Need help getting started
 

I’m 14 years old and want to get into hunting. No one In my family hunts so I really just don't know where to start. I live in palm beach county, Florida.

Find an adult experienced hunter to mentor you take and pass a hunter education course so you can buy a hunting license. Asked your parents to subscribe to one of the hunting magazines for you and read it. You will not become a good hunter by simply reading, experience is what s required to become a good hunter but it is a starting point.

You may find someone willing to help you at that hunter education course.

yes first step, mandatory, get your hunter ed certificate!
try to get one or several of the adults you deal with to take the hunter safety course with you,
try to find a related uncle or cousin that may help you gain experience and be a mentor.
even my wife who has zero desire to hunt, has passed the hunter safety course as its a semi-required step in getting a concealed carry license, here in fla.

https://www.hunteredcourse.com/flori...iAAEgI62_D_BwE

https://www.hunter-ed.com/florida/?c...yAAEgK7RfD_BwE

https://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education/courses/

you have easy access to several local wild life management areas
being young I realize your unlikely to have your own firearms but you can certainly start with archery
and gain both area knowledge and some experience

read this link, if the link does not work search the words Florida Whitetail Experience

https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/whi...xperience.html

https://myfwc.com/hunting/wma-brochures/south/corbett/

you might consider asking around among the adults you know as to who shoots trap/skeet,
as thats excellent practice in use of a shotgun, and while many people will tell you a rifle is preferred for hunting a nice bolt action or
semi auto or pump 20ga-12 ga with slugs, used here in florida works very effectively on hogs, deer and bird shot obviously used for birds
Ive got a group of guys I hunt with off and on, and hunting the corbett management area with a good shotgun is very do-able
and if your parents allow, start saving for a
few pieces of archery equipment and/or a decent fairly cheap but high quality shotgun like a 20 ga remington 870
used compound bows , that are a few years older models are available dirt cheap in most pawn shops
yeah, decent quality equipment is rather expensive, but you may find decent used archery or shotguns at deeply discounted prices,
ask around at the local gunshops and pawn shops and shooting ranges you'll occasionally find a few very good deals on lightly used guns
yet,
Id put off purchases untill your familiar with what your dealing with and get a feeling for what you prefer through hands on experience

constant practice and familiarity with your weapon of choice will have a big effect on your success.

several areas are shotgun only
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/907839

at your age, IMO< I would be asking OLDER family members IF any of THERE friends hunt.
this way your not getting set up with some stranger that know's WHO KNOW"S WHAT!

next if that doesn;t work out, take a hunter safety course and talk to the folks running the course and ask if there are any mentor ships in the area they know of or any mentors in the area that will help you get started!


you want to also read up all the things you can find on hunting, learn what animals/game, your interested in, learn all you can about them , by reading, being in the outdoors, you DON"T have to HUNT to learn HOW to hunt, or to be hinting to learn how to find and get close to wildlife and animals you want to hunt, 365 days in a yr, and only a few are in hunting season, so rest of the yr you can Learn how and why critters do what they do, then come time to HUNT you will be Way better off
But be careful when hunting with anyone, ask lots of question, NO dumb question here, But make sure if you can, that the person you find to help you, has like interests and NOT Just telling you how THEY do it, you both need to enjoy things, so if you find someone and there not doing it as you feel you like, speak up and ask WHY things are the way, again, more you ask, more you will learn!
and hunting is a never ending learning game, as wildlife is also always learning hunters (and humans in general) and adapting to them! so NO one know's it all nor should any hunter claim they do!

you can also, try stopping in some of the local gun shops, archery shops near you with your Parents, or?? and ask about if there are any hunting clubs, / sportsman clubs near by, as many of them also off fer hunting mentors
that can help teach you how to hunt and even take you with you, but make sure again, you have your parents involved, so YOU stay safe!

If you have any friends whose father or mother hunt, perhaps that could be a place to find a mentor.

once you've successfully completed acquiring the hunter safety course and got a few of the basics down,
you might want to start collecting a few books and videos on hunting whitetail deer.
there are dozens of free short related videos on the internet, but be aware there's more than a few posted by lower skill and less knowledgable people
so don,t assume everything posted is true or valid.
nothing will replace the experience gained over time spent roaming the local wildlife management areas,
and maybe finding a few mentors, join a couple of local ranges or ask around about joining the boy scouts, maybe some guy with a couple of sons your age as a mentor, or you can talk a cousin or your neighbor or your dad, into spending a few weekends camping, fishing and eventually maybe at least visiting the local outdoor shooting ranges and spending a few weekends camping in the remote areas, be observant and ask questions.

don,t be afraid to get your hands dirty or help others, and yeah,
the first deer you help dress out may not be a pleasant experience, but its some skill you'll need to learn.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/learn-10...-deer-hunters/

https://www.knightandhale.com/field-...-success-tips/

https://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2013...etail-hunting/

https://www.artofmanliness.com/artic...-deer-hunting/

The suggestions about attending Hunter Safety first are spot on. You need that to get a hunting license. It will teach you a lot of things you may not be aware of, especially since nobody in your family hunts. Does anybody in your family target shoot or plink? That may be a way to get some target practice in also. After you attend a Hunter Safety course, you will likely find out about youth hunting opportunities. The class can also help you network with other people that hunt and may help you get started, with your parents permission of course. Also, a lot of hunters start with small game such as squirrels, rabbits and birds. There are usually a lot of hunting opportunities to hunt small game and you can often do it with an airgun, a 22 or just a shotgun so it's cheaper to buy ammo and you get more hunting opportunities because you can often hunt in a nearby field, your backyard sometimes, etc. instead of having to drive several hours to a deer hunting area.

When I was about your age, I wanted to hunt and nobody else in my family hunted. My buddy down the street used to pheasant hunt with his parents at a club a lot and they would take me some of the time. I ended up buying a Brittany (pointing dog) and training it a lot in the backyard. My dad still didn't want to hunt but used to take my dog and I pheasant hunting at the same club and just enjoy watching my dog work the birds. Talk to your parents about it. You may find a way to start hunting with them just enjoying the time outdoors with you and a hunting dog if you decide to get one. Enjoy the experience and the time outdoors. And let us know how things are working out for you.

All the above advice is great. One thing I would wonder is if your parents will approve of your going hunting. Hopefully they will otherwise it might create some friction between various members of your family. Definitly talk with them about it then follow what others have said.

I agree that experience is the key to getting good at it. I can’t speak about the laws in Florida. But here you would be required to be with an adult until you are 16. Hunter’s Safety Courses are not required until you are 16. But, I also recommend taking them as well. As others have stated you may actually find someone that is willing to teach you about hunting when taking a course. Good luck!

Good for you wanting to get involved in hunting! It is a lifetime sport, and the related skills can keep you outdoors all year round.
Can we ask what perked your interest? A friend, family member who hunts?
As mentioned, getting a hunter safety course in is very important. Start with the gun safety, but also take the bowhunting course. It has a lot of very useful skills that firearm courses don't really go into. For that matter, a trapping course does too...all are hunting, just different ways.
Don't underestimate reading and outdoors magazines for what they can teach you...just don't read one source and think it is the final authority.
Does your parents support you in this (I hope?) Would either one be willing to go to a safety course with you, or maybe learn the sport with you?
Do you have any family and friends that hunt that could help you? Here, it can be a tricky door....If you do not appear consistently mature and responsible, doors will be closed to you.
There are a lot of good hunting shows on , but many if not most are very "kill" oriented, which is not what the sport is about. My favorite is "Meat Eater". The host is very amiable, never promotes products, but shows tremendous respect and skill in his hunts...not all of which , like real life, are successful.

Good luck!

I taught myself to not only look but to see at a young age. A lot going on in a nature walk that many/most people never notice. Not all animals bolt when mankind shows up, many hunker down and hide. You may walk right past them. I walk grids and look for tracks, especially after a rain, learning to identify tracks is helpful when you go hunting.
A pair of binoculars can open up a whole new world if you learn to stay still and watch.
I hunted snakes, lizards, and Frogs before I ever picked up a rifle or bow.

A lot of good advice. And a fun journey becoming a hunter.

I well remember, back in the early 1960s, being in a similar predicament, and the frustration linked to being broke and too young to be taken seriously,
Ive been thinking this thread over, obviously, with the current virus issues no one is likely to be looking to start socializing with strangers
and at your age (14) you've got both limited mobility (no way you legally own and drive a car/truck,) and finances, without a decent full time job,
as your obviously still in school, at that age, so that is a problem in acquiring equipment and of course theres the potential for any male adult thats not related to you,
that offers to teach you, to be looked at as a potential pedophile. even if thats not really an issue.
so Id suggests you concentrate for now on passing that hunter safety course and getting certified and reading up on and watching videos on the sport.
theres hundreds of good entertaining and informative books and videos

what started my interest was fishing it’s what lead me to hunting.

And fishing is hunting....for fish! Learning their cycles, where they feed, when they rest, patience, skills....all have parallels to hunting. Get those hunter safety classes in, but then remember, every time you are outdoors practice your skills of observation, patience. I drive my friends and family nuts, because be it driving, out for a walk, etc. I am constantly looking for animal sign or critters hiding just out of site, but there if you look. And patience is one of the most difficult of all hunting skills to learn, but easiest to initiate and apply. Good luck, I hope we were of some help but it is limiting without getting your parents approval/ support. I hope they enjoy fishing?

Here are a couple of opportunities to help get started with hunting skills - organized youth camps:

Georgia’s Department of Conservation offer’s several youth summer camps including the Shooting Sports Camp, during which campers get hands-on instruction in archery, shotgun, air rifle, and .22 rifle. Campers can also participate in a Youth Hunter Education (YEH) Challenge, which qualifies them to participate in the state YEH.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers the Ocala Youth Camp which provides campers with the necessary skills and knowledge to become better sportsmen and women, while instilling an awareness of firearm safety and wildlife stewardship. In addition to hunter safety, all campers will enjoy fishing, canoeing, swimming, hiking, and many other outdoor activities.

Good Luck .....GREAT to see we still have kids think about something other than x-box ...:)

Note: I also tried to add the links for you, but It seems I can't post them since I am still new to the forum.....Just Google