How old were you when you started hunting? Did you have somebody that helped you get started? Or did you have to figure it out on your own?
Just curious.
Just curious.
Question for ya
- Thread starter MamaBear
- Start date
Took the hunter safety course when I was 11. Shot my first limit of Doves the same year with a single shot 410. I would hunt down in the El Centro area with my dad and some friends, can't think of an opener that I have missed.
Started hunting and killing Deer at 18 with a Remington model 722 in 257 Roberts.That old gun put a couple of deer down for me but it really put the coyotes down. My uncle helped to get me started on the deer hunting and calling coyotes.
Started hunting and killing Deer at 18 with a Remington model 722 in 257 Roberts.That old gun put a couple of deer down for me but it really put the coyotes down. My uncle helped to get me started on the deer hunting and calling coyotes.
Been shooting for most of my life. Hunted rabbits as a young kid and then stopped for years due to a move to the city with my father. Restarted in high school through my late teens/early twenties. Started hunting deer at 31 years old in 2008 due to my brother constantly hounding me cause he needed a reliable hunting partner! Been hooked on deer hunting ever since. As of now my brother is away due to a little legal trouble so Im on my own. Kinda funny how that worked out.
so Im on my own. Kinda funny how that worked out.took my hunter safety about 10 years ago mid 20s, between my brother and I we've navigated this on our own. Spent a lot of time researching and pushing ourselves.
I started hunting at age 31 all on my own. It was something that I was drawn to for years and just finally one day said screw it, I'm doing it! I have had zero regrets from day one.
I started shooting rabbits with a pellet rifle when I was 13 but didn't shoot anything but small game until I was 17. My imediate family doesn't hunt so I picked it upon my own. I had a great uncle who was a big game hunter and I was always amazed when I went to his house and saw his mounts and that is part of what got me started. Never hunted with him though he died before I started hunting larger animals.
started going with my dad at age 6 or so. he would take me to Mendota and Wister in jeans and a crap jacket. Shot my first bird at age 8 in Mexico. 20gauge H&R single shot break open that needed a stick to eject the rounds. This was on the pacific side of baja. Never big game hunted till about age 18 when a coworker took me on a doe hunt in Utah. Was not to impressed with rifle hunting deer. At age 19 walked into accuracy archery in orange passing out a construction notice for some street work we were doing. Walked out a day later with a bow and became obsessed with bow hunting nice part about me doing archery first was that i got to teach my dad archery just as he showed me birds as a kid.
nice part about me doing archery first was that i got to teach my dad archery just as he showed me birds as a kid.
My mother was raised on a cattle ranch in New Mexico and My father grew up on a farm in Tennessee, both grew up with eight other siblings and both families subsistence hunted. Neither one had any desire to eat game meat or chase animals as they had enough when they were young. My mothers side of the family still have a cattle ranch in NM and that is where I got my first exposure to pursuing animals. My first kills were Saturday night entertainment when we would drive the ranch at night and spot light jackrabbits with a 22. My Uncle took me elk hunting in the Gila wilderness for my first big game experience (that was 1970 and I was 12 years old), I watched him call in and kill a bull at close range, the hunt was done on horseback and that event sealed my interest in pursuing big game. Ever since then I have taught myself and been tutored by many others along the way (thanks to all those who took the time to show me the way)
Great stories! Big variety in the ages for first time hunters. Thanks for sharing!
I'd share mine but as of now I have only ever been a "hunter's assistant".
I'd share mine but as of now I have only ever been a "hunter's assistant".
That's funny!
Actually, if the ultimate goal is an awesome rack, some of us don't NEED to go hunting.
Actually, if the ultimate goal is an awesome rack, some of us don't NEED to go hunting.
MamaBear said:That's funny!
Actually, if the ultimate goal is an awesome rack, some of us don't NEED to go hunting.
Hard to argue with that.
My dad never hunted big game,just birds..So I took the hunter ed course when I was 12 and well,just hunted birds. When I was in my late 20s a good friend of mine Tate Velau talked me into buying a rifle and going on a Utah deer hunt. Unsuccessful but not discouraged I shot my 1st buck on Palomar 2 years later(a very respectable 20" 3x3 by the way).I was in my early 30s when I started bowhunting and by the time I hit 40 I was addicted some might say.I've raised my 2 boys to be hunters and I think my oldest is probably more of a fanatic than I am.
My earliest memories are of carrying pheasents for my dad in 2nd grade in Oregon, and sitting in a pit blind at Henshaw and Salt n Sea in 4th grade while my dad shot geese with his old 42" 10 gauge goose gun.I started carrying a BB gun at about 7,and shortly after that It was a 410 then at about 13 I picked up the 12 gauge.I don't think Ive missed more then 3 or 4 dove openers since i could drive.I just started shooting a compound bow about 2 years ago,and I feel like the word hunting has been totaly reinvented.
I actually started learning just a few years back. I have been picking things up as I go alone and tagging along with the ones that are willing to show me a thing or two. I know I am not the most knowledgable but thats the best about hunting, you get to learn something all the time from many people..