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Giving Up

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Giving Up

Postby Swede » 01 22, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Over the many years I have hunted, I can remember going home early without an elk only once. I may have forgotten some too. The one time I remember was when we had over a foot of snow and the temperature was hovering around zero, My friend and I had not see a fresh track in several days and it was almost Thanksgiving. We decided to leave for home. I also remember going home early from a Blacktail deer hunt. The weather was wet and miserable and we were seeing no deer. This was a hunt I was poorly prepared for. The deer were around, but hunkered down somewhere and not moving. Excuses, excuses.

So what has caused you to give up early?
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Re: Giving Up

Postby saddlesore » 01 22, 2019 •  [Post 2]

One time I left early, when staying would have meant getting snowed in. Barely got out as it was. A few times I have left early, maybe on a Friday instead of waiting until the season closed on Sunday had been due to the weather forecast showing bad storms moving in.Just could not see battling deep mud or deep snow for 1-2 days more of hunting.
I came home early once due to illness and another time after a bad wreck with the mule and ending up in the ER.

I can't remember going home early due to poor hunting. I usually stuck it out. The older I get, the less I want to deal with nasty weather. If I get a foot of snow early in the season, I will stick it out knowing hunting will be great right after the storm moves out.

This past rifle season I was home in three days. Would have been sooner, but it took two days to pack a bull out
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Re: Giving Up

Postby Indian Summer » 01 22, 2019 •  [Post 3]

There is nothing worse than going through winter wishing I was elk hunting knowing that I didn’t take full advantage of doing it when I could. No matter how bad things can seem I always tell myself “Next week you’ll wish you were here”

I may downshift for a day to recuperate but giving up is not in my vocabulary.

I don’t know about “shoot on the first day what you’d shoot on the last” but there’s no reason you shouldn’t hunt every day like it’s the first!
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Re: Giving Up

Postby Tigger » 01 23, 2019 •  [Post 4]

Don't get me started on that saying guys! No, don't do it!!! Stop it...I cannnnnttttttt help myself....no I ain't gonna comment. Ain't gonna do it!
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Re: Giving Up

Postby Indian Summer » 01 23, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Tigger wrote:Don't get me started on that saying guys! No, don't do it!!! Stop it...I cannnnnttttttt help myself....no I ain't gonna comment. Ain't gonna do it!


Tig how about “Shoot on the last day what you didn’t on the first” Does that sit better with you? It does me.
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Re: Giving Up

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 01 23, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Aside from serious family emergencies, only one time really. That entailed a storm of biblical proportions pretty much blowing me, washing me off the mountain. I’m always there to the end......
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Re: Giving Up

Postby Lefty » 01 23, 2019 •  [Post 7]

I didnt go back up muzzle loader hunting one last day. the elk had dropped down to private ground. Next year Im going to ask permission on those ranches.
One day I was ready to head back to camp the smoke was so bad. I was 300-400 yards from 3 bulls , The air cleared a bit so I stayed
I cherish all my time in the outdoors, Last Friday, last day of the hunt in this unit; the geese flew early and were done flying by 10:30 picked up and headed home.
Broke a leaf spring at -17, had to fix the truck so I drove home.
Rain/snow mix will send me home but I dont "give up"
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