Learning to Hunt: Turning a Novice into a Seasoned Veteran

Preface

Getting into the hunting lifestyle might be a daunting task if you were not raised in a hunting family. The wild calls us however, and whether or not you were brought up hunting, you might find yourself drawn to it. Maybe your father or other family members were either too old or unavailable to teach you when when the time came. Regardless of the reasons why, today I want to share how I recommend you begin down the path of becoming a venerable hunter. Not just for the results, but for the experience and to satisfy the natural drive of participating in the circle of life. Learning to hunt is about going from the novice in the group, to the mentor of one.

hunting, elk hunting, cow elk, elk, snow, winter,

Why We Hunt

Hunting is not just about killing, nor is it only about food. Hunting is a natural activity that mankind has taken part in for thousands of years, and part of what put us to the top of the food chain. Despite much of our society not understanding or even needing to participate in obtaining their own food, it remains at the top of our important survival instincts. And those that keep that edge will be better off when it matters.

venison, meat, food, t-bone, — Eating the spoils of a hunt double the pleasure

For most hunters in the western world, hunting is less of a need and more of a hobby. But that does not make it any less valuable a skill. Drawing a carbon arrow tipped with razor sharp steel from a treestand, you share some of the same values and skills as our ancestors drawing a handmade wooden arrow tipped by bone in a jungle. And I expect that the practice can be understood between distinct peoples despite all other misunderstanding.

elk, elk hunting, bull elk, family, — a combination of family and friends makes an excellent team

Some hunt for sport, some hunt just for the meat. While others simply hunt for the prestigious bones to hang on the wall. Whatever your reason, make it a good one based on principle. For more on that topic, I went into detail here.

Find Your Passion

Some people are drawn to primitive weapons, while others like myself prefer using cutting edge equipment. As long as it is legal where you live I suppose your chosen tool matters only to you. So whether you like rifle hunting, muzzleloaders, archery or even a spear, pick a practice that intrigues you.

deer hunting, archery, mule deer, dad, father, — I learned much of hunting from my Father, who enjoyed both archery and rifle tackle, but was also passionate for waterfowl and bird hunting as well, read more about that here

If you are just getting started in hunting, it might be best to stay a little bit mainstream. You can always move towards different hunting methods later. Most hunters will either end up using either firearms or archery, both are well established and respectable practices. And both have huge industries with large support networks to learn about both equipment and skills. Varmint hunting is an easy way to dip your toe in the hunting world, you can see more about how here.

Join a Team

The best thing I can recommend at that point, is to find a group of friends or family that shares your passion. If you are young, I would recommend finding a group of good ‘ol boys that hunt in a way you would like to emulate. Long time hunters have a set of skills and wisdom that has been learned and passed down for generations. There is a value in this wisdom that cannot be quantified.

hunting, brothers, — my brothers have always been part of my hunting group, its incredible how we once were incredibly unsuccessful, and how that has changed over the years

Understanding the habits of local wildlife and ways to encounter them are far better learned from these folks than any published information ever could. Those of us who spent countless days hunting on our own without the help of others only to come up empty-handed know what I speak of. Even a little guidance from those who have been doing it long-term is incredibly valuable.

elk, bull elk, elk hunting, children, kids, elk, — I would consider it wrong to not make your own kids part of your team

It always surprises me during hunting season as so few people find success on the same mountains where we are always so successful. I think it is because of our groups intimate familiarity with these mountains and the animals that live there. That and our consistent presence every year learning more about herd migrations and activity.

Put in the Work

You might be surprised how quickly you find yourself adopted to a group by simply offering an open backpack and a willing set of legs. Old guys love having young helpers to pack out meat. Even if all you have to offer is that physical effort, there are plenty of folks who would be willing to help you become successful.

hunting, deer hunting, mule deer, gutting, deer, family,

Some of my best hunting partners began just that way. Finding each other deep in the back of some snowy cold canyon, and helping pack out hundreds of pounds of elk meat. And years later we remain great friends. I have a whole list of friends that are almost strictly hunting friends, people who I might communicate with once or twice a year. Until hunting season starts, where we communicate almost daily, sharing information on animals and where we might help each other. Often the information we share is the most valuable tips of all when it comes to each of us being successful.

deer hunting, mule deer, hunting, deer, backpack, packing out,

I love hunting, and I love getting what we are after. Being successful in a hunt is often more important to me than getting some kind of trophy animal. Sharing exploits of our hunts is often a great source of camaraderie, if six of us go hunting, and only four are successful, everybody goes home with something. All of us are rewarded with experience, meat, and stories that will bring us back next season.

elk, elk hunting, snow, cow elk, winter hunting, desert tech, srs, — some of my very favorite hunts have been helping new hunters learn the practice

A good group of hunters will help you learn what it takes to be successful. And will also try to ensure you walk away with at minimum enough reward to try it again. And once you find yourself becoming one of the mentors of a group, its important for you to do the same. Pass along what you know, and help those coming up around you to be successful too. Not every trophy gained during a hunt goes home in a cooler, its often lessons and memories.

Last Thoughts

If you made it this far, I expect you genuinely wish to learn more. I hope some of what I’ve said is helpful for you, and can help you move towards your goal. I’ve tried to put a great deal of information together that will also help you here on this website, follow the links listed here to a few additional topics that I hope you will find valuable.