Thread: New to hunting/shooting

Originally Posted by Slug

Young generation, doing things arse about face. It was the hunting that came first when starting out and the tools second (firearms). In my early days. Father would have us boys tag along on overnight (up to a week in tents) bush hunting, walking in that took all day with packs almost as big as I was then, learning the art of hunting way before we where old enough to get an FAL. Times change for sure.

Keep in mind most new hunters these days don't know anyone who hunts or has firearms, so learning from opportunities as you grow up isn't possible. We forget it once we're in, but the hunting and shooting communities are pretty insular and either don't make their presence public, or solely advertise their activities to other people in the hunting/shooting community, so when you're new it's tough to figure out.

I started a lot like ipv, had to teach myself about hunting and it worked out ok in the end and made some good friends, but it's also understandable that new hunters often get into hunting via firearms ownership. Gun stores will talk to them, ranges provide contacts and learning opportunities, and teach safe, accurate firearm handling, while typically hunters just avoid new hunters or tell them "to just get out and do it". For young people who want to do things right and don't want to accidentally injure/waste an animal, or break a law accidentally because they didn't understand or find one, they usually won't risk going out on their own rather than go out and accidentally trespass, or injure an animal because of inexperience.

Deerstalkers is a fantastic resource in respect to providing mentorship, but as long as everyone is respectful, safe, and upstanding it doesn't really affect my opinion of how they are involved in the shooting/hunting community.