Ya know, I just read a post where someone mentioned how the activity of the forum has dropped.  Another mentioned that he's been here since 2007.  It hit me right then how time flies, and how long I've been away from this forum.  I started out in mid 2005 asking about food plots and revolver choices.  I can remember quite vividly how, several months later, I was giving updates and asking for prayers because of Katrina.(the hurricane, not a nasty ex.lol)
Tomorrow marks four years since that time and it's amazing how things here online have changed, and on the area I used to live and now live.  The will, drive, fire to hunt has slowly burned to a small flame.  I still support the hunting cause-  I haven't turned to the anti's, it's just that some other things have become more pressing.  I recognize that spending time with a brother who flies in from 2000 miles away is more important for me that to spend time alone in the field waiting for deer.
FWIW


Best wished this upcoming season.  Be safe and shoot straight. 

I worry if the same thing will happen to me one day. I hunt so much and my life revolves around it to the point that I'm concerned that I will get burned out and give it up. I know of people that this has happened to. Or at least burned to a small flame as you said, where you become that guy that only hunts once or twice a year. Not sure if having an infant this year will impact that. I'll let you know in Januaury.

At any rate, it is good to see you found your way back. Perhaps you just needed some time to focus on other things before getting back in full-hunt mode. I think focusing on just taking a kid (or kids) fishing and hunting could bring back alot of what you look to get out of hunting. It's how my Dad enjoys spending time with me the most and I look forward to doing it with my step-son and real son over the next 30 years.

i fill want you both are talking about theres time i get burned out and just want to give it up , but the flame is still there, to make me go and what keeps me going is my son he wants to go with me and i believe it my job as a father to teach my son how to hunt and why we hunt. and the fun part is to spend father and son time. that what keeping this fire burning.

I been hunting for over 30 years and still look forward to it each season. Hunting and fishing, well anything to do with getting outdoors even it is just to walk and take it in is something I look forward to all year long. I know I drive my wife and my m-i-l crazy cause I will start talking about camp and the next deer season when I get home from a week at camp.

With today's busy world and the family, economy, jobs, etc. we all tend to get busy with other things, but eventually we all come back to it.

Glad to see you back and posting Howard. As long as you hunt, it really doesn't matter if you spend 30 days in the woods or 3 days in the woods, you are hunting. I don't think it ever dies in us.

BEEN THERE DONE THAT..BUT NOW I AM HUNTING BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER LOVES IT AND SHE WANTS TOHUNT WITH HER DADDY...SO I KNOW I WILL BE THERE AS LONG AS SHE WANTS ME TO BE THERE......

Like most of you what keeps me going is that i have 2 sons that love to hunt and as long as they want to hunt i will also want to hunt, i lost my father 23 years ago after a week long hunt with him i will never forget that week as long as i live, and that is what i want from my 2 sons is to never forget the time we shared outdoors.

I have a 14 yr old son that loves to hunt and so do I. We hunt deer,ducks and small game.I also turkey hunt(or try to any way)

The fire is still a blazing inferno for me. I just read and learn. I have a problem with some if the sarcasm and lack of respect I have seen a while back here at the forums. Sometimes I felt like I was dealing with someone wearing thier pants below thier buttcheeks and thier brain in the pockets. There are still some of them here and no smarter as they think they know it all.
So, I'll send a few jokes from time to time for the enjoyment of those with a sense of humor.
In the mean time,
fan the flames in the hearts of those among us who love the hunt but have let the inferno die to embers.
Re-ignite the flames----
Retune those Compounds------
Sight in those guns--------
Smell the burnt powder---
THE RUT IS ALMOST UPON US!!!!!!!!!

Sorry guys, I got carried away there for a minute