How do you learn to hunt?

[Parallax]

I'm from Washington, DC and they don't look to kindly on guns there. I live in Florida now and I think it's a good idea to learn how to be self sufficient. My question is, how do you learn how to hunt?

Edit: Oops, didn't see the other topic about this. Sorry. :banghead:

 

[Art Eatman]

Aw, well, after you go through the "How to get started?" thread, you're bound to have more questions...

, Art

 

[Swamprabbit]

My advice, just "do it" and learn. If you're not careful, you'll let the local sporting goods store tell you that you can only be successful if you spend X hundreds of dollars on the proper hunting apparel and equipment. Trust me, you don't have to do that. Just learn how to be still and quiet and just observe everything. Think about how to "fit in" with where you are and after just a little time watching your prey, you'll figure out how to bag them.

If I wear any camoulflage stuff, I tend to get it at the military surplus store. Most of what I wear is old Carhart work clothes or, at most, an old M65 field jacket. As for the "right gun", just use what you have and adapt to it. Most anything above a .22 Hornet (even it will if hard pressed) will kill a white tailed deer IF you work within its limitations.

A good varmit to start with to both have lots of fun as well as learn your techniques is squirrels. A simple single shot shotgun or a cheap .22 Marlin semi-auto puts you in as good a league as anyone and your set to go.

 

[Sistema1927]

After spending your life in DC I have no wonder that you are an agnostic. After sufficient time in the wild you might just find yourself worshipping the Creator!

All kidding aside, one of the best ways to learn to hunt is to find a good mentor. One needs to be careful here to get someone who is a good teacher, there is certainly an abundance of idiots who think that they know how to hunt. Some of my most succesful hunts have been those during which I haven't fired a single shot, due to the fact that the beauty of God's creation and the friendship of my comapnions have made them memorable experiences.

 

[Browns Fan]

Many years ago , when I was still in the army, this guy I worked with invited a couple of guys from the shop to go hunting with him. We would go out, but, even after telling this guy that I knew next to nothing about it, he would just put me in a position and said that he'd check on me later. After going out with this guy 7 times, and getting little info about hunting, and getting skunked, I got discouraged and decided to quit hunting.

Fast forward to the year I retired from the army and an old fishing buddy (a good christian guy) moved to Samson County. He told me that there is lots of deer out there and that I need to come out and get one. I told him of my past experiences deer hunting and I did not want to go through that again. He said that he would help me out, so I decided to try it. He did, it was a great educational experience for me. He showed me how to scout, dress and skin deer, showed me where and why to placing a stand, and even helped me get my first deer. I've been hunting deer ever since.

 

[Ol' Badger]

Swamprabbit is correct

Its like asking "How do I have sex?". I reconmend finding someone how hunts and go along. But remember its not called hunting for nothing. You may not see a darn thing for a while. But the day will come! Mine was on a cold Wednesday morning in the low lands of S.C. big mother came out of the swamp and I was right under him. Boy I wish I still got that heart pounding feeling again. Hunting is better than any drug!

 

[jojo]

My Dad didn't hunt, and I didn't have any friends that knew anything so I read a lot of Field and Stream and the like. That with a lot of trial and error, helped me to do pretty well.
My favorite is squirrel hunting, deer is a close second.
Like someone else said, sometimes its just nice to be outdoors. I dont need to shoot anything, just get away.

jojo

 

[Joe Demko]

Learn by doing and by reading. Still hunting is the simplest to learn, since it mainly amounts to learning to sit still, be quiet, and be observant. You can pretty consistently bag deer if you learn that much. This, of course, assumes that you pick a spot that shows some signs of deer activity and that you get out there early and stay there.
Stalking and other more active forms of hunting are more difficult to learn and require practice, practice, practice.

 

[Parallax]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Maybe I'll buy some hunting magazines at the bookstore tomorrow.

 

[twoblink]

If you have to ask.. you aren't hungry enough..



Get really hungry, and carry a stick.. nature takes over after a while. When you realize is stick is a bit inefficient, start carrying a gun.

 

[sm]

First time in the South

Growing up around here, lot of folks were invited to go Snipe hunting.

Most of these invites were in fact for folks who had never hunted . Great way to educate the new boss from up North ..."sure- bring the boy along too".

 

[Harve Curry]

My advice would be to watch animals, cats, dogs whatever, even city cats.
If your object is to get close, do it every chance you can with a cat or dog. Do the same when your in the country. Use the wind, your eyes, and sometimes your nose.
If you can hear your foot steps they can too.
Wind is your best or worst friend.

 

[Yojinbo]

The beauty about learning to hunt is that 90% can be done off-season without a gun. Spend a lot of time in the woods (swamps) as you can. Get a feel for the still and scury.

A mentor would be great, but don't be put off if you can't find one. American men are not as great as we could be about helping new hunters get started (unless they are our sons).

Read a lot. Magazines, books and posting cans help. Books can teach you a lot about tracking and trail sign.

A few "rules":

Never enter property without the owners permission.
Do not stroll in the woods durring hunting season.
Take a gun safty course.

-Yo

 

[Cindog]

Books, magazines, the internet, take a hunter safety course, and make friends with other hunters Just start hanging out at your local gun shop or sporting goods store and you are bound to meet some hunters, usually good people. And, last but not least, spend time outside scouting and watching during the off-seasons.

 

[Fumbler]

I never even held a real gun until I was in college (my girlfriend bought me a Ruger 10/22 for Valentine's Day ).

I wanted to learn how to hunt because it seemed fun.

What I did was ask my friends who hunt a billion questions.
What are signs of deer?
Where do they sleep?
How much do they move?
Where do they go to look for food?
What kind of food do they eat?
What times during the day will you find them and in what areas?
etc

Now I look for spots that seem like they'd have a good food source, good cover, and most importantly have signs of deer.
You'll find a hundred spots that look perfect, but if there are no tracks you're likely to waste your time...well it wasn't a complete waste, it's always fun to sit in the woods.

 

[Atticus]

"The beauty about learning to hunt is that 90% can be done off-season without a gun. Spend a lot of time in the woods (swamps) as you can. Get a feel for the still and scury."

I agree that 90% of hunting is simply learning to be a good observer. Learn how and when to move, and learn to trust your senses....especially your hearing. Very few things move in total silence. Pay attention to the sounds of other critters as well. Crows and squirrels can tell you a lot. They can also hose your hunt.
Read all you can about the game you're hunting. Learn what type of environment it prefers...what it eats, drinks and sleeps.

Huntings like anything else...the more you do, the more you know.
I learn something new every time I go out (but what can I say...I'm a slow learner).