this year and hoping for another big -un...I never really have the feeling oh okay I did that I'm done...usually in regards to hunting I want to do it again...
From: HuntSeeker
26-Aug-20
I went on my first Elk hunt in 1999 in western Montana and I was 33 but had been on few out west hunts already. There was a guy in camp in his mid 50's who also was on his first Elk hunt and for that matter his first out of state hunt. The area we were hunting was very physically challenging and I will always remember coming back to camp the first night after an exhausting hunt and that mid 50's man was putting his stuff in his car to go home and he was greatly depressed. I went over with my hunting buddy to talk to him to see what was the matter. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at both of us and softly said "boy's don't waste time like I did working and saving for a hunting trip that is your dream only to get there late when you can't physically do it anymore! Keep going every year." He had a dream hunt and saved for years and finally felt comfortable to do a hunt but his body was not up to the challenge. That has stuck with me these last 21 years and I have done many hunts inside and outside my state. I am now that mid 50's dude with bad knees that need to be replaced and at this point some hunts are not in the cards and if I had saved and waited there are so many hunts and memories I could not be able to make now that I already did. Money saved is important but one thing that can not be re-created that I know of is time. I have a trophy room full of animals, journals full of my own writings about my adventures and scrap books full of pictures of my adventures. I would not trade any of that for the money I spent. I work and make money to do the things I love so if I do not do the things I love what will the money bring me.
From: pointingdogs
26-Aug-20
Just hit 62. Lots of points built up.... yet age is catching up to me fast. Time to cash them all in.
From: Jasper
26-Aug-20
Danny’s not trying to do that Bou IMO. He’s just throwing out some good advice that’s applicable to many and I couldn’t agree more. Reminds me of my favorite Mark Twain quote: “20 years from now you’ll be more disappointed in the things you didn’t do than the things you did do” So true! God bless....
From: loesshillsarcher
26-Aug-20
I believed I crawled through my window. It was full of broken glass and I have lots of scars and feel crippled as a result but have a lil left in me.
From: B2K
26-Aug-20
I'm glad I went when I did (twice) because the price has more than doubled!
I live by the premise that if an opportunity may result in a picture that would likely end up being displayed at my funeral, it's an opportunity worth going on.
From: Casekiska
26-Aug-20
standswithaknife - very good advice to share with guys "in the window." Here's my story, I'm 75 and have been bowhunting since I was a kid. This fall will be my 64 th. bow season chasing deer. I have been around the block many times but my "block" has been mostly Wisconsin...I have hunted Ontario for black bear a few times and Colorado for elk only once. I wish now I would have done things differently and made more trips out west, to Canada, and to Alaska. I could have found a way to manage and afford them, but I did not. Shame on me! Today guys routinely go on hunting trips to far off places and it is commonplace,...not so in my day. A trip out of state or out of country back then was for many quite the thing and relatively few actually made those trips. Today it is different and it is easier (but costlier),...I sure wish I would have done more of it! Many missed opportunities. To late to go back now and try,...don't you be one of the guys who will think or feel this when you are in your seventies - GO NOW WHILE YOU CAN, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! GET OFF YOUR BACKSIDE AND DO IT!
From: KY EyeBow
26-Aug-20
^^^^^
From: RD in WI
26-Aug-20
I am motivated mostly by a good and affordable challenge and the fine table fair that can result from the hunt. If the getting the tag is too much of a hassle - or unnecessarily expensive (in my view) - or the hunting area is flush with other hunters - that "adventure" is not for me. I'll sit on my money and spend it on some other venture. I don't fault the person who does adventure hunting - it is likely a blast for them. To each their own.
From: greenmountain
26-Aug-20
The last few years have been tough physically. I am so glad I had some adventures out of state. I was lucky enough to be invited to a hunt in Iowa for the shotgun season I went with two close friends and the hunt was fun. We took deer and flew home. A few years later I was invited to hunt roe deer in Germany. The experiences were great but they don't hold a candle to hunting near home with lifelong friends. Lately I have had the great honor and thrill of hunting with new folks. As my need to make a kill declines my desire to get new folks the opportunity to make memories has become as important. I had great mentors and I want to be remembered the same way. It is all good.
From: Kerrbow
28-Aug-20
Leave in 3 days for a caribou hunt in Alaska, my first Alaska hunt. Just turned 72 a month ago and headed to the tundra. I have lots of aches and pains but bringing Aleve for that, lol. It is the adventure that has me excited since I started reading Outdoor Life 60 years ago and Jack O'connor's stories. This time I am getting to live my own story instead of reading about someone else's story.
From: carcus
28-Aug-20
Im 48 and will do a moose hunt till i cant, my favorite hunt by far
From: Jasper
29-Aug-20
Good luck Kerr!
From: Kerrbow
29-Aug-20
Thanks Jasper, like a kid at Christmas I am.
From: DConcrete
29-Aug-20
You won’t regret the things you did 20 years ago. You’ll regret the things you didn’t.
Money is necessary but it’s only money. Work hard, make smart decisions, and you can have more of what you’ve spent. I haven’t found the mortuary that has the hearses with the luggage racks yet. And I haven’t seen a value it taking a bank statement to the grave.
