If you could start over hunting out west with what you know now what would you do?
- Thread starter robloft
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JEL
Well-known member
I would have spent way more time in the 80's and 90's archery elk hunting in the Missouri River breaks.
It's too depressing to put down what I'd do different as all the wrongs were all my own doing...
Randy11- I dig that quote!! I'm in the middle of a full-house remodel and it seems very fitting. Not sure my wife see's it the same way right now...
Randy11- I dig that quote!! I'm in the middle of a full-house remodel and it seems very fitting. Not sure my wife see's it the same way right now...
ErictheRed
Active member
Spend the money and hunt private.
Learn to use your home's equity to fund hunts earlier in life.
Learn to use your home's equity to fund hunts earlier in life.
One of the few things I did right in my life, in second place to marrying the right woman.
A crazy unsolved blood clotting issue that has ruined most of my liver plumbing, given me a heart attack, and caused a TIA confirms that Randy11's comments are 100% accurate. Whatever your interests or your age, I am a walking example that you don't know when your health might change and compromise the health needed to do what you want.
America seems to be on a treadmill. At age 40, this health issue made it easy for me to get off the treadmill. I realized the normal American idea of working to age (insert here) and (insert popular retirement activity) was a joke. By that time, the best days of your health are behind you. I'll have less money when my health declines in exchange for more time and flexibility to do what I want when I have some remaining health to do those things I enjoy; a deal I make with myself every day and every time I think about it the deal seems to be even better.
My advice, based on what I know now compared to what I knew in my 20's? Get off the great American treadmill. Build a lifestyle based on your goal to do the things you want, rather than building a lifestyle based on next year's bonus/raise. Your stress level will go way down, your health will improve, and you will wake up each morning loving life.
As for hunting related advice, dump your points often. Point piles are like septic tanks, if you let them build for too long you will probably regret it. I think that was my biggest mistake along the way. I should have been burning points more often. Since realizing that about seven or eight years ago, I've dumped a lot of points and enjoyed the heck out of those lower and mid-tier hunts. Now, if these states would just take my sheep points, the deepest end of my septic tank of points would be cleaned out.
rtraverdavis
Well-known member
I’m no stranger to regret. I spent my twenties as a fat, slimy slug who was drunk most of the time. I got passionate about hunting in my 30s, not long before my wife and I started having kids, which has made time away from home difficult on several levels. I have a job that I love, in which I get lots of paid time off (teacher) but it’s all at the wrong time of year. I was a chickenshit who was too scared to leave my friends and family to move to Wyoming right out of high school like I dreamed of. On and on. I let regret tear up my guts for a number of years. I didn’t have any gratitude. I’m trying to be grateful for what I have now, which really is a staggering lot, and make the most of it. So I push my luck with my job and my wife taking time away in the fall, I take better care of my body, I don’t piss away my time drinking and wishing I was doing stuff, and am grateful for every second I get to spend outside in the woods.
Having more points in the five states I apply in would be nice though...
Having more points in the five states I apply in would be nice though...
Steelhead
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2009
- Messages
- 701
Hunt harder.
Literally force my hunting buddies to start building points when I did.
Literally force my hunting buddies to start building points when I did.
psycho
Well-known member
I agree with Snowymountaineer, attitude is everything. I would have dumped the bad attitude people in my life further back than I did.
I think I will take some advice stated earlier and move two Arizona for a few years then to Alaska until I get the animals I'm after. I got some planning to do.
Zim
Well-known member
Haha can't disagree with this. I have a few 20+ point hunts I cannot burn fast enough. However, when I do get picked for one of these, I intend to stretch out every bit of the 4 week long archery seasons and get my money's worth. This includes CO sheep, where we got the new $100/year Christmas present. Will be switching to archery only hunts. I feel very lucky, with my job & wife situation, I can do month long hunts.
All that being said, my weak link now seems to be my heart. Docs changed my status to totally dependent on pacemaker. Frustrating as I'm near 60 but work out regularly and still in decent shape. Must say I'm at least glad I started hunting the mountains at age 33 so I am appreciative I was able to experience 26+ solid years running up and down the mountains having awesome experiences while I could.
8andcounting
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2013
- Messages
- 3,255
Never too early to build points . My son is 2 and he already has 2 points in montana 
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Bullshot
Well-known member
I had planned to move to Colorado and was travelling throughout the area fishing and hunting, by myself, for several months in 1998. I got a bit lonely one day up on Grand Mesa, made a call from the payphone by the little general store that was there at the time. Waved goodbye to the big white dog that I had befriended, and drove 27 hours straight east without stopping except for gas and coffee, planning to make only a short visit home. If I hadn't come back east just to go to that dang homecoming football game.... things may have turned out very differently for me. As it is, 20 years later and I never made it back out there for more than a week at a time. But I am glad I was in the points game in CO and later in WY. Wish I had done it in Utah!
prhunter
Well-known member
I should have started buying elk pts in AZ a long time ago. Now I only have few pts and wish to hunt elk there. 
Auburnpack
Member
Wish I had started buying points earlier. At first I didn’t believe in buying points because I had good areas that were OTC and/or w a quota. Now the quota areas sell out on day 1 and the OTC areas look like a bunch of drunken college kids in a kiddy pool.
I did start buying points when my kids were small. Just wish I had 5 more points for the years I hunted OTC.
I did start buying points when my kids were small. Just wish I had 5 more points for the years I hunted OTC.
I probably wouldn’t do anything different build just enough points to have a decent hunt and hunt otc when I can’t draw. Hunt enough and you will run into a big bull without wanting 20 years. I just love chasing elk big or small. Don’t wait go hunt!
CampRipleyLF
Active member
Apply to more states and start at a younger age.
Khunter
Well-known member
what I always say is that when they start letting you apply for points for Skunk I am putting in and building those points....ya never know if you mght be dying to get a skunk—the point being apply for anything and everything lest you wait to long and then regret it cuz it turn out you do want to hu t a particular animal afterall....
TheGrayRider
Well-known member
I would slow down and enjoy many of the unique places I hunted like the river bottoms and mountain valleys. I would stop and visit more of the small towns I traveled through - like the local diners, mom and pop antique stores, gun shops, and museums. I would drive more two-lane federal and state highways, appreciating the scenery. I would worry less about killing an animal with a set of horns and enjoy the camping and fireside discussions more. I would have cook more in black iron skillets and dutch ovens. I would use less ice in my bourbon drinks. I would lengthen my hunting trips and worry less about getting back to the office...but most of all, I would have appreciated the hunts with my father more wheile he was alive over 25 years ago.
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