44hunter45
Well-known member
I'm not sure if I have regrets over this or not. Still telling myself I don't. Our hunting motivations change as we age, I guess. Even 5 years ago this would have meant a dead deer.
I've killed bucks off the porch before, but it always feels more like harvesting than hunting.
Some of you know I have been getting my parents settled into elder care. No details, but this leaves you feeling like the worst son on the earth.
This has limited my hunting time since October.
Add to that the failure of more than half of the appliances in the house in the last couple of months.
Our oven failed and that necessitated converting from LP to electric. Cabinet mods, running a 40 amp 240 Vac circuit from the kitchen to the service panel. Then repairing the drywall, taping and painting. Since I had the drywall ripped off, MRS asked for some 120Vac outlets to be moved.
TLDR - The new oven arrived Tuesday afternoon and I "helped" the installer. One project done, three more to go. I'm F'ing exhausted. We were without an oven for 9 weeks. Me working first to repair the old oven, then prepping for the new one. I simply cannot get parts for a 40 year old gas oven. Always wanted a double oven for the Holidays, so time to upgrade.
In the middle of that, the LG washer threw a water valve. I was able to get the part for that and get it fixed.
Septic rooted in and backed up in the basement. Had to get that pumped. Then dry and shampoo the carpets.
Just three for Thanksgiving and I didn't feel like doing a turkey. Safeway had huge T-Bones 50% off. Heck Yeah! I bought 5. Lo and behold my oldest says he wants to come pick up Miss T and have her over for the extended weekend. Good thing I bought 5 T-Bones. They will stay the night and go back to Oregon Friday morning.
Thanksgiving goes well. We stay up too late catching up.
Friday morning I called my dad. Everyone else is sleeping in. My dad is super depressed and has given up on life. He is asking me about my hunting season and saying he wishes he could still hunt with me. I'm getting depressed too. While I'm talking to my dad I look out the window and Big Hank is cruising for late rut does 100 yards from the house. Definitely wider than his ears and tall. I tell my dad I'm watching this great buck and I should go shoot it. I'm still in my bathrobe.
I hang up with Pop and go grab the .264 out of the safe. I'm in crocs and bathrobe in front of the house. Pretty cold up my knickers. I take a rest off the back of my youngest's Honda Rodeo. Chip shot. I can't bring myself to pull the trigger.
The buck moves forward about 20 yards and I move for a better angle, keeping a bull pine between us for cover. I rest on a fence post and I have him at 75 yards broadside. I control my breathing and... Let him walk away into the brush.
I feel pretty old as I walk back into the house and call my dad back. I tell him I gave the buck a pass. He says he probably would too. Maybe there is Karma credit there for when I draw that next moose tag.
I've killed bucks off the porch before, but it always feels more like harvesting than hunting.
Some of you know I have been getting my parents settled into elder care. No details, but this leaves you feeling like the worst son on the earth.
This has limited my hunting time since October.
Add to that the failure of more than half of the appliances in the house in the last couple of months.
Our oven failed and that necessitated converting from LP to electric. Cabinet mods, running a 40 amp 240 Vac circuit from the kitchen to the service panel. Then repairing the drywall, taping and painting. Since I had the drywall ripped off, MRS asked for some 120Vac outlets to be moved.
TLDR - The new oven arrived Tuesday afternoon and I "helped" the installer. One project done, three more to go. I'm F'ing exhausted. We were without an oven for 9 weeks. Me working first to repair the old oven, then prepping for the new one. I simply cannot get parts for a 40 year old gas oven. Always wanted a double oven for the Holidays, so time to upgrade.
In the middle of that, the LG washer threw a water valve. I was able to get the part for that and get it fixed.
Septic rooted in and backed up in the basement. Had to get that pumped. Then dry and shampoo the carpets.
Just three for Thanksgiving and I didn't feel like doing a turkey. Safeway had huge T-Bones 50% off. Heck Yeah! I bought 5. Lo and behold my oldest says he wants to come pick up Miss T and have her over for the extended weekend. Good thing I bought 5 T-Bones. They will stay the night and go back to Oregon Friday morning.
Thanksgiving goes well. We stay up too late catching up.
Friday morning I called my dad. Everyone else is sleeping in. My dad is super depressed and has given up on life. He is asking me about my hunting season and saying he wishes he could still hunt with me. I'm getting depressed too. While I'm talking to my dad I look out the window and Big Hank is cruising for late rut does 100 yards from the house. Definitely wider than his ears and tall. I tell my dad I'm watching this great buck and I should go shoot it. I'm still in my bathrobe.
I hang up with Pop and go grab the .264 out of the safe. I'm in crocs and bathrobe in front of the house. Pretty cold up my knickers. I take a rest off the back of my youngest's Honda Rodeo. Chip shot. I can't bring myself to pull the trigger.
The buck moves forward about 20 yards and I move for a better angle, keeping a bull pine between us for cover. I rest on a fence post and I have him at 75 yards broadside. I control my breathing and... Let him walk away into the brush.
I feel pretty old as I walk back into the house and call my dad back. I tell him I gave the buck a pass. He says he probably would too. Maybe there is Karma credit there for when I draw that next moose tag.
