Grateful for a fishing/hunting mentor

[Chuckybmd]

This weekend I was able to see an old next door neighbor that used to take me fishing as a young one. I was able to thank him for taking the time to include me.

My dad was a good man. He didn’t know much about hunting and fishing.

I read all i could, but when I knew my neighbor go fishing every weekend, I couldn’t help but ask to tag along.

I realize now how much of a sacrifice it was to take the time to teach me. It definitely has enriched my life, and gives me the perfect outlet for stress.

Hope to pass this on one day, I have my sons to teach but will include others. Got to pay it forward.

Did you have a non-parental mentor that got you into fishing and hunting?

 

[4rcgoat]

No one in my family hunted,barely did any fishing. I grew up on motorcycles and BMX bikes and had a great childhood. A buddy of mine got me into whitetails in my mid teens. Now I'm older and have 2 sons and 3 grandchildren, I have been a mentor to my sons and am looking forward to doing the same for my grandchildren. I had to learn everything myself and there was definitely a learning curve, but fly fishing and bow hunting have been my main outlet now for quite sometime and always will.

 

[FLATHEAD]

My Grandaddy was my hunting mentor.
Had to learn fishing on my own.
But I did have a neighbor that took me a few times
to keep me interested.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

My dad wasn't much into hunting with a rifle so for that I had older brothers. I did learn a lot about archery from my dad. My brothers, five of them, would let me tag along before I really able to handle anything except a .22. They did lots of pheasant hunting and I was their retriever, which I thought was great. When I was old enough to start shooting a shotgun I got a single shot 20 gauge for Christmas, pretty sure I never got anything with it except cotton tails. I learned a lot about fishing from my brothers and their friends. My dad and brothers would take me out bow fishing for carp in the local rivers and lakes, I got real good at that. Got my first buck with a Fred Bear recurve. I skipped school on a Friday and went and sat in the woods right next to a soy bean field and as luck would have a nice 8 point came out to feed. I remember my dad telling me, your damn lucky, I didn't get my first 8 pointer until I had been hunting for many years. I told him I learned how to do it from him. I learned a lot from my brothers and a lot from just getting out and doing it.

 

[Outdoormatt]

I tell ya what..had a friend in high school that took me out to shoot guns and also taught me how to hunt. To this day I am so thankful that he was able to teach me this because I would be lost without hunting now a days

 

[Azone]

I am very lucky to have had a good one. That man was pretty much another father to me growing up. He could dish out one hell of a ass chewing if you screwed around and wasted his time but what I learned from him has been invaluable. He was my fathers best friend for years and I was extremely fortunate to have both.

 

[DooleyVT]

I had moved to Vermont in 2014 and a kid (late 20s) I was working with at the time would share his stories, photos and enthusiasm about his deer and turkey hunting adventures. I enjoyed hearing about it and seeing his passion for the woods and love and respect for the animals he chased. I was into the outdoors but I hadn't hunted much except when I was young but he still wanted to talk to me about hunting all the time. He invited me along on a turkey hunt in May of 2016 and I was able to shoot my first (2) turkeys that morning at the age of 43. The fall of 2016 I shot my first whitetail buck during rifle season with a lot of advice and inspiration from that guy. A few years ago he introduced me to archery and since then have been lucky enough to take home several whitetails and a South Dakota mule deer buck with the bow. Now I can't stop thinking of the next upcoming season, opening day and bucket list hunts. I'm super grateful that guy took the time and made some space to drag me along.

 

[Laramie]

My dad traveled all but 4 days a month growing up so he really didn't have time. My best friends dad taught me a lot and sacrificed his time to include me for the better part of 10 years. I am forever grateful and know he really is a big part of who I am today.

I have made it a point to do the same for many kids and rookie adults in my life. Early on in my quest to teach others I thought I was paying it forward as a tribute to his kindness. Now I understand that it is truly the best way to spend time outdoors... Experiencing first times over and over again with those that appreciate it the most. The joy I feel now teaching others makes me appreciate him even more. Hats off to those mentors!

 

[coloyooper]

My old man passed when I was 12. Thankfully, my mom was a big outdoorsman. She took me fishing everyday in the summer and hunting in the fall. Taught me everything I knew growing up in the UP. We hunted at a deer camp with a handful of other folks so I picked things up along the way but she is the main reason I live the life I do now. Would definitely consider her my mentor and give her all the credit. I love being able to pass it on to my two boys now.

 

[Werty]

My father is definitely my mentor, but my grandfather is my inspiration. One of the last times I hunted with him, it was for rabbits. He was using his bear recurve bow and he was over 90 yrs old. That man is my fathers mentor.

When he was in his early twenties he rode his bike from southern Michigan to the straits of Mackinaw, rode the ferry across. Spent some time in the UP of Michigan riding around. When he was done, jumped on a freighter in Sault Ste Marie and rode it to Detroit.

I am truly grateful for all the time I got to spend with him!

 

[Scoot]

My dad was my primary hunting mentor. However, my uncle, cousins, and brother taught me a ton too. Also, my mom took me out hunting and fishing a lot as a kid- when I couldn't drive out to the deer stand, mom brought me. She'd sit on the ground about 40 yards away and read a book while I tried like heck to arrow a deer. I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative to Mom, Dad, and my family for all they took time to teach me.

 

[CoyoteOak]

My hunting mentor was the owner of my local bow shop. He taught me everything from hunting to working on bows to shooting a bow correctly. I am so thankful I walked into that shop as a 15 year old, really changed my life!

 

[Virginian]

My Dad is my hunting mentor. He started taking me hunting as soon as I was potty trained. He drug me through the woods turkey and deer hunting for years. Always bought me the best gear, even if he couldn't afford new gear for himself. I still remember being 4 years old and him forcing me to shoot a muzzleloader. Everyone always tells how they started them with a .22, but not my dad. He literally forced me to shoot rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders from age 4. I still remember crying, not wanting to shoot because of the recoil but he insisted. I did have to overcome a flinch because of that . He always put me in the best places to hunt and made sure I had the opportunity. Frankly, he still tries to. Killed my first deer and turkey at 5. First bear at 14. Spring gobbler we use to hunt 6 days a week and if we didn't get on a turkey pretty early, he'd have my mom come pick me up and take me to school. I've been obsessed with hunting as long as I have memory - I'll be forever grateful to my Dad for that. The love of hunting is the best gift he could have ever gave me. Worth more than any amount of money.

 

[Sturgeon]

My dad hunted a lot but also worked a lot, so on the weekends he worked I would go with the neighbor across the street. Coincidentally if the neighbor was working my dad would take their kids out too.

 

[Centralcoastca]

My dad was a pos that took off when I was about 9yo. My grandpa lived and breathed hunting and fishing. He taught me a lot about both though I didn’t get to hunt with him too much outside of squirrels and coyotes. We did go on a backpack deer hunt that was awesome though unsuccessful. We set up a cheesy old pup tent and ate mres since it was the early nineties and they were very popular at the gun shows. Wish I would’ve got to hunt with him more. I’m friends with a couple of his old hunting buddies that are still around and I enjoy hearing the stories though. I always joked that he was going to die with a rifle or a fishing rod in his hand. He ended up dying from a heart attack minutes after catching a 35lb king salmon with his best friend. Luckiest guy I ever knew.

 

[Jbehredt]

Dad and grandpa taught me to hunt. My good buddy Bob got me fishing. Pulled me out of a dark place with a fly rod and a ton of patience. So grateful.

 

[Zdub02]

Dad definitely got me into hunting. He taught me the fundamentals, especially bow hunting whitetails. Gotta give credit to my grandad and uncle for teaching me to turkey hunt. My non family mentor would be my best friend. He got me into rifles and reloading and taught me a ton about fishing. Hoping to repay a small portion of the favor to him and his dad this fall on an out of state trip.