If you’ve ever found your passion for hunting growing stale, or simply missing the enjoyment you remember in the early days of your hunting career, rest easy, you’re not alone. It’s crazy that we could actually grow weary in the one thing we love about as much as anything on earth. Yet, season after season we see guys and gals hanging up their bow due to the fact that they are no longer having fun.
Yes, it’s a shame. But it doesn’t have to happen.
How do we keep from falling victim to burnout in our hunting pursuits? Here’s a look at 5 ways to make hunting fun again.
Take Your Wife or Child Hunting
If you want a guaranteed good time, just take your wife or child hunting. Sure, it could backfire on you and be the worst decision you’ll make all season, but I’m betting it will be fun. Your wife will enjoy spending the time with you and seeing what all goes on during the hunt. You’ll have fun watching “the rookie” go through all the paces and discovering what the hunt is all about. And when it comes to your kids, nothing is more fun than hunting with the next generation of hunters. They’ll be the best hunting memories you could ever create. Don’t wait another year! Take your family hunting with you this season to add more fun to the mix.
Take your wife or child hunting with you for a guaranteed good time.
Start/Stop Videoing Your Hunts
Videoing your own hunts can add a fun and exciting challenge to your time in the woods. It’s a great way to challenge your skills and document the hunt to relive in the years ahead. Or, if you’ve been an avid self-film hunter over the years and you’re feeling burned out, commit to hitting the woods this season without the camera, at least once. Yes, you’ll probably miss out on some of the best content of the season when you leave your camera at home, but there’s something fun and refreshing about going old-school to enjoy the hunt without the pressure of running a camera.
Self-filming your hunt can drain you over the course of a season. Leave the camera at home from time to time and enjoy the hunt for yourself.
Shoot a Small Buck
I’m fully aware that this recommendation will unleash the wrath of trophy hunters across the country, but I’m sticking with it. In fact, I dare you to shoot the first legal buck that walks by. The anticipation you’ll experience as you wait will be the most fun you’ll have all season, no doubt.
The pressure to kill a bigger buck than your buddies can take a lot of fun out of the hunt. Shoot what makes you happy.
Start Shooting Trad
If you really want to add more fun to your hunting game, start hunting with a trad bow. It’ll be like starting over. It’ll bring back all the memories of launching your first arrows as a child. You’ll feel like a straight up wild man as you sit in the tree with a trad bow. And regardless of whether it’s a squirrel, rabbit, or whitetail deer, when it gets within bow range of your trad bow, the adrenaline will flow. It’s one of the best ways I know of to make hunting fun again.
Hunting with a trad bow may be the funnest move you can make all season.
See How Many Does You can Shoot (Legally)
Hunters tend to get so bogged down in the pursuit of a trophy buck that they miss out on the fun of shooting does. You won’t realize how fun and exciting shooting does can be until you give yourself the green light to empty the quiver this season with some doe management. See how many you can kill. Loading the freezer with meat for your family is fun. Shooting meat to help feed the hungry in your community is even better. Want to have more fun this season? Shoot more does and load the meat wagon.
Want to have more fun this season? Quit passing up does and make hunting fun again!
We want to hear from you. How do you keep things fun when the hunting season grind begins to take its toll on you. Comment below and let us know.
