Elderly Hunters- When to call it quits?

[MallardSX2]

My dad is 76 this year and he hunts more than he ever has.

 

[WyoKid]

I had a similar epiphany but an equally opposite corollary: More solo hunting!

Setting up camp and packing an Elk out by myself is a chore. There are periods of boredom, which I prevent by hunting all day and coming out in the dark so there is no time to sit around a camp fire after eating and getting ready for the next day.

But, as I have gotten older, I've become more grouchy and fixed in my ways. Although not heavily opinionated or political, I don't have a lot of tolerance for those that are and absolutely no tolerance for nonsense, impracticality and complaining. So, I would rather hunt myself these days.

 

[Weldor]

I have a few friends who probably should give it up. Some lost their hearing, some their mobility and others are just in bad physical shape. I fiqure it is up to them to decide. The best quote this year was "I'm only putting in for the early bull hunt from now on" from the guy who has almost total hearing lose.

 

[WoolOverAll]

A mental or physical disability that prevents you from hunting is the same regardless of age. 'Limiting' someone should be based on what their individual issue is. I've had to tell multiple young men that they shouldn't hunt anymore because they couldn't put down the bottle. The same would be true if they were 70 or 80.

An older hunter might be slower and need to compensate in other areas, but it doesn't mean their are incapable of doing anything. Their individual issue should be the focus, not the fact that they are a certain age. I hunt with plenty of older guys that do fine, just slightly slower than they used to.

 

[mtnwrunner]

You just have to have friends that can carry you........

Randy