My Formerly Anti-Hunting Buddy Wants to Hunt

[GringoBling]

I've brought about 15 guys hunting with me out west. Some of them were intermediate level, some were really experienced hunters who had only hunted Texas, and some were complete newbies. Most of the newbs act all gung ho initially, but don't really continue on their own unless they're invited by others. Almost the same with the intermediate guys, they don't do anything extra on their own to get better. At any rate, I like introducing friends to it and I've got a core group that comes out with me every year.

 

[WRM]

Was thinking about a mobile bikini waxing business too. Muff Cutts.

I'll "dive in" on Muff Cutts.

I like the ring of a business called Crickets, Big Wieners N Muffs. Oh yeah, and we got dem big wigglers too!

I've heard it's all about the branding, so what the hell I'll brand folks too, if they think they up for it.

 

[Q child]

You aren't the gate keeper. I am. Send me his application and I'll look it over.

 

[CJ19]

Hunt squirrels in wyoming as a non resident. Dont steal resident's tags. make sure you like and subscribe also.

 

[Rich M]

Id make him prove it. Make him shoot something before you invest the time.

 

[MattB]

IMO we do not need the numbers of new hunters we are seeing...we need quality people to start hunting. If there is a large number of quality people that understand actual conservation and hunting good...unfortunately that is not what I am seeing.

And who writes and administers the test to determine "quality"? I think you can see where I am going with this.

 

[tony]

Haven't seen it asked or you mention it, is he still anti gun? I've known more than a few guys that are "pro hunting / hunters. Yet still pull the no one needs an AR, "assault rifle", more than 10 rounds, etc.

 

[MattB]

It was literally Joe Rogan that changed his mind.


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Good on you for taking him and good on Joe for being pro-hunting, but the fact that Joe Rogan changed anyone's mind on anything is troublesome.

 

[Centralcoastca]

Without hunters there won’t be hunting. If it were my friend, and I’ve helped a couple get started,(not that I’m an expert by any means) I’d find a local hunt that has a decent chance of success and help him through the whole process. One guy I helped has become a reliable hunting partner and the only one who will go tag or not on a backpack hunting trip with me (I’m not that much of a jerk, a lot of my buddies are just glued to their atvs) Without taking the time to help him I wouldn’t have a good friend who is not only willing, but excited to take time off work to help me fill my tag. The other new hunters either lost interest quickly because it wasn’t their thing or slowly drifted away from it, but outside of the local otc tags non have bothered trying to draw any tags here or anywhere else. Maybe with a couple more years under his belt, my newer hunting partner will try to branch out with his tag endeavors, but he’s happy and successful with the otc tags he gets for now. I don’t think that most new hunters are going to immediately start flooding the tag drawings, but the ones that stick with it will trickle in and that’s not a bad thing as the old ones trickle out. I also believe the new fad of Instagram hunters with their “kit” and “systems” etc will fad as they move onto the next thing much like the overlanding fad where now you see a lot of sun faded rooftop tents on pristine trucks with one scratch from that one trip when they realized it looked more fun on the gram. Again, without hunters there wouldn’t be hunting.

 

[Trap]

That’s great that he changed his mind I’m glad you’re taking him out. To your question on the influx of new hunters. We need a lot MORE new hunters and we need a lot LESS new western hunters coming in from everywhere. Although meat eater, joe Rogan etc have been great putting hunting in a positive light. Influencers, social media,Huntn fool and other tag draw services, onX and go hunt have way over stressed western hunting through constant hype and over promotion. It’s got the draw systems bulging at the seams and is over stressing the resources. It’s all shameless promotions for profit in the end. Why not show squirrel hunting in the south or eastern whitetail hunts? Quit pimping out western mule deer and elk and promote predator hunting. Tons of otc bear tags in all parts of the country. The biggest bears in the us come from places like North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Tons of great otc bear hunts in states outside of the western states and they have bigger bears. Bear meat is great why don’t they promote those hunts. Limitless cheap wolf tags in Idaho and a few other western states. Look at some of the southern whitetail hunts like 5 deer tags CHEAP and otc. These freaking promoters need to promote great hunting opportunities in all 50 states. The keep jamming all the hunters in the entire US into the west. There are tons of great otc hunting opportunities outside the western states. They need to promote those equal to western hunting. West can’t handle much more. And teach people to hunt things besides just deer and elk. Give them a break to. We need more hunters we just don’t need them all trying to hunt the same small handful of states all at once.

 

[Fatcamp]

Show him where to get his hunter safety done and wait for him to finish it.

 

[Button]

He better strap on a backpack and start training.
6 minute mile with Boots and day pack without any mtn ops pre-workout or ones preferred ADHD medication.
Bench press a mule deer 37 times
Hold an elk quarter for 10 minutes at full draw
Do 50 cock-ups then shoot groups at 70 yards.
Sharpen a knife you could shave hair off a Lot Lizards legs with it.

 

[TheACGuy]

I love being out there alone just as much as the next guy.. but you are correct, the more voices and support behind this community the merrier! I’ve taken youth on youth hunts, and “guided” (free of charge, just out there showing the ropes) friends on turkey scouts/hunts, as well as pheasant hunts that have never specifically turkey/pheasant hunted before, and man both of those examples felt so beyond rewarding, I had some of the most fun I’ve ever had hunting!

I don’t give out my “good” spots of course, and I’m careful in sense. You can still do it without hurting yourself. I also always push my friends to do their own research, as I’m far from an expert in anything I do. If they fall in love with it, they’ll sprout up on their own and you probably won’t have to “hold their hand” after a season or two. If they don’t fall in love with it, then chances are they won’t bother you with it after that first season lol.

Good luck and have fun with it man! Yeah we’d all love to be the only guy out there on public land on a Saturday, and we’d all love for lottery tags to be easier to get.. but the reality is, this is the reality. We have to share the woods, and importantly TEACH others who are new to the woods to RESPECT the woods.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I wouldn’t take him hunting - I might point him in the right direction, but I am pretty picky about who I hunt with…small circle of trust.

 

[Josh Hojem]

Definitely take him out. Teach him about wind, thermals, glassing effectiveness, and overall animal habits and habitats.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

He better strap on a backpack and start training.
6 minute mile with Boots and day pack without any mtn ops pre-workout or ones preferred ADHD medication.
Bench press a mule deer 37 times
Hold an elk quarter for 10 minutes at full draw
Do 50 cock-ups then shoot groups at 70 yards.
Sharpen a knife you could shave hair off a Lot Lizards legs with it.

I realize you’re joking but there’s some truth to this. I have a friend who wants to get out moose hunting with me but I have zero faith in his fitness or toughness and even less faith in his endurance and the shotty equipment he has.

I’ve told him several times that if he wants to go he’s going need to invest in some sort of gear like waders and oh I don’t know, a knife? Maybe a backpack. And start doing some workouts.

He keeps talking about hunting but has done nothing to prep for it.

 

[Mojave]

**** him, I have had multiple hunts ruined by people who didn't quite get it but thought it looked cool on instagram.

Not interesting in bottle feeding some asshole who has decided that I am his guru. There are enough gurus on youtube for them to felch.

 

[Z71&Gun]

Been through this so many times now with friends. If he wants to hunt, he'll get on it. Don't do any of the work for him. Tell him to take hunter ed and get a paper copy of the regs. Tell him to memorize it and hit you up when he figures out what he wants to hunt, with which weapon and knows when and where he wants to go. I'm assuming you want a hunting buddy, not a dependent on an annual instagram vacation. There are barriers to entry for a reason. If more folks want to partake in the commons, fine, but don't lead them to believe it's free and easy. The easier we make it for late bandwagoners, the harder it is for us who've done the work and put in the time.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Good for your buddy for expanding his opinion on hunting and food. Give him the tools to make his own decisions and try not to guide or steer the person in a specific direction. When he's ready to get his feet wet, let him ask again.

A lot of people assume that when they ask you to take them out hunting, you'll take them out for deer or elk or something large because that's what gets the most exposure in media. Why not go after rabbit or game birds? It's not glamorous, but it's a great
introduction on many levels and there'shigh chance for success.

Going after deer or elk for a first hunt is like someone getting their drivers license then hopping into a peterbilt for their first cruise. A guy can get overwhelmed with all the buttons and switches and start making mistakes.

 

[jayhawk]

Honestly, I would take the big picture out of it and think about this as spending time with a friend and building a better relationship with him. Sometimes we just need to look at the person next to us and consider them first.

I think it's great your friend wants to branch out and enjoy the outdoors more. Keep us in the loop and have a good time!