How did you all meet your hunting buddies?

straightshooter said:
Hunted with a high school buddy on and off for a few years until he moved away. In 1991 a fellow manager at work started talking about pheasant hunting one day and we went out on a hunt the next weekend. We've been hunting together ever since. (BTW, we both were in the computer industry.)

10 years ago, at a completely different employer, I met a new immigrant who needed a lot of help with business correspondence and cultural subtleties. He couldn't believe his ears when he heard that mere mortals can own firearms in Canada and go out hunting. With a little coaching, he got his RPAL, Wildlife Certificate, and hunting licences. He has evolved into a capable and responsible partner for occasional hunts. He has also injected some youthful enthusiasm into a couple of aging die hards.

Your (the OP's) appreciation for fresh air, natural environments, and the survival arts will serve you well in life. Most of my old friends who weren't into outdoor sports are either already dead, or in sad shape. My hunting buddy and people we know with similar interests are going out hunting more than ever, now that we're retired.

Talk to people about your interest in hunting. People who share your interest will self-identify very quickly. Not everyone makes a good hunting partner. Personally, I steer clear of those who can't master muzzle control, or like to blast away at trees, posts, and pretty much everything. One should never kill that which you're not prepared to eat!

Your approach to gaining experience through mentors and guides is a good one. You may even meet someone who is at the same stage and looking for many of the same things. Or, you may be the young hunter who makes hunting fun again for an old guy who lost his partner.
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Actually, I had also just assumed that it was unreasonably difficult to become a legal firearm owner in Canada even having been born here. Only recently after finishing my OHEC have I begun to pursue an RPAL. Pretty weird to think that I had just assumed it was out of reach just from hearing news here and there about how Canada was restrictive on firearms. Once I get my hands on that I intend on looking around for ranges nearby that I can practice at or classes I can intend. Even though I'm new to hunting and firearms I'm pretty aware of stories of other people making fools of themselves, injuring themselves, or even dying due to a lack of training and education particularly around hunting and firearms, so I'm pretty motivated to not be "that guy".

I'll probably just continue as planned and I'll bring it up here and there around some friends and new people I meet. Maybe I'll even get others into hunting myself. In my experience there's a lot of people that like the idea of hunting but don't actually take the steps to pursue it, so it may be the case that a small push towards it is all some people need. Thanks for the input.
 
You still can’t beat your local Fish & Game Club ( Rod & Gun, Wildlife, etc) for meeting other hunters and making new friends in that community - they all hunt! Get active, go to meetings, meet people, help out at events. These hunters all started somewhere and are always ready to help a new member that pitches in. You will learn a huge amount, you will make new ( experienced ) friends and learn new skills. In time as you earn confidence and respect you will form bonds and invitations will follow. You won’t get this at work, at the gym or game, and definitely not at home or using your computer or phone. This is an active sport with lifetime opportunities to learn and enjoy but first you need to get up and get started!
 
^ this is a good idea because you can also vet that they can hit the broad side of a barn and practice good gun safety
 
Big game I pretty much hunt with family, Uncles n cousins and my father.

Small game I have hounds with 2 foremans that I work with. Which is good because they are also farmers that own lots of land and are in good standing with all the other locals giving us lots of land to run on.

I've been lucky hunting part of my family's lifestyle, My entire dad's side hunts.
 
I don't really have one. I hunt with my wife's friend's husband some times. All he does is talk about Bigfoot and gives out expert advice...
 
I mostly hunt alone.

Once in a while I take people with me to show them area but even those are few and far between.

When I hunt, I'm a serious hunter but not as young as I used to be.

There was a time when I could start at the bottom of a large clear cut on a 45degree slope, that Mule Deer love to bed down in the sunlight and be at the top of it within an hour, now it's a day trip and into the evening by the time I get back to the bottom.

There was a fellow, the same age as myself that wanted to come out with me and he seemed like a nice guy so I brought him along.

It was fine for the first couple of trips for Bears this spring but he was a pain in the butt because he couldn't keep his nose out of his cell phone for more than ten minutes and went into withdrawal when we were out of cell coverage. He also complained that he had to have at least 3-4 days notice before the hunt, because he had to get all of his stuff together. Way to much stuff. Then he had to be home for ''dinner'' Guess how long that lasted.
 
I'm a GTA hunter as well, born and raised up north though. I didnt know anyone around here for the longest time. I waterfowl hunt a lot and solo hunted for years up until last year when just by chance met 3 guys through work (large organization). We all hunted alone before this but managed to connect and now get out together when our work schedules align. I still appreciate a good solo hunt though. So peaceful and I can set up where I want and hunt how I want.
 
53Izzy744 said:
Lmao sounds entertaining at least
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Not at all. Maybe if it lasted 10 minutes, but he will go on for hours. I had another partner and eventually dumped him. He was fat, lazy, and had to #### all the time. One time he wouldn't walk down a bank with me to get closer to 2 4 point mule deer. I went there the day and shot one and he was furious when he found out I didn't take him out again.
 
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