I'm a "self taught" hunter also. Going on my second year of waterfowl hunting which is a blast. Now that I've found some multi use land near where I currently live I plan on getting my turkey license sometime over the winter for next season. Also I'm planning to get into deer next year (with some luck of course).
Who else introduced themselves to hunting?
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
I have rather enjoyed this thread--nice to see so many self-taught hunters. I'm one too.
My father nor any of my close kin where hunters. Until I was about 12 or so every adult male I knew had served in the 2nd World War. Everyone had firearms and I mean even people who didn't hunt. My father bought me a BB gun when I was 6 and we spent many hours shootin it. I could tell he didn't really like guns but felt the instruction was nessessary for safety reasons. When I was 8 I got my first .22--single shot bolt action. I could then hunt squirrels--one bullet at a time. When I killed one I could take it back to dad and he would give me another one. I learned most of what I know about huntin by chasing squirrels thru the Missiouri River bottoms.
I have been a big-game huntin guide now for more than 40 years.
I happen to believe that good hunters--like good hounds--are born not made. Where there is the will--there is a way.
My father nor any of my close kin where hunters. Until I was about 12 or so every adult male I knew had served in the 2nd World War. Everyone had firearms and I mean even people who didn't hunt. My father bought me a BB gun when I was 6 and we spent many hours shootin it. I could tell he didn't really like guns but felt the instruction was nessessary for safety reasons. When I was 8 I got my first .22--single shot bolt action. I could then hunt squirrels--one bullet at a time. When I killed one I could take it back to dad and he would give me another one. I learned most of what I know about huntin by chasing squirrels thru the Missiouri River bottoms.
I have been a big-game huntin guide now for more than 40 years.
I happen to believe that good hunters--like good hounds--are born not made. Where there is the will--there is a way.
One of things I remember most as a kid was my dad telling me that my new pellet gun was capable of killing an elephant....man was I careful with it after that. Not sure if he told me that to make me feel proud of the gun or as a reminder how important gun safety was but the message got through. For a non hunter/gun owner he sure was smart about instilling some good values in me.
I was in he bush hunting for the first time this year on my own. Learned quite a few thing:
1. D'ont fuel your ATV before going on your spot. dou it at night once you have changed your cloth.
2. Dear are curious creature, even if they smell you as lond as they didn't asociated your smell you aregood to go.
3. noice can attract them because... they are curious
4. Pick a spot where there are not too much hunter
1. D'ont fuel your ATV before going on your spot. dou it at night once you have changed your cloth.
2. Dear are curious creature, even if they smell you as lond as they didn't asociated your smell you aregood to go.
3. noice can attract them because... they are curious
4. Pick a spot where there are not too much hunter
I don't necessarily assume that all Safari guys are silver spoon types, I just conclude that they have much, much different priorities than I do. This isn't a judgement of any sort, but I am often completely bewildered by the amount of money people spend on those trips. I make 6 figures and there is no way in hell I am going to Africa to hunt any time soon (if ever). $10,000 trip to Disneyland/world? I'd need to make 3x as much money to justify that kind of spending. Again, no judgement here. I just can't figure out where people are getting all the money for stuff like this.
But to get back to the thread topic; I too introduced myself to hunting. I think I have gone into detail about this before, but long story short -- I started at 12 years old in northern AB hunting snowshoe hare with a Marksman sling-shot. My father isn't a hunter, so he probably wondered why I had the desire to go out and do such things (but we did a lot of fishing together, so...). Eventually I got a pellet gun, but I didn't do a whole lot of "hunting" with it. Those days in the boreal forest near Cold Lake always stayed with me, and then decades later (at 40 years old, and living a miserable life in Toronto) I decided I would get my PAL and hunting licence. Shortly after completing the courses, fate knocked on my door with an excellent opportunity to move to interior BC. Since moving here, I have been extremely focused on hunting. Nearly every friend I have made is a hunter, co-workers are hunters, etc. I have learned a lot from all of them and had a great time. In a very short period of time I have gained the skills to harvest big game "from field to table" by myself, including butchering.
Like many others around here, I too believe some people are born to be hunters. That desire I had when I was 12 has always been there and when circumstances aligned I just thrived. Over the last two seasons I have been able to keep my family fed on game. My goal is to do this as long as I am physically able to.
It would be cool to go to Africa some time. I'd likely keep things low key; shoot a Kudu and eat as much of it as I could before returning home.
The answer for me is that I make hunting the number 1 priority in my life and do without a lot of other things in life so I can travel to exotic locations and hunt. I don't make much money but I don't drive new vehicles, my toy collection is modest and I don't take vacations. It's all about priorities. If traveling and hunting is not a priority....fair enough but for me it's what drives me.
I understand. For me, my wife and kids are my priority. I also don't drive new vehicles ($2200 truck and $4000 crossover, paid for) and the only toys I have are cheap ($600 trail bike, $200 canoe). Somehow, there is only just barely enough money every paycheck. I look around at all the money people spend and I can only assume they make a million a year. Quads, sleds, dirt bikes, $80,000 trucks, etc. etc. I don't understand.
Sorry for the off-topic blabbering.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I couldn't begin to figure out why at six figures income it isn't possible, I can only assume it is from doing your best in the interior BC and Toronto, exorbitant places to live. For reference, I first went to Africa making less than $40,000 a year, had to sell almost all my guns and saved my arse off. Cars, my wife and mine, were paid off at that time, an early 2000's small SUV and an early 90's truck. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't exceptionally hard either to save ten thousand to go, like sheephunter it was simply my #1 priority. Since then my career improved substantially, and I find myself returning to Africa fairly frequently, despite kids and all that, whole family is making the trip this time in February. Mind you, we live in a place where a house is less than three years wages, though a nice place in the mountains. The interior is something I looked at but was literally decided against because it would be an end to what we consider fun, travel and adventure. That's not everyone's priority, and good for you if living in the interior is your #1. If travel and hunting is, it's not hard to hunt Africa on half what you make now, I certainly did.
By "interior" I didn't mean "LML" (I would never live down there). I'm in the Loops. Perfect for hunting and outdoor adventure, and not expensive at all compared to Toronto. Nevertheless, I'll not be able to afford any $10,000 trips for a long, long time. Terrible money management, I guess.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
No I know the interior well, meant Kamloops / Kelowna / Vernon / Osoyoos / etc etc. That's still crazy expensive compared to what we're used to now. 
It's totally doable, even on a regular salary, let alone when you've topped into six figures. So don't let the dream die! It won't be hard.
It's totally doable, even on a regular salary, let alone when you've topped into six figures. So don't let the dream die! It won't be hard.
Well, they just might make 3 times as much money, maybe 10. Ten is possible between 2 people that could still describe their income as "six figures"
Most of the people I've met in hunting camps have successful businesses, many are contractors and of those few that work for wages a disconcerting percentage are confirmed bachelors.
The occupation thing is a common topic around campfires. It's interesting conversation because it's a pretty safe bet that if they are there they are normally very good at something. Almost to a man they made their own luck.
In a dangerous game camp dogleg you are likely right on the money but in a plains game camp you'll meet everyone from your kids' teacher to the local plumber with most making well under the six-figure mark. A plains game hunt is pretty easy to amortize over four or five years from the time you book till the time you get your trophies back from the taxidermist so it really isn't a huge hit all at the same time. All comes down to what you want to spend your disposable income on. Once the kids move out and the house is paid for, some people can't wait to retire...other can't wait to keep working and spend that money having fun. That's when even the average Joe can enjoy some of the higher priced hunts.
The local plumber just might quietly make more money than his doctor and lawyer put together.
LOL...that's why I used the teacher analogy too.
The priority thing is real enough. One thing I hear a lot is "I can buy a quad for that much", or "I can buy a truck for that much". Those that prefer to do that really should. So should those with a mortgage to pay off or kids to put through school. Safaris after all are not for everyone.
What I mostly see is someone who has all his toys already, and his financial waterfowl aligned. Usually that comes with a bit of age, which often fits in with higher earnings.
Priorities and choices could be resisting the urge for trophy houses, or just keeping a truck for an extra year. Does it matter much if a walleye boat is 2 years old or ten? Probably not. Half of the guys here could hunt internationally if they quit buying more guns than they can shoot.
What I mostly see is someone who has all his toys already, and his financial waterfowl aligned. Usually that comes with a bit of age, which often fits in with higher earnings.
Priorities and choices could be resisting the urge for trophy houses, or just keeping a truck for an extra year. Does it matter much if a walleye boat is 2 years old or ten? Probably not. Half of the guys here could hunt internationally if they quit buying more guns than they can shoot.
My wife is a teacher. My money's on the plumber.
My point exactly.
