How to get into hunting?

[mainbutter]

I have never hunted before in my life. None of my close friends nor ANYONE in my extended family hunts.

I have found that, like many things, hunting is pretty much something passed down from generation to generation. If neither of your parents did it, if you grew up in the city, if you never had a firearm in your house, well you just never had an opportunity to learn to hunt. This was the case with me.

I've been thinking it might be nice to just try it out. It looks fun, and I like the idea of harvesting animals for food.

When I think about everything involved with hunting however, it all seems quite overwhelming. I can't even decide what kind of target I'm interested in, except that first and foremost this would be for food and not for trophies or pelts. It'd be hard for me to care less about the latter two.

What do you guys think, is picking up hunting someone with no personal resources can get into? Is it worth getting into just to have some variety of protein in my freezer?

I realize that hunting is something that probably takes years to learn, I bet most of you started as youngsters taken out by a parent.

I guess the one thing I'm most interested in knowing is: what do you like to hunt most because you really like it for dinner?

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ask 20 different people and you will get 20 different answers on this one. I started young but it was not a thing passed down from my father. I did it all on my own. The real best way to get started is to get out there and get started. Find someone to go with. If you have no clue how to safely handle a firearm take a firearm safety class. Go to some presentations many outdoors stores offer and learn a few things. Hang out at a sporting goods store and talk to a few people.

Harvesting animals for food, to me, is only a part of the experience. It's about enjoying the outdoors.

Animal of preferance is a tough one. Personally, I like to hunt ducks, geese, deer, pheasants, bunny rabbits, squirells, and pretty much anything that can be eaten.

[snapcrackpop]

If you join a organization and go to a couple of meetings I'm sure you would have many new hunting friends to help you out. Pheasants Forever, MN Deer Hunter Assoc. etc.

I like pheasant hunting because you grab your shot gun and the lab and away you go.

I love bowhunting. Hours of sitting and enjoying the wildlife. No crowds. Easy to get a doe, long season.

If you puddle jump ducks you don't need much stuff. Waders & a gun. But I don't care much for "ducky" weather. Cold, rainy and wet.

What do you want to hunt? Or how and when do you want to hunt.

[tracker x-2]

I started when I was old enough to walk i think not sure but i bet my dad had me out as soon as possible and thats how i learned everything i know today. I would say to sign up for a firearm safty class. No need to worry about being the oldest one in the group i remember when i went through it there was a broad age group from young kids to older folks. talk to some of the intrusctors let them know what your intrested in you never know who they maybe or who they know. One of the best teaching techniques is to get out and experinece it. Buy yourself a plat book and grab a hunting regulation book at fleetfarm and scan through it lots of good info in it. And Finally ask ?s on here thats what everyone is here for to offer tips,tricks and techniques

[picksbigwagon]

I definitely recommend a firearm safety course, if you have no experience with firearms, start there. From there, figure out what you want to start hunting, I suggest small game (rabbits and squirrels, and grouse) You can hunt those with a 20 gauge shot gun and that gun will allow you to move onto to other and bigger game as well. Eventually you will want a .22 and some might say start with that firearm, but I suggest the 20 ga. shotgun.

There are books that will talk about hunting strategies and techniques so read up.....

Ask questions here too, we have lots of useless knowledge (according to my wife) and we love to share it as well

[BobT]

Quote:

I definitely recommend a firearm safety course, if you have no experience with firearms, start there.

This would be a requirement in order to obtain your license anyway but it is a good recommendation.

Going with someone that has experience will prove invaluable toward eccelerating your experience and enjoyment. I agree with Picksbigwagon. Start small and work you way up.

[Harmonica Bear]

I grew up smack dab in the heart of St. Paul’s east side (not much to hunt there). My parents didn't hunt and were pretty much anti-gun (couldn't even have a toy gun in the house). We did fish and camp a lot, however. That led to meeting people who hunted and had similar interests, followed by gun safety. My parents, as cool as they were, never once tried to deter me. They then found a friend of theirs that hunted and trusted, and he took me hunting (grouse) a few times. It all started rolling from there. A couple times(MEA) before I could drive, me and buddies took the greyhound bus North for hunting because our parents couldn't get off work, or wouldn't for kids to go hunting. Crazy... I couldn't imagine doing that now.

I was darn lucky and blessed to get into hunting the hard way.

Anyway, I think taking gun safety and joining organizations as stated above, is a real good route to take.

Oh, and ruffed grouse is my favorite table fare, but I do like it all.

[DooWap]

I agree with getting started by enrolling in a hunter safety education course. You'll learn not only about gun safety but also some other important hunting knowledge. It's also a good way to meet some newcomers to the sport.

Hanging out at sporting goods stores is a good way to soak up some knowledge too. I work part time at the big box sporting goods store in Richfield, so if you ever find yourself over that way and I'm working, I'd be more than happy to help you out.

[Chef]

I hunt for the outdoors enjoyment and I really like eating well prepared Wild Game. I'm a "foodie" though and a former Chef, so I get a ton of enjoyment out of preparing what I hunt. I don't "trophy" hunt and I only use a Bow for Big Game. I don't need to put meat on the table and I like the excitement and challenge of Archery.

Find a mentor or make a new friend whom you trust will pass along their outdoor skills and an understanding of the priveledge and duty we have to be good stewards of Nature and Animals.

[ribsey_77]

Table fare is not what it is about for me at least. Main reason for this is that hunting is not cheap and for the price you can get your meat ant the butcher for a he** of alot cheaper. The experiance out in the field is the main reason for me. Watching the dogs helping the kids enjoy everything they notice. I would always be willing to help a guy learn more about anything envolved in the sport. Like someone said above everyone has there opinion on tablefare but try to think about what you are interested in doing, every sport is costly

[Grum]

I don't know your age but, DNR Firearms Certification is required of anyone born after December 31, 1979. The MN DNR HSOforum has the info for this here = http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/index.html

That's a great place to start as well as here. After you decide on what you want to hunt, you may want to consider a guided hunt if you don't want to commit to joining an organization just yet or buying a lot of specialized gear until you find out what you enjoy. A game farm or sporting clays area can be good practice and a place to meet other hunters also. I think with all the good and different ideas you'll find here it should be enough to keep you busy and get you started. Don't forget to check out the classified section here, you can find some good deals on gear.

[leech~~]

I have found that, like many things, hunting is pretty much something passed down from generation to generation. If neither of your parents did it, if you grew up in the city, if you never had a firearm in your house, well you just never had an opportunity to learn to hunt. This was the case with me.

mainb, I grow up in the city of Mpls, my Dad did not hunt, there were no guns in our house because my mother got shot when she was a kid living on the farm by a kid who brought a gun to school, " get ready for this" (On GUN Safety day)! You can go to jail for that now, but I guess they use to do that back then? So, any way I have been hunting just about everything I can in Minnesota for about the last 40 years and Love it! Can't get far enough away from the cities! Pretty much everything I have learned was from others or reading every Mag and Book I could get a hold of and then getting out in the field and trying what I learned! Good luck on your new found enjoyment! P.S, like others have said, don't go hunting for food only, you may good hungery!

[mainbutter]

Well this surely gives me a jumping off point! thanks a ton with all the suggestions so far