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-- How many years left? (http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.php?threadid=928520557)

How many years left?

Do you ever think about it? No one lasts forever and one of the things that haunts me is that my want to may out last my can do! Found myself wondering that this morning as I hiked 5/8 of a mile back into an old valley threaded with several small beaver ponds to turn a pair of beagles loose in search of the Snowshoe Hare. Sitting listening to they're voices ring down through the valley for 3-1/2 hours made my day yet there's that distant haunt that the end is much nearer then it once was. A frequent prayer is to be able to do it gracefully when it's time. Many memories here in this spot which once was much more wild than it is today. There were once rugged men likely of French Canadian decent, who spent there late fall and likely all winter deep in these soft wood forests cutting pulp and saw logs that were eventually floated down the Connecticut River from its headwaters along the Vermont and NH borders all the way down into Massachusetts and Connecticut. Tough men who in those days had no time for fussing with hounds. My Dad always said "They can't take what I've already had!" and man I've had a out of fun and I sure enjoyed istemig to this pair of 4 year olds who have honed their craft well!

How about you? Who is the oldest active coon hunter you know that can still hit the woods 3-4 nights a week and doesn't have to hunt from a vehicle?

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Dan

Downhill fast!!

Go 3-4 nights yet, but can't take long walks anymore. Turned 72 in Feb. & retired from farming last years, so have time & 'want to' yet, but can't get my legs traveling thru woods like they used to.

Had a real tough hunt at SS a couple years ago that really has set me back. Would really like to make more competition hunts during week, but 'brain says go, but legs say no'. Young handlers always in a hurry to get to tree, when time is up & dogs split treeing in different directions really burns me out trying to keep up.

Did hunt 3 nights at Bluetick Reunion this year on Senior casts & 2 nights at our Zone III hunt, but in the heat now, grand kids (12 & 13), plus a couple great buddies need to do most of leg work till fall. Enjoy while you can because it only gets harder as you get older. Take care, Ron.

ps- How old are you? Don't have it listed in your first post.

DL NH

I am 70 and have slowed down a lot, I do not hunt in the spring and summer months anymore, just don't like the heat. I hunt hard in the fall and winter months 4 to 5 nights a week, but not as long each night only 2 tob3 hours a night. My hunting partner is 81 years old and still hunts 4 to 5 nights every week like myself. He is the ultimate coon hunter , he has more passion about coonhunting than anyone I have ever known. He is tough as nails and will hunt as long as he is able. I made him a deal a couple of years ago, that we would hunt every night, but only until we treed our limit, shucks he wanted to hunt all night. Lol. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

Rolin Blues,

I Just turned 61. Hopefully I've got another 10 +. Would like a few in retirement if I make that. My Dad passed away in Nov. of 2016 @ 94. Mind was still sharp as a tack but his body was shot. His last 5 yrs of life were in a nursing home. In his day he was an excellent woodsman and his passion was trout fishing. We spent countless hours together over the years. Perhaps 2 of his greatest gifts to me were his love and knowledge of the outdoors and a model to follow in departing this world with grace.

It was a rare occasion he complained about anything. The staff at the home were in tears the day he truly went Home. He was good to them and they to him. As I write this now I'm sitting on the porch of one of his most prized possessions, his camp, a place filled with memories nearly to numerous to count and where I can almost see him. The day is coming when I will!!

As far as the hunting with hounds goes I truly believe we've seen the best years. Dad always use to say "They can't take what we've already had." I don't say this as a complaint but merely as observation of the diminishing woodlands, open land to hunt and an impatience by much of our ever changing society who doesn't understand our ways.

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Dan

I am 61 yrs old. To many broken bones to keep up with the young folks in the hunts. But they play a different game than we did I remember in the 3 hr hunt days men in their late 70’s hunting the whole hunt. We stayed together. Before I retired I only had time for one hobby hunted during the week competition hunted on weekends. Now I got time to do multiple hobby’s. And if the weather is bad I enjoy reading between the kc sites and tons of coonhunting sites on Facebook you can go hunting and never leave your chair lol. How long will I do it ? Every morning I will give you a different answer I wake up like a baby hoot owl in a new world lol.


Tar

Mr. James Turpin. Of Insane Jane and Cain fame. I believe he is 85 and hunts 5 tp 6 nights in the hills of south east Ky.

not sure but it would be safe to say more behind me then infront of me !

I'm 76 and I don't think of it in terms of years left. I wonder how many hunts left. Hoping I can make tomorrow night. I try to hunt 2 or 3 nights a week but they're short hunts. The Alpha and the ATV really help.

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Donald Bergeron

I'm 71 and blessed with near perfect health. I want to go now but the heat is too much for my older dogs. One is my age, 70 and one is 9. Then I have one that 7 and one that's 6. I try to go alternate days and of course I skip days when things come up. Now I wonder about how much longer I can hunt with the dogs I have. I wonder too if I should get one more dog. But then, I don't want to leave a 10 year old dog to someone else when I die. My youngest is 6, if she makes it to 14 I'll be 79. I might still want to go at that age but I won't then have a dog. I might wait until my oldest dog dies to get my last dog. If she makes it to 14 I'll be 75. Another dog would take me to 89. That would probably be the end for me.

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happiness is: being saved by the grace of GOD! i'm happy and hope you are too!

I'm encouraged by the number of responses by those 70+ yrs. old! I'm hoping if I'm still alive at 70 I can still strap on a pair of snowshoes and cut loose a pair of beagles in January and February to run the swamp ghost of the north! I'd like to think I could have a good coon hound to boot!

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Dan

Dan

Whatever you do, stay in the best physical shape you can. I have found out the hard way that once you get out of shape, it's very hard to push yourself enough to get back in shape. Keeping in good shape mentally and physically is the key. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

I am only seventy one but I already just think about months instead of years. I wonder if I will still be able to go to the White River Refuge this December. And I have given up on starting pups now, I only hunt older dogs. I lost a 73 yr old hunting buddy to a stroke 2 months ago and just heard last night that a 65 yr old hunting buddy went to a nursing home last week.

I am 70 and hunt more or at least as much now as ever. Retirement just gave me the time and the Good Lord has given me the health. Can still get about everywhere, it may just take a little longer. Have one just turned 4 year old dog and a 7 month puppy. Figure they will last me as long as I can go especially if the pup turns out. Still hunt by myself 90% of the time but wish I had a buddy that wanted to hunt as much as I do. Told my wife that if I died in the woods that would be fine. Much prefer that to a hospital bed.

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Tom Wood

Mr. Lambert

Stay mentally tough, mental toughness is needed to push our bodies enough to get into physical condition. My 81 year old hunting partner has shown me that we can be just as tough in our older years as we were in our younger years. He hunts in pain many nights, he just refuses to let his aches and pains stop him. He has a mental toughness that I envy and inspires me with his toughness. Mind over matter is a powerful tool if we use it. Navy seals training show the importance of mental toughness and just how far we can push our physical capabilities. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

I am mentally tuff ! It’s just a long ways from my brain to my feet and they don’t do what I tell them to sometimes lol.


Tar

you old farts are pondering on something you cant control. keep on trucking don't drell on the pass or on whats gonna be. iam 35 and fig I have another good 35 left in me. Ha Tar. lol

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C.JONES

And a very young 35 at that Carson!!!

Carson Jones

Now that's the attitude I am talking about, hope you always feel that way. No need to let your mind tell you you can't do something, you just tell yourself you can and go ahead and do it. It's been proved that we can go way beyond what our minds and bodies tell us that we can. Google Navy Seal training and see what those guys have to say about limitations. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

Oh my goodness Mr Richards, how many of those Seals are 70 yrs old? You might want to read what you have typed before you hit that submit reply button.
And Chewy, we will see what kind of attitude you have in another 35 yrs.
Not only is my body 71 yrs old but my poor brain is also 71 yrs old. I was mentally tuff when I was 35 years old.

Carson ain’t 35 lol he is older than me lol. And he is bald too lol. And uuuuuuuuuuugly !!



Tar

Is mentally tough the same as hard-headed?

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Donald Bergeron

I don’t know but Ralph called me a sissy in church this morning he is 71 so we are going hunting I ain’t feeling it but we are going lol.


Tar

Tarbaby, you are a sissy. All you do is whine and cry now. Have you always been like this or just since you got old?

Trying to get a sympathy vote but I guess I am in the wrong crowd for that !!


Pot is Legal in Oklahoma now I might need some cookies and milk.


Tarbaby

quote:

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Originally posted by CHEWBACH
you old farts are pondering on something you cant control. keep on trucking don't drell on the pass or on whats gonna be. iam 35 and fig I have another good 35 left in me. Ha Tar. lol

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Dan