# Think Im done waterfowl hunting



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Get a dog, it'll enrich your hunting a lot.


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

Sorry guy. For some reason the ohub app wont let me reply.

I guess what has changed was. It was alway my buddy his son and me and my son. 
Now both of them are off doing there thing work and college.
If they didnt hunt with us it was just me and my buddy.
We would put the hurting on birds

Now this year my buddy has invited a couple other guys. 
And his dad also moved down here from up north and old guys are set in there ways. Lol
He brings his dog which is a beast but has issues. Put he's black and stick out bad. He creeps out of his dog blind when birds are working. So I bite my tongue. 


Also I sold all my gear except my blind. And he owns 90% of my old gear. Also feels like Im being pushed of the group.
Also I no longer live in the same town as them just the next one over.


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## CABELKINS2000 (Nov 8, 2011)

Your welcome to hunt with Miller and me, John. No drama, no uninvited guests. Pretty simple rules. I'll give you a call next time we go out


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

Same situations happen fishing with some guys. Hell, ill fish alone than deal with drama, that's what home is for...not the boat.


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

adam bomb said:


> Get a dog, it'll enrich your hunting a lot.


Im not home enough for a dog. 
But maybe later down the road.


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

CABELKINS2000 said:


> Your welcome to hunt with Miller and me, John. No drama, no uninvited guests. Pretty simple rules. I'll give you a call next time we go out


Awesome.


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## shannon391 (Feb 19, 2014)

I try to vary my hunting fishing balance to avoid fatigue. Ice fish when the fish and ice are in, few days chasing deer, get after the ducks and geese when good numbers are in...small game when bored, Trap and skeet when I want to get my shoot on!


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

firenut8190 said:


> Im not home enough for a dog.
> But maybe later down the road.


Definitely a good move in being fair to the dog if you don't have the time. But honestly, when you do have the time, get you a dog. They make duck hunting so much better. Having a pup makes duck hunting brand new again.

Good luck on your new journey.


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## woodcraft2263 (Jan 18, 2011)

I hunted with a guy like that !


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## walter sniper (Jan 21, 2010)

I didn't hunt ducks for 18 years after my first kid was born. She is in her second year at state and my son is graduating high school this spring. Between travel sports and growing a large company dick hunting was a thing of the past. 
I missed it severely.
Starting last year I got a lab and started hunting again. I spend every day with my lab and and I am blessed to be able to take him to work every day and work with him. I have got into making decoys and restoring old herters. 
My point is find something in the sport that drives you. Killing ducks is just secondary to me. Some of my most memorable days this year were just me and my lab, others were with my son that now has time to enjoy that he's not traveling the country every weekend playing soccer.


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## duckbuster2 (Aug 14, 2008)

walter sniper said:


> I didn't hunt ducks for 18 years after my first kid was born. She is in her second year at state and my son is graduating high school this spring. Between travel sports and growing a large company dick hunting was a thing of the past.
> I missed it severely.
> Starting last year I got a lab and started hunting again. I spend every day with my lab and and I am blessed to be able to take him to work every day and work with him. I have got into making decoys and restoring old herters.
> My point is find something in the sport that drives you. Killing ducks is just secondary to me. Some of my most memorable days this year were just me and my lab, others were with my son that now has time to enjoy that he's not traveling the country every weekend playing soccer.


Good post but check your spelling.


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## walter sniper (Jan 21, 2010)

Lol
Stupid fat fingers on phone
I think most get the point


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## ahartz (Dec 28, 2000)

I am feeling the same. Almost 50 yo, I am done with some of the craziness. thankfully most of my crew thinks along the same lines. This past season was a bummer. Lots of effort, very little to show. makes me reconsider the whole deal. I did enjoy some late season walleye fishing that made me very happy. I am comforted knowing I am not the only one. I am thinking of finding some dads or moms with young kids to show the sport to. I think that may rekindle my excitement.


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## Spartan88 (Nov 14, 2008)

I walked away from duck hunting for 10 years, came back 2 years ago.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

ahartz said:


> I am feeling the same. Almost 50 yo, I am done with some of the craziness. thankfully most of my crew thinks along the same lines. This past season was a bummer. Lots of effort, very little to show. makes me reconsider the whole deal. I did enjoy some late season walleye fishing that made me very happy. I am comforted knowing I am not the only one. I am thinking of finding some dads or moms with young kids to show the sport to. I think that may rekindle my excitement.


Hitch a ride with Jerry next year and come up for a couple days.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

Get back to the basics. Hunt with your boy, close friends and family. Go back to your roots, even if it's sitting on an old pothole with no decoys waiting for the woodies to bomb in at first light. 

I got burned out a couple years back. After guiding for a few years which turned into an actual job, yes hunting can become a second job. I had an old friend get out of the game when I was getting into it. He passed on some of his long time clients. His advice to me at a young age was that when it becomes work and not fun anymore just quit. I did exactly that. Then I went thru the same issue I had before guiding, too many cooks in the kitchen. I went off and did my own thing for a couple season. Just me the dog, friends and family back on my stomping grounds. 

This past season I put together a small crew of guys and I enjoy it a lot more.. Take a step back before you hang your lanyard up


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

sswhitelightning1 said:


> Lets be honest, you ran into jonesy and me and its changed your life for the better


And I believe is shortening my life span.  But a hell of a ride anyway LOL


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

I've been there a few times ( as Just ducky mentioned) and as recently as a couple years ago. Its very tough keeping up the grind this long. Started when I was 12 and now 55. Been going full throttle since I was 19 up until a couple years ago. Decided it was not as much fun as it used to be, or at least I thought so. Had to change up some things in my life, like some of the people I was hunting with etc.. Its much better now. I am learning to enjoy little parts of the hunts instead of KILLING A LIMIT EVERY TIME OUT. That is not nearly as important anymore. Putting up with azz clown neighbors in a public marsh or at the bingo's is not very appealing anymore either. So I hunt other places where I have a better chance of not having those issues, but they also for the most part lack the number of birds as well, so it's a trade off.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

smoke said:


> ...Putting up with azz clown neighbors in a public marsh or at the bingo's is not very appealing anymore either. So I hunt other places where I have a better chance of not having those issues, but they also for the most part lack the number of birds as well, so it's a trade off.


Yup, the bingo's draw/hold lots of birds, which means they also draw their share of azz clowns! I also have traded off "quantity for quality". Much more enjoyable the last couple of years.


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## goosemanrdk (Jan 14, 2003)

smoke said:


> I've been there a few times ( as Just ducky mentioned) and as recently as a couple years ago. Its very tough keeping up the grind this long. Started when I was 12 and now 55. Been going full throttle since I was 19 up until a couple years ago. Decided it was not as much fun as it used to be, or at least I thought so. Had to change up some things in my life, like some of the people I was hunting with etc.. Its much better now. I am learning to enjoy little parts of the hunts instead of KILLING A LIMIT EVERY TIME OUT. That is not nearly as important anymore. Putting up with azz clown neighbors in a public marsh or at the bingo's is not very appealing anymore either. So I hunt other places where I have a better chance of not having those issues, but they also for the most part lack the number of birds as well, so it's a trade off.


I am just shy of 40 and have already done this exact thing. Just this past Saturday, sat out in a field with my 2 friends that are more like brothers to me, my son and the farmer's son. Never saw a goose, but man did the 5 of us have fun.


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