Too late to start?

[Sealesniper]

Go hunting and if you enjoy it, get a bigger stand and take the wife with you. She might really enjoy watching the day start and be out seeing nature. Could be a great start for both of you in a new outdoor passion.

 

[Pdyson]

I'm 62 and have been a bowhunter all my adult life until my shoulder wore out two years back. Back in the mid-80s I got my wife into 3-d target archery (IBO) with me. She had bad hunting experience with family too. But she knew that's what I did when she married me almost 40yrs ago. So She didn't hunt at first, but she got very good with her target bow, winning trophy's and the Texas State Championship a few times. Being exposed to other women hunters every weekend, It became inevitable that she would hunt. She's taken mule deer, several nice white tails, hogs, turkeys over the years. She's hung up her bow and just feeds the critters now.
I decided to get a Mountain Bike. She said " Don't be stupid you crazy old man". your too old now. You'll fall and break your leg or your neck and I won't know where you are or how to get you.

I said I'm doing this for my health, to keep my weight down and my heart in tip top shape. I'm more worried about a heart attack than falling off a bike (which I have done a lot) but knock on wood I've only broken my big toe.

You know your wife, but you know what they say;

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission"

You really should go, you'll never know what you are missing. If you can't sell it to her or ask for forgiveness. Your decision is made.

 

[Lakhota]

I say do it it may be something you like and then again it may not. I was lucky and my wife told me that it was my house as well and I could put mounts up if I wanted too. I grew up in the outdoors through scouts my dad was from the UP of MI and grew up in the outdoors as well there is no other place I enjoy as much as walking through a field, sittimng in a blind, or just being in nature. Going to the lease and BSing with the guys is great as well.

Also I dont know where you are planning to hunt but here in TX the tags for deer season aren't available until August.

 

[Pete H]

Hunting is not just about killing animals, it gives you time to clear your mind and enjoy your friends. Like the times that you went fishing..
There is no garantee that you will even see a deer..and if you do and don't feel comfortable shooting it, don't, but this will give much needed time away from work and other things....
Just my 2 cents.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

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.

First off, I'm sorry you've never had the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors & hunting with friends.. It's one of those things that can really change your life. (I'm going to try and keep it simple)

2nd I'm not too sure i'm gonna stand still for my wife telling me she's wearing the pants in the family. She can tell what color to wear....but she ain't wear'n em...lol
I'm not going to ask permission! I'd go hunting and then ask for forgiveness...

I guess I'm lucky. Been married 32 years and she has always supported my hunting and shooting sports.
Yup, I found a good one.

Now then, the more serious stuff.
What kind of physical condition are you in.? If you aren't in very good shape this could be dangerous for you. Only you know the answer. If your not, you have some work ahead of you. Cardio in most important.
Pushing 60 is not a problem if you're still in shape.

I will try and attach a song for you... Brad Paisley.. I'm gonna miss her.
Just imagine it's about hunting and not fishing...lol

 

[Legionnaire]

It's never too late to start hunting.

It might be too late to go this year without a major marital conflict.

What about planning to go next year and using the time between now and then to soften her up? Talk about it regularly. Read magazines. Show her pictures of the great outdoors. Let her see how much you really want to do this. She loves you; she'll come around.

Another idea might be to suggest going this year but with a camera rather than a rifle. Suggest you want to accompany a friend and document his hunt. That could get you "out there" and give you an opportunity to learn without the "stigma" (in her eyes) of hunting. It also sets a precedent of going out during hunting season.

I've been blessed to be married to the daughter of the man who taught me to hunt. My wife bought me my first firearm so I could hunt with her dad. I know life is short and you want to go "right now." But I'd give up hunting in a heartbeat rather than jeopardize my relationship to my wife of 37 years.

 

[ndking1126]

Subscribing! I think the obvious answer is she shouldn't have an issue, but that's not always how life works. I like your resolve. Keep trying!

 

[highplains]

I would apply for the tags. You will not regret getting involved in the hunting way of life. As far as your wife, she will likely come around. When my wife and I were on our first date she asked me "if I was one of those guys that hunts all the time"... I asked what she meant by "one of those guys" and "all the time". To be balanced there are a few that give hunting a bad name, but most of the negativity about hunting is a lack of understanding, or a political point of view. We have now been married 16 years and I often catch her bragging to her friends about how our boys are fed with the best free range protein in the world. She understands appropriate game management, ethical harvest and preparation of game, and the amount of preparation it takes every year to succeed. When we met, she was a vegetarian and essentially a card carrying member of PETA.

 

[Charles Keethler]

I am 73 years of age my back had an op. 4years ago steel pins . I and my wife of 75 years of age still hunt for white tail deer every we both use 45-70's would not trade any of our time in the hunting fields for anything, carry on and enjoy. I shot a buff bull two years ago and my wife and I still enjoy the meat along with venison.

 

[jcbjr]

go hunting. You only live once, and if you want to experience hunting then you should! you have already brought it up and heard her thoughts. Now you go and tell her you have decided to go hunt this fall because it is something you need to do for you! However, you would like to reassure her that this will in no way change the kind of kind-hearted man that you are, and furthermore you will be sure to not make any messes in the house, or require her to eat your harvest. You can enjoy the meat yourself or bless friends and family with it, or those in need! Let her know that you take this very seriously and will be practicing your shooting and hunting skills beforehand in order to have a SAFE and fun experience. You plan to wear Hunter orange etc. and will be safe. Your wife loves and cares for you and she needs to know you appreciate that, but she also needs to let you be your own man and experience things in this life! Your fishing buddies are gone and a long time friend has reached out to you and you wanna take advantage of this opportunity to further your friendship with them as well as enjoy the great outdoors. Sunrise from a frosty treestand is quite beautiful! Man I feel like an advice columnist lol! Good luck and happy hunting!

Muddy boots and Lowedown, well said.
I'd add that some education for your wife as to the vital part hunters play in the overall game management and conservation areas may serve to lessen the sting of your wife's preconceived ideas on hunting.
Some of the most gentlemanly, genuine, conservation minded people I know, and have known, are hunters. You wife has only seen the unseemly side of hunters, so that's all she knows. Ignorance is a temporary affliction, curable by knowledge. Good luck, my friend, and happy hunting!

 

[Allen Kitts]

I can tell you that every day spent in the woods is worth it. I don't want to sound condescending towards your wife but do you tell here everything she can and can't do. Its not about who you are its about who you want to be. 60 is young, Hunting is part of who we are. You don't have to be a savage, hell you don't even have to kill anything to enjoy hunting. If it was only about the kill I wouldn't even do it anymore. Its about spending time with your buddies, enjoying the camaraderie, being outdoors, seeing the game, smelling the smells, being at one with yourself in a quiet and peaceful setting. There is way more to hunting than just killing. Your wife will get over it. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. You may find out you have really been missing out on something you really enjoy. The flip side is you may decide its not really for you but you should at least give it a try. Just my opinion.

 

[JimFromTN]

Your friends quit fishing because they were retired? I should kill myself now.

 

[DavidA]

For me here is my experience. Life is short and do what you feel inspired to do. What make you feel alive. I will be 67 in July. This last December I had a real awakening. I am 6'-5 1/2" an d have suffered from severe spinal stenosis which has resulted in numbness at the bottoms of both feet and at times in my front quads as well. I weighed 300 lbs and not obese but I lifted weights and I am not a small person. Any hoot December 21rst of this year after working out I came home and my lower back bothered me. Within a day I could not stand up straight and the pain down my left leg was so bad I was taking 15 mg of morphine every four hours to just maintain my sanity. On January 5th I had emergency surgery and after the operation I was able to Stand up without pain. Residual numbness but no pain. My doctor told me that I was lucky (this guy who was the surgeon on call was the bomb) and that I really needed to loose weight and muscle mass because in short my back is a mess and every extra pound I carry is detrimental to my health. So once I started to recover from surgery I started limiting my intake mainly through portion control and long cardio exercise regiment. So now I am down to 262 lbs and I ride my bicycle four times a week and I rode 27 miles this last weekend.

So here is the point I went to my calendar in Outlook and I put in the date January 5th as my 2nd birth date. Why because I love the outdoors. I ride Adventure Motorcycles, Street Motorcycles, I shoot rifles and not so much hunt as a lot of these activities I share with my wife, but we are all here only temporarily and for me being out in the woods, seeing nature, stopping at the top of a bluff and seeing Gods creation is a religious experience. I am lucky because my wife loves shares some of this with me. (hiking, riding my bicycle) no shooting or hunting. But she gets it. She knows how a ride my motorcycles, (fast knee dragging) and she lets me do it because she knows I love it. She loves me and she puts up with me .

What struck me about this was while I was in the depths of my pain all day laying around the house I thought " This is not living". Living is out there. Living is about being, about experiencing. So from what I know we go through once. So live it. As i said to my kids what ever you do in your life, do it. So not compromise your beliefs to and for anybody. In the end it is all we have. I do not know where this leaves you with your wife? You just need to share your time with her as well. Doing things she wants tot do. Then there is time with you, time with yourself, your thoughts and your experiences. Got to be. As Kahlil Gabram, a poet said let the relationship between a man and his wife be like two oceans, where the meet they mix and they exchange, bu they always have their own Identity. This you will have to figure out. Let me leave you with this picture my wife took of me standing at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I believe it says it all.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

Your friends quit fishing because they were retired? I should kill myself now.

now THAT'S funny....lmao