I need to learn to hunt

[kelu]

I need to learn. I have never done it, but I know I have to do it in the future. Last year we learned gardening, this year is to learn hunting.
And here I am, asking if is anybody willing to teach me: what equipment to get, and how to do it. To go with me couple times in the woods, and teach me the basics. I think this cannot be learned from youtube or a hunter theoretical course.
I'm interested in game from squirrels to deer and birds.
I know I don't know almost nothing, but I am a good student.
I'm not an entertaining guy, but not an a-hole either.
Anyone willing to help?
Any response, positive or negative, appreciated.

[MNMGoneShooting]

I need to learn. I have never done it, but I know I have to do it in the future. Last year we learned gardening, this year is to learn hunting.
And here I am, asking if is anybody willing to teach me: what equipment to get, and how to do it. To go with me couple times in the woods, and teach me the basics. I think this cannot be learned from youtube or a hunter theoretical course.
I'm interested in game from squirrels to deer and birds.
I know I don't know almost nothing, but I am a good student.
I'm not an entertaining guy, but not an a-hole either.
Anyone willing to help?
Any response, positive or negative, appreciated.

I'm right there with you. YouTube has been an awesome tool to start my path towards being a hunter, but I'm still clueless. I've also been looking at some survival books at the bookstore that seem to have a lot on how to slice up the critters and store.

I really need to just trek with an experienced hunter so I can imitate.

[wpoppert]

Me too! I was invited to go with a friend a few years ago, but hadn't completed the hunter safety course. My son and I took the course this summer, but now need to find the right opportunity to go with someone who has a clue. I know a fair bit about foraging in the wild (grew up in a heavily wooded area, read a lot of survival books, ate a lot of stuff I found growing), but not much about hunting.

[dmharvey]

I'd be glad to help teach anybody who is interested in learning to hunt. I grew up in Michigan and I've hunted for over 20 years now...deer, bear, spring turkey, small game, coyote, etc. Since moving to Virginia I only have a small piece of land to deer hunt and unfortunately the landowner is not willing to allow others to hunt the land right now.

So...if you have access to some land I am willing to show you guys the basics (no big deal if I'm not able to actually hunt for some reason). Glad to hear you're all interested in hunting, it is a great sport that seems to be fading away to some extent in recent years and I'd love to help keep it alive. Just shoot me a PM and we can go from there.

[dmharvey]

What are some specific questions you have about gear, or hunting in general?

[skeeterss0]

I'd like to learn about scouting deer, and dressing out a deer.

[Machias]

I always try to take out a new person every spring turkey season. I'd be more than happy to take someone out anytime for squirrels, predator calling, or deer. I just moved here from Washington State. Couple of things to keep in mind is you don't need to spend tons of money on camo and specialized gear. Once you get into it you will almost certainly aquire more gear, but keep it simple and have fun in the woods is what it's all about. Being safe and enjoying to woods irregardless of whether or not you harvest game.

[TScottW99]

I'd be happy to take someone out in the Roanoke area. I hunt mostly National Forest and love to have some company.

[RWBlue01]

I hunted before I moved here. I am more than willing to advise.

As for the hunting part, get a camera, go to the woods and hunt with the camera. You don't need a license. You can hunt year round. You will learn what works, and when to go. As a newbie, this will allow you to learn your stretch of woods. (The hardest hunt is always the new location.)

As far as dressing out game, there is nothing like seeing it done and then doing it yourself. Same thing for butchering an animal. You get better all the time.

[wally626]

Step one, sign up for one of the free Hunter Safety courses. It will give you the basics. Then, as you are doing, find someone to show you the ropes. The VA hunting license requires first time licensees to hunt the first year with an experienced hunter.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/education/

[Kreutz]

I grew up in a non-hunting house so I have no idea where to do it, how to do it, what to do with anything you've bagged etc. and am too old to learn so my kids won't know either, but I think if hunting is anything like this I want in:



it IS like this right?

[mamabearCali]

HA! funny Kruetz....why do you think you are too old to learn? I am 32 and I am looking for a woman friend to help me learn (and property on which to do so).

[Machias]

I grew up in a non-hunting house so I have no idea where to do it, how to do it, what to do with anything you've bagged etc. and am too old to learn so my kids won't know either, but I think if hunting is anything like this I want in:



it IS like this right?

Is there any other way?

[gunderwood]

I grew up in a non-hunting house so I have no idea where to do it, how to do it, what to do with anything you've bagged etc. and am too old to learn so my kids won't know either, but I think if hunting is anything like this I want in:



it IS like this right?

NICE tree stand!

[Kreutz]

HA! funny Kruetz....why do you think you are too old to learn? I am 32 and I am looking for a woman friend to help me learn (and property on which to do so).

I'm 30, I've got the feeling its kind of like something thats gotta be passed down or you can never really figure it out. Its hard to learn something from scratch when you're an adult with a million other responsibilities.

Plus I'm not sure hunting is cost effective, if I take a day off work to (possibly) get say a deer the price per pound would be quite high and I'd have been better off buying meat at the store.

[MNMGoneShooting]

I may take one of these offers up, but yes, I need to get through the hunter's safety course.

[Machias]

HA! funny Kruetz....why do you think you are too old to learn? I am 32 and I am looking for a woman friend to help me learn (and property on which to do so).

I'm 30, I've got the feeling its kind of like something thats gotta be passed down or you can never really figure it out. Its hard to learn something from scratch when you're an adult with a million other responsibilities.

Plus I'm not sure hunting is cost effective, if I take a day off work to (possibly) get say a deer the price per pound would be quite high and I'd have been better off buying meat at the store.

You will NEVER get ahead price wise on hunting. Hunting is not about saving money, trust me if that is your motivation, take up gardening or some other hobby. Hunting is a passion and for most folks it's not even about killing an animal, although that certainly is the goal. It's about being able to provide for yourself, spending more time in the outdoors, learning the animals habits and habitats. I generally bought non-resident tags for Idaho for elk, deer, bear, wolf and mountain lion. That's $1100 before I even step in the woods, hundreds of dollars in gas, thousands of dollars in gear. It would be scary to know the $ amount per pound. Last year in Idaho I got a nice bear with my longbow and my first mountain lion. I've treed probably 25 lions in my life, but this was the first one I put my tag on. I bet that lion cost me upwards of $20,000 over the past 10 years. I can tell you after snowmobiling in the Rocky Mountains following dogs through snow over my head, being 100 miles from the nearest paved road in the middle of winter, it was worth every penny!!

30 years old is not too old at all, heck 60 years old is not too old to learn.

[kelu]

Thanks all for the answers! Now I am planning to take the hunter course, and than I'll come back to you.

Last year I learned how to grow vegetables. This year I want to learn to hunt. I love outdoors, but I never think to kill any creature (even a chicken) until now.
It's not about price efficiency; it's about learning a skill that can feed my family. I don't have a family on the country here to give me food.
There is plenty of land, plenty of trees, plenty of game. You live in a blessed country, no wonder tens of millions of people all over the world came here.

[MNMGoneShooting]

Thanks all for the answers! Now I am planning to take the hunter course, and than I'll come back to you.

Last year I learned how to grow vegetables. This year I want to learn to hunt. I love outdoors, but I never think to kill any creature (even a chicken) until now.
It's not about price efficiency; it's about learning a skill that can feed my family. I don't have a family on the country here to give me food.
There is plenty of land, plenty of trees, plenty of game. You live in a blessed country, no wonder tens of millions of people all over the world came here.

I killed my first chicken last year, cleaned it and tried to eat it. No one told me that one year old chickens would be so tough to eat! Like jerky! I was told afterwards you had to brine them for a long period.

Wrt gardening, that's damned expensive too!!

[GeneFrenkle]

Lol yea, one year old chickens, in particular roosters, are more suited for soup and pressure cooking. Try raising some turkey. Personally, I find them to have a little more personality. Bronze's are quite striking.

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