quote:

Originally posted by MtWoodson:
Dad and I last chased elk when he was 75. It's been 10 years and he's still bugging me to go again.

You need to take him. You will regret it if you don't!

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by MtWoodson:
Dad and I last chased elk when he was 75. It's been 10 years and he's still bugging me to go again.

You need to take him. You will regret it if you don't!

I agree. I lost my greatest hunting partner (Dad) this April. He passed at 81. You cant get the opportunity to make more memories back once its gone.

This thread put a smile on my face. Im 52 now, still got one good hunting buddie, looking forward to the elk hunt in October. Sometimes I wonder how much hunt I got left in me. I guess when its time to hang up the boomstick for good, well, Ill cross that bridge when I get there. Until then, this old dog aint changin.

And Joe, anytime you need someone to hunt with, comon up to Utah. Ill go with ya!

I'm nearly 71; been through 2 bouts of lymphoma, nearly died from renal failure, have arthritis in my hands and tendinitis in one foot, and can't remember what day it is, but I soldier on just more slowly.
Aches and pains in old age are the price one pays for living a physically active life.

My Dad was 80 in December, he and Mom still go to the range a couple of times a month. They are both professional clowns and putting smiles on peoples faces keeps them young.

Duke, look at it this way...the average lifespan is about 76 or so, and you're only 2/3rds there. So for about half the life you've lived already, you have that far to go yet, as long as you keep yourself physically capable of hunting. So go buy another rifle and book a few more hunts :-)

I am also 55, and like some others, to die out hunting would not be a bad thing. I had at one time 17 aunts and uncles by blood. One uncle killed a turkey, and was set up and calling the second when the heart attack took him, in his 70's. Not a bad way to go. Better than all those tubes and somebody else wiping you a$$. This was a minor violation of the law, but no earthy judge can touch him now!

458 Win AKA Bad to the bone bear boy!

I'd call you out on the PITA deal, but I have to bow to your mountain climbing abilities and know it would take me a week to run you down at my age!

In July I met an 84 yr old man on the flight to JNB who was going to Zim to hunt Cape Buffalo. I hope I can do the same. My dad was making hay and feeding 200 head of cattle 6 months before he died at age 86. I hope I got his staying power.

Funny thing, I just got off my morning walk & was thinking how much longer I would hunt. I am 68 with no significant health problems but have sorta lost the urge to kill big game. I have hunted on the same 4,800 arce plantaion for the last 38 years but the owner/best friend died a few weeks ago & none of his kids hunt or farm. I have a place to hunt this year but probably not next. The question is do I want to go to the effort of learning new land & making new hunting friends.

There are several 1st class pay to shoot bird hunting places within 10 minutes of me so, I'll probably bird hunt more. I like to eat chucker more than deer any way.

I turned 70 earlier this year and decided that it was a good thing to have incentives in life to keep one young. So, I got a new girlfriend, took up the tango and most importantly, just sent off my deposit for a horseback moose hunt in BC next September. 70 is the new 50 in case you all didn't know that.

Phil

This is an old thread. I hope all is well with those that contributed.

I just lost a friend that was a good bit younger than me - he was born in 1961.

This is the last line of his obituary.

In lieu of flowers the family is asking that memorials may be made to the National Rifle Association.

We should live every day actually as if it is our last day.

Santa Claus

quote:

Originally posted by Santa Claus:
We should live every day actually as if it is our last day.

Santa Claus

With my health issues any day can be my last day. I do find myself venturing out of my previous comfort zone to see all the world has to offer.
I also treat my brother civil as tomorrow might be his last day and I don't want to live with the regret that I was not civil to him but that's my secondary reason. Primary reason is one should not have to pass with the shadow of angst over him.

Surestrike give that girl a sandwich. Way too bony for me lol.

You guys are alright!

I made my first of 8 African Safaris in 1997 at the age of 63. It was triggered by the death of my wife. I felt that I had to reorder my life without her to share it with and the Safari seemed to be a good idea. So I went to Zimbabwe and shot a Leopard. I continued to work till I was 67 and also hunt each year. Finally ending in 2004 with an Elephant hunt and paying the price for a pair of tusks (my only real trophies though I do have 2 Zebra skin rugs (one the gift of a PH/Outfitter friend). I no longer hunt but do shoot occasionally. This is due to arthritis which I have had since 18. I had to leave Gunsmith school my first year because of it but it didn't keep me from serving 6 years in the military. I quit hunting Africa because funds and health ran out at the same time. I am a type II diabetic with the attendant kidney disease it sometimes brings about. At 79 I cope with it but definitely don't hunt anymore. Would have loved to have continued to hunt in Africa but walking is a great part of it and 100yds and I'm done and use of a cane interferes with shouldering a rifle. So hunt while you can cause you CAN get to old and feeble no matter how much you try not to.

Holy crap! You guys are great! I'll be 50 in July and never felt younger than after reading this thread. My dad joined me for a hunt in Africa in June/July and wants to go back in 2014, but with less hunting and more historical sightseeing. I imagine we'll do just that.

I just finished a four day hunt for whitetails in the rugged, but beautiful, Haliburton Highlands. My hunting partner is 15 years younger than I and has legs that are about one-foot longer. Nevertheless, I quite easily kept up with him. We've hunted together for bear, moose, deer, coyote and wolf over the past 20-something years. He retired as a CO (Conservation Officer) four years ago. We are already making plans for next year, including wolf hunting this winter.

No deer this year as the weather was very uncooperative and the frozen leaves sounded like walking on potato chips. But I did manage to shoot a nice bl. bear in September with my 2 1/2 year old T3 in 9.3 X 62. It was a handload of 286 Nos. Partitions at **** fps! One shot at 68 yards, center frontal chest and dead bear.

I'll be 78 four days after Christmas.

You can read my stuff at the following address:

www.bigbores.ca

Bob

By the way, my second son, Phil, wants to start hunting and shooting with me again... Their three daughters are now grown and on their own.

My wife is 77 and we've celebrated our 56 th wedding anniversary this past June, and now have 5 great-grandkids! Ain't life grand!!

Yes, I have arthritis and diabetes too, but I look forward to every day as God is my Strength and Helper!

quote:

Originally posted by MtWoodson:
Dad and I last chased elk when he was 75. It's been 10 years and he's still bugging me to go again.

Better take him up on that offer!

Good advice Zimbabwe!

SO hear I am 70, and wishing the HELL I went to Africa for a plains game hunt when I was 55.....?
CAN"T DO it NOW!! WASTED LOTS of time thinking and dreaming. Chould have done it, Cost not a problem. Work not really a problem. PROCRASTINATION, a BIG PROBLEM!! I wanted to do it,could do it....BUT DIDN'T DO IT!! NOW, I CAN't DO it. IF YOU are able....DO IT!! Lyle

Doesn't look like Africa will be on the horizon or in the future for us now or at a later date as we discussed with many here and elsewhere via PM and phone. I have been aware of this for over a year or so.
As of now were looking at farms and ranch's where I/we can shoot deer off my back porch and tend cattle. I also am no longer able to travel do to health reasons and no longer have the desire to.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I'm just on this side of 80, had a stint and two baloon plastwhatevers in my ticker, total hand reconstruction, and back surgery this year, The eyes got bad so got glasses and lasiks surgery, I have shot so much I don't hear well, and that caused Bursitas but its been my only bad year so far.



But I'm back horseback now and steer (team) roping again, The damn hand finally got to where I can shoot the big bores again. I hunted deer and elk this year and I hunt coyotes ever now and then..

Yes you can keep hunting if you want to, but only if you want to. There "will be" more pain involved as you age, the mornings are tougher, and you may have to pace yourself, but all these things that take effort will keep your body fit and able, so my advise is remember getting old ain't for sissies and you just have to cowboy up!

Oh yeah! Don't forget your metamucil. You will most likey have to piss a lot as the prostate ages, and with heavy clothes on that's a bitch, and you might forget where you are and how you got there so carry a bull horn on a sling with you everywhere you go and write your name on a tag and pin it to your shirt!

Good points, Mr. Atkinson, specially the parts about Metamucil, plus aging and the prostate

The latter can create difficult situations when one has to pee real fast in cold weather and one can't find the pee tube on time because of all the clothing one wears to stay warm. But we do have a joke about such situation in Alaska, and the joke goes as follows: "just tie a string to it near the head, and leave the other end of the string hanging out the zipper. In a hurry just unzip and pull on the string…"

Sometimes I wished to have the string attached

I am 55, and have been retired for four years. I am surprised how fast and how far my body declined. I've just finished an unsuccessful DIY elk hunt in Fairplay Colorado, and the mountains were not kind to me. Currently hobbling around the house with a cane. But I figure the pain will be gone by the time comes that I have to put in for tags, and I'm going to do it again.

I believe that when you are born the clock starts ticking and for some of us, it runs fast, and others slow. It took me 51 years to get to Colorado, and now that I'm here I can't enjoy it as much as I want to due to physical issues. Like the OP, I don't know if I can do 10K mountains at 70. Hell, it hurts at 55...But I'm going to try.

You'll have to ask me again in six years, I'm only 64. But I am going back to Africa at least once more, Lord willing, twice.

Just thinkin . . .

Two weeks ago I met with a coworker out at the field office (11/8)

The following Tuesday (11/12) he collapsed at his desk and was rushed to the hospital.

Last Friday (11/15) the shut off the ventilator at 10:06.

Technically he was probably dead when he got to the hospital or shortly thereafter.

He was 55

Long winded way to say we never know when and so we have to live as if we will reach that age where we feel fulfilled.

Hopefully we will then pass on to the next . . .

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Just thinkin . . .

Two weeks ago I met with a coworker out at the field office (11/8)

The following Tuesday (11/12) he collapsed at his desk and was rushed to the hospital.

Last Friday (11/15) the shut off the ventilator at 10:06.

Technically he was probably dead when he got to the hospital or shortly thereafter.

He was 55

Long winded way to say we never know when and so we have to live as if we will reach that age where we feel fulfilled.

Hopefully we will then pass on to the next . . .

When I was in the military, in Alaska, a coworker of mine was at the jim weight-lifting. It was not a heavy session of lifting, but he fell over and by the time the medics got him to the hospital he was dead. He was 45, and looked like he was a great shape. His heart stopped working, I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by DUKE NUKEM:
So here I am 55 and wondering if I'll still be ambulatory at 70 to still go hunting.
I sure hope I can do this past 70 with the amount of jingle I have wrapped up in this.
Wifey was born on a horse so she can still ride even though she has intermittent joint problems.
As of now we are still both lean and still mountain bike. Majority of Wifey's joint problem were diagnosed back to dehydration having been a transplant of WA and OR.
I would add I really try to buy good gear because when I croak she will be selling all my crap here to you guys.

Something tells me you'll be reaching for a Rifle not a Diaper when yO 70.. Stay Thirsty My Friend...

Ray Alaska
Great idea about the string, I tried it this winter elk hunting, but at my age Demensia is a problem and I forgot to tie the sting or didn't pull hard enough!!

In the real world we live in, I think health and old age is hereditary more than anything else, I have never taken very good care of myself, my cowboy upbringing made me realize that if God wanted men to walk he would have given us 4 legs, but he gave us two and gifted us with horses, jeeps, 4 wheelers and deer stands, and I'm good with that..I lived the first 70 years of my life eating biscuits, gravy and fried deer meat, and that was the healthy part of my diet..I have worked hard most of my life because of the horses and cows that required my attention. Mom lived to be a 100 and dad died early, but he drank a lot. My aunt told him at a family reunion that he must drank at least a 5th of Whiskey a day, He told her "Hell, Vera I spill that much"...It killed him at 90, but he didn't go with a nurse stuffing baby food down his gullet to keep him alive in a wheel chair. Hope I can be that lucky. He spent most of his life horseback with a bottle of Jack in his chap pockets, up until his last 6 months. He was brutally honest and he always told me, "Son I hope your successful in life because you can't depend on me, "I think I have "drunk up" you inheritence" and he did...