What keeps you from going?

[knothead]

The how do you camp thread made me start to think about other related things.  As I get older, I still have the heart and desire to get out there in the woods and hunt, camp or fish but I find myself going less and less even though I have more time now than I ever have.  Talking with other people around my age we have decided the getting packed up to go, setting up camp, tearing down and then putting everything away at home is to too much of a pain.  It seems it's too easy to just stay at home and not go.  Anyone else feel like this or am I just being a Big ol' Wus?

 

[Sky Island junkie]

My best advice would be Don’t let the old man in! 
I fight this as well. Pretty much why I’m not going to retire any time soon even though I could. Too many friends of mine quit work and don’t understand why with so much time on their hands  they can’t get anything done and admit that they used to camp, hunt and fish more when they were working. Loss of momentum. 
Good luck!

[PRDATR]

The big drawback for me is finding someone to go with. Friends are either too busy or don't want to get up early. If I could retire, and probably could. I enjoy working and at 72 have a lot of energy.

[tomharveyb]

At 75, I still have the drive and desire to hunt, but none of my friends want to go any more.  Add to that the length of time to draw a decent tag, and I rarely get to go any more.  I have no desire any more to go on a mediocre hunt that has 6-700 tags and hunters on every ridge.  I still enjoy archery javi because I can go alone and pack one out by myself. I guess I’m spoiled by hunting Az since the early 70’s.  A lot has changed!

[HuntHarder]

Kids sports and work constantly dangling that OT 🥕.   We still get out 5+ times a year but more would always be better. 

[Explorer]

Finding a campsite that isn't trashed is the hardest part. 

[arizonian]

3 hours ago, Sky Island junkie said:

My best advice would be Don’t let the old man in! 
I fight this as well. Pretty much why I’m not going to retire any time soon even though I could. Too many friends of mine quit work and don’t understand why with so much time on their hands  they can’t get anything done and admit that they used to camp, hunt and fish more when they were working. Loss of momentum. 
Good luck!

Don't let the old man in! I'm 69, a pup compared to some, but I have become more sedentary as the years roll by.

Last year I called on an old friend (25-06) to finish the shower re-tile, he did an excellent job, and then I got sick the day before our season started and I never made it out the door. This year I called on my brother, who has never hunted, and we drew for the early hunt. I have never spent much outdoor time with my brother, so it will be a learning experience for both of us. The biggest hurdle will be teaching him glassing techniques, that you can cover more area sitting behind glass than you can cover on foot.

My dad was done by the time he reached 70. It may be time to hang it up, but I'm going to fight it every year!

The more I think about it, getting out and glassing may be the best antidote. Once you see something moving can only stir the movement in you.

[pwrguy]

What an interesting thread.  I had to chuckle a little as I can relate to pretty much every response so far.  I went on a non-hunting related trip to Colorado earlier this year and after we returned from a week of camping/trail riding all I could think of was all the planning and then all the work of putting everything away was...hey why don't we just go on a cruise next time so I can just show up with a suit case.  Yes...it is hard to not "let the old man in" LOL.  I still enjoy going out every time I do manage to get out.

[NOTAGS]

You’re being a big ol wus, John! That being said, parts of me(back, neck) don’t recover  like they used to.  I just road tripped it up to unit 8 yesterday to figure out where to camp for next weeks elk hunt, and put 50 + miles in on the Ranger checking tanks and then drove home same  day.  My back felt like it was full of ground glass this morning. And I’ve got to get my trailer and gear ready to go this weekend. 
 
You better get some motivation after you talked me into changing units to camp with you and your crew for pig….

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

You have to just go, exercise and the outdoors is the fountain of youth. Im sure every time you guys think of all the work of planning and packing and cleaning up after but you actually still go camp or hunt or fish you feel much better after and your glad you went??? I know i feel that way. This year I had an elk tag and spent the entire 14 days or so hunting solo. only took one day off and that was to help another hunter.  It was a bummer at times but I wouldnt trade those days for anything. 

A few tips that may help, organize your gear for less work. I put together a small box trailer with all my gear in it. Bunk bed and camp box. All I need to do is fill the cooler and grab some food and clothes and im on the road. when i get back i just dump the cooler and grab dirty clothes and park the trailer. Its small and cheap but the bed is really nice and man its super convenient.

I have a few of those plastic bins from china and all my hunting camp gear and clothes are in them, always ready to go.

 

[creed]

I have health issues that started with covid and snowballed  into a bunch of other issues. To add to the fun I was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, what they think is from a lifetime of agricultural chemical exposure. I have missed out on a lot of hunting for the last 2 years but I am not going to let it stop me anymore. I have hunted solo most of my life and will likely continue to do so. It's harder to get ready to go but I have come to accept I'm not 20 anymore. It keeps me motivated to work out and stay in shape.  Even at that it's still a pain in the arse to get ready.

[NOTAGS]

I like  the quote,” Dont  let the Old Man In” I’m early 60’s but have a POS back and neck due to degenerative disc disease. I like to think I’m 29, but my  body reminds me otherwise. I just keep grinding… you rest, you rust!

[twistzz]

You can sleep when you’re dead keep grinding lol…  It definitely gets harder but it’s still fun and the hunt is temporary so you can rest up and go fishing  

[bigorange]

11 hours ago, NOTAGS said:

I like  the quote,” Dont  let the Old Man In” I’m early 60’s but have a POS back and neck due to degenerative disc disease. I like to think I’m 29, but my  body reminds me otherwise. I just keep grinding… you rest, you rust!

Agree...I'm not that old, but I feel that old man some days. Adding this to my new list of mantras in addition to "Just buy the tickets" and something about firearms being safe during a divorce. LoL

[bigorange]

23 hours ago, MULEPACKHUNTER said:

A few tips that may help, organize your gear for less work. I put together a small box trailer with all my gear in it. Bunk bed and camp box. All I need to do is fill the cooler and grab some food and clothes and im on the road. when i get back i just dump the cooler and grab dirty clothes and park the trailer. Its small and cheap but the bed is really nice and man its super convenient.

I had a system like this worked out with the RV...then sold it. Need to get a little more organized, but a decent bin system helps. I just have to get myself past the "getting there" step then it's all good for me. Inertia is tough for me.