Hunting Mindset: how to break slumps and fear?

[JeeperCreeper]

I haven't been to Africa, but I feel like you guys are the best to help me.

This year, for Alaskan moose, I went to my usual place on the Yukon that I was lucky to get 2 bull moose in 2 years. I grew up in and love the woods and consider myself an above average trigger man, so going into the hunt, I was excited as usual for a long expedition.

But once I got there, I was miserable. 2 weeks of cold, windy, rain didn't help. Plus, I have a lot outside of the hunt going on: torn calf muscle, expecting my second child, transferring jobs, etc.

I just wasn't feeling it. Zero passion for it. Plus, I felt what I'll describe as "fear" or anxiety every night, especially in my tent trying to fall asleep. I haven't felt like that since I was a kid or maybe my first night of Basic Training.

Has anyone else had an unexpected slump? How have you broken it? How long did it last? Is this normal?

I really don't know what I'm asking, I'm concerned because I felt great up until I broke camp, so it was very unexpected. Plus, I want my head in the game when I'm 24 hours away from help doing dangerous-esque high risk activities.

 

[BRICKBURN]

So, injured, changing jobs and a child about to appear. Oh ya, add a remote camp all alone.
Life has a way of making itself known. ignoring the realities in your life obviously won’t and did not work.

Trying to have fun while your house is on fire is unlikely to work. You just proved that out.

Once the control issues settle themselves down you will be fine. Skip the denial express next go
Round.

 

[WildWill]

Plus, I have a lot outside of the hunt going on: torn calf muscle, expecting my second child, transferring jobs, etc.

This really jumps out at me. I've got 2 kids and a wife at home and if I don't feel like everything is right at home it can really get in my head. Weather, not seeing animals, bad shots are all pretty standard things to get in a "slump" about but usually those are quickly fading slumps (except some of those poor shots). I remember a Colorado elk hunt where I was miserable the whole time even though I was seeing elk. I had a very pregnant wife at home and was 900 miles away just couldn't get into it. I love hunting but it dosen't hold a candle to the love I have for my family.

 

[JP50]

I wanted to cancel my 2022 Africa trip due to a cancer scare with my wife- my outfitter was very understanding and said I would not be charged if I could not make it. I was going with a few Friends and they would continue with the trip. Only one of my friends knew about my wife being ill. As time came closer my wife insisted I was going on the holiday as her operation was not for a few weeks after I returned and she was not feeling ill.

There were a few sad days out there especially on the down time- however over all it was a good trip, I told the rest of the group why I was a bit quiet at times. I was glad to get home though.

On returning, my wife had the operation and all is now good .

If trying to get your mojo back with hunting, try and get out with some good friends and just enjoy the banter, the hunting comes second- I have as much fun accompanying a friend hunting new species as if I was hunting myself.

 

[Green Chile]

As others said, it seems like you answered your own question. With all of that going on, HOW could you have a good trip? I've certainly had to cancel trips several times over the years due to things I couldn't really control. Most of the time, operators get it and work with you. Sometimes they don't and I've eaten tags, big deposits, etc. If you hunt long enough, it will happen. You will bounce back when the timing is right. I think it's important to get all that sorted out and feel better before you do another big commitment (time, $, etc). Don't force it...that won't work well.

 

[BourbonTrail]

From 2012 to 2022 I had a bad hunting “slump”. Between kids, deaths in the family, moving, changing jobs, and health scares…life kicked my ass.

There was hunting in there, but it was always awful due to external circumstances. When I finally made it to RSA in 2022, it was like a light switch flipped. I’m still not in the field as much as I would like, but I take it all in when I have time. I enjoy it for what it is.

 

[TnKen]

I went through it one season, mainly due to weather and bad shooting on my part. I told myself that if I was doing this as fun, and I wasn't having any why continue. I just gave myself some time off and took the self imposed pressure off me.

 

[franzfmdavis]

I agree with the wisdom behind all the previous responses. I would only add that it is possible to look at slumps and fear as the contrast necessary for the proper appreciation of the highs and successes you have undoubtably felt hunting and in other areas of life.

We only truly understand things in relation to their opposite. Happiness is impossible to define without sadness; confidence without fear; success without failure; love without indifference; day without night; heat without cold; contentment without misery; solace without pain; etc etc.

In fact, one could argue that many of the “bad” things in life are only an absence of their “good” opposite. Heat has quality, while cold is just the increasing absence of heat, etc.

Your slump is an absence of motivation for the activity, likely due in large part to the energy being expended toward your new job, injury, and forthcoming child.

One’s energy is not unlimited so naturally major draws on it will impact your reserves. It is completely logical and understandable. Once your energy (mental and physical) is replenished, I suspect you will enjoy hunting as much or more than before!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Camping alone in the bush is always a bit unnerving the first night or two but after that I was usually okay. However, I remember a trip that ended early. About thirty years ago one lovely August weekend I took the horses in eight miles for an overnighter fly fishing the Middle Fork. Back then, before the river was full of dudes in rubber rafts, it was full of fine cutthroat trout. After fishing all day I kept three for dinner as dusk was settling. As I was cleaning the fish suddenly everything flashed white and then back to normal. "Man, I shouldn't have skipped lunch ... or breakfast!" I fried up a big meal of fish and rubber potatoes (instant mashed). Then walked out in the dark to change the horses' picket. WHOOSH! Another flash of white light. It was a clear starry night with no moon and not a whisper of a breeze. What the ...? Now I'm getting concerned. Back at camp I'm washing the dishes and it happens again. Creepy enough being seventy miles from anywhere, but having this happen really started to freak me out. Nothing for it though. Too late to pull out. No moon and my flashlight didn't have enough gas to make it back to the trailhead. No tent on this trip as I expected to sleep under the stars in fine weather. So there I am laying on my back in my sleeping bag and another WHOOSH. Then again. And maybe twenty minutes later again. Then over and over. The whole sky lights up in a flash then gone instantly. And not a sound. Now, keep in mind 1982 was still the Cold War era when the US and USSR together possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world ... sixteen times over! And I'm out there in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone or even a transistor radio. Is the world coming to an end? Next morning I pulled out without even wetting a fly. Never saw a soul during the ride out or the drive out from the trailhead to highway. Creepy but at least the trees weren't cinders. At the highway I finally find traffic moving normally. At home I learned the Valley was hit by a horrendous thunder storm the previous night, including a rare tornado warning. The flash in the sky was lightning maybe fifty miles away as the crow flies. But no thunder or wind where I was tucked in the mountains. Very weird.

 

[Sjakon]

I had similar problems and my daughter got me a therapist. I was not convinced at first but something needed to be done. So I followed her advice and it really has helped. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Brod]

You're not alone. Most people who hunt long enough and hard enough will go through this to some degree. Mindset is an important part of hunting.

If I'm focused and excited about the hunt, I can be one of the luckiest guys in the world. If my mind is distracted and thinking or worrying about other things, not so much.

Last week, I shot a massive brown bear early in the hunt. I spent the next 5 days chasing stags and struggling to get back into the hunt. There were some physical limitations of non-stop rain, blisters, and a couple broken toes but, my mind kept reliving the bear hunt and thinking about the stack of unfinished budgets sitting on my desk back home.

I don't have an answer for you other than it will soon pass once you clear your mind a bit.

 

[BryceM]

Well, hunts like that are how you recognize the great ones. Shooting a big something-or-other is only a really small part of it all, really.

Life is full of ups and downs, even when doing "fun" activities.

I tend to cycle from one hobby to the next. They ebb and flow. Even hunting, although for me that's been the most constant since I was old enough to tag along.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Call it what you will. At slump, a bit of disinterest, whatever, I've gone through it more than once. And I'd say a lot of the younger hunters go through it. Some not even realizing it.

Pre-teens enjoy and can't wait for whatever the seasonal fun for them starts; hunting season, beach trip, etc. Then come the teen years; girls meet boys, boys meet girls, sports, other activities. Then comes learning to drive, dating, hanging out with friends, part time jobs, etc. What was once fun has changed to new interest. Then the old interest slowly often infrequently, vivid memories to arouse the interest in making fresh new memories of former interest.

And just as the excitement is back in doing those first seasonal memories their are weddings, new full time employment, new home, kids.

Spontaneity has gone, replaced by pre-planning a week or weeks ahead of time, coordinating time off to spending time with family or friends. Then It’s the holidays and the years quickly pass by. Suddenly it's retirement time and getting back to what we did for fun as youngsters.

It's not a slump, it's life, and when one doesn't force the fun we enjoy what we do, when we force ourselves to have fun; well the fun just isn't enjoyable.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Disruptions can trigger up's and down's, but if it happens often seek help, anxiety is a condition than can be cured. I really don't enjoy going anywhere without company, it is always an upper to share.

 

[Hunt27]

Couple years ago i couldn't relate to the anxiety, never had it once in my life, the not shooting well part i can 100% relate with that.
I used to race sprintcars, ride jet skis on a very anger lake Erie and travel alone a lot.
Then life changes, i got married last month and i all of a sudden was very nervus about getting on a flight solo, one of the safest things one could do.
odd how life comes at you

 

[JeeperCreeper]

OP here

I appreciate all the replies, advice, insight, experience, opinions. I am glad I posted in here, I felt kinda funny about it as it's not normally my style.

Regardless, I apologize for using the word "anxiety". I work in healthcare and used to do behavioral health, so I should know better. Fear truly was a better description as it was only when I was out in the woods. I was afraid. When I got home, completely fine.

I wonder if a sports psychologist has some tricks, I'll have to hit the journals and see if there's anything in there.