Information gathering for new hunters?

J

Jimbobob08

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New hunters come to the forum all the time looking for guidance and information. Often the same response is given, find a mentor, somebody to show you the ropes. Obviously first hand experience in the field is best, but that isn't always possible.

Often at night I'll find myself looking back at some of the great users past posts who sometimes grace us with some insightfull information looking for tips and tricks to help myself in the future to make life easier. It'd be awesome if we could compile information here for new hunters, and for experienced hunters too.

Everything from basic walk in the bush hunting, how to pick a location to walk into, stand location, how to's on field dressing, decoys, basicly anything and everything from small game, to big game, to upland, and waterfowl. I'm really hoping some experienced guys step up and share some wisdom. If you have some wisdom please take some time and share it.
 
What may be better is a seperate heading: Mentors Wanted

The post heading could just be the location of the poster.
Persons interested in mentoring could then peruse the headings to see if anyone was in the same area, and pm's could hook you up.

I suspect if the above was done any newbies would have no trouble finding someone to hunt with.
 
Suka said:
What may be better is a seperate heading: Mentors Wanted

The post heading could just be the location of the poster.
Persons interested in mentoring could then peruse the headings to see if anyone was in the same area, and pm's could hook you up.

I suspect if the above was done any newbies would have no trouble finding someone to hunt with.
Click to expand...

Look at the top of the main "Hunting" page. There is already a sticky for mentors. ;)
 
I realize someone has to take new hunters out but I will stick to my own kids who I know will listen.After two bad experiences with new hunters I have concluded some folks just were not meant to hunt.
 
The last 3 years I have been able to hunt I have taken someone new or just getting back into hunting. It is an awe inspiring time to watch them tag their first deer be it a doe or a buck doesn't matter. I was with my buddy let's call him, Squid because I can. Squid approached me this year on his posting and told me he wanted to get back into hunting (was mainly a bird hunter), so I dusted off my Husky 30-06 and took him to the range with some of my handloads got him sighted in and away we went. After a few unseccessful outings he told me about his .303 and how he wanted a scope mounted on it. Well he got the mount on a Friday afternoon that night we mounted it and bore sighted it. thanks Recovery Arms 2 for the use of your boresighter. Satuday morning we went out and he was on paper right away so we went hunting that afternoon. About 30 minutes befor last light ( we were set up in different spots on the same property) I hear the familiar pow of a .303 and a small smile spread across my face. Squid had his first Alberta whitetail. A quick call on the radio confirmed that he had shot a doe at about 35 yards, she was so close because she was coming towards him and he had no choice but to wait till she looked away to raise his rifle. High 5's and congratulations began and then we paid respect to the deer and mother earth for giving us this incredible creature to feed our families and loaded her up in my truck. Back at home for a impromptu blooding of Squid and there she hung in the garage. He has since tagged 2 more deer, both whitetails, another doe and a small spike buck. The only greater feeling hunting this year was the first time my daughter accompanied me afield for the first time. No deer but amazing memories for both of us. Squid also came with us on that outing. Thanks for the memories Squid and bug!!!
 
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This kind of stuff would be SUPER helpful for people like me. I get annoyed being called a city-boy ALL the time because I didn't luck out growing up in the country and given my first .22 at 5. I got my first gun at 18 and was the first in my family to do so for like 30 years. One thing I get annoyed with is just because I live in a city doesn't mean I don't like the woods and don't wanna be in them. In fact being in the city ALL the time makes me wanna get out into the woods more. I do get to go out into the woods to go plink. But going into the woods for hunting without the proper "training" I feel it to be nothing more then just a walk out in the woods when I go out to try hunting.
 
Jimbobob08 said:
New hunters come to the forum all the time looking for guidance and information. Often the same response is given, find a mentor, somebody to show you the ropes. Obviously first hand experience in the field is best, but that isn't always possible.

Often at night I'll find myself looking back at some of the great users past posts who sometimes grace us with some insightfull information looking for tips and tricks to help myself in the future to make life easier. It'd be awesome if we could compile information here for new hunters, and for experienced hunters too.

Everything from basic walk in the bush hunting, how to pick a location to walk into, stand location, how to's on field dressing, decoys, basicly anything and everything from small game, to big game, to upland, and waterfowl. I'm really hoping some experienced guys step up and share some wisdom. If you have some wisdom please take some time and share it.
Click to expand...

Were you thinking more of an FAQ type Sticky instead of looking through multiple pages within a thread?
If so, that would be a better idea.
Really, someone just needs to go through, discuss what points should be made, in what order, and start copying and pasting (sourcing the information of course) from the various posts.
 
ages802 said:
Were you thinking more of an FAQ type Sticky instead of looking through multiple pages within a thread?
If so, that would be a better idea.
Really, someone just needs to go through, discuss what points should be made, in what order, and start copying and pasting (sourcing the information of course) from the various posts.
Click to expand...

Basicly yeah, a huge FAQ or how to on hunting. Including anything, and everything on hunting, hopfully starting with some basics (for the experts atleast) but #### the average newbie to hunting has no clue. There's tons of tons of topics on gear/rifles, but try to find some good detailed information on hunting and you'll be searching for hours with little return.

I honestly dont think this will go far, but it'd be awesome and a great source of information if it did.
 
Until the Angels Fall said:
This kind of stuff would be SUPER helpful for people like me. I get annoyed being called a city-boy ALL the time because I didn't luck out growing up in the country and given my first .22 at 5. I got my first gun at 18 and was the first in my family to do so for like 30 years. One thing I get annoyed with is just because I live in a city doesn't mean I don't like the woods and don't wanna be in them. In fact being in the city ALL the time makes me wanna get out into the woods more. I do get to go out into the woods to go plink. But going into the woods for hunting without the proper "training" I feel it to be nothing more then just a walk out in the woods when I go out to try hunting.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with growing up in the city no matter what people tell you, I did, and was shooting a .22 at 5. The best part is when people stop by at camp, see what you have hanging, and then start asking what part of the local town you are from, most get all flustered when you tell em you are from the big city, as if locals should be the only ones shooting the big animals.
 
Read books, and get out there and apply what you've learned. Or just go out there and give yourself a crash course. Both work.
 
If you live in the great province of Alberta, there is an extensive mentor program for new hunters. Do some googling, and if you are still having issues, drop me a line....
 
I think the idea is excellent, but the execution of the idea is fraught with difficulty. If one starts at the point of "I don't know what I don't know," it is hard to figure out what one NEEDS to know. Ontario has mandatory hunter education courses for new hunters, and these I think are a VERY good thing. They used to be basically a gun safety course but have evolved into a more comprehensive hunter education. I believe this would be true across Canada.

Over the years I have seen lots of threads here on Gun Nutz and on a few other boards where new hunters ask questions about a host of subjects. In general, I think they get good advice, but of course some of it is rubbish, some illegal, some nonsensical, etc. In other words, all that is good and bad about the Internet is also true in this case.

I am sure that lots of folks here get queries all the time from people they do not know, asking them for advice or opinions about all sorts of stuff. I know I do answer many questions, to the best of my ability, and refer people to others who know better than me about LOTS of stuff. I also ask a lot of questions of folks that are obviously experienced in areas of endeavour where I need to learn something. Most times I would not post my questions, nor my answers, on a public thread. Because...........





.............there are wayyyyyy too many "EXPERTS" here who have vivid imaginations and no real experience, and like to add their uninformed views to the topic at hand. I don't have time for that crap. I am old and cranky and don't suffer fools gladly. I think of a recent thread with a bunch of comments from a know-it-all with a few years of experience..........who took offence at being told that he did not know everything. When you wrestle with a pig, everybody gets dirty. But the pig LIKES it. :rolleyes:

Good concept, extraordinarily difficult execution.

Doug
 
Jimbobob08 said:
Basicly yeah, a huge FAQ or how to on hunting. Including anything, and everything on hunting, hopfully starting with some basics (for the experts atleast) but s**t the average newbie to hunting has no clue. There's tons of tons of topics on gear/rifles, but try to find some good detailed information on hunting and you'll be searching for hours with little return.

I honestly dont think this will go far, but it'd be awesome and a great source of information if it did.
Click to expand...

Executing this FAQ will be a bit difficult for such a large amount of information, however proper organization of the FAQ will help executing be put at ease.
I suggest starting with the basic topics and drilling down from there.

As Doug has mentioned, there are many "experts" some with no creditable resources, but with proper notations of sources, people shouldn't disagree entirely if the source is creditable.

I can see the advantage having the Mentor program, however I believe Jimbobob08 is looking at more of different learning style, such as the reading/writing-preference learners.

Find a bunch of go getters that are also interested, open a chat room and start planning. Go basic information to more detailed. Basic is better to start as you can always expand the FAQ later.

Or...

Put an Excel file on a hosted share out on the internet, open a hunting thread somewhere in CGN land, and have people add their thoughts to what the FAQ should be about. Add the Excel file link to your post so others can read / view the file and add their comments.

Once you have the basic information about this hunting FAQ, start sourcing credible information within CGN / internet, sourcing your results.

This project will require a lot of patience, and also a humbled group of individuals who will be tested / challenged on views that are posted.
Moral of this FAQ is to have relative, credible information. It's pretty hard to test credible information, especially when it is a credible source.

Don't get defensive, be open-minded and most of all, be humble!:yingyang:
 
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