I haven’t been on here in years and haven’t set a trap in like 4. It’s not because I’m lazy at all. Kids and life have just made everything so hard. Man before kids and a wife I was a machine. I still get a good buck, couple gobblers and pull some walleye through the ice but it’s nothing like it use to be. I’m not complaining about my family because I’m truly blessed. I’m just wondering if anyone else feels the same way.

Ya, its my first year of being married. My wife supports all my trapping, and fishing adventures. She even helps board beaver occasionally. Its hunting for me that takes a backseat. Planned to shoot a deer with a rifle this year, and then ice came and open water trapping was basically canned, so had to set and pull a crap ton of traps. Had a line out for four days till I got froze out. Managed to do a lot of fishing this summer, and caught a few limits of walleye, pike and bass this fall, and shot a few limits of ducks, but not like I usually do.

I dont have kids, but do have waaaay to many interests. Just got a new boat, and have to rebuild the engine this winter, building a trap cabin, finishing a house, plus snowmobiles, ATVs, Oma died two weeks ago, Opa isnt doing well with it...dog needs grooming, snow needs plowing, boats not put away because of this ambush winter, and I have 300 snares need to go out and snare sites to start keeping up! Plus any family stuff for the wife is 3 hours away. Annd now the wife wants me to start making our handmade christmas presents!

I need to not work 60 hours a week and then maybe I will have enough time!!

Priorities are ever changing. We have a plan, God laughs.

Well, I'm over the kids thing and still have a wife but there were those years, that is for sure. I have a wife that always has supported my outdoor sports from the beginning and still does. The problem is your life gets booked up with family and the million things that go along with that. LOL

Hang in there when you retire you can go al everyday. LOL Retire early.

Yep. Put the time in with the family first though. The wife and kids are way more rewarding than anything I've ever caught. Besides, if your outdoor stuff is a positive experience for them instead of what comes between you, they may want to join you. My wife has finally come around after 12 years and loves to go hunting with me. The boy is four, so he's just starting to come along setting traps and such. "We" caught our first coon Sunday morning.

I Raised 4 kids Trapped, colon hunted, Archery deer, rifle deer, fished...Now the kids are raised and 8 grandkids coming up. I wonder How I did it all in the 80's and 90s and Still remained a Married man.

Yes, my outdoors activities have certainly taken a backseat to other family obligations.
Even bringing the kids along just sloes you down to where you set 4 traps instead of 4 dozen lol.
Still, I believe it will all be worth it and I'll be back setting like a beast in no time.

I know what you mean. I still get to do a lot compared to some buddies, but I never was willing to give up as easy as them. I will go fishing early in the summer and be home by 8 or 9am so there is still plenty of time to do things. Or make switches or use vacation when available at work for hunting. I think the worst is my loss of organization. I used to hunt/fish every season all differant species. I would have all my gear organized and easy to switch around. Now my storage room is a constant mess, garage/shop is a crazy mess. I usually only get a little sleep the night before doing anything because after the kids go to bed is when I have time to get anything ready to go, and I usually have something that needs to be reigned or cant find certain things.
But the kids cant wait till they can come deer hunting. They love to go fishing, and the older they get the longer we are getting to actually fish.

I bought some portable DVD players for the truck a couple years ago. They have been great for getting me an extra hour or 2 fishing with the kids.

I am wondering what you meant by "colon hunted" ? I'm not sure I would be posting that on a kid-friendly forum.

colon hunting sounds like a serious and personal pastime. I am not judging though.....what is the limit on them? Any “slot limits”?