Does anyone feel "guilty" for other outdoor activities?

[Brad]

I have been icefishing quite a bit (when I wasn't moving or sick) and have not even began scouting yet, haven't even looked at maps or anything yet. I always find myself conflicted between other activities, like if I take a day to go fishing I feel like I hurt my entire season by not scouting, or the same with icefishing later in the season. I know I can't scout all the time, but whenever I do something else I feel like I committed a crime, just like if I miss a day of hunting during the season. How does everyone approach this? I love to hunt, love to scout, love to fish, icefish and camp as well as turkey hunting and a few other species, but i always get that urge. How does everyone else handle this?

[BigHunt]

nope ..ive been mixing it up ..i fish mainly after work during the week...then friday and sat i fish and Sunday i scout...if i get out of work early during the week i take advantage of the day light and scout. soon ice fishing will come to and end i will be scouting for turkey. it never ends for me!!!

brad you have a three day weekend!! scout Fridays and do what you want on saturday and sunday !?

[Darin]

Snows too thick around here anyways. Wait till March n hit her hard. I understand what you mean though...

[xpauliber]

I think everyone's personality is different. For me, I don't like to dabble in a lot of different things and be mediocre at all of them but not good at any of them. If something piques my interest, I try to focus and become the best I can be at it. This just is how I'm wired and it does take away from other activities that I KNOW I would enjoy doing, but I just don't have the time to commit to doing everything I would like to.

I'm not saying that I don't do other things, but archery hunting whitetails will always win out for me and most of the ways I decide to spend my free time in some way help with that goal. With that being said, almost all of my spring gobbler hunting is done in areas that I want to scout for buck hunting. I enjoy spring gobbler hunting, it's probably my 2nd favorite hobby, but I use my time in the woods gobbler hunting to scout/shed hunt for bucks. There are certain areas that I could hunt that would be better for turkeys, but it doesn't help my chances for tagging a good buck in the fall.

[headgear]

Na lots of time to scout yet, I usually so some ice fishing this time of year, lots of snow here as well so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to scout when its deep.

[magicman54494]

Follow your heart.
enjoy life!

[rack addict]

You gotta have other hobbies and be able to enjoy them. Don't get me wrong I think about hunting everyday of the year. You can only look at maps for so long, thats a good evening activity.

[ttsbuck]

I seldom feel guilty and neither should you Brad. Life is short if you enjoy ice fishing and thats what you feel like doing on a certain day do it. From your posts here its clear you will put plenty of time into scouting and preparing for next year.

[seeds]

I hunted every opportunity I could get this past season.because it was my first in 30 years. I'd occasionally get a little twinge of something akin to "guilt" when I'd see my boat sitting alone in my garage. The thought passed quickly though.

For a number of years I fished walleyes really REALLY hardcore. A neighbor of mine - a therapist in fact - once told me I should have more varied interests. She thought I fished too much.

Gee,my garden,morels and asparagus in spring,walleyes,occasional panfish trips. Outdoors in general. Home improvement. Friends Family....Now bowhunting again,too...

I see what her interest is. Every night she's home from work and the big screen TV goes on in the front room. It stays on until she goes to bed,summer,fall,winter,spring....Oh,and "food" must be her second hobby. She's in good shape only if "round" is a good shape....think I'm still a little resentfull at her comment?

[Dewey]

At one time I was a hardcore ice fisherman but haven't gone in the last 3 seasons. When I was out there the last few times all I thought about was that I should be out scouting instead and it was driving me nuts. I truly love scouting and enjoy exploring my hunting areas and the bonus is the beneficial excercise I get from it which is something I didn't get out on the ice sitting on my but all day.

If I am not out on foot actually scouting I am usually driving around glassing fields and keeping up on what the deer are up to all year round. It's just what I enjoy doing and that's all that matters.

I get my boat out in summer and do a fair amount of musky fishing then so I am not totally dedicated to deer all year round but I still do plenty of shining at night. It's tough to keep up on a bunch of different outdoor activities so I focus on a few that I enjoy the most.

I would love to do it all but with working long hours and dedicating some time to my wife as well it's just not reality. Plenty of time for everything when I retire I hope!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Swampthing]

I'm with you Brad it's just hard to focus on anything else. I don't do a lot of the things I use to enjoy cause I'm always thinking I'm missing out on hunting , scouting.

[PLB]

It's even harder with kids and all there activities. I feel guilty every time I'm gone hunting or scouting now.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[whitetail007]

not at all. i will always make time for ice fishing.

[PLB]

I pretty much am addicted to anything whitetails!! I still turkey hunt and bear hunt too but don't fish anymore. Whitetails are my passion!!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Spysar]

You should only feel guilty if you are missing work or family due to too much of your hobbies.