Keeping things in perspective

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dirt nap giver
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Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby dirt nap giver » Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:14 pm

Something came to mind as I was reading another post earlier and thought it would be good for us to discuss.
I am a hunting junkie! Sometimes to much so that it has had impacts on my family and finances. I try really hard now to keep things in balance. I have been blessed with a family that is understanding to my need/desire to hunt. Not everyone is blessed with this. I also keep my family time a top priority the other 9 months of the year.

This may just be a stinky brain fart, but I am wondering.......
Given how many members are here and continue to come, would it be a good idea for them to see/hear from us how we struggle with the day to day reaponsabilities while pursuing our passions?
In the past I have quit numerous jobs because I couldn't have opening day off. Those decisions hurt me in my life more than I care to remember.
Given the fact that we are all after slobs, would it be a good idea for us to expose ourselves a little bit for those who are up and coming?
I think you all know where I am coming from and where I think this topic should go.

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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby dan » Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:20 pm

I too worried more about hunting than money and jobs when I was younger... And I do not regret that. Money can't buy happiness.
As long as it don't effect your family life, my advice would be to pursue your dreams and live life to the fullest. Some of the happiest people I know are also the poorest... Don't neglect your wife and kids, but don't give up your dreams and die hard passion either...
Smart hunters find ways to include there kids and wife in there passion...
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:38 pm

Family, job, hunting, is how I now put things into importance. When I was younger with no family it was hunting, job and everything else.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby Brad » Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:42 pm

dan wrote:I too worried more about hunting than money and jobs when I was younger... And I do not regret that. Money can't buy happiness.
As long as it don't effect your family life, my advice would be to pursue your dreams and live life to the fullest. Some of the happiest people I know are also the poorest... Don't neglect your wife and kids, but don't give up your dreams and die hard passion either...
Smart hunters find ways to include there kids and wife in there passion...



Dan is spot on. My wife knows that hunting is my biggest passion, she says I am addicted and obsessed. She is pretty good with me being gone, she says some stuff about it from time to time but she also knows that I am not at a bar drinking away my paychecks etc. like some guys do. I see her every night through the week and do what she wants to do so I can have weekends off to hunt. I just took a different position at work to give me more time to hunt and scout, will mean every work day will be long but the 3 day weekend will make up for it. As long as you pay the bills and make time for the family I see nothing wrong with this level of hunting. My wife hunts too but is more of a few weekends a year hunter, she doesn't think about it until the season, where as every single day I am planning and running idea's etc. Hunting is to me is a year round sport with a few months to do the actual killing in.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby adrenalin » Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:10 pm

I will admitt that my passions have got the best of me many times. I start fishing in April and roll right into hunting until january. It cant be easy to live with a person like that, but my eyes are opening more these day and Im making some changes. I used to think if I missed a day it was a huge deal and sacraficed alot of time with my wife I shouldnt have. I am finding a pretty good balance now and will continue to spend time with her when it is important to her. The worst part is she never told me I couldnt go or tried to limit my time I just took it to far some times. I guess when your young you dont always think about that stuff but Im glad now that I made some changes before it was too late. I can actually say that my marriage is happier now than it has ever been.

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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:50 pm

I am a young man at 30 years of age, but getting old enough where I'm getting wiser. I've missed very few days of hunting season in 18years of hunting. My father let me take opening week of gun and bow off during school and I've also quit jobs so I never missed a opener. Like the commercial says its an obsession! I've always included my kids and family, and agree totally with Dan the happiest people I know are the poorest. Memories that I wouldn't change a thing for we're made a bonds made stronger. That being said the economy has made it where I've had to take a financial step to hunt smarter and cheaper, but not less. I'm lucky because I have a family that pursues my passion also. But I know the strain it can put on a family. It's a way of life for our household. Advice to the up and coming is to love what you do, work hard at your job and family life every chance you get and pursue all your passions in life with them and you'll never regret a second. The day after my wonderful lady missed her buck with a bow we had 20 dollars left till payday a few days away still. She looks at me and says put that in gas were going hunting this week. Never thought I'd see the day.

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Tadmdad
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby Tadmdad » Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:56 pm

dan wrote: Smart hunters find ways to include there kids and wife in there passion...


Bingo.....being a hunters isn't always about what we want, and personal achievement. It is about a way of life and having passion for what we are, and using that passion to share with family and friends.

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xpauliber
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Dec 06, 2012 4:41 pm

This topic is really hitting home for me right now. Archery for me has always been a top priority but until just the past 4 or 5 years it has been mostly contained to October/November. As I improve and set my standards higher, it has crept into more months of the year and it seems that there is always something I can do to improve & better myself as a hunter. Shed hunting, scouting, finding beds, shining, shooting bow, trimming stands in spring, setting cams, etc. etc.

I have a VERY understanding wife and am trying to find a balance between my faith, my family, hunting, & work. Challenging indeed if you want to be the best without anything else suffering because of it.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby dirt nap giver » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:11 am

I have struggled with this for years. I often ask myself what I would want my epitaph to say. I think I always will struggle with it. Responsibilities seem to keep increasing in number by the day. I have no desire to be wealthy, but I do want to live comfortably to be able to hunt the season as much as I can.
This year the balance has been way out of whack. I worked for the first 6 weeks of the season and was overly due for a break.
This post had nothing to do with money, it was more for the youngsters to think about their decisions as they make them and the impacts it may have on their life.
I love all aspects of hunting as much as anyone else, just don't wan to idolize it.

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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby Scot » Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:32 am

Spending time with my family and providing for them is a more significant priority for me than hunting. I hunt and fish a lot and these things are a huge part of my life but my family responsibilities come first.

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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby dan » Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:45 am

dirt nap giver wrote:I have struggled with this for years. I often ask myself what I would want my epitaph to say. I think I always will struggle with it. Responsibilities seem to keep increasing in number by the day. I have no desire to be wealthy, but I do want to live comfortably to be able to hunt the season as much as I can.
This year the balance has been way out of whack. I worked for the first 6 weeks of the season and was overly due for a break.
This post had nothing to do with money, it was more for the youngsters to think about their decisions as they make them and the impacts it may have on their life.
I love all aspects of hunting as much as anyone else, just don't wan to idolize it.

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There are those whom spend way more hours at work than the rest of us in there quest to be important, get promotions, and earn more money.
There are those who enjoy sitting in a bar every night socializing spending all there money
There are those who never miss a sports game and dump tons of cash into going
And there are those whom go hunting every chance they get...

We ALL have our passions and goals... Our families need to accept that. Life is to short not to live it to the fullest. Carol loves working with wild animals while I am ok with that, its not my passion... She puts a ton of time and money into it. I support it, and help her every chance I get... Much the same way she supports my hunting.

Its not a matter of an "unhealthy obsession" its more a balance that the whole family needs to understand.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby JakeJD » Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:24 am

Before I was married with kids, I fished, hunted, golfed, followed sports, etc. I gave up fishing, golf, etc.; there just are not enough hours in the day and being gone that much is not fair to my family. I continue to hunt and scout deer, but I force myself to be reasonable about it.

Faith (if you are a believer) and family need to come first, especially if you have young ones around the house. Little ones have very few years where they blindly love their parents and want to spend every minute with them; the relationship needs to be built then and nothing can replace time spent. As they become teenagers, friends become more important while parents become more annoying and less important. There will be plenty of time for your pursuits then.

Also, some of the most miserable people I know also happen to be some of the wealthiest. Money doesn't necessarily make people unhappy, but it sure doesn't bring happiness.
Last edited by JakeJD on Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:39 am

It's cost me a lot, besides $.

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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby headgear » Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:50 am

jakedeaver wrote:Before I was married with kids, I fished, hunted, golfed, followed sports, etc. I gave up fishing, golf, etc.; there just are not enough hours in the day and being gone that much is not fair to my family. I continue to hunt and scout deer, but I force myself to be reasonable about it.



This is me to, married with kids and basically gave up everythign I really liked to do for time to do the one thing I love. I still don't hunt near what I use to but the kids are starting to tag along more and the more they can get out the more I can get out. Like Stan posted Family, Job, Hunting in that order.

I am sure my wife gets a little more stressed around hunting season but I try and give her plenty of time to do what she wanted to do and other than scouting in the off season there is very little time I spend away from the fam. Like mentioned many times in this thread its all about balance.
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Re: Keeping things in perspective

Unread postby JoeRE » Fri Dec 07, 2012 3:13 am

I do not put hunting ahead of family/friends...but all my family and friends recognize the passion I have for being out in the wild and do accept that they will see me less September thru December ;) My personal life, which includes all the above, is far more important than any job will be. That's a personal choice and to each their own I say.

I am younger than many of you, but I still can think back to 8-10 years ago when I only lived for hunting. Nothing and no one were more important to me and to be honest I ended most seasons washed out and a little empty, regardless if I shot a big buck, with always something that I should have done differently nagging me. I have changed quite a bit from that, maybe its the normal evolution of a hunter but I am glad I can take a step back and smile. I get to hunt a lot more than many people with a flexible job and understanding wife, and for that alone I am grateful.

Everyone does have their passions, hunting or something completely different. If they negatively impact other big things in your life, well, that's for you yourself to judge if that's OK.


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