As I approach my 80th birthday, I have become increasingly aware that my hunts and fishing trips won’t go on forever. I’ve already slowed down more than I let on, and from time to time I’ve alluded to this in past columns. The December 2021 issue of Deer & Deer Hunting magazine contains the article “50 Reasons Adults Quit Hunting” by Josh Honeycutt. I’m not going to parade through all of Honeycutt’s reasons, but I will touch those I feel are most relevant.

Reason #2 is “No One to Take Them.” Reason #42 is “Hunting Buddies Passing Away.” Reason #44 is “Declining Heath.” These reasons really struck home with me. My closest hunting partners have either passed on or quit. “Declining Health” covers a broad area. Though I’m moderately healthy, I’m no longer strong enough to drag a deer back to my pickup. Nor can I climb and handle steep grades or walk great distances. I need some assistance, and this requires a partner.

There’s no way I would have attempted my recent Wyoming elk hunt without partner Mike Hall, nor would I have gone after marlin in Mexico without my daughter’s friends. Fishing wise, I have trouble getting my boat in and out of the water without help.

New Year’s Day is Saturday. Rather than making some resolutions that probably won’t be kept, think about those old-timers you know that don’t hunt or fish anymore. They’re probably not going because no one will take them. Make the offer. You’ll never know just how much you are appreciated.

There was a time when I wondered whether I’d ever be as tough as my father who hunted deer and antelope into his 80’s and fished into his 90’s. I hadn’t considered that I drove out to the ranch, armed him with my favorite rifle, placed him on a stand that I knew would offer a good shot, field-dressed his deer (he always told me that he forgot his knife), and dragged it back to the pickup. Today I don’t have a son to do that for me, but I’m lucky as I have a former student who looks out for me.

About ten years ago, an elderly lady stopped me in our local grocery store. She asked that I take her husband fishing. I told I would, and that made her very happy. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the lady, and my asking who she was seemed clumsy at the time as she knew who I was. I hoped she would call and remind me, but she never did. My fault. To this day I feel terrible about failing that elderly couple. Please seek out an old-timer and make him happier than you’ll ever know.

At long last, it’s beginning to look like the ammunition/reloading components shortage caused by hoarding is returning to normal. We Mitchell area shooting enthusiasts are fortunate to have Cabela’s, Palace City Pawn, Precision Reloading, Runnings, and SoDak Sports. I recently purchased a gun at Runnings. The customer service was excellent as was the price, and their ammo supply included hard-to-get .223 Remington ammo as well as 9 mm Luger and trap loads.

I don’t know what our winter weather will bring temperature wise, but if there is open water in the boat ramp bay beneath the Randall Dam as there was last winter, and if you live within reasonable driving distance of Pickstown, big northern pike can be had by castling large spoons from shore. This could offer relief from cabin fever, and one can drive right up to it.

Hunting/fishing wise, and otherwise, 2021 was a very good year for Betsy and me. After a year of not seeing family because of the virus, we had a glorious week in March with our three daughters at LuAnn’s second home in Cabo San Lucas Mexico where I caught that great marlin. April netted me a fat gobbler with my 130 year-old black powder shotgun, and I was able to enjoy a month of May “Walleye Renaissance” on Francis Case Reservoir. Much of the summer was spent fishing Wisconsin lakes with my son-inlaw and grandchildren. Fall 2021 included some great pheasant hunts with Mitchell friends and that Wyoming elk hunt. A great East River deer hunt wrapped things up.

It was also a year of unexpected honors. Betsy and I were the parade marshals for Wagner’s Labor Day Parade – South Dakota’s biggest one-day event in my opinion. In Early October, we were honored with a reunion picnic in Parkston hosted by my Parkston High School wrestling teams of 1966-67 through the team of 1970-1971. The turnout was great, and I hadn’t seen some of those guys for 55 years. A teacher/coach knows no greater feeling than being told he made a positive difference. I’m grateful to Dave Weber for organizing that event.

See you next week.