Who Introduced you to Hunting?

[buckshot]

Thought it would be cool to hear from everybody who got them started in to hunting. In my case it was my uncle. He used to take me squirrel hunting as a kid and give me antlers he would find. When I got older he was with me when I shot my first deer and paid to have her mounted. He taught me to be an ethical hunter and respect nature. That killing is part of hunting not the only thing. He is to old to get out to much anymore himself. He loves to hear my stories and I keep his freezer full of meat.

[powdernut]

My dad and grandfather got me started when I was 8 yrs old, hunting has always been a way of life within my family. The same as many things like farming,fishing,etc. I cherish every experience I ever had with them and try to pass it along to any young hunters willing to learn or listen. I have 2 sons that I have passed this onto my 14 yr old is very dedicated to hunting and fishing ,and my 4 yr old shows alot of interest in it he has already asked to go out with me several times ,I take him scouting every chance that I get . My dad is not able to hunt anymore and my grandfather passed away several years ago. No matter what dad gets the first meat every year just one way to pay him back for teaching me the things he has over the years.

[BuckMaster]

For me it all started one summer when I was about 13. THE DEER Hunter's uncle gave him an old bow to shoot over the summer, so he and I took turns shooting it every single day, for hours and hours. We loved shooting this bow.

No one in my family was or is a hunter so I knew nothing about hunting. After shooting all summer long we found out through another friend that we could actually go in the woods and hunt deer. I don't even think I knew there were deer in our woods to hunt. So we went with our fathers and took a hunter safety class and got our first hunting lic.

My first hunt ever was a morning hunt and I had a bachelor group of bucks walk up this ridge 60 yards from me. I grunted and had a nice little 8pt come right to me.

The smile on my face could not have been any larger and my leg was shaking soooo bad that I thought I was going to fall from my stand, and my heart was beating so bad that it almost burst out of my chest. All I could think about was If THE DEER HUNTER could see what I was seeing! Needless to say I missed the shot on that buck but from that moment on I was a........ "HUNTER"

[THE DEER HUNTER]

Well, BUCKMASTER pretty much summed it up, though it was my cousin and not my uncle who gave me/us our first bow, so here is the story of my first deer......

Buckmaster & I went hunting one morning in October & I was still yet to see a deer. He got down around 9:30 and was on his way over to me when a nice 9 pointer walked by me at 30 yards. This, the first deer I had ever seen was a thing of beauty & all I could see were his antlers, so guess where my arrow went...right between them.

About 2 weeks later, November 4th to be exact, we went hunting just as we did every Saturday. I was stumbling around the woods in the dark & found what I thought was a nice tree. I climb about 8 feet up, setting my screw-in steps & fall out. Luckily I didn't get hurt, so I got up & continued to climb.

At about 9:13 I heard something coming my way & it was very close. I saw a flicker of something, stood & drew my bow. The deer continued on his path & walked by me at 7 yards & I released. It was a good hit & the deer ran about 60 yards, stopped & looked around, not knowing what happened, then he fell. Turned out to be the same 9 pointer I missed 2 weeks earlier & now he is on my wall.

Guess I got spoiled for my first deer.

[BIG FOX]

My father and my older brothers got me into hunting out west. while i was never old enough then to go deer hunting i could hunt small game (rabbits,ground squirrels ETC) but that did not stop my father from taking us for week long trips in the woods deer hunting every year. you have to love Utah in that they give everyone off of school for opening of the deer hunt every year.

after seeing my dad and oldest brother take many nice mule deer i knew i wanted to hunt. i could not wait to turn 16 and go deer hunting. well that chance never got to me since we moved to Maryland with my mom when i was 14 or 15. i started hunting with friends i went to school with out here and could not believe you could hunt deer at any age. what a treat, takign many does and small bucks with a gun. I took my first buck with a bow on Ole Hairy Heads dad's farm in Cobb Island as i walked back to the truck one night, i looked up and there was a buck walking the edge of the bean feild heading right at me. i drew back my father in laws old Bear bow and when the deer turned broad side at 30 yards i released the arrow and got what i thought was a decent hit. tuens out i hit him in the hind quarter and had to trail the poor thing for like 3 miles and half the night before he went down. was just a little 6 point but i sure was happy. i have only take one buck since that was worthy of getting a shoulder mount done on. a nice 9 point i took with a shotgun. i did get a nice little 9 point this year with my new Mathews that i did a European mount on and a great little 4 point black tail i got in CA with a 270....

[busco]

My Stepdad started me into hunting. around 10 years old with rabbits squirrels and at night skunks armadillos and oppossums on my pappas cattle farm. then at 13 i think was the first time i ever got to go deer hunting. i could hardy sleep the night before, he had set me on the creek behind the back field between some blowdown for cover. i sat there as still and quiet as I could. without even realizing it I fell asleep and woke up to some rustling which turned out to be a little buck and a couple of does about 10 yards in front of me, i tryed to raise my gun and off they went. it wasnt til the next year and a couple more opps' es and mistakes until i took my first trophy 60 pound doe...... but from that first squirrel hunt I have been a total addict!

[Hardcorehunter]

I grew up with uncles that hunted but I never was allowed top go with them. ( My parents were a little over protective when it came to guns) I spent every free moment in the woods playing, exploring and making tree forts. I loved the outdoors so much, I had an impressive collection of mounted animals. My whole bedroom was full of deer heads, foxes, bobcats, geese, ducks, and countless things I had found in the woods myself. Some were gifts, but I bought most of them with my own money, just so I could be surrounded with wild animals that I would one day hunt. Now don't forget I was like ten years old. I sold all the mounts when I got older and forgot about wanting to go hunting. Then I met my girlfriends, now wifes, father. He got me back into wanting to learn how to hunt. He taught me a lot and if not for him I don't think I would be hunting today. His schedule with work doesn't allow us to hunt together much anymore. And to this day he still says he created a monster. He's right. For the past eight years or so, hunting has consumed me and I couldn't imagine if it wasn't in my life. Hunting is a part of WHO I AM. Thanks again Bill for teaching me so well!!!

[redneckhunter]

My dad introduced me to hunting before I can remember.I started to go to the hunting show up in Harrisburg. I have gone to everyone sense then. Then when I was five he took me with him on a hunt. He shot a doe with the same shotgun that I use today. When I was 8 on youth day, I shot my first deer. I thank my dad and my older brother, Charlie, for that hunt.

I am thankful that both Charlie and dad have helped me become a better hunter. I would be absolutely happy if I was as half as good as a hunter than both of them.

[branson]

My poppop introduced me to hunting. By then, dad had quit hunting. I'd go over my grandfather's house and play with his beagles and see all the rabbits and stuff he hunted. I was already a fishing buddy, so hunting in the fall with him just made sense. By the time I was ten, I was rearing to go but had to wait until I was 12 (just a rule in the family. i still dont get it). I kept interest, and when I was 12 took hunter's ed. After that, you couldn't keep me outta the woods. Once again, poppop took me. I got to hunt with him for a couple seasons but when he passed away. I gave it up for a few years. Now I'm back, thankful for the time I spent with him and what I learned, and hunt every chance I get.

[buckslayer55]

my bro and my great uncle

[davep]

I sort of got myself into it. My Dad had stopped hunting by the time I was 7 or 8,( ran bird dogs and beagles before that) although he fish/crabbed EVERY chance he could (he's 81, and STILL goes 2-3 times a week). We did shoot informally a couple times a week.
When I was 10 or so, I couldn't STAND any more stories from my friends and relatives,and of course Field and Stream, to which I was addicted. So,he started taking us squirrell hunting, then deer when we were 12. A couple of my Uncles were diehard waterfowlers, so I took advantage of that as well.
Anyway, hunting and trapping began to consume me. It's all I wanted to do. A lot of my friends sort of gave up on the outdoor pursuits,in favor of two-legged prey, when we hit 16 or so.I figured I could squeeze in both! Got a degree in Fish and Wildlife Management I had it so bad! It's such a part of who I am, I can't go a day without thinking about it. I've sort of set up my life to facilitate my obsession.And luckily, found a girl over 20 years ago that shares the deer hunting fever! We're raising our kids the same way.

[redneck]

my grandfather got me into hunting when i was younger. he has farmed his whole life and hunting is just a way of life to him. im glad he passed it on to me and i plan on passing it on to my children and grandchildren