Best way to get into hunting?

Calebklyne

Calebklyne

Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
1,117
Hey guys ive been thinking a lot lately about starting to get into hunting. Now i know that there is likely a lot of places that will guide you or teach you how to hunt but im looking for economical ways to learn the ropes and figure id see what you guys have to say.


so what would you recommend? Would you suggest finding a friend willing to take you out a few times or what?


thanks in advance for any input
 
i suggest starting with small game such as squirrel & rabbits. check to see if your area has a sportman's club also the gun shops should be able to steer you in favorable directions. one good source is older hunters desiring help setting up camps, cleaning lanes of fire & in general doing grunt work. at 71 i have trouble finding people my age with the zip to hit the lakes. so for some years i've treated youngsters by covering most expenses so i have a companion to help with putting motor on boat ,etc.
dennis
 
Well first question would be do you have a Hunters Safety card? If not you should definatley take the course and get one. The course will cover all the basics of hunters safety and you will recieve a card after passing the test (very easy I passed it when I was 8). You will also get the opportunity to be around other people looking to hunt and you may make new friends.

If you have some friend or friends who hunt I would ask to join them sometime on a small game hunt or maybe some scouting to get the feel for it. Most people who hunt would jump at the chance to take another person who has never gone. I know I would, I love taking people hunting who are beginners and helping them out.
 
The sportsmans club is a good suggestion,the biggest limitation for people getting into hunting anymore seems to be places to hunt.I know in PA there is a lot of State Game Land but there's also a lot of hunters using it that turns some people off.I don't know what state your hunting in but you could check to see if there's a state agency that enforces hunting regulations and such and see what infoyou can find there.I know in NY and PA hunter safety courses are required for any first time hunters,I've sat through the courses a few times over the years with my sons if your state does something similar,you might find one close to you and find someone you already know.
 
Good ideas above however as an OLD guy I offer this FWIW..if you are not a safe gun handler..first time and every time..I don't want to be around you.. EVER. Next offer to share expenses every time you are invited...as to gas..rest of course is on you.

Might inquire of men in your church or social group..folks that already know you may be more receptive to helping you get started.

Best wishes.
 
Buy a 22. long rifle. Get a hunting license, there is often some form of game in season all year around. Hunt during the off season. Better than dodging stray bullets during deer season in the State Game lands. Get on the internet and learn how to dress, clean and cook small game. Dressing game is a big part of hunting. Cook and eat what you kill. Starting reading books by Peter Capstick, like Death in the long grass, that way you have goals for the future.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far guys. Ill be sure to check into your suggestions and see what kind of clubs and resources i can find in town

thanks again for your help!
 
Unk said:
Good ideas above however as an OLD guy I offer this FWIW..if you are not a safe gun handler..first time and every time..I don't want to be around you.. EVER. Next offer to share expenses every time you are invited...as to gas..rest of course is on you.

Might inquire of men in your church or social group..folks that already know you may be more receptive to helping you get started.

Best wishes.
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I am at a cross road right now. I am doing the dove hunt this Sept. 1st. I promised my boys when they hit 13 I would take them hunting. My twin boys, CJ jr, and Killian are both ready in my opinion, but my dad and friend do not want to hunt with them. So, darn, I just have to go 2x! Shucks. I am going on the opening day, and then back again on the weekend once things calm down and do it again with my boys. It is an honor for me to pass this legacy down to my boys. My dad who is 70 now, said 2 weekends ago that I was more mature than my boys at 13, so I am not going to sweat it. Killian is right eye dominant and probably a better shot than I am. He is great with the pellet gun, and is pretty conscious where he points his barrel at all times. Safety is key, there is no room for error, and is not to be tolerated. I would rather not go with careless people, or just go alone.
 
Like said earlier, go get a hunter safety card because you're gonna need one anyway. The class usually teaches you the basics of hunting and its fairly inexpensive. I took the class back when i was 11 and im about to take it again with my girlfriend. When i took the class it was something like 6 weeks like 2 nights a week. They would give you book work to do and then have practical exercises in class. Two saturdays we went out for the morning and went to a shooting range so they could improve our shooting. They also brought in pheasants and rabbits and showed how to clean them.

Just look around a bit and try to find a class you would like to attend. If you have friends that have attended a class, ask them about it.
 
Thirds, fourths and fifths for the Hunters Safety class & card. It will teach you the basics and, most importantly, the basics of enjoying hunting safely. I grew up in a family that did not hunt or fish but I have always been drawn to these sports. With some luck, you will find people with experience that are willing to teach you. You can read and research, which is fun and helpful, but the real world experience you will gain from a "mentor" is invaluable. I was lucky in that the people that have helped me along were not only great outdoorsmen, they are fanatics about safety. I have instilled these practices into my son. His first "hunts" consisted of carrying his Daisy BB gun and being told like every 30 seconds "watch where that muzzle is pointing", "don't point that gun at me", "that's a great way to shoot yourself", etc. It was a bit much at first for him but he got the point and is now able to safely and respectfully handle a firearm.
 
I can't say for sure about Canada, but here most states have a hunting forum online either sponsored by, or attended by the State game department (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency here). There you can hook up with hunter safety training classes, marksmanship, and older hunters who would be happy to mentor someone just starting out, and even find accessable hunting areas near you. "Back in the day", we relied on our parents, grandparents and their friends for mentoring. Nowdays, people are much more urbanized and we see the number of new hunters in each generation declining, at least here in the States.
 
In addition to Codgers excellent recommendations, you can also get some training (and possibly the Hunters Safety class) at the "big box" outdoors stores (BPS, Cabelas, etc.). They also host training seminars and most of their classes and seminars are free.
 
cj65, you're doing it right.

Your Dad loves you and his grandson however take it from another+70 yr old Grandpa I would NOT take a young novice to opening day at most dove fields I've hunted..too much fast and furious shooting and often crowded with folks who aren't that skillful on their best day.

Over the years I've quit more than a few dove fields because of unsafe conditions..including idiots on low birds.

Take 'em, have fun..and watch them like a hawk.
 
intheshaw said:
Like said earlier, go get a hunter safety card because you're gonna need one anyway. The class usually teaches you the basics of hunting and its fairly inexpensive. I took the class back when i was 11 and im about to take it again with my girlfriend. When i took the class it was something like 6 weeks like 2 nights a week. They would give you book work to do and then have practical exercises in class. Two saturdays we went out for the morning and went to a shooting range so they could improve our shooting. They also brought in pheasants and rabbits and showed how to clean them.

Just look around a bit and try to find a class you would like to attend. If you have friends that have attended a class, ask them about it.
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I agree with the safety class, but I don't think they are anything near that long now. And they are free, at least here. When I first took it, it was 5 days 3 hours each day. I re-took it 3 or 4 years ago with my nephew and it was 4 days 3 hours each day. No work was assigned at all. They just read through the books in class and demonstrated what to do.
 
A lot of good advice so far that I agree with; hunting with a friend, starting with small game, and taking a safety class in particular. You may want to watch your spending at first until you decide if it is a sport for you or not. In general guns are a good investment but it is easy to tie up a lot of money in clothes and accessories. I only mention this because I went through a very similar situation with a friend many years ago. After a few seasons in the field he decided that it wasn’t for him. Best of luck and keep in mind that killing is only a very small part of the hunt. Some of my best days in the woods were ones where I came home empty handed.
 
Codger_64 said:
I can't say for sure about Canada, but here most states have a hunting forum online either sponsored by, or attended by the State game department (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency here). There you can hook up with hunter safety training classes, marksmanship, and older hunters who would be happy to mentor someone just starting out, and even find accessable hunting areas near you. "Back in the day", we relied on our parents, grandparents and their friends for mentoring. Nowdays, people are much more urbanized and we see the number of new hunters in each generation declining, at least here in the States.
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good advice...

happy hunting
 
Unk said:
cj65, you're doing it right.

Your Dad loves you and his grandson however take it from another+70 yr old Grandpa I would NOT take a young novice to opening day at most dove fields I've hunted..too much fast and furious shooting and often crowded with folks who aren't that skillful on their best day.

Over the years I've quit more than a few dove fields because of unsafe conditions..including idiots on low birds.

Take 'em, have fun..and watch them like a hawk.
Click to expand...

Will do Unk. :thumbup:
 
My first post on this forum. I live in SO CALI just so you guys know where im comming from. Took my hunting class got me a nice .22 CZ rifle. All ready to go but i cant find places to go and no one is willing to show me spots to hunt. Here in CA there are so many rules that its hard to make heads and tails from them all. After trying to figure out where i can go. i just gave up on hunting and would use my .22 for target shooting only... My advice would be before you spend all the money and time and effort make sure you actualy have places to hunt... or you know of someone that WOULD be WILLING to show you the ropes. just my 2cents.

Sasha
 
Sasha, and others in metro areas....

I belong to a hunting club, well organized and membership is by application and interview process. Not that it's exclusive, but selective. The club buys leases for properties all over so depending on where you are there are some closer than others.
The club holds seminars, and get together s, as well as a monthly news letter.
Membership isn't cheap but land access is members only, and limited to one hunter per thousand acres in open areas, slightly more in others, but it never feels crowded, and often times you may see another rig parked but never see another hunter.
It's not ideal but public hunting in SoCal is limited and very crowded around L.A. Last year I drew a tag in an area that is open to foot traffic only so I was surprised at the number of people in the area. Most are lazy.
Hunting is better farther north, or even out of state. Arizona isn't very far, New Mexico has some great big game hunting opportunities, and there are more.
I'd be willing to let you know what I know, not that it's much, but could give you some ideas depending on how far you're willing to drive.
 
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