WVCritter

He's family, he's your little brother, take him hunting and put him in your best stand and wish him luck and if he gets lucky and gets the big one then celelbrate it with him. Hunting with your brother will build a strong bond and memories that will last a lifetime. I came from a family of 15 and sharing is what we were taught. I've taken my brothers, nephews and nieces hunting and I can tell you it was a far better experience for me to see them learn and experience their first successful hunt than it was for me when I was all alone in the woods on my first kill.

Goodguy

How did you get started? gg.

Chubber

I didn't want everyone to get the wrong impression here. I would love to take my brother hunting. It is just that he has waited until the last minute to get everything together, has little hunting experience (some squirrels) and I won't see him until the weekend we would hunt together.

I am going to try to make sure he has read as much as possible and is as prepared as he can be for the hunt. But, leaving everything to the last minute, he will prob. borrow my 12 gauge slug gun, which he has never shot before, and won't have any time in the woods before we go.

I am not trying to protect my hot spots (OK, I am just a little), more like "should I toss him into it cold or should we wait and start next year, working up to it through the shooting, tracking, etc."

He is 27 years old if that makes any difference. We never hunted in our family, I took it up when I was about 30. I learned it all on my own through books, sites like this and making about a bazillion mistakes.

I want to help him out, but I don't want to try to do it all in 3 days. Once he learns, I am sure he will make a fine hunting partner.

I do appreciate everyones comments. It has helped me think about this situation a little better.

Chubber

UncleNorby

For god's sake, the guy is a grown man. I'm sure he can shoot your slug gun just fine if it is sighted in. Tell him to limit his shots to a certain distance. He should be mature enough, even though inexperienced, to take whatever direction you give him. Sit still, don't move, stay quiet, etc. How can he screw up? I'm assuming if he takes a shot you will be there pretty quickly to help him track if needed.

Don't see what the concern is. No matter what you read, or are told, you have to get out and do it before you have any experience. Just do it.

Swampmonster

I think for me the concern would be that you wait an entire year anticipating those precious times in the woods, only to find that you must give them up to hold your brother's hand. I would do it, mind you; and I think chubber should do it - but if he should decide not to, I would certainly understand it.

We are seeing "brother" and automatically see a kind and eager greenhorn who just wants to learn the ropes. But Chubber's brother may be a really decent guy who is just so inexperienced that he hasn't learned to take the hunt seriously enough to prepare himself beforehand, reading, asking questions, etc., etc. In that circumstance I would have the same concerns as Chubber.

Family is great, don't get me wrong - but if a family member doesn't take your joy seriously enough to prepare and make the sort of effort you yourself have taken, well, perhaps that family member's ideas differ so much from yours that if you take him along, it automatically means your hunt is destroyed. If that is the case, you probably should still take him along, but be prepared to have your hunting destroyed when you do. I think this is the dilemma chubber is up against. And I understand it.

UncleNorby

What the??? How can anybody's hunt be ruined by taking somebody else along, putting them in a spot and picking them up later? The experienced one makes the rules, the greenhorn follows directions. Just don't put the greenhorn in a situation where he can screw up. If the guy like hunting he'll continue to learn, scout, pick things up on his own. If he doesn't, he won't want to go next time.

t roy

unless there is some sort of riff between you and your brother, i say give him a shot.

inexperience is something we all started with. the most important thing is make sure he has an understanding of how to hunt safely with a gun. knowing his target and what is beyond it, etc etc.

good luck.

James B

Having lost a younger sister I can say that any time you can spend with your Brother is time well spent. Enjoy it while you are living close together and share your hunting knowledge with him. Good luck Guys.

Swampmonster

It really depends upon the person you're taking along. For example, I once took a guy hunting who really wanted to go. I took him, and we began our walk into the woods. After about fifteen minutes (no kidding!) this guy had to stop walking and sit down! He was winded and we hadn't even gotten to the hills yet. To make a long one short, we got into the woods waaaay too late and I spent most of the morning not hunting, but worrying that the guy was going to die on me out there. My experience here is really what is behind my understanding of chubber's dilemma. I had prepared myself for this problem in much the same way chubber is preparing. I questioned whether I wanted to do it, asked folks about it and then decided that I would do it, being prepared for a ruined hunt - which is exactly what I got.

I don't know chubber's brother. But before I go and jump all over the guy I want to be sure to keep in mind that his brother may not be like my brother or someone else's brother. The word "brother" evokes all sorts of great ideas that simply may not apply to every situation. Like the guy I took hunting, Chub's brother is likely a great guy, but he is probably not yet a great guy in the field. Maybe he needs a bit more time to learn (maybe not. I am not in position to make the judgment). The guy I took really needed another year to get himself physically prepared to get out and work in the woods.

Yeah. Part of it may be selfishness. But you know, I wait a year for this. Its like you stress out for a year and then get to really chill for that small space of time during hunting season. So you gotta think about how you spend that time.

I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong and should be eager to take just anyone hunting who wants to go. But my experience taught me that I should contemplate the situation before I just dive in.

UncleNorby

If this guy was asking if he should compromise his hunting time to take his out of shape, 4-pack-a-day smoking brother 5 miles into the woods and over 2 mountains, you know what my answer would be.

I don't believe any of is reluctance was based on his brother's physical limitations. I could be wrong though. There's a flip-side to everything.