giving it up

[Frank]

Have not been out this year and don't miss it. With only public land
available they are not making it easier for us old folks. Close stands
I liked to bow hunt are now handicapped only and I'm not handicapped.

Fun while it lasted and I like the memories and thinking about it. I'll
miss getting up at 3 am to get out by 4 am to claim a deer stand at 5 am
and drive out to parking area and walking a mile and a quarter with pack
and gun to sit in a stand all day and not see a deer.

Don't have anything to contribute to group anymore and see everybody
else here seems to have quit to.

Frank

[Alex Vitek]

I know how it is. Every year it gets harder for me to be outside once the season changes. Fall temps seem like the cold days of winter and those cold winter days often chill me to the point where I can barely make it outside. Once outside I have to keep moving, no more sitting in a stand for me. A nerve problem makes my hands just hurt when the fingers get cold.

I can still do snow removal since I do not need to have my fingers for gripping a snow thrower. Gloves inside of mittens allow me to use my hands but are not conducive to handling a gun.

As to the group I really think that most of the newsgroup services are not sending the msgs to the right address. Anyone interested can try sending a group msg and if it does not show up within a day or two then try copying the same msg into the body of an email and the subject line into the subject of the email. Then email the msg to:
hun...@listserv.tamu.edu

If it is hunting related or appropriate to the group it should appear within a day or so.
///

[Frank]

I'm probably in decent enough shape for a guy who will be 78 next month
and know hunters older than me but most are hunting as handicapped. My
cardiologist looked at the requirements and said I was not handicapped
but she thought they should let anyone over 75 hunt as handicapped. I
made this suggestion to the state and got no answer. If you drive a car
you can request and get a handicapped plate at age 85.

I'm somewhat disappointed in that I do not miss going out. Also have
all the toys I ever wanted for the sport but now they will gather dust
or be sold or be given away. My wife says not to get rid of everything
as there is always next year.

I still watch the hunting shows on TV and continue shooting at my club.
Also at our age we can help mentor the younger crowd. I recall many
years ago the fun I had in taking a couple of Young Waterfowlers goose
hunting. I did not even have a gun but just called in the birds for the
kids both of which got two geese.