How did you guys who had no one to teach you get into hunting?

[akcabin]

I grew up in the 60s. Big family. When mom hollered get out. We split.
I would go to the woods or fishing. Mom always appreciated a bunch of bluegill filets. Wasn’t a lot of money in those days. I had to cut the squirrels in pieces for her. She said they looked like rats.
The outdoors became my back yard. Then I moved to AK n the rest is history

 

[Rocky723]

I was watching youtube and said "Dad I want to go do that." Went and talked to some friends about the requirements to hunt and all the legal stuff, discussed a few units to try and get int for then practice shooting and hope for a tag. Ended up getting a tag with my lil bro and we've hunted every year since. Completely self taught and TONS of mistakes but every mistake is just a learning experience. Still make plenty of mistakes but have watched 100's of youtube videos on every type/style of hunting and have even bought a few courses like Elk101 which have been amazingly helpful.

 

[Bsevans5]

Grew up in california. No exposure to hunting/firearms. Moved to utah in '99. For years i wanted to learn to hunt but never could figure out what to do. Moved to a different part of the state 11 years ago. I found some neighbors to start showing me the ropes. Really got into it about 7-8 years ago.

 

[Pdzoller]

My Grandfather was an avid hunter but by the time I came into the picture he wasn’t capable anymore. He love telling stories about elk hunting. When he passed, my cousins and I decided on a whim to go on a backpack hunt. We basically all caught the bug afterwards. It’s been a humbling and rewarding experience.

 

[mi650]

My grandfather was a deer hunter, but died when I was 3. My dad used to do a lot of small game hunting, but at 75, has never killed a deer. I was taken out deer hunting a few times as a teenager, enlisted after high school, spent a couple years in FL after the Army, then didn't really get into it until I moved back to MI and got married. So I pretty much learned by reading magazines and a whole bunch of trial and error.

The year we got married, my wife asked what I wanted for Christmas. Told her I wanted my 1st deer mounted. Sure enough, Nov. 22nd of that year I killed a smallish 7 point!! Told my wife there was my Christmas gift. On Dec. 23rd I got a call from the taxidermist saying my deer was ready! (So no, it really doesn't take a year or more. Sorry to let the secret out for any taxidermists reading this. )

My wife was pissed because she had told him it was a gift, and if it was ready, he wasn't supposed to let me know and she would pick it up. We were piss-poor broke, that mount cost the whopping sum of $175, and she had gotten me a set of tools in case the mount wasn't ready. That was 30 years ago, and he's still on the wall 10' from me now. Did have some repairs done 5 or 6 years ago.

 

[htlt_surfboards]

I didn't get into hunting until in my mid 20s and was determined that I wanted to be a bowhunter. I didn't have any mentors or anyone that I even knew that hunted. Absorbed all the podcasts, books, and videos like solo hunter with Remi I could and then just started going. I was unsuccessful for the first few years I went and looking back laugh at the equipment I brought and dumb things I did, but that experience of just trying has become invaluable. Lots of places like rokslide can help with specific questions but the best way is to just go get after it and learn from experience.

 

[Marbles]

I've never had anyone to teach me hunting my family is from a country with no hunting culture what so ever. I remember one of the first video games I had back in the day being Cabelas big game hunter. I always wanted to hunt and one day last year I decided i was just gonna hop in. How did you guys with no one to teach you get into hunting ?

I half fit the no one to teach me. My family did not hunt, and I only hunted with an adult a few times during a one week period that I stayed with a friend. But, many people I spent time around hunted.

Basically, I would go shoot in the woods with an air rifle, one day I shot a squirrel. Then I decided to keep trying to shoot more squirrels. Then, I got buisy building an adult life and did not hunt much between the ages of 17 to 29. At 29 I moved to Alaska, I talked with people who hunted, but never had anyone to hunt with, so I just got a rifle and started heading into the woods. I'm not a great hunter, and I stay pretty buisy with work and family, but I get out when I can.

So, my advice, grab some gear and do it. Learn what you can from whatever source you can. Unless you are wealthy, stick with areas that take sweat equity to get into and avoid expensive tools like wheelers, snow machines, and boats. Do spend the money on a premium pack (Exo, SO, SG, or Kifaru); get the lightest gear that is still durable and functional you can affored as the first time buying is the cheapest it will be vs replacing gear; get quality glass as you can affored it and start with the top of mid range and up (I have found cheap glass is literally not worth carrying and got left at home, so absolute waste of money for me).

My gear list for a new hunter, roughly in the order I would buy it, somethings are equal in that order or work together, so they have the some number
1. Tikka (other guns will work) in either 6.5, 7mm-08, 308, or 30-06 (other calibers work)
1. Scope (SWFA 3-9's are hard to find, so Trijicon Credo or Tinmile, if money is not a problem NF or S&B)
1. Kill kit
2. Exo K4
3. Water filter, soft bag to carry extra water if needed
3. Canister stove (I like the Soto Windmaster, but lots of options), Ti or Al pot, long handled Al spoon
4. Trekking poles
4. Seek outside Guardian or Cimarron with a sove jack (but don't spend the money on a sove at this point)
4. Good sleeping bag (I prefer down, if needing to save money go with a cheap synthetic bag) and pad (R value over 5, I like the Thermarest Xtherm)
5. Decent binoculars (I think the Ziess Conquests are a great value for the money)
5. Binocular chest pouch (lots of good options, I have a FHF)

Local conditions will dictate the need for other gear. This is assuming one has clothing appropriate to the conditions. Depending on the area, an inReach, but a cell phone may be all you need as well.

If just needing to get time outside, move the number 1s close to after the 4s and start spending time in the field as you don't have to be trying to kill to get experiance.

 

[mi650]

That was exactly what went through my head when I shot my first buck. Had never even seen a deer gutted, and had walked at least a couple miles from from camp. I’ll never forget looking back to where my truck was realizing it was 2 ridges over. I was used to long walks, and not killing anything

Reality set in really quick!

I shot my 1st in the woods on a farm, 1/2 mile from the road. Had an '86 Escort, no way it was gonna make it to the woods thru ankle deep mud, so I had to drag him out. And nope, he wasn't gutted.

 

[trailblazer75]

I'm a Missouri boy and had a neighbor move in across the highway from me. I wound up dating the daughter for a while and made good friends with the son. This neighbor was from Washington state and the son and dad had killed multiple nice elk. I remember there being euro mounts all over their house and a rifle or shotgun in every corner. I always envied that lifestyle and always was curious, so when I went away to the military at 19 and got some gun know how I was definitely gonna put that to use hunting. I had some time off before reporting to my first duty station that happened to coincide with deer season, so I borrowed a rifle from the neighbor and built a ground blind on another friend's property. I wound up killing a nice 8 pointer and a doe the first morning I ever hunted. And I've been hooked ever since.

 

[ianpadron]

I grew up in the flatlands of Wisconsin in a non-hunting and not super outdoorsy family. Fished quite a bit and absolutely lived for it, but never thought of having my life revolve around the outdoors.

Fast forward to college, where I felt like I was literally missing a piece of my soul, but at the time, I had no idea what that piece might be. I think a lot of young men can relate these days.

On a trip home I found a copy of the Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, read it in one sitting, and instantly knew all I was missing was a relationship with nature (and it's Creator).

Signed up for a hunter's safety course at 21 years old, had a blast learning something I actually wanted to learn about...and down the rabbit hole I went...or in this case, duck hole...because I shot a ton of ducks in those early years haha!

A year later I had scrapped my previous career plans and was moving out West specifically to hunt and fish...a year after that and I was in the mountains every weekend of the summer scouting, fishing, honing my glassing and fieldcraft skills, getting fit, etc...loving every minute.

I jumped straight into the deep end, with the vast majority of my early big game hunts being solo in some of the farthest flung wilderness areas in the lower 48 (Glacier Peak, Frank Church, Pasayten, etc) simply because I didn't have anyone to tell me otherwise.

Looking back at it, I think the young man attitude of invincibility and reliance on trial by error was/is the main driver for the success I've had since. It's amazing what a fella can do when he has no box ever placed on him. 8 miles is a long way to pack out a deer solo? Had no idea. It's normal now.

A lot of guys say they want to be a backcountry hunter, but very few guys are willing to lace 'em up and go earn their stripes. The cool thing is that once you start rockin' and rollin' in the backcountry, you tend to run into other like-minded guys, specifically older fellas who see a bit of themselves in you...and they end up being some of the best mentors a guy could have. There is nothing that seasoned hunters and fishermen like to see more than a bright-eyed bushy-tailed young gun that's eager to learn and not afraid to work!

Forums like Rokslide are great for learning about gear, fitness, technique, etc. and there are some excellent books in circulation (Robby Denning and Chris Long wrote my favorites cuz I'm a muley junkie) to read during the off-season.

I share my own experience all the time to let guys know that if I can do it, anyone can! I'm also of the opinion that guys who get into hunting later in life tend to progress far faster and become more skilled than guys who grew up hunting and still hunt the way their dad, grandpa, etc. hunt. Something about being a student of the game, and having a bit of a chip on your shoulder, and having no knowledge of the "good ol days"

Look at your situation as a blessing and get after it!

 

[ljaq516]

I grew up in the flatlands of Wisconsin in a non-hunting and not super outdoorsy family. Fished quite a bit and absolutely lived for it, but never thought of having my life revolve around the outdoors.

Fast forward to college, where I felt like I was literally missing a piece of my soul, but at the time, I had no idea what that piece might be. I think a lot of young men can relate these days.

On a trip home I found a copy of the Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, read it in one sitting, and instantly knew all I was missing was a relationship with nature (and it's Creator).

Signed up for a hunter's safety course at 21 years old, had a blast learning something I actually wanted to learn about...and down the rabbit hole I went...or in this case, duck hole...because I shot a ton of ducks in those early years haha!

A year later I had scrapped my previous career plans and was moving out West specifically to hunt and fish...a year after that and I was in the mountains every weekend of the summer scouting, fishing, honing my glassing and fieldcraft skills, getting fit, etc...loving every minute.

I jumped straight into the deep end, with the vast majority of my early big game hunts being solo in some of the farthest flung wilderness areas in the lower 48 (Glacier Peak, Frank Church, Pasayten, etc) simply because I didn't have anyone to tell me otherwise.

Looking back at it, I think the young man attitude of invincibility and reliance on trial by error was/is the main driver for the success I've had since. It's amazing what a fella can do when he has no box ever placed on him. 8 miles is a long way to pack out a deer solo? Had no idea. It's normal now.

A lot of guys say they want to be a backcountry hunter, but very few guys are willing to lace 'em up and go earn their stripes. The cool thing is that once you start rockin' and rollin' in the backcountry, you tend to run into other like-minded guys, specifically older fellas who see a bit of themselves in you...and they end up being some of the best mentors a guy could have. There is nothing that seasoned hunters and fishermen like to see more than a bright-eyed bushy-tailed young gun that's eager to learn and not afraid to work!

Forums like Rokslide are great for learning about gear, fitness, technique, etc. and there are some excellent books in circulation (Robby Denning and Chris Long wrote my favorites cuz I'm a muley junkie) to read during the off-season.

I share my own experience all the time to let guys know that if I can do it, anyone can! I'm also of the opinion that guys who get into hunting later in life tend to progress far faster and become more skilled than guys who grew up hunting and still hunt the way their dad, grandpa, etc. hunt. Something about being a student of the game, and having a bit of a chip on your shoulder, and having no knowledge of the "good ol days"

Look at your situation as a blessing and get after it!

Man great outlook and great story. I got into hunting later in life, in my mid 20’s. Hunting white tails in Texas and loving every bit of it. Want to take the step into western hunting but keep making up excuse for reasons why I can’t. I really just need to seize opportunities and just go. I’m not getting any younger that’s for sure.


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[Austink47]

I bought an old bear recurve and started shooting at a local indoor range. Even though i could not shoot for shit I told everyone I was going to start hunting in the fall. Several old timers decided to help me out. One guy in particular Tony Purdue was an absolute legend and really took me under his wing. He became a good friend. I shot my first deer out of a stand he helped me hang that fall. As I have gone on to hunt more species there have been a series of people willing to help but, they tend to show up after I have taken the plunge. There are no shortage of people who want to start hunting and a lot fewer that are committed. I would say you’re on the right track just do it. It is a welcoming community once you make your self a part of it.

 

[ianpadron]

Man great outlook and great story. I got into hunting later in life, in my mid 20’s. Hunting white tails in Texas and loving every bit of it. Want to take the step into western hunting but keep making up excuse for reasons why I can’t. I really just need to seize opportunities and just go. I’m not getting any younger that’s for sure.


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If you ever need a push in the right direction in Central Idaho or NW Montana, hit me up.

 

[MTtrout]

Some of my first memories were with my dad bow hunting while sitting next to him. I have many friends that didn’t start that early and interest into hunting came much later in life. One thing that I may add is know yourself and the experiences you want out of it. It may seem daunting at first but if you’re true to yourself and stay with it, you will make it happen. The internet and books are a great source, for sure, but take it all with a grain of salt. Learn proper hunter ed and safety of handling the weapon you choose and go from there

 

[Boarmaster]

I picked up a shotgun and started shooting squirrels and rabbits in the wood plots around our farm In Ohio.
I graduated from college and ended up in Louisiana. I had a friend who I went to college with that had been raised there. His family had land so he asked me if I wanted to deer hunt. He handed me a shotgun and some buckshot. Wasnt much instruction. I dont think he knew much about hunting himself. We just set against a tree and waited on a deer to walk by.

I moved to Florida and some guys asked me if I wanted to get into a hunting lease. I said ok. I hunted on my own and learned on my own. The first month I hunted I shot a wild hog. I swear I didnt have a clue what to with it. I hung it up in a tree. One of older members drove up on me. I asked him for some advise.
He said if it was him he would cut away everything I didnt want to eat and toss. Put the rest in my cooler and take it home. Then he drove off. It took me about four hrs to cut that hog up. I had a crappy knife and no sharpener.

There wasn't a internet back then so I learned by hunting. Slow process but thirty years later here I am.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Early on my father took me along before I was old enough for a license. I would guess I was 9 or 10. That was followed by a friend of my father included me in hunting ducks, geese and pheasants.

After going through hunters safety, I started elk and deer hunting. Initially it was with my father but the critical component was transportation. Once I got a drivers license I could expand the areas of interest and my knowledge base. Fellow students became my partners as my father worked 6 days a week and evenings. By the time I was 18, I was taking my father hunting and had expanded our known hunting areas by a factor or 10 or 12. I would consistantly try to expand our hunting areas by 2-3 a year.

It wasn't until I got a permanent job that I started putting in remote camps and got horses. I would say that my desire for knowledge was driven me and everyone else came along for the trip.

 

[Beanx033]

My dad's side of the family fished a little but never too serious. When i was old enough my uncle on my mom's side said it was time to get hunting and gave me a 20ga. From there it was only pheasant hunting until my friend and I decided bow hunting seemed cool. Gave that a whirl, loved it, and have been going strong since.

 

[Buckshotaz]

When I was young, maybe 7 or 8, I found a tv show called American Sportsman or something like that. I watched these guys hunt bear in Alaska, and after seeing that show I was hooked. My dad was a doctor and didn't hunt, so I would take off into the Arizona mountains with a cheep bow every chance I got.
Friends in school had families that hunted and sometimes I would beg had enough to be invited to come along.
In high school I picked my friends that were hunters, and 45 years later have the same friends.

 

[Spike elk]

I grew up in the outdoors fishing mostly but also camping and hunting small game. In my early 20s, my little brother who was 8 years young than me needed someone to take him deer hunting. MY dad was not interested in hunting, nor did he have the time. I bought an old Winchester 30.06 at a pawn shop and off we went. For starters, we figured that all that we had to do was find some deer crossing signs on a road, park and go shoot a trophy and load it up and head home. Too easy! NOT! Took us five years before we filled our first tag. Once we figured out that we had to climb high in the dark and be somewhere to glass or in a saddle where deer would move through we were money. Lots of trial and error. I remember that first 2 point might as well have been a 200" deer. We lashed the dang thing to a pole and packed it out two miles over our shoulders. We were pretty proud. Since then it has been nothing but good memories and mostly success as far as filling tags. Elk, mule deer, whitetail, antelope, bear, wolf, mountain lion and a crap ton of coyotes.

 

[7mm-08]

Whatever resources and methodology you choose to learn the art of hunting is up to you. But, I encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do something. YouTube is a fabulous resource today if you can take the yelling and screaming method actors with a grain of salt. Nobody with a scintilla of true emotion does that in real life unless they're just a-holes. We hunt because we love the animals we pursue and the environments in which they live. That deep respect drives us to be the best we can be at ending their potential suffering as quickly and humanely as possible once we decide to press that trigger or drop that string. I was fortunate enough to have an older cousin who was a hunter and I was encouraged by my parents (not hunters) to go with him if it interested me. I moved west in the early 1980's and had contact with a lot of guys who were hunters - that's where I got my start. The were patient and generous with their time and their knowledge. 40-something years later when I think I have it all figured out, I get my butt kicked. Like Nike encourages, "Just Do It!"