First Time Hunter

[EthanJ]

I plan on this being the year I finally start deer hunting, it's a ways off but I want to be prepared for it because I really want to harvest all the deer meat I can manage to get.

I've watched several field dressing guides, I bought an AR15 in 350 legend after some caliber research, and I have a friend I can go with that has experience. I have also sought out information about ethical shots and such.

I need to do the process for licensure which I will get done, but I know with anything like this there are things only experience can teach you. I didn't grow up with hunters so the barrier to entry seems pretty steep to me from the outside. What pitfalls should I look out for and what does a hunt typically entail from start to finish?

Thanks guys,

 

[JTKelly]

Have you ever hunted anything before?

 

[EthanJ]

Have you ever hunted anything before?

I surely have not. I have been shooting for about 10 years (didn't grow up with guns) but never hunted.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Find a mentor willing to take you under their wing. That is your best option.

 

[Rookie]

Personally, I wouldn't start with deer hunting. It's hours of waiting quietly and usually freezing for a few minutes of excitement. Another problem is finding a spot to hunt. Public land is always an option, but then you deal with everyone. I'd start with squirrel.

 

[bullcrap]

Personally, I wouldn't start with deer hunting. It's hours of waiting quietly and usually freezing for a few minutes of excitement. Another problem is finding a spot to hunt. Public land is always an option, but then you deal with everyone. I'd start with squirrel.

If you don't have the patience for hunting squirrels and taking them with a open sighted 22 rifle you don't need to be hunting deer. That will teach you most of what you need for deer hunting.

 

[EthanJ]

If you don't have the patience for hunting squirrels and taking them with a open sighted 22 rifle you don't need to be hunting deer. That will teach you most of what you need for deer hunting.

What would you do with the squirrels if you weren't keen on eating them?

 

[bwframe]

Personally, I wouldn't start with deer hunting. It's hours of waiting quietly and usually freezing for a few minutes of excitement. Another problem is finding a spot to hunt. Public land is always an option, but then you deal with everyone. I'd start with squirrel.

I'd certainly do this.

I'd also take up fishing for food, if you have not already. Get yourself acclimated to taking life to sustain your own. Opening up critters that were alive hours ago is frequently a humbling experience for those who never have.


.

 

[bwframe]

What would you do with the squirrels if you weren't keen on eating them?

With all due respect my friend, get keen on eating them.

It's gonna be a big part of your journey here.

So many things to learn by doing...
- How to handle meat and still be able to eat it.
- How to skin without having to later eat hair.
- What and how to deal with the inedible stuff.
- How to store what you won't eat soon.
- How to cook wild game so it doesn't taste like "wild game."


.

 

[Cameramonkey]

With all due respect my friend, get keen on eating them.

It's gonna be a big part of your journey here.

So many things to learn by doing...
- How to handle meat and still be able to eat it.
- How to skin without having to later eat hair.
- What and how to deal with the inedible stuff.
- How to store what you won't eat soon.
- How to cook wild game so it doesn't taste like "wild game."


.

They are quite tasty. And incredibly easy to skin. Baby steps.

 

[duanewade]

Me personally, just starting to hunt, I would get a friend that hunts deer and go with them. I have friends (men and women) that have only hunted deer and nothing else and enjoy great success each year.

One woman friend starred out bow hunting and took a nice buck as her very first kill. She picked up archery earlier that year from that friend then decided to try hunting with it.

Others have gun hunted deer being setup in a stand by friends or with friends and my nephew has buddies tag along with him that have never killed another animal that either got bored after the first time or got excited about stand/blind hunting deer.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[hotcupofbro]

I started with deer hunting after a decade of shooting paper. No prior hunting experience. I would suggest catching some good youtube videos to get a good idea. Prep, prep, prep before your first outing for firearm season. If you are hunting public land, spend time walking it and scouting it before the season. Look for bedding areas and other signs of deer in the off season. The further away you can get from other hunters on public land, the better you are going to be most likely. Get familiar with using a tree stand or setting up your blind in the dark. Learn how to skin and field dress a deer before you are standing over one you just shot. Take your hunters ed course and you'll learn a lot of the basics.

NEVER get into a treestand without proper safety devices and a fall harness. Hunters die every year from simple 10-15 ft falls out of tree stands that could have entirely been avoided.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I started with deer hunting after a decade of shooting paper. No prior hunting experience. I would suggest catching some good youtube videos to get a good idea. Prep, prep, prep before your first outing for firearm season. If you are hunting public land, spend time walking it and scouting it before the season. Look for bedding areas and other signs of deer in the off season. The further away you can get from other hunters on public land, the better you are going to be most likely. Get familiar with using a tree stand or setting up your blind in the dark. Learn how to skin and field dress a deer before you are standing over one you just shot. Take your hunters ed course and you'll learn a lot of the basics.

NEVER get into a treestand without proper safety devices and a fall harness. Hunters die every year from simple 10-15 ft falls out of tree stands that could have entirely been avoided.

Repeating for importance. I believe we lost at least two folks to falls this past season. Maybe more. Only two that made the news up here in the big city at least.

And falling and being killed is the best you could hope for if you dont use the fall protection. There is a good chance the fall wont kill you, and you'll slowly die of your injuries as you lay there in pain. And if you dont die, you will probably wish you had as you are jostled out of the woods on a backboard.


Aren't I just a ray of sunshine this AM?

 

[bullcrap]

What would you do with the squirrels if you weren't keen on eating them?

If you're not going to use an animal for fur or food then you shouldn't be harvesting it.

 

[Rookie]

If you're not going to use an animal for fur or food then you shouldn't be harvesting it.

Every animal should fall into the fur or food category?

 

[AndreusMaximus]

What would you do with the squirrels if you weren't keen on eating them?

Squirrels are darn tasty, especially in squirrel gravy. If you don't at least give them a try, you're missing out.

Just be sure they're cooked properly or they'll be tough as nails (generally this means boiling them as an extra step before then doing whatever other cooking step you would normally use for meat; at least that works best in my experience, and works good even on the oldest and toughest squirrels. Others can give you tips on how to cook them properly is less time consuming ways.)

 

[L C H]

Get your Hunter Ed done if you haven't yet, and get ready in time for spring turkey. It's a great way to get started hunting.

 

[dak109]

Does your friend have property to hunt? If so, you are on your way as you said he has experience. If he is a successful and ethical hunter, learn from him.
If he doesn’t, start now looking for property to hunt. Public ground is available, but tough to hunt. Private opens you up to less pressure.
Starting with small game will help you in the long run. It will teach you woodsmanship and patience, as well as success and defeat.
Stand hunting deer is all about patience and location. If you set up where there are no deer it can be fruitless. If there are deer there, you have to be patient.
Venison, the most expensive free meat there is.

 

[bullcrap]

Squirrels are darn tasty, especially in squirrel gravy. If you don't at least give them a try, you're missing out.

Just be sure they're cooked properly or they'll be tough as nails (generally this means boiling them as an extra step before then doing whatever other cooking step you would normally use for meat; at least that works best in my experience, and works good even on the oldest and toughest squirrels. Others can give you tips on how to cook them properly is less time consuming ways.)

A big old boar fox squirrel is tough anyway you fix it.

 

[bullcrap]

Does your friend have property to hunt? If so, you are on your way as you said he has experience. If he is a successful and ethical hunter, learn from him.
If he doesn’t, start now looking for property to hunt. Public ground is available, but tough to hunt. Private opens you up to less pressure.
Starting with small game will help you in the long run. It will teach you woodsmanship and patience, as well as success and defeat.
Stand hunting deer is all about patience and location. If you set up where there are no deer it can be fruitless. If there are deer there, you have to be patient.
Venison, the most expensive free meat there is.

It only expensive if you have to have ever new gadget that comes on the market and you're to lazy to process it yourself.