A noobie hunter

[idnative1948]

A great friend of mine wants to get his son into big game hunting. Actually son is the one that wants to get into it. Dad grew up hunting for food, but still wants his son to find out what it is like. We are going to sight in next week and his son is concerned that he will embarass us. I called and talked to him tonight and at least got him to laughing and reminded him that it is like shooting at a spot on an animal, not shooting at an animal. His concern is making a bad shot and having to chase one down.

Your thoughts.......

 

[Sytes]

Heh, not intentionally being crass - the young man needs to pop his cherry and get some blood on his hands... Everything falls into place after that.

Good luck - I am sure he'll fit in just fine once he gets over his first.

 

[Wapiti23]

Maybe you guys should go out shooting prairy dogs or something like that and make it a family thing. They are a small target and not as big of a deal if he misses and what not. It'll be alot of shooting and I think that he'll have so much fun doing it that he'll focus more on making the right shot. Just a thought.

 

[texasbucksandbirds]

I agree with Wapiti23, get him started on something such as prairie dogs or even rabbits (not sure on the seasons, we don't have one in Texas so we can shoot them year round) small enough that accuracy is needed but not a major deal if they are missed.

 

[idnative1948]

Done whistle pigs and he hunts chukar. I think he is just a little aprehensive givien some of the stories his dad may have told him about how we hunt. Mybrother and I grew up learning from dad which may or not have been correct. Don't shoot unless you know you can put an animal down. Don't over shoot your caliber just because you see one. Buckfever? Nobody gets that, right?

 

[Ultrahunter]

Just try to make everything fun, remember thats what got all of us into this madness to begin with. Have a good time and don't make it work. Take lots of food and take lots of breaks. Dig a hole, start a fire, throw rocks, you know, think like a 12 year old. Teach him all the other things that make hunting great besides just focusing on the kill. Thats what I did last year when I took my 12 year old cousin on his first hunt. We had such a great time before we ever saw an elk, that once we found a bull for him to shoot the hunt was already a success. The bull was just gravy!! Oh yeah and take lots of pictures

 

[Sytes]

One thing seems relatively clear, his hesitation tends to cater towards an ethical sportsman.
Think we all consider our shots before letting the thunder stick roar - though the more we bloody our hands the more seasoned our evaluation becomes and the quicker our actions. For me - this "ideal" shot location and mainly distance play a key factor in my actions - though I hold myself to maybe a max of 250 yards for confident shot placement, others find their skill extending across much greater distances.

Thus, once he takes that confident first shot - things slowly becomre more and more comfortable... Maybe the advise for those squirrly bastages is good... though until he lines up on a real side of venison / big game and finds the confidence to let the thunder roll... will he then make one step closer towards reducing fears of a bad shot and building his confidence.

Cheers! Leasst he is starting out this way versus some toons that think howlitzer round 7mm's or .06 over a valley towards an elk w/o regard to shot placement...

 

[noharleyyet]

Actually son is the one that wants to get into it.

You friend is in for the best times of his life. My son's exuberance for the outdoors and anything hunting was contagious...he honestly did more for me than I did for him.