Too late to start?

[BASE424]

One of the most entertaining threads I've ever seen on here. Lots of advice. Some of it wise, some not so wise, some intentionally humorous and some maybe not so intentional.
Nobody can know your situation as well as you, but I think it's better to do something like this and find out it's not your cup of tea (an unlikely outcome) than to not do it and regret it - and possibly even feel resentful towards your wife for preventing you from doing it.

If you haven't done it already, there's only one day left now to get that tag!
or.....
Not sure how close you are to the friend that invited you deer hunting, but if I were you, I might dog him this fall and end up in CO with Base424!!

Don't know him at all, but a man wanting to hunt shouldn't be denied. I will help him if he wants.

 

[DCAN]

Do what you want to do while you still can. I'm 60 and only regret what I didn't do when I still could. 6 knee surgeries, one back surgery later, I don't dive into canyons like I used to. But I still go and give it my best. If the wife can't respect your interests and goals, too FN bad. If you aren't telling her how to live, why can she do it to you? This issue hits home with me. I watched a family member give up everything he loved due to a controlling wife.
The safety aspect is a non-starter, IMO. I've hunted my whole life. The closest I've come to being shot was at work, not hunting. The only time I've ever been cut with a knife, which I wasn't holding, was by an x-wife. So, GO FOR IT !!!!

 

[Snowboy]

I have been married for 35+ yrs. I have never hunted anything but fish & only then a few times a year with 3 fishing buddies. Now my fishing buddies have either retired & moved away or have plain retired. I am the last one working & a co-worker whom i have known & worked with for 25 yrs has invited me Deer Hunting for several years now. I want to go, the deadline for getting tags is in 2 days. This fall i will be 60 yr old. I did not bring it up to my wife before because i know how she feels about hunters......because her dad & uncles hunted & she grew up & did not appreciate their demeanor. Last night i told her i wanted to go this fall, She gave every reason under the sun ranging from , "This is not you" to , "i don't want the mess in the house, i will not eat deer meat, Your 60 yrs old, you have a bad back, you could get shot. You are not going to do this. You did not grow up this way"...…..My question is , How do i get thru to her? I do not want to be insensitive but is hunting worth pursuing at my age? I feel i would regret it if i didn't at least try. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

This is not about her it is something you want to try so just do it. Your experience will be what you make it. At 60 years old you should not be talked into something that you can't control. If she loves you she will trust you to make your own mind up. (Caution she might enjoy the time away from you)

 

[crystalgayleguy]

I grew up hunting and fishing in2015 I got cancer the cure is worst then the disease my legs hurt so bad times it's hard to walk my Allergies are worst so I don't hunt any more my stamina is gone so if I were you I would go because you might one day end up like me like I was said marriage is like a deck of cards at first its two hearts and a diamond by the end you need a club and a spade

 

[Tidus56]

Well James, what do you think? We all gave you our opinions and I for one am really looking forward to the knowledge that you are going hunting. I will do you one better and invite you to Pagosa Springs, Colorado for an elk hunt. I will take you to our area we hunt, you carry your gun and ammunition and I will carry the rest. My buddy will more than likely pack out your elk with his pack horses depending how far in we are. I don't think you're going to get a better offer than this. Open offer to get you out there...

Man I love Pagosa area! That's a nice invite, way to be a good dude @BASE424

 

[Mike Matteson]

Go hunting you only live once. You don't have to keep the meat, if you get one.

 

[Buck1970]

Sorry James, but this may not the the best place to ask for marital advice.
However, you are to be commended for being concerned for your wife's feelings. That could explain 30+ with the same woman. I'm with mine 25 today actually.
So my $.02 worth, unless she says she will divorce you, go hunting. Explain what it means and that you want to try. Who knows, you may not like it, but more than likely you will fall in love.
Try and involve her and change her mind from her bad experiences in the past. Texas has great hunting opportunity, not sure what part your are from, but you don't have to travel too far anywhere for decent public hunting. Also, I'd encourage you both to take a the 6 hour hunter education course, not the online version, but go to the course together. It might help rid her of some of her negative feelings and make you a little more confident in the field.
Good luck and I'll take the bet, I know you will be out there this fall. It's truly amazing and rewarding whether or not you harvest an animal.

 

[Joefrazell]

Tell her it's not about the hunting and killing of an animal but about the experience and then ask her if there's something that she would like to do, maybe she could go see a friend or relative during the same time. Or if she has any interests in doing something that she hasn't gotten to do. Just let her know how much it would mean to you if she would be ok with it. Obviously you have the respect for her to not go unless she's on board. Good man. She'll come around.

 

[BASE424]

Can we all try to get James to give me a call? I've sent him my info.

 

[judgebill]

James, Lots of good, and some not-so-good advice here. Mostly we're people who enjoy shooting and hunting. Note (and tell your wife) it's called "hunting", not "killing". The true nature of the sport is the planning, the preparation and the overall experience of the hunt, including the camaraderie of the other hunters, the excitement of looking and the satisfaction of making a clean kill. Then, of course, for most of us there is the joy of cooking a meal with the game we have harvested ourselves. Man is a carnivore and a hunting animal, we are biologically inclined to the hunt. Society, at least some societies, try to downplay that biological destiny but our bodies, with binocular vision (depth perception) and prehensile hands (to grasp clubs, and guns) and canine teeth (to tear meat from the bone) and molars (to grind not just grains but also meat) all suggest we continue to thrive on meat. Having said all that there is still an emotional component involved and if your wife is not convinced of your interests about all you can do is work with her, accept her visions of how life should be lived and ask her to accept the same thing with you. Marriage, as we know, is a mutual affair with two people required to survive. Good luck and blessings to you in your time of need.

 

[BirdDog50]

Hello James, lots of advice probably more than what you wanted when you ask the question. Guess I'm very blessed...married 47yrs, grew up shooting, hunting and fishing... I'm a hopeless outdoor romantic. You should read some great books( look up authors; Corry Ford, Havulah Babcock, Archibald Rutledge etc) watch some videos as another member already suggested. It's a lot about the experience whether you're successful or not. I won't repeat a lot of what's been offered already. I fly fish, bird hunt ( w/ setters), elk ,deer and antelope with gun and bow etc... any chance I can - either backpack in or we ride horses in the backcountry... an old fly fisherman summed it up pretty well and it applies to hunting equally. Have attached it here Testament of a fly fisherman by John voelker( he was a Supreme Court judge in Michigan's UP)...see attachment

 

[DJ Fergus]

I have been married for 35+ yrs. I have never hunted anything but fish & only then a few times a year with 3 fishing buddies. Now my fishing buddies have either retired & moved away or have plain retired. I am the last one working & a co-worker whom i have known & worked with for 25 yrs has invited me Deer Hunting for several years now. I want to go, the deadline for getting tags is in 2 days. This fall i will be 60 yr old. I did not bring it up to my wife before because i know how she feels about hunters......because her dad & uncles hunted & she grew up & did not appreciate their demeanor. Last night i told her i wanted to go this fall, She gave every reason under the sun ranging from , "This is not you" to , "i don't want the mess in the house, i will not eat deer meat, Your 60 yrs old, you have a bad back, you could get shot. You are not going to do this. You did not grow up this way"...…..My question is , How do i get thru to her? I do not want to be insensitive but is hunting worth pursuing at my age? I feel i would regret it if i didn't at least try. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I feel bad for you bud. Is she that way about everything you want to do or just hunting? It sounds like she's got a chip on her shoulder about her family's hunting.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Start off with in your means...

Keep it simple and enjoy what works out...

Many of us started with worn out hand me downs,,, if you enjoy it,,, step up the game plan from there...

Being in the moment is well worth the effort one would think,,, if you really want to give it a go...

Im sure glad i took up rifle hunting for the 3rd time...

Sitting in the forest is the best,,, following tracks and getting cross threaded is a must... ha...

Nothing to loose and a whole lot to gain since a bad day hunting is better than any day at work...

Cheers from Don

 

[villagelightsmith]

Sometimes a man has just got to be allowed to be a man.
I've been married to a woman who won't hunt for 37 years, but she always wants to go along. She sees far more animals than I do, and she's as good if not a better shot ... she just doesn't want to hunt anything. Yes, she will help dress, skin, and pack it out. What a lady!