Who taught you how to hunt?

[GI-John]

I really want to hunt(cant for a while though). I know little to nothing about hunting, hunting equipment, location, season, and Hunting Rifles...


So who taught you everything you know? When was your first hunt?

 

[dee]

My dad I remember at least going with him as long as I can remember so I was at least 4-5 years old.

 

[baboon]

I'm mostly self taught. My dads grew up fatherless & poor & was more or less treated as the bird dog by his older brothers, so he wasn't into it. I grew up reading all the outdoor magazines then books. I really believe it's in us all, some more then others. After all we are designed as predators.

 

[TriggerTime]

I learned from a combination of cousins and friends and from reading a lot as well as experiments. Also, a lot from my father in law -- hill country German who's family was dirt poor growing up in the Fredricksburg area in the 1920's and 30's so they depended on game. Funny to hear all the stuff about "flat shooting", magnums, and exotic bullets folks talk about -- those guys used .22LR's and 30-30's to put food on the table.

My dad didn't ever hunt again after he came back from the South Pacific in WWII. There is probably no explanation needed there. A truly great man.

 

[Phoebe Ann]

I never even thought about hunting until I got married. My ex-husband introduced me to skeet and trap shooting as well as dove and quail hunting. We also raised Pointer bird dogs. I learned to deer and turkey hunt with people I work with. I think that my desire to hunt has been the driving force, not because of the people I've been around. I'm constantly putting out the word that I want to go on hunts, especially deer and turkey. I ask so many questions, I'm always learning something new, whether it's about guns, prey, weather, the land, ammo, sights, sounds, you name it. You'd be surprise at how many people will offer you the chance if you bring it up.

What do you want to do? Do you want to hunt? If so, what kind of hunting?

 

[kingofwylietx]

I began primarily self-taught, through trial and error, about 7 years ago. It's not the most efficient method, I learned that quickly. One day, I came across a book, 'The Ultimate Guide to Handgun Hunting. Tips and Tactics for Hunting Small and Big Game'. I bought it and read a lot of it, but certainly not all of it. It has been very useful and it helped me select a handgun, which I still use today.

I enjoy pistol hunting because it is neatly positioned between bow-hunting and rifle-hunting. It's quite a bit easier than with a bow, but much more difficult than a rifle.

I talk to a lot of people about hunting, which is helpful. I am also on a Texas hog hunting forum.....that has been incredibly useful.

If you just jump into it without any research or help, you may become disappointed at your results [or, if you are particularly lucky, maybe not]. If you know what you want to hunt, that will be the first step. From there, you can select a means, the proper tools and learn some tactics.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Geez.....comin' from a very large, 2nd-generation German family, it was Dad, Grandpa an' 'bout every Uncle. Each had their ways, but the neat thing was they didn't talk down the ways of the other(s). They encouraged us to use what we were comfortable with. Then there was the "black-sheep" 3rd cousin who never bothered with a hunting license, nor paid much mind to the time of year OR day. That guy could go into a parking lot an' come back with a dressed deer!!
A family friend taught me the art of pistol shooting - none of our family ever messed much with handguns, other than the dozen or so involved in law enforcement, and back in those days, they generally toted a double-barrel shotgun, with the pistol along "just in case".

 

[Big country]

I'm mostly self taught. My dads grew up fatherless & poor & was more or less treated as the bird dog by his older brothers, so he wasn't into it. I grew up reading all the outdoor magazines then books. I really believe it's in us all, some more then others. After all we are designed as predators.

Same here. My dad didn't hunt much and I wanted to so I got a bow and some arrows and a BB gun and learned how to get close enough the birds in the trees and on the ground for shot. I used to go up and down that old creek on my old property where I grew up ( there is a warehouse where my house used to be now) But after I grew up a little bit my uncle would take me hunting and I wound up with the shotgun I used to kill my first dove and my only turkey. That 870 taught me the basics and when they (my dad and uncles) gave me my own shotgun a single shot 20 , I had to learn to use that. I only got to use that from then on. Scratch a quail trip where I used the 870 again, for my first quail. I took it from there and killed my first deer with a friend at his lease. So read a lot and find a place to take a hunter safety course as it is required if you were borne after the 50's or so. And the course will give you some general info and a book that will have good safety notes in it for field safety. Good luck man, But I should warn you, it is like anything else you go the first time and after that you start saving up for next years elk season and buying a better riffle and o bow hunting............... and then you're hooked.

 

[GI-John]

Dang it now I want to go hunting, y'all got me all worked up now

 

[Hoji]

My mom.

 

[Stumpy]

im 16 now, and i probably started shooting around 8 or 9 years old. but i didnt get to go hunting till 11 when i got my first gun. it was a Marlin model60 .22LR
my uncle taught me the VERY basic stuff, but the rest was pretty much self-taught, trial and error, hunting magazines and TV shows, with the exception of a few tips here and there.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

My Dad....killed my first Deer when I was 8 & we used to go bird hunting 3-4 times a month during the season.

 

[cajuntec]

I really want to hunt(cant for a while though). I know little to nothing about hunting, hunting equipment, location, season, and Hunting Rifles...
So who taught you everything you know? When was your first hunt?

My uncle Keith taught me the basics. My father was an outdoorsman, but he was killed in a boat accident when I was 3. My stepfather was a great man, but he was not an outdoorsman. But the urge to hunt was in my genes I guess, so my mother got me together with her younger brother to teach me the hunting basics and safety at first. From then, it was friends, Boy Scouts, and lots of reading.

My first hunt was for ducks in southern Louisiana. From there, I branched out to rabbits and squirrels as well. I didn't hunt deer for the first time until I was 32 years old (8 years ago).

I see you list San Antonio as one of your two locations. I'm local, and would be happy to get together with you sometime to go over things in person - maybe even get together for a range day or something.

"GI" John - are you military? If so, you should come out to Camp Bullis. That's where I'm hunting this year.

All the best,
Glenn

 

[Okierifleman]

My Dad got me started when I was very young, maybe 6-7 years old. But, he wasnt really that big of a hunter as he got older and I took to it like a fish to water. So, I read everything I could get my hands on. I was very lucky to have great gun writers while growing up. I loved the hunting stories, but more than that I loved the guns themselves, how they worked, how to get better performance, etc...I remember getting a MEC 600JR for my 14th birthday. How many 14 year olds do you know that are out in the garage loading cases of 20 ga?? Then for my 15th birthday, my Dad bought me a Rock Chucker kit and that was all she wrote. The endless possibilities! I think after that, my Dad figured he had created a monster! I did a lot of hunting with my friends and their Dad's or whoever else I could bum a ride from. Thanks Dad for getting me started!!!!!

 

[hkusp1]

my dad taught me when i was 8 or 9, he got me a single shot winchester .22 for christmas either model 64 or 67 i dont remember its around somewhere, but dang my mom was pi$$ed.

 

[GI-John]

My uncle Keith taught me the basics. My father was an outdoorsman, but he was killed in a boat accident when I was 3. My stepfather was a great man, but he was not an outdoorsman. But the urge to hunt was in my genes I guess, so my mother got me together with her younger brother to teach me the hunting basics and safety at first. From then, it was friends, Boy Scouts, and lots of reading.

My first hunt was for ducks in southern Louisiana. From there, I branched out to rabbits and squirrels as well. I didn't hunt deer for the first time until I was 32 years old (8 years ago).

I see you list San Antonio as one of your two locations. I'm local, and would be happy to get together with you sometime to go over things in person - maybe even get together for a range day or something.

"GI" John - are you military? If so, you should come out to Camp Bullis. That's where I'm hunting this year.

All the best,
Glenn

Yes I am, Thats sounds great but I will be leaving very soon. I had an apartment out there on 1604. I would shoot at The Bullet Hole.

 

[Texas1911]

My grandfather.

 

[GI-John]

Advice

My grandfather.

Any advice as far as rifle, scope, and spotting scope, also caliber. I would like to buy and not have to buy again for a while. At the same time I also do not want something too professional. No 1100 yard elk hunts for me.

I've read threads regarding caliber for north america, 30-06 is the choice so far. Now I am researching rifle brand etc. etc.

 

[slowrey]

My grandpa and father did. My stepfather helped me as I got older.

 

[dbgun]

Two of my older brothers took me hunting (Deer & Quail) but didn't really learn much, since they were new to the sport as well. Most of my learned experience has come from hunting with friends from work.