Biggest hurdle/barrier to entry into hunting?

[TheDoublR]

Cost is becoming one barrier. The glued to electronics generation (facilitated by lazy parents) is another.

Another is the unwillingness, for hunters to help other hunters. People feel like the newbie is going to come in and take “their” spot, even though it may be public land.

Being from the South, I’ve never had to deal with the ridiculous games that western states play with points, applications, etc. when I decided I wanted to hunt antelope in Wyoming a few years ago, I came here looking for tips on how to navigate the draw system and you would have thought I asked for the Onx coordinates to someone’s favorite spot. Was basically told that it was all on the website, go figure it out and good luck.

Thankfully a couple of members actually PM’ed and actually offered helpful advice.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Pretty much

 

[AZDC]

I'd actually like to share my personal experience as I had never done really anything outdoors (besides mountain biking) before the age of 23. Shoot I was almost 24, when I had a friend invite me out for the dove opener. I bought a Benelli nova that day from Sportsman's & harvested 10 the next day.

The biggest barrier I had was I started with zero knowledge regarding anything w/ hunting. I didn't group in a family that spent time outdoors nor did I grow up around hunting. So, I just needed a starting point and a path to start going down. I had zero gear and zero knowledge, but I spent a lot of time in and around guys in the years after my first dove hunt. I started researching and asked them questions, receiving information almost daily & just started focusing on becoming a sportsman. I hunted just birds that fall, dove, quail and ducks. I was happily successful that first year. I also ended up getting helped out and a friend of a friend sold me a Halon X Comp for a steal of a deal.

My first tag I drew I wasn't ready for, not because I didn't shoot or scout. I just had extremely limited experience big game hunting. I drew an archery antelope tag in one of NM's best units. I saw probably two bucks over 85" and can confirm a 91" got taken during that hunt. I broke 100 twice and had a blast seeing such a beautiful animal.

My first year was just about figuring out if I enjoy hunting and learning the rules, regulations, and processes. The second year/third year I focused on obtaining gear and just learning how to hunt (obviously this happens every year). I bought my first rifle that year and had only shot a bolt-action rifle once before that. I feel like every year I've learned leaps and bounds but I've just had to be patient. This is the first year I drew hunts where I believe I'm set-up for success. I have a mule deer and oryx tag in my pocket. I'm looking to harvest my first big game animal this fall.

The next barrier is cost & the ability to draw a tag. I'm very fortunate to be able to afford to hunt and to apply to multiple states at my age but that just isn't common. I didn't have any hand me down gear or anything to start out and I imagine others in that situation would be turned off by the amount of up-front cost. I'm not even referencing expensive gear that's constantly referenced on here, but spending money on hobbies is not something everyone can afford especially when you start accumulating tag cost, license, gun, optic, boots, ammo & gas $.

This site has been a huge help, and there's a ton of great info that for the most part has not steered me wrong. Everyone here is willing to help and in my experience that is how most hunters are. Shoot I've met random strangers out on the trail that I'll strike up a conversation with and at-least in my journey I've experienced a collective mentorship from the hunting community, and I'll continue to pass that along. Without this mentorship of the hunting community, I wouldn't be where I'm at today.