It's just not as much fun anymore

[dusterdave173]

I will be 66 this December--the aches and pains from all my youthful "adventures" have caught up with me--So I understand exactly what you are talking about
I have something I want you all to consider--I spent 6 months cleaning out my inlaws home after they died--It was the toughest job ever--Then in January dad died--He collected everything--was in the antique tractor and car business---I BEGGED him to let me help thin it all down--told him that way he would have all the cash rolled up in his pocket--I advised that if he died and I had to guess the value on things that it would result in far less $$ to mom--just the way it is. You can guess how it went--again I had to clean out a lifetime of Things--lots of it brought nickels on the dollar--I actually hauled off over 150K lbs of scrap metal--Right! 40 rusty tractors--three barns full of Stuff--then had an auction--Guys ---do yourselves and your family a favor--when you let it all go--you will not miss it--you have the joy and memories that stuff gave you--keep that not all the junk--It WILL NOT bring anywhere close to what you Think it is worth! No way no how--Yes the 67 Corvette will but 95% of it is just stuff--attend a years worth of auctions in your county--Same stuff at every sale

sell it while you can place it in the hands of someone that will love it like you did--and keep it in use--if you don't your family will auction off neglected rusty weapons and the little stuff will bring $20 a bushel at the sale

I have thinned my lifetime of things down to bare bones--I could load and move in three days
Think it over--Plan boys--if you don't it will be a miserable task for someone you love

Tick Tock boys --we don't have forever

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

63 was asked a month ago to take 2 younger guys to Wyoming next fall for elk, ya I'm going.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

63 was asked a month ago to take 2 younger guys to Wyoming next fall for elk, ya I'm going.

You're STILL a Young Man at 63 and when you start TRIPPING in the Rocks on the tiny eyebrow Trails, in Mid 70's+,.. THEN, it's Time for you, to THINK "seriously about",.. Hunting, the Big stuff, or,.. NOT

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Been selling a few guns and a few more are going on the market. I look at it this way, it's time for someone else to have fun with them.

That's WHAT grandsons and granddaughters,... ARE,..for !
I'm giving my Guns to,..THEM and am enjoying,.. watching THEM,.. shoot

 

[BlueWater]

As has been said before " getting old aint for sissies".

I'm sure it was some guy named Ugluk or some such, sitting 'round the campfire bemoaning that he couldn't take down a full-grown bull mastadon any longer. Ugluk was a prophet.

"Dang, my feet hurt, my butt hurts, and I can't toss the spear deeply enough anymore. The mastadons just laugh when they see me coming. This 'getting old' crap's for the birds, I'm tellin ya!"
​

 

[marchx]

@Idaho-Lefty exactly. I think at some point of your shooting life you have to start thinking about your legacy. If you do not have grandsons etc. interested in shooting, I am sure there is a valuable young shooter at your club who can benefit from your wisdom. It's good to pass your experience to someone.

 

[Arky]

It happens to all of us. It seems that one morning you wake up and that strong young man is gone, ... and there is an old man where he used to be. I have reached that point in life and since my loving wife doesn't want my toys, (guns) I have been slowly selling them off.
Buying, selling and trading guns used to be fun and maybe for some it still is. For me it's become a pain in the back side. Jumping through all the hoops anymore just to do so just pi$$'s me off no end. I'm down to just a few left and will get it done, but it just makes me mad that we have let our country go this far to the loony left. I'll stop here before I tell everbody how I really feel about it.

Had to sell my horses and dogs at 50 because of a bad knee, there went deer hunting. Sold my motorcycles at 90 because of the sun. Quit competing center fire BR , sold all my center fire rifles at 93 because of my eyes but still use my 22 RF at 95 off the bench. Don't you kids worry too much you still have plenty of time to shoot. Buddy

 

[Steel Mover]

Thinning the heard while you are still around is way better for a fact. I have been through multiple family dumps, where the mess is just dumped at death upon me. Had a good bit of time to think on it for some time. After four or five of those, it gets real old. Last one my wife and I discussed the process on the 8 hour drive to start the process, one more time.
Was not one thing we needed, so we agreed to call the local church and arranged with the pastor to have the folks he knew that were in desperate need come and get what they needed, just had to have transport. We put blue tape out with magic markers. 4,000 sq ft house cleaned out in 3 days. Amazing stories of need and we helped a good many families in a very tight spot.
I started thinning the heard, but old habits die hard and if you are a collector and a builder, it is difficult not to.... But I have disposed of a few, did not make any money but knew whom would appreciate what I had and made sure they got what they "needed" at a decent price, in trade or otherwise. So the children and grandchildren already have gotten something they wanted.

 

[M-61]

I'll stop here before I tell everbody how I really feel about it.

They say the first sign of insanity is telling people what you really think.

 

[Ggmac]

no kids , tons of guns and old cars . I just gave my 68 E Jaguar to my younger cousin . It was hard to let go , especially since my British neighbor offered $36,000. Money is nice but having my jag live on in the family is my wish , now what to do with the other 11 cars and oh the 800 mausers and ...

 

[Kittitas George]

I've had a few set backs over the last 35 years, but still do what I can. I no longer can row a drift boat to fish or care for horses for those mountain rides. BUT, I can still ride a ATV on the mountain roads carefully. I ride alone, no friends left, I never did wait for someone to accompany me, I would have missed to many trips. I've never had a problem fishing, hunting or riding horses in the mountains alone, I use lots of caution. My shooting is now limited to the range and gophers, that's OK. I have memories of the Bob Marshall and Skape-goat Wilderness, eastern Montana prairie dogs and flyfishing all those wonderful Mt. rivers. I've got a pocket full of memories and the flask is still 1/2 full. In 2 weeks I'll be in Montana, I think I'm doing OK for 81, I'll be the oldest one in camp (cabin).

 

[Andy Work]

Kind of in the same boat so to speak. At 77 years with open heart surgery at age 52, chronic bronchitis, wore out knees and with afib and irregular heart beat I can't find a doctor that will do knee replacement on me. Can't walk too far because of pain in my knees so hunting is over with. I do get to the range and sit at a bench and target shoot and compete in matches with the help of my stepson and fellow friends and shooters. It seems the golden years have turned into pewter

This heavy duty knee brace has helped me a lot. It may be worth a try. It's less uncomfortable when worn over an undersleeve.

 

[rebs]

This heavy duty knee brace has helped me a lot. It may be worth a try. It's less uncomfortable when worn over an undersleeve.

Thank you at this point I am willing to try anything

 

[rebs]

no kids , tons of guns and old cars . I just gave my 68 E Jaguar to my younger cousin . It was hard to let go , especially since my British neighbor offered $36,000. Money is nice but having my jag live on in the family is my wish , now what to do with the other 11 cars and oh the 800 mausers and ...

what old cars do you have ?

 

[JFrank]

They say the first sign of insanity is telling people what you really think.

That’s the first sign of dementia.

 

[bluealtered]

Everybody It's good to see so many of us with the "still can do outlook" on life. Forum boss the TSA is going to love you. Your not alone there on that one, I bet probably half of us have to have that TSA magic wand run over us a few times before we get to board the plane.

I still love waking up every morning and walking at least a mile and sometimes two miles when I can. It does take some doing sometimes like when the ice is on the ground around here but shoe chains help with that.
Being the old fart that I am, I learned at a very young age that if you are going to live life the way You want, it's sometimes to be very painful.

I don't really care how much it's hurts, waking up everyday makes it well worth while and I thank the lord every morning for another day. Like others here I turned off the news years ago and haven't looked back since, yes every once in a while I will stop and watch a few minutes of it, but it's just more of the same and I have better things to do now, like whine about our current guns laws!

 

[Ggmac]

what old cars do you have ?

1923 ford T 350 lt-1 , 1930 ford tudor, 1931 ford tudor ,1931 ford pickup mercury v-8 flathead ,1930 whippet pickup ratrod , 1941 ford tudor 350 , 1941 tudor all original, 1946 ford tudor original, 1948 ford Anglia Texas wheelstander , 1948 ford anglia pro street , 1953 studebaker pickup 500 cu in caddy , and forgot my wifes , 1932 ford cabriolet 350 , and 1941 chrysler windsor 3 window business coupe , 350 . Dang ! I haven’t listed them in a while .

 

[powderbrake]

It's still as much fun when I can do it, but I can't do it like I used to.

I have an ankle replacement and a hip replacement, and they don't bother me at all, they work just like new.
I am however a skin sack of arthritis, and walking and bending are very painful. I am scheduled for a radio frequency nerve ablation in my back in a couple weeks. They stick a couple needles in your back, attach them to electricity and burn the pain nerves so you can hurt, but you don't know it. It only works for a few months.

Have been getting my ducks in a row. Have much of my stuff well labeled, sold a kit car which I had built (a Lotus 7 replica with a Honda S2000 engine and 6 speed.), will have my son come over and video record me as I explain all my tools, projects, woodworking tools, 3D printer and supplies, reloading stuff and guns. I have as a project an excel file inventorying my guns and reloading equipment. At least my son will be able to discern what is worth keeping. I have my will, medical directives and power of attorney all set.

I still get out prairie dog hunting at least once each year. The guys I go with help me set up my table and stuff, and we always have a great time. It is one of the high lights of my year. I need to pull and reseat a bit longer about 300 rounds of 6BR for next year's prairie dogs, and for target shooting. That will be the end of that barrel, and I already have a new barrel that I need to have chambered with my reamer for the following year's hunt.

My brain still thinks I am in my 20's, and I wake up each morning happy to have another day with my wife, my family and my friends. Life is fun, and I plan to have as much fun as possible.

 

[Kittitas George]

I forgot to mention the great dogs I've had over the years, well bred Labradors, bred and trained to hunt and retrieve, with hand signals and whistle. I wouldn't let my dogs ruin the hunting and shooting of someone else. I had excellent help, form very knowledgeable people. The man that helped me, trained the first Yellow Lab to win a National Championship, Torque of Dangerfield. A great dog and he was a great friend. He later trained police dogs. I shared a pond with a man for few years on Thanksgiving week end, he didn't have a dog so my dog Epic, did all the retrieving. I didn't see him for a number of years, then saw him again with his young teenage boys. He could lie about my dog's ability and 10 mile retrieves better than I could. It's said a man only gets one could dog in a lifetime, I'm well ahead of that. It was a real pleasure training and shooting over a good dog. I also had the very best company in the blind or by the fire, and he didn't drink all my expensive whiskey as my partner did.

 

[rebs]

1923 ford T 350 lt-1 , 1930 ford tudor, 1931 ford tudor ,1931 ford pickup mercury v-8 flathead ,1930 whippet pickup ratrod , 1941 ford tudor 350 , 1941 tudor all original, 1946 ford tudor original, 1948 ford Anglia Texas wheelstander , 1948 ford anglia pro street , 1953 studebaker pickup 500 cu in caddy , and forgot my wifes , 1932 ford cabriolet 350 , and 1941 chrysler windsor 3 window business coupe , 350 . Dang ! I haven’t listed them in a while .

fantastic collection