Too late to start?

[KyCarl]

I'm 67 and still pop a couple every year. I stand hunt hiking hill and dale just wears me out but I can sit all day long!
I'm on my 2nd wife she's cool about it just want's to know where I'm going just in case.
.

 

[Lethal_Chica]

Thank you so much for a view from a woman's perspective. Your reply is inspiring as your photo, Great Shot!.....Yes, Carpe diem!!!

James, you are welcome. My guess if your wife loves you so much she is afraid that some type of accident while hunting might end your time together. She loves you and does not want to lose you. A gentle reminder that we don't live in a bubble might help. Greater chance of dying of a heart attack or vehicle collision. Carpe Diem! Let me know how the hunting goes! Best, Victoria

 

[JMW67]

As I have stated before I am very lucky the only time she gets upset is when the truck is leaving and she is not in it she will pout like hell for about three days before that, I hate when it happens but she is not always able to make every hunt so a lot of my time is spent scouting for her, as it excites me more for her to get the animal then it ever would for me to take it

 

[SteelBanger]

From a woman's perspective...... Do yourself a favor and go hunt with your buddies. Your wife loves you and will continue to love you. Be respectful, but also live your life. We get one shot at this life, don't regret not doing something because someone told you that you cannot, even if it is your wife. Take if from the woman that is writing this and who has cheated death for 8+ years now with my best friend's kidney keeping me alive. In the last 8 years I have lived a lifetime to many.... I have hunted elk off horseback in the backcountry, shot gators in Florida, killed a monster bull elk (avatar photo) in Utah, hunted antelope, white-tailed deer, waterfowl in the famed Arkansas and Canada, and a bunch of other critters. I have traveled the world, lived, loved, drank and laughed... I would not change a thing. You cannot do any of this Epic stuff from the couch or the safety of your home. So go do it. Live a grand life full of adventures and no regrets. Maybe try getting your wife to go on some type of outdoor adventure.. perhaps a great fishing trip.

If I played it safe and listed to people tell me the things I could not do, I never would have seen the view of the picture below from the back of the horse I was on at 13K feet and never would have had the opportunity to take this photos... No regrets.... life is meant to be lived. CARPE DIEM!

View attachment 194998

Incredible photo, looks like a painting! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Country Bumpkin]

It is ABSOLUTELY worth the effort.

While we aren't as far along in our life experiences as you are, I introduced a coworker to hunting this last year. His wife had all of the same concerns (not going to eat it, didn't want to see it, fear for his safety, "this isn't who we/you are", how much is this going to cost, how long are you going, you are going to get lost...... he heard it all and I helped him with informative replies to each line of questioning. We started well in advance, with family discussions and conditioning hikes starting in February (in the stairs at work), shooting practice starting in May, etc. we got his first animal last April (a jake Turkey). We made a point of looking up the best recipe we could find (MeatEater) so that his family would truly enjoy their inaugural taste of wild game meat. Begrudgingly.... they loved it!

He gained a little bit of rope and got clearance to go on a few deer hunts last fall. We went out for a 3-day mule deer hunt and had a great adventure (several close calls). He went on a semi-guided hunt in Montana shortly after that and got his first big game animal. Again, he went to great lengths to learn the art of cooking wild game and his family slowly came around (meal by meal). They have made a complete transformation and she has now instructed him that it's his job to fill the freezer again.

it's possible, but it's a very long and delicate series of discussions. Keep in mind, his wife grew up thinking very poorly of hunters and was of the absolute belief that wild game tasted horrid (just like your wife). He took the patient and communicative approach, in addition to learning the ropes in the kitchen, and it paid off. He gets the multi-level satisfaction of hunting and eating what he kills, plus the newfound purpose and connection to the mountains, she spends less time in the kitchen and has come to see her husband as more of a provider than ever before.

take the long road and find the way to communicate the importance of why you want to do this. Listen to the MeatEater and Hunting Collective podcasts, they are very eloquent in their argument "for hunting", it might help you form your own justification.

 

[Bubbs398]

I did my first big game hunt 3 years ago, and I was 68 at the time. My picture shows the results. I had the meat shipped home and got here to try it. She will eat it but does not really enjoy it. I applied for a Moose permit in Maine and she said I need to Donate most if not all to Maine as they are looking " Hunters looking to help area food kitchens and pantries can donate game in order to combat hunger in Maine. Hunters for the Hungry is a cooperative program in Maine sponsored by Maine Sportsmen and Sportswomen who care about the hungry, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, and the Maine Department. Good luck. Perhaps if you use this reasoning she might let you go.

Good luck

Those non-res Maine Moose tags are pretty rare, I've been applying for years... I did draw once back in the mid-90's as a resident though.

 

[slv hunter]

During hunting season my wife elbows me if my alarm goes for more than a second and says get up and go get us some meat. We've been married 38 years, one of the reasons is we both respect each other and give each other the freedom to explore new things in life. Good luck and I usually have a little room in the freezer if you get one I would be able to help and take it .

 

[Muddyboots]

James B: So I have one question, are you glad you hit "post thread"?

 

[Country Bumpkin]

James,
You've asked two questions. Let's take the easy one first: Is it too late to start hunting? If you ain't dead it's not too late. Most of the hunters I know or knew hunted for 3 reasons: the time spent in nature, the people they spent that time in nature with, and the satisfaction of being involved in a primal act that goes all the way back to pre-historic humanity. The order of importance varies by individual character, and even from one event to the next for each individual. Some hunts we remember fondly for what we took home to eat, some for what we took home to cherish in our memories. LRH members also tend to really enjoy the technical challenges of our chosen specialty, and all the gun stuff that goes into it (practice, tech, toys, etc.). You may find that hunting isn't your "cup of tea" or that it is the best thing since sliced bread, but you'll never know if you don't give it a whirl.
Now for the harder question. If your wife doesn't want you to do it, that is going to make life difficult no matter what. If her main objection is her perception of hunters as a stereotype, but she is willing to listen, I'd suggest an episode or two from Meateater, the hunting show put out by Steven Rinella. Especially one where he is taking a new hunter out for the first time (the are several, even a couple where he is taking two of the women that work in the production of the show hunting when they've decided to see what all the fuss is about. He talks a lot about hunting as conservation and management, but also puts a great deal of time into the eating part- all the way from trigger to table, as it were. Lots of good recipes on that show. If her concern is for your personal safety, statistically hunting is way low on the risk assessment scale, and while accidents do happen, they don't happen to hunters any more often than they do in transportation or industry or life in general. If she doesn't want to eat the meat, she doesn't have to, but my wife thought she didn't like venison when we got married either. That lasted until her first taste of my next deer. Now, if she is opposed just for the sake of being opposed, I really can't help you much there, but if you've been married for 35 years she can't be all bad and there is probably some hope to be had in a reasonable discussion of your needs.
Best of luck to you both, and I hope you can sort it out to your mutual satisfaction.
James M.

Best post of this thread.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I don't know what state you live in but many states like mine (Idaho) require a first time hunter to pass a hunters education course before you can purchase a hunting license so, better check your state's regulations.
Maybe it might be best for you to go along with your hunting acquaintance the first time with your camera instead of a rifle to see if you enjoy it before you delve deeper into it.
Hunting is the most enjoyable part of the experience, not necessarily the killing, because it becomes a lot of work to pack out meat and process it afterwards. But, I have never found a greater comadrie and friendship maker than I have in hunting. Hopefully, you will too.
My wife likes some types of wild game especially well after I learned that you don't cook it well done or try hiding it's flavor by smothering it in something else. Getting deer and antelope immediately boned makes the meat far more palatable. Hunters like her father probably were taught to age their venison when in actuality venison starts to bone sour as the meat cools. I couldn't believe how much I liked the taste of venison after I changed my old learned traits. I wonder why any spouse would impose their own hobby preferences on their mates. But, I do know a guy in my area that knits and crochets. Mmmmm.

 

[greengiant]

I have read your post and the many varied responses and since opinions are like @$$&@$#% and "Free", I think I will throw my experiences it the hat: I am age 77, married to the same woman 56 yrs. Over the past nine years I have battled a stroke, cancer twice, diabetes, contamination poisoning, and several serious surgeries due to the contaminated mesh being inserted into my body during hernia surgery, heart problems, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Add that to the fact I married an out of state city girl from a Non-Wildlife Appreciating Family, with a Very Controlling Mother and a Very Wimpy Father (Great Guy, just a Complete Whoosie and Miserable most of the time). My wife does not care at all for hunting, fishing, or eating fish or wild game of any type. I am not going to lie and say she did not start out complaining about my hunting, fishing & shooting activities, as well as, my independent nature. I don't tell her who she can be friends with or what activities she can participate in and it is for sure I am not going to allow her to control my honorable activities or friends. Most of my close friends are hunters and or fishermen and I cherish them nearly as much as my family. At my age, outside of my current family of wife, grown kids, and grandkids, there is nothing more important to me than my God and my circle of close friends, all of whom, hunt, fish, or target shoot with me. While I am much better today than for several of the past nine years, my faith, family, and friends have been what has kept me sane and motivated to stand up, fight, and keep going. When illness had me hospitalized or homebound, my Hunting, Fishing & Shooting Buddies would come to visit, and instead of telling me how sick I was or how bad I looked, they would joke about my laziness and for me to get up and do something with them. When homebound and too weak to drive, they would get me out, take me for a simple ride around, sometimes to and around the hunting club, or for a leisurely boat ride on the river just to enjoy the wildlife and beauty of nature. During the two seasons that I was too weak to hunt, they insisted I accompany them on our annual, away from home, professionally guided waterfowl hunt. They assisted me in every way, from carrying my gear, holding me up to get into and out of the boats & blinds, everything. Those two years I was too weak to shoulder my shotgun, much less shoot anything, but it was great just being with my friends, watching them shoot, congratulating them when they took a bird, ragging them when they missed and just being out in the wonders of God's Creation. Sorry to ramble so much, but, I simply want to emphasize to you; CLOSE FRIENDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, and INDIVIDUAL INDEPENDENCE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT! Remember, YOU are a grown man and HUSBAND, she is a grown woman and WIFE, NOT YOUR MOTHER! So go hunting with your friend and if you harvest anything, bring it home, cook, and eat it. Don't insist that she eat, but, do invite her to join you. I assume with 35 years of marriage under your belt, your kids should be grown and out on their own, so to reiterate, your wife is just that, your wife, not your mother! You each owe the other love, respect, and caring assistance, NOT OBEDIENCE!! I don't know if it will work for you, but IT DID AND DOES, for my grandfather, father, myself, my sons, and my close friends! May God Bless You and Good Luck!

 

[greengiant]

I don't know what state you live in but many states like mine (Idaho) require a first time hunter to pass a hunters education course before you can purchase a hunting license so, better check your state's regulations.
Maybe it might be best for you to go along with your hunting acquaintance the first time with your camera instead of a rifle to see if you enjoy it before you delve deeper into it.
Hunting is the most enjoyable part of the experience, not necessarily the killing, because it becomes a lot of work to pack out meat and process it afterwards. But, I have never found a greater comadrie and friendship maker than I have in hunting. Hopefully, you will too.
My wife likes some types of wild game especially well after I learned that you don't cook it well done or try hiding it's flavor by smothering it in something else. Getting deer and antelope immediately boned makes the meat far more palatable. Hunters like her father probably were taught to age their venison when in actuality venison starts to bone sour as the meat cools. I couldn't believe how much I liked the taste of venison after I changed my old learned traits. I wonder why any spouse would impose their own hobby preferences on their mates. But, I do know a guy in my area that knits a crochets. Mmmmm.

I agree with you on the deboning unless you are able to field dress the animal within thirty minutes of the kill and the temperature is below 38 degrees and you can maintain the carcass at this temperature of below either from nature or via refrigeration. Having harvested Whitetails for the past seventy years and managed the largest whitetail combination dog & stand hunting club in our area for forty years, I have been exposed to the harvesting and processing of 100+ deer per year. If you can get the animal dressed within a thirty-minute time frame (club rule for a good many years now) it is best to hang him in cooler head removed, hide on, body cavity propped open at a temperature of 35-38 degrees for seven to ten days. Then remove the hide and butcher. Ribs, roast, hams, shoulders, even the loin roasts cook up with a better flavor bone-in. It depends on time and temperature. If it is not possible to meet the combination of time, temperature & hanging process, as well as, knowledgable skinning, butchering, and processing, Deboning is best.

 

[Sika Hunter]

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 was 52 when I started hunting and I started hunting on my own (with no hunting buddy). If you think you would like to give it a go then you should. That way you will know one way or the other.
By the way I now have a hunting buddy, and have been to parts of the country and seen places that I would not have seen with out hunting.
If you dont try you will find yourself wondering in the future.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I agree with you on the deboning unless you are able to field dress the animal within thirty minutes of the kill and the temperature is below 38 degrees and you can maintain the carcass at this temperature of below either from nature or via refrigeration. Having harvested Whitetails for the past seventy years and managed the largest whitetail combination dog & stand hunting club in our area for forty years, I have been exposed to the harvesting and processing of 100+ deer per year. If you can get the animal dressed within a thirty-minute time frame (club rule for a good many years now) it is best to hang him in cooler head removed, hide on, body cavity propped open at a temperature of 35-38 degrees for seven to ten days. Then remove the hide and butcher. Ribs, roast, hams, shoulders, even the loin roasts cook up with a better flavor bone-in. It depends on time and temperature. If it is not possible to meet the combination of time, temperature & hanging process, as well as, knowledgable skinning, butchering, and processing, Deboning is best.

I grew up in a mule deer area and didn't start shooting whitetail deer until 30 some odd years later. Mule deer are very fast to bone sour. Once I learned the gutless method of field dressing animals the bones were immediately removed and the meat was placed into coolers in bags and covered with ice. It was during this time I learned to cook venison medium rare and what a palate experience took place. We now prefer whitetail over elk. But, it has been proven scientifically that venison doesn't have the amount of enzymes that break it down in aging it like beef and elk do to make it tender. Some of the best and most tender venison I have ever eaten was that which was cooked within a few hours of dressing it.
Thanks for your comments!