oldelkhunter

It appears that based on a lot of posts from young shootersthat I see that not a lot of mentoringis taking place these days. I come from a home where no one hunted or had interest in guns except my Grandfather who indulged in them when he was younger. Fortunately for me a family friend who was a hunting fanatic and gun enthusiast took me under his wing when I was in my teens and taught me the ropes. We would spend countless hours at gunshops and all the intricacies of action types and gun features where explained to me in detail .Numerous days afield hunting with my new guns or at the trap/skeet range are great memories and he was available every hunting season and made time to take me hunting. Not many days go by especially when I am huntingwhere I don't think about this guy and how much he taught me.I just wish everyone could have someone like that teach them the ropes.

Folically Challenged

I cherish my mentors - they were my father & grandfather. I can still remember sitting in the lap of the latter when I was but 6 years old, picking off cans with his scoped .22lr.

Guns were practical tools, meant to be used, not looked at. Still, tools were to be well cared-for, and so were guns. These menweren't rifle loonies: they were hunters, not shooters. In retrospect, it would have been nice if they were into hearing protection. The muzzle blast from shooting even a .243 gave me a flinch that took years to shake.

I've recently started working on the OhioDNR home study course for the Hunter Safety test with my 12 year old son. He really enjoys the Dad-time, & the course material is far more interesting to ME than the Cub Scout crap he used to do!

I've also found a wonderful range, where every kid who visits is issued a .22lr for the day, with 1 free box of ammo, & a stack of clay pigeons to bust up on the berms. I happen to believe that all gun control talk would stop cold in just 1 generation if every kid got to shoot a .22lr for a day. I love it even still.

Pavomesa

What FC said +1.

Doe Dumper

No hunters at all in my family...no mentors in those endeavors at all. Started hunting alone when I was 8 or 9. I will say I was thoroughly well schooled in gun safety before I ever went out though. Parents done well on that part. I never really hurt much with that ol Winchester 37a .410 with the exception of my own ears


From there I moved on to rifles and deer and still hunt alone to this day. It would be nice to have a dependable hunting partner however it appears to be too much aggravation to try to find one that doesnt think the schedule should change unannounced at their discretion. So I guess I could say doing it all by myself taught me independence pretty early on.

skb2706

As much as my 14 YO son will spend the time I love to mentor him and have since he was 3. He now is an excellent hunter, extremely good shot and knows most of the process of handloading nearly everything we shoot.

I however was not mentored by my father. He was not a great hunter and basically hunted for family food in his younger days and their mode was road hunting. He had no clue of handloading or technical gun info. My mentors included a gunshop owner whose shop was across the street from my house, a friend and his brothers in junior high school and some friends fathers.

Rebel Hog

I am 69 and my fathers uncle who was a sheep herder in Northern Spain and was hired inMontana as a sheep herder in 1916 is the one who took me as a huntingstudent in 1950at the age of 11..He was awell known and most popularQuail hunter and Dog breeder here.

Pawildman

No hunters early on in my family either. My Dad started to hunt at the urging of some of his friends in the early '50's. I was just a little kid then, but when Dad and his friends got together and talked and planned hunting trips, I was all ears. One of his friends was a State Policeman, and a champion pistol shot. He is the one who mainly taught me gun safety and general hunting procedures. He taught me how to shoot. He taught me well. I will never forget that man, and will forever be in his debt for passing on to me all he knew.
As I have stated, I was taught the basic elements of hunting, particularly deer hunting, but learned far more on my own as years passed. I, too, am basically a solo hunter, and I pretty much like it that way. I guess I'm going to have to change my ways some day, as I'm not getting any younger and it just isn't a smart thing to be "out there" by yourself as you get on in life. But back to the main topic.....a lot of us ,if not all owe a lot to the person(s) who took their time to guide us along.....Thank You !!! Hope I can help return the favor somehow.

skb2706

Seems to be a common and reoccuring problem no matter where you call home. Over the years I have "left in the dust" many hunting buddies who either didn't know how to use a phone, couldn't tell time or forgot that when we are hunting we can't/don't drink alcohol.

Nowadays its me, my son, my brother in law and maybe another friend. Basically I am prepared to hunt alone at any time.

Seif5034

I was basically on my own. i remember my first hunting encounter. i was really young, probably 6-7 and wanted to go deer hunting with my dad. Both my mom & dad told me "no". I tookit as achallenge. I would teach myself and become a better hunter than my father. when i was old enough i was allowed to go hunting with my dad and uncle. I expected to be taught lessons about deer hunting...nope. we set up a blind and that was about it.No real strategy to it, just picked a spot that seemed good.since then i've taught myself the ins-and outs through reading and listening to seminars.

the one mentor that i did have that i can appreciate was a neighbor who lived next door for about 3 years. He taught me the proper way to shoot a bow. now i'm the 1st and only bowhunter in the family.

Troutman10

Everyone has been telling their story...here is mine. I was and still am a die hard fisherman. Finished up college in 2005 and moved home to Northern NY. After college, I thought "geez I'm bored, what is there to do besides fish inthe blustery crappy weather"? The answer:Hunt. My buddy happened to ask me if I wanted to go in the woods w/ him for an evening hunt. I went and the rest is history (eventhough we didn't see a thing). The feeling of being one with nature was great. You get to sit there and enjoy everything...all the animals, colorful leaves, the peice and quiet...it's great. I'm sure this will never get old after two seasons and three deer.

I don't know that I really have a mentor. I have somebuddies to talk to about hunting, but I feel a mentor would be an older experienced hunter with more than 10 years under his/her belt. I respect my hunter friends, but not as much as I would respect the experience of someone that would be older. Just a respect thingI guess. Wish hunting was more of a tradition in my family, but maybe it will be sometime.

Like some of the other people, I have no problem with hunting by myself because that's kinda how I've learned. I also have no problem with hunting side by side with friends. My soon to be fiance's cousin and I hunted together quite a bit this fall. He, my brother and two other friends will most likely be great hunting partners in years to come.

Websites like this are great though. Lots of information, no intimidation factor if I have to ask a dumb question here& thereand lots of people.

Everyone should have the opportunity we have being hunters.