In Virginia Here
12-09-2009, 03:51 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3
In Virginia Here
I'm a pretty strange person. I have gone from omnivore, to vegetarian, to vegan, back to vegetarian, back to vegan, back to vegetarian, and now back to omnivore. I am a 22 year old female living in Virginia. I've lived in Virginia my whole life. The only person in my family that hunts is my grandfather and he doesn't do it much anymore.
My husband loves deer jerky and we also feed our carnivorous pets a raw diet (ferrets, cats, and dog) and it is expensive to feed everyone. We have not switched the cats or dog over to raw yet but soon we will and we are estimating to spend over $200/month on raw meat from the store. I was wondering if hunting could possibly lower our food bill as well as put meat on our table. I've never killed another living thing directly other than mice and rats for our snakes (I know we have a lot of animals). I've never picked up a gun and shot something before though. (well except for shooter and hunting games)
I'm in the Richmond area, and I was wondering how one goes about learning to shoot, hunt, and how to go about getting a license to hunt. I'm not sure what kinds of animals I'm interested in hunting yet but anything I can feed to my animals as well as eat myself I'm open for.
My husband loves deer jerky and we also feed our carnivorous pets a raw diet (ferrets, cats, and dog) and it is expensive to feed everyone. We have not switched the cats or dog over to raw yet but soon we will and we are estimating to spend over $200/month on raw meat from the store. I was wondering if hunting could possibly lower our food bill as well as put meat on our table. I've never killed another living thing directly other than mice and rats for our snakes (I know we have a lot of animals). I've never picked up a gun and shot something before though. (well except for shooter and hunting games)
I'm in the Richmond area, and I was wondering how one goes about learning to shoot, hunt, and how to go about getting a license to hunt. I'm not sure what kinds of animals I'm interested in hunting yet but anything I can feed to my animals as well as eat myself I'm open for.
12-09-2009, 06:55 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 3,612
Hello Weasel. First off, good luck in your pursuits. If you have never obtained a hunting license in VA you will need to take a hunter safety course. After you have completed the course you will be eligible to get your hunting license. If you killed a couple of deer a year you could put anywhere from 75-125 pounds of meat towards feeding your animals.
Here is the state hunting/fishing website:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/
Here is a portion of the website that deals with getting your hunters education class...
http://vahea.org/page12.html
GOOD luck
Brett
ps...I forgot to add...if you do not like the idea of picking up a firearm, you DO NOT have to. Learn how to bowhunt with a compound bow, a crossbow, etc. I started gun hunting many years ago and have since put them in favor of only bowhunting. That is just me though, you can hunt in any manner that makes you feel comfortable. Heck, you could hunt with a slingshot to obtain frogs, birds, and other things for your snakes.
Here is the state hunting/fishing website:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/
Here is a portion of the website that deals with getting your hunters education class...
http://vahea.org/page12.html
GOOD luck
Brett
ps...I forgot to add...if you do not like the idea of picking up a firearm, you DO NOT have to. Learn how to bowhunt with a compound bow, a crossbow, etc. I started gun hunting many years ago and have since put them in favor of only bowhunting. That is just me though, you can hunt in any manner that makes you feel comfortable. Heck, you could hunt with a slingshot to obtain frogs, birds, and other things for your snakes.
Last edited by virginiashadow; 12-09-2009 at 06:59 PM.
12-11-2009, 12:51 PM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3
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.
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.
12-11-2009, 01:17 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 3,612
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? YES
Do these classes also count as a gun safety class or would I need to take one of those separately? They do count and you can apply for your concealed weapons permit with a photocopy of your hunter safety course completion certificate.
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. I believe if you live in an area with a lot of deer and squirrels, that you could probably get about 3-4 months of meat every year if you bowhunt or gun hunt.
Would I need a license to tag along with a hunter but not actually shoot anything? As long as you do not have a weapon I believe you can just tag along. Just make sure you are not in possession of anything that was killed by yourself. 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.
Do these classes also count as a gun safety class or would I need to take one of those separately? They do count and you can apply for your concealed weapons permit with a photocopy of your hunter safety course completion certificate.
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. I believe if you live in an area with a lot of deer and squirrels, that you could probably get about 3-4 months of meat every year if you bowhunt or gun hunt.
Would I need a license to tag along with a hunter but not actually shoot anything? As long as you do not have a weapon I believe you can just tag along. Just make sure you are not in possession of anything that was killed by yourself. 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.
GOOD luck.
Brett
I will talk to my grandfather about tagging along on his next hunt (if he goes) and we shall see how I like it.
12-11-2009, 01:42 PM
#6
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Bedford, VA
Posts: 85
If you contact the DGIF they offer 'women only' hunting/shooting/outdoor adventure classes/weekends.. I remember seeing articles in the Virginia Wildlife magazine about these.. it may be worth while taking a look at..
Brian
Brian
12-14-2009, 06:02 AM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Virginia Beach, Va
Posts: 317
Good on ya!
Weaselkeeper,
Good on ya! Hunting is a great way to suppliment your families food source. Latch on to a experienced hunter (your grandfather would be great) to learn the basics and after that every time your in the woods you will learn somehting new.
A bit of a warning though, gearing up for your first year of hunting "could" (and I emphasis the word "could") become a expensive proposition if you let it. I speak for myself here, I hunt because I enjoy it and getting the meat if I'm successful it a nice benefit but in no way do I do it solely as a food source. Taking the class, buying a license, buying a (choose 1 or many) rilfe/shotgun/bow/crossbow, buying ammunition/arrows, buying the appropiate kind of clothing, and finding a place to hunt, whether it be public land or you joining a hunting club. All these things can be an expensive initial outlay from your purse or wallet. Oh yeah... dont forget gas (I drive 102 miles each way to get to my lease) And then the maintenance costs associated with upkeeping these items as well. Hunt club memberships can range anywhere between 600 to 1200 dollars a year, plus work days on the property required. So, as Virginiashadow said, you could put 75 to 125 pounds of meat in your freezer to help feed your family. (oh yeah... you do have a full size freezer, don't you?) So, break it down the middle and say you get 100 pound of meat and your paying 700 dollars for a hunt club membership (by the way, many hunt clubs share the meat between all the members present at the hunt, so even if you arent successful that day, you still walk away with something for the freezer). That makes the cost at $7 a pound. And that doesnt include everything I mentioned above.
Weaselkeeper, I'm definately not trying to discourage you, just the opposite, I'm encouraging you and welcoming you into the family. Its every outdoors persons responsibility to educate newcomers and ensure they have as many facts as possible.
I've gotten 2 deer this year so far (1 with my crossbow and 1 with my shotgun) but I have 4 deer worth of meat in my freezer. Its been a good year so far.
If you have any questions... feel free to ask not only me but any of the members here. And if you need hunt club info, you can also ask about that. My club is just a bit south of you in Emporia.
Good on ya! Hunting is a great way to suppliment your families food source. Latch on to a experienced hunter (your grandfather would be great) to learn the basics and after that every time your in the woods you will learn somehting new.
A bit of a warning though, gearing up for your first year of hunting "could" (and I emphasis the word "could") become a expensive proposition if you let it. I speak for myself here, I hunt because I enjoy it and getting the meat if I'm successful it a nice benefit but in no way do I do it solely as a food source. Taking the class, buying a license, buying a (choose 1 or many) rilfe/shotgun/bow/crossbow, buying ammunition/arrows, buying the appropiate kind of clothing, and finding a place to hunt, whether it be public land or you joining a hunting club. All these things can be an expensive initial outlay from your purse or wallet. Oh yeah... dont forget gas (I drive 102 miles each way to get to my lease) And then the maintenance costs associated with upkeeping these items as well. Hunt club memberships can range anywhere between 600 to 1200 dollars a year, plus work days on the property required. So, as Virginiashadow said, you could put 75 to 125 pounds of meat in your freezer to help feed your family. (oh yeah... you do have a full size freezer, don't you?) So, break it down the middle and say you get 100 pound of meat and your paying 700 dollars for a hunt club membership (by the way, many hunt clubs share the meat between all the members present at the hunt, so even if you arent successful that day, you still walk away with something for the freezer). That makes the cost at $7 a pound. And that doesnt include everything I mentioned above.
Weaselkeeper, I'm definately not trying to discourage you, just the opposite, I'm encouraging you and welcoming you into the family. Its every outdoors persons responsibility to educate newcomers and ensure they have as many facts as possible.
I've gotten 2 deer this year so far (1 with my crossbow and 1 with my shotgun) but I have 4 deer worth of meat in my freezer. Its been a good year so far.
If you have any questions... feel free to ask not only me but any of the members here. And if you need hunt club info, you can also ask about that. My club is just a bit south of you in Emporia.
Last edited by Alex G.; 12-14-2009 at 06:03 AM. Reason: miss spelling
12-27-2009, 03:59 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 295
You may also find this NYTimes article of intetest/informative:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/dining/25hunt.html?_r=2&hpw
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/dining/25hunt.html?_r=2&hpw
12-29-2009, 09:52 AM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 7
I agree
I'd have to say I agree with Flippinstk. Hunting can be a very expensive, especially when first getting started.
I'm an avid hunter and a young female like yourself. Over the past 8 years I've spent plenty of money on guns, hunting leases, safety equip, and clothes. After a while, you'll get to the point where you'll only be spending money on the essentials like ammo, licenses, and things of that nature.
I wish it could be, but it's not quite as simple as finding a block of woods, parking your truck, and heading out for a monster deer.
Since your Granddad is a hunter, you may have the option of having him as a guide, using some of his gear, guns and ammo, and hunting whichever property he uses as a guest of his. This will be a good way for you to be introduced into the sport and it's always great to have a mentor.
I've fallen in love with hunting and all of the great experiences I've had while in the woods or in a duck blind. There is nothing like it in world. Good Luck!
I'm an avid hunter and a young female like yourself. Over the past 8 years I've spent plenty of money on guns, hunting leases, safety equip, and clothes. After a while, you'll get to the point where you'll only be spending money on the essentials like ammo, licenses, and things of that nature.
I wish it could be, but it's not quite as simple as finding a block of woods, parking your truck, and heading out for a monster deer.
Since your Granddad is a hunter, you may have the option of having him as a guide, using some of his gear, guns and ammo, and hunting whichever property he uses as a guest of his. This will be a good way for you to be introduced into the sport and it's always great to have a mentor.
I've fallen in love with hunting and all of the great experiences I've had while in the woods or in a duck blind. There is nothing like it in world. Good Luck!
