2020 sick of all the negativity.

Joined
Dec 19, 2019
Messages
29
Location
Minnesota
Sitting here reflecting on 2020 and how negative life seems lately. Lets get the negativity out of the way besides the obvious.......I tested positive for Covid on Monday and have to quarantine through the holidays alone. I am 49years old and planned a Colorado mule deer hunt for 2020 with 5 guys, drew the tags and in October had to cancel because of the forest fires.

Typically I am not the most positive guy but tonight i started thinking about all the cool stuff I did and learned this year.

I took my oldest daughter on a bad ass 6 day boundary waters trip.
I bought my first rifle at 49 years old in May and have learned so much about shooting and firearms.
Found this forum and am addicted.
Found Camofire.com and financially have not been the same.
Realized Cabela's is just Walmart for outdoorsman.
Buy the EXPENSIVE boots, your feet will appreciate it and you wont have to buy twice. "Crispi"

I could go on and on but realize people have things way worse than me. I am just feeling grateful for the things I did get to do in 2020!

Anyone else have any cool, satisfying things they got done or learned in the hell of 2020
 

Geewhiz

WKR
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
2,024
Location
SW MT
Great outlook on life man. There will always be things that suck, but looking past that is how you find happiness, success, and true joy. I remember my dad always told me "find the silver lining".

I bought my first trad bow, learned to shoot it, and killed a nice 6 point bull on public land. That part of 2020 definitely did not suck!
 

zacattack

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
1,332
Location
Michigan
My first child a son was born in April and I’ve been working at home so I’ve spent the last 8 months with him.
Wife informed me that son #2 is on the way.
Probably in the best physical shape of my life.
I have been able to read quite a lot
Picked up a few lockdown hobbies, sewing my own gear has been the best for my mental health.
Realized how truly blessed I am.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
8,820
Location
Shenandoah Valley
Tag soup on my 2020 elk tag, not from lack of opportunities, just was being picky.


I have been able to reflect on just how fortunate I am to be able to have that, especially as an eastern guy.

These past few months been thinking about things and how good I, many, of us have it. Most of that has nothing to do with hunting.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,033
I learned that ranging sage brush in rolling terrain is a bad option. . . Which resulted in my use of the 60 yard pin instead of the on a bull at 43 yards. . . Needless to say she sailed just over his back!

But even with that we had an amazing trip. One night of no sleep due to non stop bugling, stretching 2 days of food out to 4 because we were into elk and didn't want to leave elk. No elk harmed on that trip but close so many times it hurts!

Got to take my son out for his first deer season where he could harvest a deer. Got him a small buck opening day and a nice 125 inch whitetail later in the week.

Youngest son (3 now but 2 at the time) was diagnosed with sleep apnea and had his tonsils and adenoids removed in the middle of covid. It was scary having him stop breathing at night, but his growth and development have exploded since, and he is an entirely different person. He went from grumpy all the time and angry, to a loving, cuddly, non stop talking little boy which has been amazing!

Daughter was asked to join a competitive gymnastics team after we moved her to a bigger town, and has been excelling. . .

And on top of everything my wife who graduated with a master's in in dec 2019 and swore she was done with school and took the spring of 2020 off. . . Now she is already 18 hrs deep into her doctorate in school psychology and passed her first set of classes with a 97 % average while working full time, putting up with my hunting habit, and keeping our house in order and functioning!!!

So overall while 2020 has sucked at times, I have been very blessed!
 

Scoot

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
1,521
My dad died, cat died (tough on the kids), missed my son's first elk hunt due to my dad bring very sick and in the hospital, and haven't been able to see my siblings in months due to covid. We'll also be spending Christmas at home with none of our families. 2020 had also solidified my faith in our federal government being completely and totally lost.

That being said I'm blessed beyond words. Two healthy, happy kids, a faithful and loving wife who is bright and talented, and a job that I've managed to keep and do pretty darn well at. Things could be so much worse...
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
1,226
While this year has definitely been one of the toughest things for all of us I think, there have been some incredible things to happen as well. I got engaged to an incredible woman and got an 11 year old daughter in the process. We built a home. I had a hell of a hunt in Colorado where I didn’t punch a tag but had lots of opportunities and made some great memories with my family and friends while there.
I’m stoked to hear all the good things happening to other roksliders! Here’s to hoping 2021 is better and I wish everyone a successful upcoming year.
 

mtwarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
9,485
Location
Montana
This has been a great year for me, all around. This is the first year that I've broke the 2000 mile mark and barring a catastrophic event, will make my goal of 2020 miles. I competed (and finished) in my sixth Bob Marshall Wilderness Open. I got three additional 100-ish mile backpacking trips under my belt this year, including a whirlwind 4 day trip around Mt Rainier via the Wonderland Trail. I got to do three backcountry trips with my grandkids. My freezer is full of elk meat :D

I never lost a day of work, nor my wife. We live in a nice community in a beautiful area, remain healthy and are undoubtedly very blessed.

Inconvenienced- certainly, but nothing life shattering and am very thankful for that.
 

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
3,294
Location
Tullahoma, TN
Business about tanked.
Lost 3:5 staff members. 1 suicide, 1 COVID fear, 1 idiot I fired (followed by literally 6 more that didn't last 2 weeks)
Wife & I averaging 15hrs a day, 7 days a week since March.
Takings down by around 60% compared to last 3 year average.
Can't leave the country due to ridiculous Visa extension/I94 rulings.
Missed grandma's funeral.
Dog had to be put to sleep.
Watched good friend's horse euthanized
Got my first puncture in 30 years, 26 miles from a paved road with no spare or cell signal.
November elk hunt averaged 76°. Didn't see a damn thing.
Heating A/C dead in the truck.
Had to sell my AR pistol to get in front of stupid legislation.
Diesel up by 40c/gal.
5 federal dogs running on my deer lease. Haven't seen a deer all season.
Apart from the doe I clobbered with my truck.......
Can't find ammo, can't eat/drink gluten, the f@#king Democrats won. ......

Still though.

$600 will fix it.

Merry f@&king Christmas.

I'd honestly love to find or mention a positive, but honestly? Damned if i can find one this year.
 
Last edited:
OP
Siscokid10
Joined
Dec 19, 2019
Messages
29
Location
Minnesota
I have primers and powder.

Business about tanked.
Lost 3:5 staff members. 1 suicide, 1 COVID fear, 1 idiot I fired (followed by literally 6 more that didn't last 2 weeks)
Wife & I averaging 15hrs a day, 7 days a week since March.
Takings down by around 60% compared to last 3 year average.
Can't leave the country due to ridiculous Visa extension/I94 rulings.
Missed grandma's funeral.
Dog had to be put to sleep.
Watched good friend's horse euthanized
Got my first puncture in 30 years, 26 miles from a paved road with no spare or cell signal.
November elk hunt averaged 76°. Didn't see a damn thing.
Heating A/C dead in the truck.
Had to sell my AR pistol to get in front of stupid legislation.
Diesel up by 40c/gal.
5 federal dogs running on my deer lease. Haven't seen a deer all season.
Apart from the doe I clobbered with my truck.......
Can't find ammo, can't eat/drink gluten, the f@#king Democrats won. ......

Still though.

$600 will fix it.

Merry f@&king Christmas.

I'd honestly love to find or mention a positive, but honestly? Damned if i can find one this year.
still breathing and able to post on Rokslide.......Checkmate !!!!!
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
1,989
Heck yes. Despite 2020 sucking big time, I remodeled most of my house, my kids and wife had their first hunt ever, I put up my first trail cameras despite hunting for 25 years, had an awesome backpacking hunt, started a great new job, and best of all.... Impregnated my my with our first child. Good bye 2020
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2017
Messages
408
Location
Idaho
Knocked 2 more states off the list of where I've fought fire in.

Cut some big ponderosa pines off of a porch for the first time in my career and saved that cabin from the fire only to be bitched at by the cabin owner. (Gotta love it)

Walked over 4000 miles this year in the woods.

I'm still alive- that's really all you can ask for in a pandemic year.
 

Wvroach

WKR
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
677
Seeing some of the worst of the world I'll have to say we are all blessed even with all the negatives, or what we perceive as negative.

We have freedoms that no other nation before has had that we take for granted.

I think we could all take a step back (myself included) and away from the Media and thank God for what we have.

We are the first generation to, for the most part at least, have running water on demand, food when you desire it, lights and heat at the flick of our fingers, and endless entertainment at your fingertips.

Blessed beyond belief and thankful for all I have.
 
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