[skeeter@ccia.com]

Hope this is not too long but here goes. First off my dad told me years ago that no matter what I do figure out a way to do it by myself. If someone does offer help, you can be greatfull but if nobody helps, you have no gripe because you intended to do it yourself in the first place. How true this saying has worked out in my life. Most of the time, people will stand with their hands in pockets while I struggle maybe loading something in my truck..I do not ask for help either..mainly just want to see if maybe they would... so with that said.. when to quit hunting. Thas is a question my friend and I have talked about. He knows one man that just quit at 80..said because his eyesight was not to his liking and he felt he was not safe in the woods shooting at things. I have hunted hard since my dad started takin me rat shooting at about 5. Love the outdoors. Shooting things is not #1 reason to be in woods however it works out at times. I have sat under a pine tree in 2' of snow, cold,wet all day long and at last light had a deer covered in snow, walk right up to the opening in the pine and looked at me only 4' away. I just looked at it and said 'Merry Crhistmas deer'..watched it run away. That is why we hunt, because we enjoy all that comes with it and that is what I think will be missed by most. 2 years ago this Jan 4 I blackpowder hunting up behind my house and ended up in a valley that was all uphill no matter how I left. Out of the blue, I hit the ground with heart attack #7. I woke up once as i lay in the weeds looking at the blue sky with puffy white clouds thinking is this going to be my last day? Was I going to go out like some here mentioned..hunting with my rifle in hand? (I use to say that the best way to go) Out I went again..and wake,out etc etc and each time I made progress with my cellphone I kept in my pants pocket and managed my 911 call. Next time I woke, firemen,parameds,police and the property owner had driven up the powerline and found me. Here I am. Well I took some heat after and at times before..about hunting by myself. I sort of got out of hunting as hard and often as I had done over all the other years of my life. I still managed to sneak out but tried not to put myself in a situation I could not get out of. Back to my dad..find a way to do it yourself. Never count on anyone. This year I spent more time in the woods watching deer,locating buck for my daughter to shoot (got 8pt) than I have in the last 2 years. I have gone crow hunting with my buddy, groundhogs with daughter..is nice to get out. I have over the last 10 or more years enjoyed taking first time hunters be it kids or adults and it is more exciting to look down their gun or bow while they shoot the deer you sicked them on. That is now more fun than shooting them myself and I still get time in the woods...Find a way to do it yourself in a safe way but never count on others ever. One guy that goes with me now carries a cell phone after I 'b' at him for not owning one for both our safety..but he always turns it off..grrrr.. I once hunted all day and when got back to my truck, attack #6 got me. I did the self CPR for about 10 miles but made it home. Hunting neighbor came over as I almost passed out and hung on my truck..even toldhim things arent well, havin probs again..he just said..ok, left and went home..and he knows my heart history but I made it to my porch, only far enough to reach my arm out and slam the door before I went out. Wife took care of the rest of the story..Never count on anyone. Ever. so It would sound nice to go out while hunting, with ole betsy but when face it in the face?..Not a good time at all..What kept me going?..I told people for years, look for the crows in a few days and that is where you will find me with my butt wedged in a Y of a tree to keep out the possums..Well that thought gave me my 2nd wind..I could not even make it off the powerline to the Y in a tree..No possums gonna get me..Survival..funny how it works..but if you enjoy outdoors, go do it..just slow down and never put yourself in a spot you cant get out of yourself..I don't use my tree lounger stand anymore because I found out if you had problems while up in the tree, you are not gonna get down..etc etc..I got deer in archery, and the early pa blackpowder season..so I can keep out of the cold this winter..I passed up nice buck but kept them active wihtthe scrapes to give my daughter a chance at one..that worked..that makes my hunting season this year another memorable one..as we got to watch the big buck fight off the smaller buck and both ended up just 2 steps from us..and ..got away..but made a memory for both my daughter and me..quality time in the field..with family..that works for me..and I can stll see..and shoot..kids do the dragging if I can't take my quad to where my deer are..ok..I can go on and on but enouigh space taken..do what you can while you can because if you look at a tape measure, average age now is 80..look at how close we are to that end of the tape..ewww..enjoy while you can..gets harder every year..you will know when it is time to quit....