Elderly Hunters- When to call it quits?

[wyosteve]

Keep going until you can’t! My friend just finished his slam with an AZ. desert bighorn and he’s 86.5.

 

[jkoehle1]

Probably long before i get to 90 some elk, ifykyk

 

[WyoKid]

Safety is a concern but everything that involves guns, knives, steep mountains, slick rocks and tripping sticks, getting lost or injured is a safety concern - like all hobbies/sports, that is just the risk you accept for being able to do something you enjoy and love. So, it all comes down to having the physical and mental ability to continue do it. Although, for me, if I lose my mental ability (Dementia/Alzheimer's), I told my wife to just drive me out into the woods in the winter to go hunting and leave me.

 

[North of 60]

Keep moving to keep hunting is a modified version of the motto (keep moving to keep moving) of the national senior games.

Having qualified twice for the national senior games in pickleball, i plan to continue to follow that motto and plan to for as long as i am able in all activities

Our dad died at the young age of 56 so i don't have an elderly hunter, however like others have mentioned i would involve them in as many aspects of hunting as they wanted to, and were safely able to do so.

 

[ProRoad]

My Dad just got his first Elk at 82. Many other animals have fallen to his blade since he was a kid. The Elk took one shot it in the heart at 150 so it just dropped where it stood. He would be the first to tell you that it's getting harder to do, mostly in the physical dept. He sold his airplane because he knew his eyes and quick reactions were going so I'm pretty sure most elderly know when it's time to hang it up. I know the guide told him to "stop talking! just hand signals" as he is deaf as can be so he was talking too loud. First time using a guide so I think the Elk is a bucket list item for him. I hope to go with him again before he hangs it up. He still reloads all of my hot hunting loads with the highest precision!

 

[cnelk]

“Motion is the Lotion”

 

[Choupique]

Hopefully never.

I know people who have killed deer at 89 and 86 years old.

We have dedicated old people stands at my camp. Real close to camp, real easy to get to, stay heavily baited up, barely off the ground, only the old guys hunt them.

Id say as long as you can still safely handle a gun, go.

 

[jimh406]

Everyone ages at different rates. If you are worried about safety, treat him like a child. That is, carry his gun, hunt with him, and load the gun only when necessary.

There are also a lot of things you can do to reverse or slow down aging. There are a lot of people posting good content on YouTube.