How to get started hunting?

[Farmfresh]

Well I have finally decided to start thinking about actually going deer hunting. When I was growing up all of my family were hunters. Deer some but mostly birds - geese, ducks, quail, and dove. They also rabbit and squirrel hunted. My whole family shot. They loved skeet and target shooting. Even my mother had won trophies for her shooting. I had my own shotgun as a kid, Grandpa bought it for me, but I only shot it once because he made me. I was afraid of guns for YEARS. I have determined that the problem was the loud noise they make. Ear or eye protection - what was that?

I usually ended up on the processing end with Grandma Nettie (who is beginning to get famous around here I think). So I can clean em and gut em and LOVE to eat em. Now I want to learn how to shoot em. (This ONLY because the Wildlife guys frown on deer being attacked from behind with a hammer. )

I am doing better with the gun part. My kids all did shooting sports when they were in 4-H which involved both bow and 22, but I still have only shot a bit. I know that I will have to practice LOTS before I actually hunt. What I want to know is what programs are there out there for a close to 50 woman with some disabilities where I can be basically tutored on deer hunting. (I pick hunting deer, because I know how and HAVE raised ducks, geese, quail, doves, and rabbits for the pot. And because I have a box trap that keeps me supplied with squirrels.)

Seeing all of you hunting gals has inspired me!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I'm interested to see what other folks say.

Both my husband and I did our hunter's education course last year, but only Adam has a license to hunt.

I wish we had a mentor, but we don't. Hunter's education just taught us what to aim for and then sent us on our way. Our biggest problem is finding a place to hunt.

I think unless you have good friends that hunt and are willing to take you along or the money to pay for membership to a hunt club, hunting is just one of those things you have to jump in and just do it.

A friend took Adam hog hunting and Adam did very well. After practicing shooting a bulls eye in the back yard and then learning where the vital organs are, he dropped that hog in it's place. We hauled it home and processed it just like everything else. Nobody ever showed us how to gut and process, we just learned from the internet and learned by trial and error.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Get one of those family members to take you out shooting. Mostly, deer hunting is sitting & waiting for them to come to you, or calling/luring the deer to you.

All you have to do is be able identify & accurately hit a vital area. And be able to not take the shot if you aren't sure of hitting a vital area.

So, once you learn where the zones are, practice practice practice, like you said, on hitting those zones.

Here is a good article for you on that. http://hunting.about.com/od/deerbiggame/a/shotplacement.htm

Most of the hunter education courses cover safety & ethics, not so much shooting.

 

[pioneergirl]

As a kid I was always on the processing end as well, and DH had only hunted maybe twice in his 41 years. So when we decided that our road to SS entailed hunting, we opted for the bow. Both of us know how to shoot a gun (him from living on a farm and having coyote issues and me from the military) but a bow was a new animal. But we got lucky....

We found, in our many travels, an awsome mentor. Yes, he worked at Bass Pro Shops, but he was also an instructor on the side. He gave us the best tips on how to shoot!

Anyway, I guess my point is, just jump in with both feet....remember that your scent travels for miles, so stay down-wind, one twig snap can scare them away for the rest of the day, and just when you are ready to leave because your feet are frozen or you have to pee, is when that monster buck shows himself.

Good luck!

 

[Farmfresh]

Get one of those family members to take you out shooting. Mostly, deer hunting is sitting & waiting for them to come to you, or calling/luring the deer to you.

All you have to do is be able identify & accurately hit a vital area. And be able to not take the shot if you aren't sure of hitting a vital area.

So, once you learn where the zones are, practice practice practice, like you said, on hitting those zones.

Here is a good article for you on that. http://hunting.about.com/od/deerbiggame/a/shotplacement.htm

Most of the hunter education courses cover safety & ethics, not so much shooting.

I would LOVE to ... but those family members are either old or DEAD and not much help now I fear. I have probable PLACE to hunt since many extended family members own good farms and fields full of deer just waiting.

I am certain enough of WHERE to shoot a deer and HOW to process it. I just need help on the hunting part. I am planing on taking a hunter safety course sometime this year. I have already sat through numerous gun safety courses when the kids were in shooting sports.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

So you need to know how to find the right spot to sit & wait?

 

[Farmfresh]

Yes. And someone to go along and give me confidence with the gun thing. Like I said before if I could just use a hammer I would probably be alright!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Yeah, but those antlers & hooves can be dangerous!

Well, for that you would need to hang around your processor, maybe check with your department of wildlife/game/natural resources to see if someone would be willing to apprentice you. Sporting goods stores are useful too.

Or, if you can walk the woods you will be hunting on, take note of paths, waterways & food sources. The deer will be in one of those spots if you wait long enough.

Look for scrapes too, where the ground is all churned up, peed/pooped on & bark & leaves are missing from trees from knee level to shoulder high or so.

If you use a scent lure, make sure to not keep the scent on you, but place it where you have a clear shot to the area around it. You don't want a lust-crazed buck stomping on you.

Not sure how much of this you already know, but really, it's just a matter of getting out there, taking mental notes on the landmarks above, finding a good comfy spot & sitting until you get tired of it or you shoot something.

Once you get comfy shooting the gun that is. If you understand the safety & the mechanics of your gun, just get out & start plinking at targets. Take a full box of ammo, wear your protective gear, make sure of what is behind your target & go for it.

Unless you are careless with them, guns don't do much surprising stuff

 

[Farmfresh]

I have wrangled with enough 1200 pound horses that were trying to hurt me in my life to be well aware of those dangerous hooves! As a matter of a fact I am the voice of reason in these city parts usually warning folks to STOP feeding and even HAND FEEDING the deer behind their homes.

The processor is a GREAT idea! I hadn't thought of that. We have a small processor that we deal with on a regular basis and they shut down to process nothing but venison in November and December. I bet they would be a good source to tap for information. Thanks!

 

[abifae]

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