Another New Hunter

[JCue]

Hi all, my name is Jay I have had a passion for hunting my whole life but being from a family who wasn't in to the lifestyle I was shunned until I decided to take the plunge now. I am 30, unfortunately living in Toronto, and this is my first full season hunting, I would love to eventually barely have to buy meat from a store but I need to learn first. I did a solo turkey hunt this spring and was unsuccessful but still had a blast. I would love to do some small game and grouse hunting early season, and I really want to do some waterfowl and deer hunting but don't know where to even begin. Small game and grouse I feel like I can kind of navigate myself walking logging roads and such but I feel like I need guidance for the others. Waterfowl hunting I would love to meet a group or put together a group that can go out semi-regularly, in theory I get duck hunting at least over a marsh or water but have no access to a field so not sure about goose but I would obviously benefit from having somebody experience. In terms of deer hunting I feel like a mentor is the only way to go to be an ethical hunter but I have no idea how to find somebody who is willing to teach a new hunter.

If anybody has any advice or is wanting to put together a group or is willing to take me on as a student I would really appreciate it!

[fratri]

Best advice I can give you is to keep active on this forum. Ask questions, respond to topics so forum members can get a feel for the type of person you are.
Welcome to the forum...

[greatwhite]

Welcome to the site.

Occasionally someone will also post they are offering to take a new hunter out. So I watch the forum.

[Useless]

Welcome!

There are lots of good people on this forum who are very knowledgeable and willing to help. It seems like you are eager to learn. The best thing to do is to get out in the bush as much as possible.

[JCue]

Great! Thank you for the advice so far...Bush experience I have plenty of as I worked as a tripper in my teens and have spent ample amounts of time in the woods but the actual hunting experience is where I would like to learn from somebody or some people. Will definitely keep my eye on the boards though.

[Gilroy]

Jay,

The very first thing you need is TIME.Your 30 years old living in Toronto,how much time are you willing to spend to learn this trade?

I would say in this fast paced World we live in many new hunters simply give up because they do not REALLY have the time needed for the sport.The basic,s in Deer hunting are pretty easy to pick up but you need to Want to devote the time.

You are basically two hours drive to deer country from where you are and two hours back,do you have a full weekend to try this sport or better still a full week.Do you have the equipment you need right now to kill the deer,a scoped high powered rifle?Can you afford to go perhaps years without harvesting an animal as part of your learning process.

There might be hunters on here thinking I,am being melodramatic and they can take you an hour out from Toronto and allow you to kill a farm deer your first weekend out.Where I hunt its more typical of the big bush country,the deer numbers are less,the doe tags are less and its more like finding a needle in a haystack.

So where would you rather start with an offer from a hunter in the first or second scenario?

PS What type of dogs do you train.

[Big Jack]

Jay,

The very first thing you need is TIME.Your 30 years old living in Toronto,how much time are you willing to spend to learn this trade?

I would say in this fast paced World we live in many new hunters simply give up because they do not REALLY have the time needed for the sport.The basic,s in Deer hunting are pretty easy to pick up but you need to Want to devote the time.

You are basically two hours drive to deer country from where you are and two hours back,do you have a full weekend to try this sport or better still a full week.Do you have the equipment you need right now to kill the deer,a scoped high powered rifle?Can you afford to go perhaps years without harvesting an animal as part of your learning process.

There might be hunters on here thinking I,am being melodramatic and they can take you an hour out from Toronto and allow you to kill a farm deer your first weekend out.Where I hunt its more typical of the big bush country,the deer numbers are less,the doe tags are less and its more like finding a needle in a haystack.

So where would you rather start with an offer from a hunter in the first or second scenario?

PS What type of dogs do you train.

WTF - is this nonsense? Are you more of a hunter because you hunt 2 hours north of the GTA? Sour grapes I’d say.

Your posts are offensive to many here who do have the opportunity to hunt a wee bit closer to home. Why don’t you offer to mentor the guy?

To the op - don’t let this guy dissuade you. Spend the time you can afford to. Spend time to be proficient with your firearm. That is important.

I think you are taking the right approach. Many gangs lose a member here or there so you may get an opportunity.

I will see how my numbers look this fall.

[Gilroy]

"WTF - is this nonsense? Are you more of a hunter because you hunt 2 hours north of the GTA? Sour grapes I’d say."

I like to keep it real and not paint such a rosy picture,are you implying farm deer are not easier to hunt than deer in large bush area.Simple common sense dictates otherwise.I am not suggesting I am a better hunter but I am saying the hunting is different,no more or less.If you don,t like reading my reading other folks posts
BIG JACK without getting offended I really don,t know what to tell you.If my posts are offensive to others on here maybe you would be so kind as to let them speak for themselves.LOL

[jaycee]

WTF - is this nonsense? Are you more of a hunter because you hunt 2 hours north of the GTA? Sour grapes I’d say.

Your posts are offensive to many here who do have the opportunity to hunt a wee bit closer to home. Why don’t you offer to mentor the guy?

To the op - don’t let this guy dissuade you. Spend the time you can afford to. Spend time to be proficient with your firearm. That is important.

I think you are taking the right approach. Many gangs lose a member here or there so you may get an opportunity.

I will see how my numbers look this fall.

Good stuff Big Jack ! tell it like it is .

[Big Jack]

I’ve done both Gilroy. It isn’t any harder especially if you are dogging. Otherwise I’ve seen just as many gangs stumped in farm country as in big bush.

Put up or shut up is what I say. You have a lot to pass on so why not teach him?

You should be encouraging the guy not trying to dissuade him.

I’ve spent plenty of time showing both newbie ladies and gents the ropes because others took the time to show me.

Jaycee - Thanks, people on this board have much to offer folks like the op. We should not be discouraging new members. We may all do things differently but find success in our own way. It makes sense to share it. Line052 open invite is a perfect example of this.