Why Guys Quit on the Mountain

[Mykolaivka887]

.... attitude is everything from day 1 until the hunt is over.

From a guide's perspective, it seems that nowadays, a lot of clients don't possess this character trait. Too much YouTube. Too much internet hunting forums. Too much magazine portrayals. Too much television shows. The perspective of reality has been lost, to a large degree.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

From a guide's perspective, it seems that nowadays, a lot of clients don't possess this character trait. Too much YouTube. Too much internet hunting forums. Too much magazine portrayals. Too much television shows. The perspective of reality has been lost, to a large degree.

That's for sure... Everyone thinks you'll just be on elk all day long.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I quit because I’m fat and out of shape. So instead of climbing the mountain I just practiced sliding down the mountain. Much more fun.

 

[Marble]

From what I have seen, people quite for a lot of reasons. Basically it boils down to how badly the hunter wants to kill and what they will endure to be successful.

The more experienced hunters learn what to do and use to be comfortable enough to endure.

Some people can withstand a lot of discomfort and discouraging experiences, most can't.

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[bsnedeker]

I've had to quit two elk hunts.

Two years ago a bug flew in my eye and I had to get it extracted at the eye doctor.... that sucked. Eye needed about 2 weeks to heal.

This year I had to head home on day 10 of a planned 15 days because my wife fell down the stairs and broke her wrist.

If there isn't an emergency I'm staying with the elk.

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[PaBone]

Let's face it hunting can be tough and physically demanding, whether your hunting elk on a mountain out West or hunting whitetails miles back in a National Forest in the East. Lugging gear or tree stands up a mountain like a jackwagon can break your spirit and turn the fun into work if you don't have the passion. You have to want it and enjoy the adventure more than the kill.

 

[IdahoElk]

I've had guys wanting out because they're addicted to their stupid phones and not being "Connected" was driving them nuts.
I think in todays world most can't slow down and be on natures time which is a snails pace, a week in the woods is an eternity to some.

 

[PaBone]

I've had to quit two elk hunts.

Two years ago a bug flew in my eye and I had to get it extracted at the eye doctor.... that sucked. Eye needed about 2 weeks to heal.

This year I had to head home on day 10 of a planned 15 days because my wife fell down the stairs and broke her wrist.

If there isn't an emergency I'm staying with the elk.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

I started carrying a small unbreakable camping mirror and Q-tips in my pack for that very reason. I've had stuff in my eyes especially bark when climbing a tree stand and it's impossible to get out by yourself without a mirror.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I think in todays world most can't slow down and be on natures time which is a snails pace ....

I hear this from younger clients who are in their 20's, 30's and even 40's:

"How come we haven't left camp yet";

"Why are you going so slow";

"How come we can't just race over there and get them";

"Why sit here all day";

"When are we going to go over there and look";

"What's taking so long";

"We're not seeing anything here and I don't know why you won't go over there and look";

"That trophy that's supposed to be here hasn't showed up and I don't think it actually exists".

blah, blah, blah (add nauseum) .....

Typically my response to such questions is; "Because we're on animal time, not human time".

Today's American hunter is a reflection of American society and its culture - quick, easy, convenient, and entitled.

 

[IdahoElk]

I hear this from younger clients who are in their 20's, 30's and even 40's:

"How come we haven't left camp yet";

"Why are you going so slow";

"How come we can't just race over there and get them";

"Why sit here all day";

"When are we going to go over there and look";

"What's taking so long";

"We're not seeing anything here and I don't know why you won't go over there and look";

"That trophy that's supposed to be here hasn't showed up and I don't think it actually exists".

blah, blah, blah (add nauseum) .....

Typically my response to such questions is; "Because we're on animal time, not human time".

Today's American hunter is a reflection of American society and its culture - quick, easy, convenient, and entitled.

Funny the look I get when the thermals start swirling at 9am and I say ok lets back off until 6 tonight, Ha!

 

[Coveyleader]

They quit because let’s face it elk hunting is boring.

Wake up at 4, climb hill 500-1000 feet for a 20 minute encounter if you’re lucky. Watch check……it’s 8:30am, now what? Well elk are in timber, quiet….. do we stumble around hoping or go back to camp?


Back at camp……. Sleep 3 hours (which Never helps you get up at 4am) make a coffee, head back out. Wait until 6pm, thermals set, hopefully we hear something.

Next day repeat….. #boringashell!

At some point you kill an elk, but looking back, boring as hell. As a self taught elk hunter that’s my day…… on pack in hunts it’s even worse.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I'm always psyching myself out: "Gotta kill something so I can get
the hE## outta here!!"

 

[Coopsdaddy]

There’s people that quit on $500,000 in the show ‘Alone’ - because they miss their family.

In the first few days

 

[MuleyFever]

They quit because let’s face it elk hunting is boring.

Wake up at 4, climb hill 500-1000 feet for a 20 minute encounter if you’re lucky. Watch check……it’s 8:30am, now what? Well elk are in timber, quiet….. do we stumble around hoping or go back to camp?


Back at camp……. Sleep 3 hours (which Never helps you get up at 4am) make a coffee, head back out. Wait until 6pm, thermals set, hopefully we hear something.

Next day repeat….. #boringashell!

At some point you kill an elk, but looking back, boring as hell. As a self taught elk hunter that’s my day…… on pack in hunts it’s even worse.

My August weekend archery deer hunts here are so damn boring. Its hunting travel routs so sit and wait. Its sit for a few hours then sit all day, long...hot...August day, until evening. I try to read. Its too hot to lay in the tent for a nap. Its mentally brutal.

 

[DE302duck]

I still laugh about the Cliff Gray video where he chastises today's hunters for "gear masturbation" . Fixating on gear at the expense of actual hunting experience.

1000% true

 

[*zap*]

^yup

 

[isItFallYet]

I've had guys wanting out because they're addicted to their stupid phones and not being "Connected" was driving them nuts.
I think in todays world most can't slow down and be on natures time which is a snails pace, a week in the woods is an eternity to some.

That’s one of the motivators to go hunting for me. No work calls or emails, no news about the crazy shit happening in the world, no monitoring investments, etc. Cliff talks about the stress, and all I can think about is the stress relief.

 

[trophyhill]

Let's face it hunting can be tough and physically demanding, whether your hunting elk on a mountain out West or hunting whitetails miles back in a National Forest in the East. Lugging gear or tree stands up a mountain like a jackwagon can break your spirit and turn the fun into work if you don't have the passion. You have to want it and enjoy the adventure more than the kill.

Once you do it, it becomes quite apparent that there is alot of work involved. But if you love what you're doing, its not work. Even the packout is fun and adventurous

 

[Cliffy65]

That’s one of the motivators to go hunting for me. No work calls or emails, no news about the crazy shit happening in the world, no monitoring investments, etc. Cliff talks about the stress, and all I can think about is the stress relief.

100%

 

[Still Hunter]

So I headed up solo this year and at the last minute I had another young man come with me. Thirty-three years old. I got him started bow hunting a year ago. We work at the same company and my employer asked me to take this young man along and my employer asked the young man to ask to go with me to make sure I didn’t die up in the mountains alone. We hunted some rough country. Saw lots of animals. He got to experience in 9 days what probably took me six years to see. I was impressed with his tenacity and ability to persevere and hang in there on the trip. I was told I was “insane” and “crazy” to hunt such a tough area and that at 62 I was a “#%*¥|#%^ OLD MOUNTAIN GOAT!!!”. I have a new hunting buddy and the young fellow is addicted! He gets it! Gets in your soul!