On being a flake

"I like hunting, fishing and maybe 3 people"
This is so true ozyclint. I've been saying this for quite while and the last 18 months has only made the conviction of my thoughts only stronger.

I'm a pretty social guy and over the years many have commented on my people skills in light of me being in IT as those those folks are usually a little nerdy and often times social pygmies.

Anyhoo, besides my immediate family of my two kids, wife and Mom, there are nine people (2 in VA, 2 in MA; 5 in AZ) that I'd be perfectly happy to be friends with the rest of my life and to hell with the rest.


Eddie
 
It's a people thing. When we gave up our morales we started this path. Search long and hard to find the right ones. Then treat them like they are the right ones and you'll have something great.

My wife and I struggle with this. People are very broken and unreliable. We just need to do the best we can.
 
NO lie.
When eating out its amazing at the #of people that are sitting
together and everybody is gazing at their phones, not talking
to each other.
Personally, I wish I had my flip phone back.
Yep, socially acceptable addiction, that is genuinely rotting people's minds and society.

The wife and I have strict rules limiting its use.
Rule 1. It's not for children.
Rule 2. Nor around them.
And so on.
 
It's a people thing. When we gave up our morales we started this path. Search long and hard to find the right ones. Then treat them like they are the right ones and you'll have something great.

My wife and I struggle with this. People are very broken and unreliable. We just need to do the best we can.
Yes.
In a world where people will believe anything they'll believe everything that they've been told.
Just look at the last eighteen months.
Madness driven by fear.
Fear used as control.

All the while no one has faith in anything least of all God or themselves.
Instead all that has become valuable is stuff.
Not the time or the hunt, just the trophy.
Not the friendship just the instagram post.

Feckless people, in a lost culture.
 
First post on this site. I have 4 good hunting buddies.

My first on is my dad he doesn’t hunt much deer or turkey but when it comes to pheasant he’s always ready to go and never misses.

My brother who is mostly reliable or atleast will tell you no when he can’t or doesn’t want to go.

My third buddy is a lock for bear and deer we’ve been hunting out of the same camp. He owns his own company and will often blow off work and ride up to camp with his kid if he knows your up there.

My fourth who hunts everything with me is reliable for any season. Ducks at 2 am to deer bear and pheasant. In the past 5 years since we hunted together I’ve missed one time and he missed one time. Both of which was for duck. My only complaint with him is I scout a lot harder than he does and 95% of time he’s booked in the summer with his other friends which is fine but it’d be nice to have someone to take random scouting trips with. He seems to take a bit longer than me to get excited for the season but once he is he’s pretty locked in

We do have some flaky friends who for the most part we’ve cut out mostly due to their wives telling them no or other commitments. Hunting for me is my vacation. I work hard all year to hunt a lot in the fall I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m currently making some career changes that in the long run will allow me to hunt more, scout more, and take more hunting trips. It’s tough because in the short term (next season or two) this change will inhibit me from going out as much as I usually do
 
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I think as mentioned above, planning to go solo and letting a guy or two know they're invited is the best strategy. I'm the first to admit I get homesick when the sun goes down and I crawl into my sleeping bag, but I'm not going to ruin a trip over it. Once the morning rolls around I'm ready to go again.

Did a hiking trip with my cousin and one of his coworkers. I'd never met the coworker, but he and my cousin were both not in the best shape. We drove 11 hours to the spot, camped, woke up at 5:00 am and did a round trip that took about 8 hours. They were both cussing and half dead by the end of it. I was surprised to hear one mention packing up early and heading back that night. The other agreed and looked at me. I said that is a long ass drive and we are all pretty beat, but we accomplished what I wanted to so that's fine with me. We packed up and drove another 11 hours back home rolling in around 4:00 am. Never underestimate the resolve of a man who wants to get back to his wife.
 
I have had four hunting partners in the past in this order, my dad he has since passed going on three years, my son who I now only see maybe once a year (do not know what happened there ) my granddaughter who is now in college and big girl stuff. and a friend who I have know since we were in the Marines together, he is the brother I never had, sure there are others who I will occasionaly hunt or fish with, but my Marine brother is iorn clad.
 
That's why most hunting buddies are family and longtime friends. If you don't know your hunt buddy, you'll find out at the least opportune time.

Trust me - it's better going solo than getting dumped off at 0400 on a piece of public for a 3 hr morning hunt and getting picked up at dark. That was an interesting trip.
 
Fortunately I hunt with a few like minded hardcore hunting buddies. But I can see trying to finding a good hunting partner can be difficult. imo some guys are intrigued about hunting. Some will talk a big game but when it comes time to doing it- waking up early, going on long hikes, spending all day in the woods/ mountains... It's not for everyone.
My BIL use to always talk about going hunting with me. He stopped asking me after I told him to take the hunter safety course. Lol. (besides, he's not the type to get up early and hike miles into the woods to sit there all day. Plus he's always late. )
Before I met my upland hunting partner, he took a few guys bird hunting. After the first time out, none ever wanted to go again (too much walking). There was another guy that talked a big game, but when it came time to go hunting he was no where to be found. He didn't even return my friend's phone calls.

I've notice less and less hunters in my area. Especially with the younger crowds. The guys around here like to shoot their AR's at the range. But not many are into hunting.
 
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Im lucky I've got a couple good hunting buddies and friends and when they say they'll be there, there gonna be there no matter what. I'm raised the same way. If you say you'll be there, your gonna be there no matter what happens and you better make dang sure your on time or early. Wish there was more people like that, people like that are hard to come by.
 
I have a friend that is habitually late, even go hunting with him at times. I will give him a time and location too meet if he is not there, I do not wait he will call and I say see you on the mountain. A time or two of this and guess what he is there on time, Me if I am not at least 1/2 hr. early it throws my whole hunt off.
 
Funny story years back my best friend and I hunted his paps farm in WVA. it was usually a three day hunt plus a day early too get situated and do a bit of scouting, well his wife was born on the first day of WVA deer season, I get too his place ripping too go, and she is throwing a fit. after about a hour I get in the truck and start too leave, here he comes asking where I was going told him I came too hunt not listen to yelling woman and would see him at his paps. Well he gets in the truck and away we go, I looked in the rear view mirror and she was sending not so nice hand signals at us. My motto if your going too hunt be on time and lets go.
 
Funny story years back my best friend and I hunted his paps farm in WVA. it was usually a three day hunt plus a day early too get situated and do a bit of scouting, well his wife was born on the first day of WVA deer season, I get too his place ripping too go, and she is throwing a fit. after about a hour I get in the truck and start too leave, here he comes asking where I was going told him I came too hunt not listen to yelling woman and would see him at his paps. Well he gets in the truck and away we go, I looked in the rear view mirror and she was sending not so nice hand signals at us. My motto if your going too hunt be on time and lets go.
...and don't date nut jobs.
 
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