how does one start hunting

[cold waters]

this is a topic that i know i shouldnt start... i love fishing, hiking, camping snow shoeing, hiking to back country stream for a native brookie. so one would think hunting is a perfect fit. i did do some shoot as a kid on a range, my step father was a serious gunsmith and hunter at one time before i met him, so i have had exposure to guns but i have never hunted.

I say that i shouldnt start this thread because this sould like another hobbie that will absorb more of my time that is already thin. But i do have interest in and and wonder how others got started... doesnt seem as straight foward as fishing, go get a cheap rod and see what happens, go get a gun and start shooting and try not to kill anyone.

so just curious thats all

[Riverjim]

I started as a kid. My mother and step father brought me when I was about 11 or 12...

One of my first memories is a friends mom who shot a buck in the 200lb range. The interesting part of the story was that she was hunting in an area with both ducks, and deer..they had just arrived back from the hunt when her husband left to go relieve himself leaving her sitting alone in a sandpit when the buck suddenly showed up.

Lucky for her, his head was down feeding or the birdshot she accidently put in the chamber, rather then the buckshot would not have killed him...That's right, she killed a large deer from about fifty yardfs away with bird shot..a couple pellets went up through his neck and dropped him.

But back to your question, most people I know who are hunters began when they were young. My biggest interest was in bow hunting because I appreciated the challenge of getting as close as possible to the deer, and I loved that sporting aspect of it.

[cold waters]

Originally Posted by Riverjim

But back to your question, most people I know who are hunters began when they were young. My biggest interest was in bow hunting because I appreciated the challenge of getting as close as possible to the deer, and I loved that sporting aspect of it.

well there in lies my question, everyone i know started when they were a kid.... well if your not a kid, most guys dont want to share the woods with you... you might spook the animal by noise or a missed shot etc etc etc.. again it would seem like fishing were you can take someone out and show them the ropes while still having a great shot at catch one yourself... hunting seems more like it would be more of a selfless act of generosity to potentially give up your frezzer stocker for someone else.

[Brandon-K]

Do you have any friends that would help you out?

I would start by taking the hunter's safety course. Then try to find a chunk of land that you could hunt on, and head out.

[oddfish]

Hunters safety course is necessary, so get that out of the way.

Then go to down town Boston buy a street AK and start shooting politicians................Opps sorry wrong thread. Try again


I reccomend that you then get a shotgun and start skeet shooting, and duck hunting in the marsh. very good way to improve your shot, you don't have to be as sneeky as in deer hunting, and there are lot's of idiots out there that will be rude and violate personal space. So If you do accidentally invade someone elses space it will not be as poorly tollerated. If someone doesn't get a duck they will live (can't brag about the antlers on a duck). If you spook a large deer seconds before someone takes a shot the next might be you (just kidding, but it is a bigger foopaw)

oddfish

[Coalman]

CW,
I took my son when he was young. He lost interest in his teens. But now in his 20's he once again wants to hunt with the "old man".

But a snag has arisen. As Brandon says it starts with a NRA gun safety course of which are all full in NH and won't be offered again till next year. So he will have to wait till next year. That should give you time as OD says to visit a skeet or trap range and get familiar with handling a gun.

Hunting is not all about the kill. It is matching wits with your intended quarry. It is about sunrises and sunsets. It is about camaraderie. It is about the taste of meat.

To me.........it is a part of life.

There are a lot of life lessons to be learned in the woods. Good luck in what you choose.

[47onthewall]

You could get a flavor of the hunt by accompanying a duck hunter, be it in a blind or jump-shooting on the saltmarsh. You could also get a good workout following an upland bird hunter or snowshoe hare hunter through the woods. Most people who do these activities would love to show off in front of a newbie, maybe you could offer to video them? Your presence in the field, as long as you stay behind the hunter, wouldn't significantly affect the shooter's chance of success and could bring a new sportsman to the fold.

[captcal]

CW,

I just completed the course. It was 5 weeks 2 hrs per week.
They go over the same 10 rules of firearm safety ever week and
go thru the hunter safety manual too.

The Bow hunter course is probably the better course cause it
teaches you a bit more about scent, approach, stalk. Basically
getting closer to the land if you will...

I've got a good sized herd of deer out back behind my house. Haven't
seen the rack yet but there's a good sized buck (8 pointer last year)
about 300 yrds out my back door.

I'll take some pics of the tree rubs and post them... He was snorting at
me the other night...Must have smelled me as I was heading back home.
I didn't see him come into the fold but he was pissed off for sure.

I've been tracking him for the past month and a half just waiting for
the season to open. He's got quite a spot out there for sure...

My buddy was out there last night...he's down 3 streets from me.
Says he saw legs but that was all. Wind was blowing last night and
that probably carried the scent.

When we (me or my buddy) get him...pics for sure.... He's a biggun for sure...Was definitely pushing 200 last year. Watched him out my window
30 yrds from my house for an hour last year.

--cal

[cold waters]

thanks for all the info and insight guys.... like i said i probably should fire up a new hobbie but you never know...

[diggyNH]

see now to me fishing is my secondary hunting is it for me.over the past few years i have improved my fishing skills same could be true for you and hunting skills you get what you put in just like fishing, and remember theres no recipie out there to make antlers taste good!