Need advice on helping new hunter
 

So I was asked to play guide and take out my friend who has only hunted a grand total of twice in her life. I was happy to do it and we were both excited to go. Well we are out yesterday and a doe and a fawn come across this hill side, followed by a a good sized spike. Well she will shoot any legal deer, I get her sat down, bi-pod out, 150 yards, and she can't seem to get on the deer. He is almost out of site, and then all of a sudden a really nice 4 point (what apparently is called an 8 point in the east and mid-west) walks out across the hill side so we let the spike go and get on him.Again, 150 yards, bi-pod out, and she just can't seem to get the scope on him. I stopped him 3 times but it was just too much for her and he finally escaped into the trees.

Well I don't have a whole lot of experience with in-experienced hunters. I tried to calm her down by telling her to take her time and breath deeply. But I'm so used to see the deer, throw the gun up, take the shot kind of hunting that I really didn't have much to say beyond that. I mean the shot was perfect and I don't really know how to get her a better one. We're going again Tuesday morning, so what can I do better in this situation? I don't want to rush her, and we both had a blast anyway, but she really wants to get one and I want to do everything possible to get that done.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

That's how we get new blood into our sport, great job! As far as guiding I think you are doing just fine, put her onto some game and eventually she will make the shot. Let her go at her own pace and hopefully she will be successfull. If you try to push her to make the shot and she wounds the animal with a poor shot then she may get turned off by the sport. She may just take a little time to actually pull the trigger. Keep getting her some opportunities and she'll come around. Good job!

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

I feel for you as I have had similar experiences with new hunters.For the most part simply being patient with them and encouraging them is all that is required.Once they are successful at taking an animal,their self confidence grows and their skills seem toimprove even more quickly.One individual that I started out huntinggot soexcited that hespent probably 30 seconds trying to break the trigger off his rifle because he had not released the safety.However he had a great attitude,andover the pastfew years he has become a decent hunter and in time he should become a very good hunter.I have only ever had one hunter that I couldn't help and that was because he never really wanted to hunt and just wanted to go along with the boys as a social outing.Despite the efforts of myself and others ,he became frustrated and simply lost interest and gave up hunting.If she has a good attitude,just keep at it and things will come together.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

Great to hear herinterest in hunting, good start!
She needs to practice on how to find different objects with the rifle scope. Have her go to the range or if you have the space at home, without ammo have her practice just finding objects!

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

one thing I read and passed on to my son and wife, was when trying to acquire a target in the scope, keep both eyes open and on the target, then shoulder the gun, and put the scope in front of the eye, while keeping both eyes open. You'll acquire the target easier in the scope,then shut the other eye when ready. Hope this helps. Great job on bringing in a new hunter, don't give up.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

She needs a lot of time on the range before she goes again IMHO.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

This was my thought also - she needs to practice practice practice at the range - with the variety of positions she'll use in the field, bipod and everything. Then, starting very slowly, she needs to get into positon, get the gun into position, acquire the target and shoot accurately. As she practices all of this she can gradually build up speed. The more she makes it automatic - "muscle memory" - the less she'll have to think about it in the field. Just my personal experience.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

GOOD IDEA BY REBELHOG. HAVE HER FIND THINGS IN THE SCOPE. HAVE HER POINT OUT A FLOWER OR BUSH AND THEN FIND IT WITH THE SCOPE. sorry. maybe her power was to high and she was way off, has happened to me. she's new and it's not easy for a beginner especially when the adrenaline is pumping and you don't have a lot of time. good luck and great job recruiting a new hunter. good luck this year.


THE FOOT

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

that is how i learned to shoot with a scope is how mastevt said and believe me it works. and the finding different objects is good thing too i practice that before any season starts or just at home out the window to refresh myself.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter
 

Sometimes that's just the way it is, its amazing the things you have to talk them through after you've been hunting for years [8D]

My two sons have both been on youth deer weekends. My oldest took his first deer while hunting with my best friend, I take my younger son. Last year he took his first, but it was his second chance of the day. First one in the AM he had a nice buck at 25 yards broadside. The converstation went something like:

Son: "There's a deer over here, what do I do?"
Friend: "Shoot it"
Few seconds go by, no BOOM. Friedn looks aroudn the tree, sees buck NICE buck standing there feeding. Wonders why no BOOM. Looks at my son who is now trying to lay down into a prone position [&:] Looks back at deer, deer is now watching my son. Ummm no shot.

Son: "do you think he'll come back"
friend: probably not.

During lunch we decided we had to walk them through the shot step by step. When I asked my son why he tried to go prone when he's never shot a gun that way in his life:

"I don't know" was the reply. Adrenanline, gotta love it.

That afternoon, a skipper went by, friend walked my son through it all step by step and could see the gun wobbling, my son took the deer and I've never seen a smile so big!

This year, my younger son had his chance.

We were sitting against a tree at 90 degrees to each other figuring the deer would come out infront of him and I could just whisper in his ear. Well deer came out infront of me. My son turned my way, and got up on his knees (mistake one, should have just swiveled his butt). One of the does came walking at an angle to pass by us about 15 yards, I told him to shoot when he gets a shot. Again, NO BOOM. Deer locked up staring right at us around 15 yards away, again no BOOM. I could see him looking through the scope at the deer. Deer blows and bolts off.

Me: "what happened, why didin't you shoot when she was standing there?"
Son: "she was facing us, I didn't know I could shoot her in the neck"
Me: "Ok, what happened while she was walking"
Son: "I can shoot while they're walking?"

We left it at you NEVER make a mistake NOT shooting, when you're not sure you don't pull the trigger. Simple as that.

Different people react differently to the rush when there's a deer there, took my son about 10 minutes to stop shaking. Be patient, keep it fun and they will keep hunting.