Hi, I'm new here from California. Me and my cousin picked up archery last year and can consistently shoot 4-inch groupings from 20-30 feet. We thought it was time to actually go out and hunt, but we know nothing about tracking deer or what to do after.

It sounds dangerous to just go out with no experience, so how can I find someone with experience that I can just tag along with on a hunt and learn?

You are nowhere ready to hunt with a bow. being consistant at 20 to 30 feet standing on the ground shooting at a stationary target doesn't mean much when you are talking about 20, 30 and even 40 yard shots at big game. You have a lot to learn and I suggest you start by joing a sportsmans club and associate with experienced hunters and you will need to take and pass a hunter education course before you can buy a license. I hope you are successful at becoming hunters, however there is a big difference between being prepared to be a hunter and wanting to be one. You owe it to the game you hunt to be capable of making humane kill shots at reasonable distances and 30 feet is only 10 yards, you have to be better than that.

Good advice, as ten yards is nothing and 4" groups at that distance is what many people are shooting at 50 yards!

100% in TOTAL agreement with Oldtimr and Topper. Even at this old age I still have to shoot different targets with each arrow at 40 yards to keep from screwing up my fletchings and nochs. I don't mind fletching, hell it's actually relaxing to fletch my sets, but it can get a little pricey when you start hitting nochs and busting the end of your arrows. Some people feel that if you can consistently hit a pie plate (9 inches) at 40 yards you are good to go. Those are generally the ones out there wounding deer and not cleanly taking them. You seriously need MUCH more practice and at distances that you will be hunting at. My regiment was this, when I could consistently hit a 2 inch target at 20 yards, I moved to 30, then 40, then 50, then 60. I don't take shots at game past 40 yards but I do practice at 60 yards a lot so that that 40 yard shot is a chip shot. That regiment was well over 50 years ago and with a Long Re-Curve. Nowadays I use a pretty speedy compound and have absolutely no problem busting arrows. All my kids were raised with the same regiment and wasn't allowed into the woods with a bow until they could show me they were ready and able to deliver a shot that will cleanly and efficiently take a deer.

Whoa, huge typo. I meant 20-30 yards, not feet. Don't know what I was thinking. Too excited for information, I suppose.

Ok yards is better, defiantly take a safety course . Ask around to a lot of people if they hunt and possibly help you out mentoring. Like said join a sports club is a good option .
Where do you live ? Maybe someone on here is close by and can help you out.

Taking an archery hunting course is huge. If there is a local archery club, that could get you into contact with other hunters as well. They will be a wealth of knowledge. If you're using recurves, then that's pretty good groups. If using a compound with release and sites, then keep practicing (well...always practice anyway!, lol). Like Superhunt said, you'll know when you're getting pretty good when you don't dare shoot more than one or two arrows at the same spot for risk of ruining arrows.

Most people worry about their spot shooting (learning to judge distance is huge too, or having a range finder so you can scan several spots around your stand ahead of time), finding where to hunt and how to hunt it...and then aren't prepared if they take one. Make sure you have all the necessary items to field dress, carry/haul it out, skin (easier if you hang them), and a walk-in cooler to get it to as soon as possible.

Never ever "force" a shot with archery gear...this is one of the main causes of a bad hit and losing an animal. It's exciting to get them close and you'll be really excited to take your first critter with a bow, but stick to a very strict regiment of having everything ideal before shooting. Animal is unaware of you, broad side or quartering away slightly, etc., and be aware that whitetail react so fast that they will drop their whole body down between your bow going off and the arrow arriving (jumping the string). I've heard many people claim that the deer "ducked their arrow", but it is just them gathering themselves to run away when they hear the noise. Depending on the distance I hold lower than my intended target and let them "drop" into the arrow. Watch some videos in slow motion, you'll see what I mean.

Also if you're ever unsure of the hit, give them a minimum of six hours...I prefer eight. If you jump them up from where they bedded your chances of recovery go waaaay down.

Since you never hunted before, it would be a good idea if you ran about 50 yards to your bowand then pick it up and shoot. That will show you what it is like to be drawing down on a deer instead of a paper or foam target. It is not the same when your heart is pounding as it certainly will be on for first few deer at least.

LMAO Oldtimr, they are young, better make that 100 yards, you or I run 50 and we feel like we are gonna drop, they run fifty and don't even get warm yet.

If I ran 50 yards at full speed at my age, the target would be safe.