Thanks for the info! I looked up a basic hunting class. I believe there is one about 50 miles from me in March that I might go to. So, once I go through this class (and I'm guessing the teach you safety as well as hunting basics, right?) I can get my license to hunt? Do these classes also count as a gun safety class or would I need to take one of those separately?

As far as how much meat we would go through JUST for our animals, we would need close to 15lbs/week. And if we eventually get a large breed dog, it would go up even more. Right now just the ferrets are on a raw diet and we go through about 7lbs a week with the four of them.

Would I need a license to tag along with a hunter but not actually shoot anything? My grandfather hunts on occasion (he might go one more time this season) and I might try and go with him if he goes again. I'm not sure if I want to go with guns or bows. Bows interest me more, but they do require a lot more skill and with me being a beginner, I wouldn't want to start off on something like that.