What made you start hunting?

Question

I would like to begin deer hunting. I am almost 24, and all I have ever done was fish as a kid. Heights weird me out, but if I was tied at the tree stand I would be ok. I don't have time to practice shooting now, but in the near future I will. It just seems like something I'd enjoy doing.

Answer 1

I lived on a farm as a young boy and we had a very poor farm. It took all we got from our crops to buy seed and run our farm. So we were not about to butcher a $1000 cow for us to have meat for the year. Anything I could bring in from the woods and field was eaten. And some things Dad would tell me to skin them out in the pasture and leave the
My Dad made a big thing out of me being a successful hunter and he would frequently say at the supper table "We are eating well tonight because our son brought home the meat." You can imagine how proud I was.
So I taught my sons how to hunt and we ate what we hunted. It now is a family tradition and my grandson at the age of 12 got his first deer. Just about the age I was when I started hunting way back then on that farm in Iowa.
Sarge

Answer 2

I started hunting Pheasant with my father and older brothers when I was 12. I didn't hunt deer until I was in my mid-20's and a friend invited me to go. I had a great time scouting the area and trying to figure out where the deer were likely to be. I was hooked from then on. I would check out a local gun range or store and talk to the people who work there. They might be able to point you to someone who wants a hunting partner. A partner could teach you the methods and the little things you might overlook at first. This would increase your chances for success. Also, practice with your rifle or bow, or shotgun until you are very comfortable hitting the target quickly.

Answer 3

I started with my family, but it is a blast.

You can't just go hunting on the spur of the moment like you can go fishing.

You need to take a hunters education course and in many states you have to put into a lottery that gives out tags nine months before the hunt.

Deer hunting is a lot of effort for a few brief moments of excitement, but it is worth it.

Answer 4

I grew up hunting with my dad and buddies. I mostly went after pheasant of waterfowl, but I have hunted deer as well. I guess it's just something that you are brought up with, and I wouldn't expect people who don't hunt or are against hunting to understand or condone.
I don't know anything about you, but if you are just planning on "starting" deer hunting, you should plan on hunting with a friend or a group of people and don't even bother bringing a rifle on the first trip. Just watch and learn the first time out.

Answer 5

My Dad sold Bows & Arrows for a living and owned his own manufacturing and distribution network for years. He taught me to shoot archery at 6 and I went hunting with him and got my first Deer at 7. Been hooked ever since. Funny thing though, my Dad didn't hunt with firearms and as I got older, I seemed to prefer gun hunting, but still loved the challenge of a good bow hunt. It's still that way 40+ years later and I've passed that heritage on to my son.

I think we all get a little weirded out at first with tree stand hunting. Even as a kid I had dreams about falling out of the stand and landing on my broadhead points..I think that's something time will let you outgrow. Once you get used to the "view" it won't stress you out any more.Anyway Good Luck and Safe Hunting.Welcome to the "Club" of Hunters

Answer 6

Besides the excellent Thompson/Center single-shot rifle already mentioned, there's the New England Firearms/Harrington and Richardson Handi-Rifle, which is also a single-shot rifle, and is available in quite a few good deer calibers. They cost around $250 brand new, and H&R has a barrel exchange program where one can send the reciever back to the factory and have rifle barrels of other calibers fitted to it (for $87 per barrel for a blued barrel,) or a shotgun barrel (about $42 per barrel.) As far as deer calibers go, good ones are .270 Winchester and .308 Winchester. Especially the .308 WInchester, which can do almost anything the .30-06 Springfield can do, using light bullets. The .30-06 Springfield is also a good deer round, but can be a bit much for younger or inexperienced shooters.

Answer 7

It's never to late to learn new things. I started before I was 10 but took a big break in my 20s. You should start looking for an adequate rifle and lean firearms safety and shooting skills, learn you state's hunting seasons and laws and any required courses and start finding any public lands in your area or get on someone's lease.

Having an experienced mentor is vital, start networking for someone who can fill the bill.

Answer 8

You dont have to sit in a tree stand to hunt..... just get a good rifle, hunting clothes and go have some fun in the woods, always take a buddy and some form of communication, cell phone, ect.... read about hunting to get tips..... I started a couple years ago, my in-laws are big into hunting in WV, so I got into it.... I enjoy it very much.

Answer 9

I started hunting because I had a bottle of A1 steak sauce. Just kidding. It was because our nieghbors did, and I wanted to be like them because they were an awsome family and mine sucked. So, when I hit 18, I bought a Remington 700bdl 30-06 and went hunting. Now I bow hunt only and love it.

Answer 10

If you are a male it's just tradition and part of your upbringing you start shooting at about 5 years old and have a bb gun by ten. The family has alot of female hunters as well,and there good at it