Advice on getting into hunting.

shoota said:
Ah yes hunting, it's an activity that is somewhat difficult to get into but it sounds like you are along by quite a bit more so than others trying to get into things. You do have some experience with your uncles and downed some small game. You really should have taken a deer when you had someone around to help and show you the ropes, you have much more restraint than myself, I was so excited to get my first deer I was shooting anything.

If gutting and getting a deer out of the woods your not comfortable with then you probably should have someone show you and or be close by to help you. I had a mentor in this area and I think it's very helpful. I do the majority of my hunting now solo, especially for deer.
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It was my uncles call haha. The deer would have had a bad day of it were up to me lol. I think you might be right about going with someone and watching them shoot a deer. The part I am most nervous about it what to do after you shoot the deer. I may be able to watch videos and read up on it but maybe I should go one more season and have someone be there for the first time. Thanks for the help!
 
cant_rope_the_wind01 said:
there is pro's and con's to hunting alone
while hunting with others learn from them but also don't be afraid to experience the time hunting alone, to test yer own skills in yer own way you will be amazed at how you truly discover yerself and what type of person you really are and what yer ethics are(unless yer afraid of yerself and don't like yerself)
hunting alone you learn by doing, ( my father never hunted or fired a gun in his life, he was way to in love with his cows to enjoy life with his wife and children , I never had anyone to teach me to hunt or any outdoors skills , I learned by doing , reading anything and everything its been a great journey that I have shared with my daughters and grand children, I'm the only one in a family with 6 kids that took up hunting and the outdoors,)
read and follow yer hunting regulations to the word, if yer unsure carry them with you , don't do anything that's illegal ,
while water fowling (EG , setting up decoys and blinds for one person and a dog is way different then setting up for a group of hunters)
while big game hunting, I prefer the go it myself method, to many cooks spoil the broth theory ,
I normally hunt alone with my dog , ive given up big game hunting, a few years ago due to bad knees and heart issues,
but prior to that I normally hunted alone, only ever had one friend that I hunted with, since he passed, ive never hunted big game with another person,( that was 30 years ago he passed away)
I do only hunt waterfowl with my daughter and grandson we all take a week in the fall annually to hunt ducks and geese
together , before and after that its just my dog and I , and I prefer it that way no whining sniffling complaining unreliable hunting partners
unless you are afraid to be alone or just don't like yerself enough to be alone , I recommend you learn to hunt alone , you wont ever regret it , a dog you will find never complains, is always willing to go hunting with you or just riding in truck they don't care where yer going as long as its with you
leave the ego and the social media hype bragging at home , get out and
enjoy the journey, take a walk in the wild side of life not a walk on the wild side of life
sometimes hunting isn't about hunting at all
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Thanks for the help. I hope you get better and sorry about your friend. My dog is always on go so I don’t know how much of a hunting dog she’d be. Thanks again for the advice
 
I tried for a couple years to get the couple hunters I knew to let me tag along and learn some of the ropes but life and work always got in the way on one side or the other, so I just started going out on my own as well as reading and watching as much as I could about field dressing etc etc. I’m still relatively new to hunting as far as I see it, this will be season number 4 for me and each one has been more successful than the last. Every year I learn more and put more meat in the freezer, I’ve got a couple good friends that I get out with now as well who have about the same or less experience as I do but I primarily hunt solo as I enjoy being out in the woods alone.

Hunting solo is great but it has its disadvantages, you are on your own if something goes wrong and you get hurt or stranded somewhere. For me cell reception isn’t always available, so I always tell the wife what area I’m heading into. When your solo you have nobody to help you get large game dressed or back to the vehicle etc, although it’s more satisfying when you earned it solo it’s a lot more work. On the plus side you don’t have anyone else complaining it’s cold or wet and they want to go in early.

Sounds like you have some experience already and just need to get out a bit solo and see if you like it, start with short trips and go from there. I’d still try and get out with your uncle and any friends, it’s all a learning experience. Field dressing isn’t as daunting as you think, I was there for a friends first gut and it wasn’t hard. A couple tricky parts but you just have to take your time the first couple you do, I got to show buddy how to gut his first deer this year and he was a natural at it. Get out there and have fun, the rest will fall into place if your paying attention.
 
How do you know your uncles know what they're doing? When you do get an animal simply remove anything you don't think you should be eating and eat the rest. You have to remember that many thousands of years ago we all hunted and had to figure things out ourselves and if we hadn't humans wouldn't be here. Go out alone or with anyone you feel comfortable with and enjoy yourself.
 
350 Mag said:
No not really.

But I guarantee that the money spent on gas alone for hunting would buy 1/2 a beef.

I won't ever stop hunting but I realize it's not economical.....it's a passion/hobby and I prefer nature and outdoors.
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Yup... my point.
 
I am 71 now, and have been hunting since I was around 12, first with my trusty Model 39 Cooey, then slowly graduated to different guns. I am still in the hunt alone or with one trusted partner mode. I enjoy getting out and walking, whether it be hunting upland or whitetail, plus the satisfaction of carrying one of my favorite old guns. I am not a trophy hunter. I am happy if I get a bird or two each Fall.

There are lots of mighty hunters who go to great lengths, more power to them. Trying to emulate another hunter can lead to disappointment. Hunting alone can be helpful in learning patience, shooting skill, when to not shoot, gauging your limits in stamina, etc. Above all, don't complicate the matter. Try not to worry if you have the greatest, latest whiz bang rifle or shotgun, and all the fancy "must have" gizmos. I hunted upland with my Dad's old Tobin double for a time, then graduated to a Savage o/u .22/20ga., which I have used almost exclusively since I bought it new around 1967. Last few years I have hunted whitetail with an old Model 94 in .32 Winchester. I guess that tells you I'm not making any record long distance shots. I get skunked in deer season, more often than not lately.:p

Above all, enjoy your time out in the field. :)
 
350 Mag said:
No not really.

But I guarantee that the money spent on gas alone for hunting would buy 1/2 a beef.

I won't ever stop hunting but I realize it's not economical.....it's a passion/hobby and I prefer nature and outdoors.
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I hear this all the time and it isn't necessarily true. I spend very little money on hunting each year and always have a full freezer.

Choices make all the difference. The two biggest of these choices is where you live and how you choose to hunt.

If you live in Vancouver and you have to pack up your truck and drive 4 hours, then unload your quad and spend the whole time driving around on it, then yes, it is an expensive way to hunt.

If you live 20 minutes from Crown Land and you get there by dual sport motorcycle, then hike the whole day, it is dirt cheap. Literally a buck or two a day, plus whatever your ammo costs.

So your guarantee isn't worth a tinker's dam. ;)
 
My simple advice to the OP; at a bare minimum you need to spend enough time with someone experienced that you get to the point where you can do a decent job at field dressing and you can manage to get the meat home in good condition. Safety is priority number one, but avoiding spoiled meat or wasted meat isn't far behind that, IMO.

The other huge thing that I learned is that hunting doesn't need to be expensive, so why make it so? Don't get sucked into the "hunting industry" - all it wants is your money. Tons of animals have been taken by guys in jeans and Mackinaws, with old Lee Enfield 303s. What it really takes to be a good hunter is experience, and there is only one way to get that, regardless of how much gear you have or how much money you spent on it.
 
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Mostly, we learn by doing.
So whether you are with your uncles, some friends or by yourself, get in there and do it!
Don't be afraid to make mistakes, they will teach you valuable lessons too.
Plenty of books, magazines and videos out there on hunting and field care of game.
Keep your knives sharp and your game clean. Skin and clean as soon as possible, and put your game into game bags to keep it clean. Then get it to a cooler as soon as practicable.
If you can, do not let the hair or fur of the animal touch the meat, as this can and will taint the meat. Even better if you can use different knives to cut hair/hide, and to cut meat.
If you must make numerous trips to get it out of the field, place it on the brush, off the ground, and cover it so that it is shaded (tarp or jacket) and air can get around it, and this will help it cool and keep it cooler.
 
What to do when the deer is down can be a daunting thing, but it doens't need to be. Check Youtube for "gutless method" and watch a few videos. Take off the meat, leave the guts. Easy peasy.
 
I find hunting alone at times very relaxing even though I am trekking through brush etc for rabbits - it's not the shooting that always matters when hunting but the time you spend outdoors that does.
 
This will be my first year hunting also. Things I've started doing is watching youtube videos about field dressing. As a teen I worked in a kitchen so I learnt how to cut apart a bird but never something with 4 legs. Try searching Steven Rinella on youtube. He's got a show on youtube and Netflix. Quite a few videos on field dressing, skinning and other hunting tips I would have never thought of. Once I got the gist of the gutting and quartering I just see it as a camping trip. Knowing some survival tricks could come in handy and places like chapters have good books regarding that. I picked up one for $20 and it has 501 essential tips for camping, fishing, hunting and survival. I'm sure I could read the book back to front and still learn from going out with an experienced hunter but to me learning by myself is half the fun. Id say find yourself some crown land, sight in your tool of choice, and jump into it feet first. I know ill be doing the same this fall.
 
K.s.47 said:
Hey guys I’m looking at getting into hunting. I’ve shot guns since I was a kid but I’ve only been out hunting for the last two years. I have gone on a few deer hunts and passed up on a few deer hoping for a bigger one to come by. I also went out duck hunting this year and got a bunch of ducks and a few geese which was a lot of fun. The problem is that my father does not hunt and my friends don’t have their pals yet and I’m not sure if they know what they’re doing either. I’ve been going with my uncles the last two years but it is hard to find time to go together and they live a ways away so I was just wondering if there is another option. Is going and trying it out myself a bad idea? Should I go with a friend that’s been hunting a few times even though they aren’t 100% confident either? Or is it best to keep going with my uncles until I learn more. If that’s the case, how long should I go with them before I go out by myself? Any advice is really appreciated thanks for your time.
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Get a good video or book on whatever animal you choose to hunt. Research the processes. Maps and a good compass will be your best friend(unless of course you have a good dog).
Get out in the bush as much as you can. Watch , listen and scout lots. Good luck and happy hunting
 
K.S.47 I will hunt with you I am new as well and have no luck going with anyone and I am in the process of buying guns I want to start with rabbits and small game or even go check out crown land I will willing to learn tips for all experience guys in here
 
I think you have the experience to go out by yourself but for me, I've always enjoyed hunting more with a friend than when I was out by myself; others will have a completely different take on this. It's all base on what you want to do. I definitely think going out with someone that has experience will definitely put you on a better learning curve than if you were trying to figure out everything yourself.

A good place to start is just to introduce yourself at your range or forums such as these and hopefully find a compatible hunting partner if you want to go that route.
 
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