How to start hunting?

[okie556]

Hi, my name is Pete, and I am your new best friend.

atriot:

I'm with Pete on this one.......friend, buddy, pal. Hey I'd settle for being the guy who takes care of it. Wonder how you get a gig like that?

 

[kingofwylietx]

LOL....I don't know how they found the guy. He's been doing it for years. Just before hunting season, he grades the main road, mows the area around the house, and coordinates with the maids so everything is [fairly] clean before we arrive. I think he stocks some of the feeders too. He also does a lot of handyman stuff to keep it maintained. I have no idea what he's paid.

I think he has a very easy job. I know he gets to do some hunting and use the gun range.

I'd probably be more popular if we didn't live so far from it. You can't drive 7 hrs for a standard weekend, it has to be a long one. I'm sure I'd have a few more buddies if we were close enough to stop by there more often.

I told my wife that we should quit our jobs, join the DPS or Border Patrol, & move to the ranch.

 

[40Arpent]

KOWT, I am very fortunate to have a good friend with a 5,000 acre ranch outside of Freer. I help him with chores in exchange for a few hunts per year (mostly doe hunts for my son). It's a 5 hour drive, so I know what you mean about a long weekend. We're headed down next weekend...leaving Friday evening and coming back Sunday. I'll be beat come Monday. We've done one-nighters before, and that is just murderous.

 

[DCortez]

lol....right.

Are you saying I'm not lazy?


As for friends ... I need a better class of em Those bastards never do anything but invite me to places that I have to bring a gift.

 

[cbigclarke]

5 months here i'll take any friends at this point

 

[Shorts]

I want to start hunting again. Haven't in quite a while. We'd go to Hebronville or Georgewest with my uncle on the place he found for the lease.

Anyway, I need to get brushed up again on deer and I'd like to try to figure out a shotgun setup and see if I can maybe try quail. First I better hit the skeet range

 

[Phoebe Ann]

My other hobby, when not doing things gun related, is motorcycles. This year in particular seems to have started off rather badly with motorcycle incidents involving deer strikes. I'd like to take that down time when I'm not riding to at least do my part in controlling the deer population, but where do you start?

At least in Texas, it seems the majority of people I hear who go hunting already have hunting leases and groups of long time friends who they hunt with. Here I am with zero experience and the wrong equipment (at least for now) ... what advice would you have for getting experience and finding a place to learn to hunt?

Rocket_Cowboy, I agree with many who have posted in this thread. I believe your best bet right now is to start putting the word out to anyone and everyone you run across that you want to get into deer hunting. Even if you don't have a rifle at this time, just going to a lease for a weekend with a group will be great education. Tell them you'll buy the beer and cook for them. When someone shoots a buck, you can go get the buck, learn how they're scored, help skin it, etc. Hopefully you won't find out about initiation because that special ceremony should be saved for your first buck.

Another option is hunting for cull bucks. Not always the best for a mount but great experience for you. Query the internet for cull buck hunts in Texas. I wouldn't do it because I don't pay to hunt. But if you don't know anyone with a lease, it's an option. Best bet...word of mouth. You'll find someone that will take you to their lease. Maybe even someone on this forum would offer.

Good luck!