I used to go out when I was younger 12 or 13 but had no experience so was not sucessful. I started going again when I was in college back in 2006 and have been going every year ever since. I have harvested a deer all but one year. When I first started I used a JC Higgins 16 guage bolt action that was given to me by my grandpa. Now I use a Remington 870 with a slug barrel. I have been sucessful ground hunting with and without a blind and hunting from a tree as well. First deer I shot was opening day in 2006 with a Winchester 1300. I had two doe fawns come in aprox 50 yards right at shooting time and dropped her with a spine shot. I have a 2 year old son now who loves watching hunting videos with me so can't wait till he is old enough to go hunting with me.