What started you hunting?

[Pygmy]

9 hours ago, kpkot said:

I could have shot a doe once while I was taking a dump. I let her go, it just didn't  feel right.  You guys ever had any luck?

I'll bet they didn't get many shots on the downwind side of the blind...

[moog5050]

11 hours ago, Larry302 said:

This is my buddies bow killed Elk in Montana , he lives in Great Falls. I could arrange a bow hunt with him . He's a biology Prof. and I'm sure my attorney friend from Washington State would join us . Not sure of odds of out of state tags , but I got a deer/ elk combo pretty easy .

He killed this one 3 miles from  camp and took 3 trips to pack out the meat, one reason I have little interest in killing one ....

When do we leave.  Set it up!

[Five Seasons]

grandpa was a hunter. Dad and his 2 brothers were hunters. Now I'm a hunter. 

 

super exciting i know. 

[LET EM GROW]

I grew up hunting. My dad took me out turkey hunting with him when i was young. Got to finally carry a gun when i was 12. I spent every summer of my childhood either at the cottage on Seneca Lake or at Camp down near Bath. My grandparents and uncles on both sides all hunted. I guess i was surrounded with it. Now it seems all grandparents and uncles cant, or just chose not to hunt anymore. So it is basically my brother and sister and myself that do the hunting now along with my Wife, cant forget her lol. Hope to teach my kids the way of the land as they grow up.. 

[Moho81]

For me there is no one set event that got me into hunting. My father did not hunt at all so I was introduced to the outdoors by my Uncle and my best friends family growing up as they both belonged to the same gun club. 

Growing up once summer hit my friends and I would spend all day down at the creek fishing. we would often go there in the morning, come home for lunch and head right back until dinner time. It still amazes me how much time we spent fishing all those years. Mostly caught bluegill, sunfish, bass and catfish. A few times a year my Uncle would take me out somewhere for trout or my favorite as a youngin northern pike!

I cant even recall when my first time hunting in the woods was. I'm pretty positive it was with my uncle hunting for small game which he never really did. When I was 16 I got a job as a dishwasher at the local country club where I met an avid small game hunter and we spent the next 5-6 years hunting everything that moved. Hunting wise that was the best time in my life. Now a days with a young family I only get out to deer hunt and maybe pheasant hunt once or twice a year. I'd love to get back into some of the small game hunting. Perhaps if my girls continue the interest in hunting they currently have I can take them out for small game. 

[dbHunterNY]

"Damn you autocorrect!"

*sit

...and yes.

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[dbHunterNY]

@Pygmy Next time pull out the sand bags to rest your gun. Better accuracy.

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Edited July 7, 2017 by dbHunterNY

[fasteddie]

When I was 12 , i took my dad's bolt action Mossberg 22 and shot woodchucks for local farmers in Groveland . They were happy to have me do it . One farmer actually bought me a box of 22 LR hollow points .

When I was 14 , my dad let me buy a Marlin lever action 22 from Hughs Sporting Goods Store in Dansville . Shot a lot more woodchucks and several squirrels .

In 1965 my father in law asked me if I would get a hunting license and go deer hunting with him . He hadn't gone deer hunting in several years and wanted to get back into it . We hunted the big woods in Sonyea and a property on Gibsonville Road in Leicester . This only lasted about 4 years and he quit . I hunted alone for a couple years and quit .

Somewhere around 1990 my SIL bought some property in Geneseo and was having a house built . She asked me if I would hunt with her as she was again interested in deer hunting . I got back into it and have been hunting ever since then . I don't mind hunting alone but a few times a year my sons hunt with me . I will be 76 this coming season and sometimes wonder how many more years I can continue to stay at it . 

[rachunter]

this is a good thread i enjoyed reading it.

[Doewhacker]

Funny stuff in here hehe...

Born and raised in it, now I am enjoying passing it on to my kids and I am fortunate enough to give them more opportunities than I had growing up. 

We are heading home from 8 days in the North woods of Maine tomorrow, it has been a week for them to fish and go through the old logging roads seeing Moose and every other critter up here. Awesome trip. 

[Nomad]

8 hours ago, moog5050 said:

When do we leave.  Set it up!

 Well we're well past the date to apply this year . My buddy in Seattle suggested I come out this year, about two weeks past e deadline.....

[moog5050]

25 minutes ago, Larry302 said:

 Well we're well past the date to apply this year . My buddy in Seattle suggested I come out this year, about two weeks past e deadline.....

Still 208 tags left in MT

[BizCT]

 Well we're well past the date to apply this year . My buddy in Seattle suggested I come out this year, about two weeks past e deadline.....

Still 208 tags left in MT

Washington for Blacktail deer? I'm in.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

I was in bellingham wa last week that place is lousy with blacktails


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[ATbuckhunter]

What a great thread!

My grandfather on my mothers side got me into hunting and fishing. He lived upstate when I was young and we we would go often to him. I never got anything with him in those early years, but I'm sure it was my fault.  After they moved back down to LI I only went out once or twice a year, and some years we got lucky enough to actually get a deer or a turkey. Once I was able to get my own license my passion really took off to what it is today for me. Got my first deer that year and 

I only hunt with my father, but he was never really into hunting. He says he enjoys it now, but he could be saying that so he doesn't hurt my feelings. My fathers side had some hunters back home in Europe, but both sides of my family were extremely poor farmers. They were poor to the point that being able to buy a gun was a huge luxury. And even then it was only bird and rabbit hunting since there are no deer left in that part of Europe. Now that people have moved to america, many of my cousins hunt and many hunt back home in Europe since we send money back to them. 

I really hope I can get my future kids interested in hunting and pass along this great tradition. 

[Nomad]

On July 7, 2017 at 6:01 PM, moog5050 said:

Still 208 tags left in MT

Let me call them. Id bet they have all their vacation time locked up now. They mostly deer hunt and rifle . Roger the one who,lives in Monatana bow hunters there .

Biz were talking Montana although my buddy in Washingon has killed Blacktails in Washingon  , but it's tough hunting an he mostly goes to Montana to hunt . 

 

If  you or Biz Or Phade ever want to whitetail and Mully hunt Monatana rifle that's an easy set up for me they go a few times a year, we camp in a cabin tents , Fun time .

Edited July 9, 2017 by Larry302

[Elmo]

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 4:16 PM, dbHunterNY said:

"Damn you autocorrect!"

*sit
 

I like how your phone autocorrects into a profanity.  Means you probably text that stuff so much it memorized it.

[Elmo]

Growing up in the inner city, there isn't much of any hunting anywhere.  But my passion for the outdoors was tough to contain.  Even before I could remember my mom said I use to dig up worms behind this one parking lot and bring them home.  I use to take the local subway to the other edges and catch garter snakes and what not from local parks.  I would watch National Geographics and see these biologist trekking through the jungle and fantasize about doing those things.  I left the city to go to college (U of Michigan) and during the last two years there, I rented off campus.  All of a sudden I started seeing hunters and I thought about doing that one day.  But that thought was put into the back of the attic the moment I moved back into the city for work.  I was also on the Biz track except mine extended from 15 all the way to about 35 when me and my now wife start becoming an official "couple".  One night, me and my brother who came back from the armed services was sitting around drinking and talking about bucket lists.  He also mentioned that while he was stationed if Fayetteville he ran into a lot of hunters and started thinking about doing some hunting ever since.  I replied (most likely in a drunken slur) "thhaattsss it...we *burp*, excuse me....we doing this shit."  The next day, I got online, did some research, signed us both up for the hunter safety course and the rest was history.

[NFA-ADK]

Dad never hunted as an adult.  As kids my parents took us to Maine or Pennsylvania for vacations.  Maine was all about fishing as they lived on a lake.  Penn was all about the woods, farm, exploring and shooting a bow, snowmobile in winters.  I was told my uncle always got a deer!  As a kid I shot just about every bird and small animal that lived (Crossman American Classic BB/pellet gun) and was never really interested in small game after that. 

In 1988 one of my best friends asks if I am interested in hunting deer I was hooked instantly even though we had a poacher trying to teach us how it was done, first and last year with him.  Reading all about hunting mature bucks in the deep ADK woods became a passion and we started our journey the next year in Warrensburg.  Took me a long time to learn about hunting and put it to good use on the ground, some hunting partners call me a bad hunter simply because I pass so many but for me the enjoyment is worth every minute! 

Personally I see this amazing creature as the most majestic beast in the N.E. woods and will always have a passion and respect for its beauty, cunning, alertness and many ways of evading the predators that seek them out.  The most adaptable animal with a amazing ability to survive our harsh winters is what originally attracted me to them but their beauty has captivated me forever!  I love deer, this is why when I hear people call them pests and vermin it brakes my heart.  I make it a point to thank every deer for its life and the bounty it provided out of respect for the animal I just killed.  

I hope on this epic 30th year of hunting my best friend Shawn finally gets his first deep woods ADK buck!  

 

[Moho81]

21 hours ago, Elmo said:

  I replied (most likely in a drunken slur) "thhaattsss it...we *burp*, excuse me....we doing this shit."  The next day, I got online, did some research, signed us both up for the hunter safety course and the rest was history.

Ha ha fantastic and can totally picture it happening exactly that way! 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

at 5 years old I was following my father in the small game woods. Not sure if it was becasue I was smaller, but it sure seemed like the snows were earlier and much much deeper back then. He grew up hunting with his brothers and father.  These trips out at 5 were mostly rabbit with beagles. The rule always was from 5 to 12, "If I pick my foot up and step forward with my right foot, your right foot goes into my track" I learned  a lot 2' behind him and sharing that with him, my two uncle, my cousin  and a few of their life long friends are some of the fondest moments in my memories. There was some hunting that I did learn on my own becasue he never cared to really get into it. Bow hunting, waterfowl hunting and the upland hunting when I had my Springer. He did go with me every once and a while but he was all about deer hunting with a gun and shooting rabbits, snowshoes, grouse and squirrels.

[Merlot]

Spending time on my Uncle's farm, not only helping with the milking chores and bailing hay, but also some time learning to shoot his .22 rifle and then going out to hunt chucks after milking in the evening. Loved the smell of the farm...even the manure...Smell of gunpowder was great too.

[turkeyfeathers]

Brothers who are much older (67/69) and dad (soon to be 93) hunted grouse/woodcock and pheasant when I was not even born yet ( I'm 48)  One brother hunts deer /turkey and other brother mainly grouse down the road. Dad hunted deer too but not a lot.  Both brothers had moved out well before I could hunt. I went with them a few times as a wee one to trudge thru the snow and soak in the bird hunting.

Received a Crossman pump pellet gun (pistol) when I was about 12. Man I killed a lot of bunnies, squirrels, frogs and starlings with that thing. I'd go along with a friend and we'd roam the woods for hours.

At 14 I got a Ruger 10/.22. No clue on how many rounds I shot those next few years. Never really hunting but walking thru woods behind buddies shooting red squirrels and starlings.

Think I finally bought a hunting license at 18 and then again for a few years. Only hunted some small game. Then it was game on with the girls for a while like a few others I read on here.

Always wanted to hunt deer and turkey but never did. At age 28  my wife of new bought me my very own shotgun. A Winchester 1300 from Harlem Gun Center. The following year a Winchester ML  What a good wife !  Although I think she was trying to get me out of the house for long periods of time ?! Well that first year I shot a scrubby racked 5 point not even knowing how to get or what DMP's were. Now hat ? I've never field dressed a deer or seen it done. No smartphones or computers to watch YouTube. She was a recent veterinary graduate and said " I'll help"  with the dissection so I drove home and she came back to help me. I remember my brother saying "cut out anything you don't plan on eating"  Well she watched as I did just that with a little verbal instructions lol.  Even helped me drag my first deer out of the woods. Days later we were eating our first venison and I've been hooked ever since. Think maybe a year or two later I tried turkey hunting. Got lucky (I now realize) and killed a nice bird. Used my Lynch's Foolproof 101 I had since I was about 10 years old. Messed around with it for so many years but never hearing a turkey before had no clue other that a yelp. I to this day still hold the box call wrong. Where most have the paddle away from their body I hold box in left hand and use paddle closer to me. So all of my deer hunting and turkey hunting was self taught. Trapping as a kid and did a lot of that I did learn some things about deer, their habits, where they hide etc and eventually utilized some of that knowledge in deer hunting. Really wish there wasn't such a large gap in age between my brothers and dad and they could have mentored me along the way. And to have shared more hunting memories with them. I've spent countless hours in the woods in the last 28 years learning all on my own. My "Live from the woods " thread in deer and turkey season will confirm my passion, stubbornness( in inclimate weather), still learning every day I'm out there .If I bring some meat home , great if not , great again. still had a great day Killed a fair amount of deer a long the way and turkey as well.  So every harvest I have I can pat myself on the back and say " nice job, you did that all on your own with what you taught yourself.  Icing on the cake is my daughter loves hunting. I now get to teach her everything I know and we can learn even more together. Something I didn't have making it even more special for her and I.

 

Still have the pellet pistol. It still shoots great if I pump it up immediately before shooting because the seal leaks. Maybe I'll send it back to get fixed. 

Edited July 12, 2017 by turkeyfeathers

[moog5050]

30 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Brothers who are much older (67/69) and dad (soon to be 93) hunted grouse/woodcock and pheasant when I was not even born yet ( I'm 48)  One brother hunts deer /turkey and other brother mainly grouse down the road. Dad hunted deer too but not a lot.  Both brothers had moved out well before I could hunt. I went with them a few times as a wee one to trudge thru the snow and soak in the bird hunting.

Received a Crossman pump pellet gun (pistol) when I was about 12. Man I killed a lot of bunnies, squirrels, frogs and starlings with that thing. I'd go along with a friend and we'd roam the woods for hours.

At 14 I got a Ruger 10/.22. No clue on how many rounds I shot those next few years. Never really hunting but walking thru woods behind buddies shooting red squirrels and starlings.

Think I finally bought a hunting license at 18 and then again for a few years. Only hunted some small game. Then it was game on with the girls for a while like a few others I read on here.

Always wanted to hunt deer and turkey but never did. At age 28  my wife of new bought me my very own shotgun. A Winchester 1300 from Harlem Gun Center. The following year a Winchester ML  What a good wife !  Although I think she was trying to get me out of the house for long periods of time ?! Well that first year I shot a scrubby racked 5 point not even knowing how to get or what DMP's were. Now hat ? I've never field dressed a deer or seen it done. No smartphones or computers to watch YouTube. She was a recent veterinary graduate and said " I'll help"  with the dissection so I drove home and she came back to help me. I remember my brother saying "cut out anything you don't plan on eating"  Well she watched as I did just that with a little verbal instructions lol.  Even helped me drag my first deer out of the woods. Days later we were eating our first venison and I've been hooked ever since. Think maybe a year or two later I tried turkey hunting. Got lucky (I now realize) and killed a nice bird. Used my Lynch's Foolproof 101 I had since I was about 10 years old. Messed around with it for so many years but never hearing a turkey before had no clue other that a yelp. I to this day still hold the box call wrong. Where most have the paddle away from their body I hold box in left hand and use paddle closer to me. So all of my deer hunting and turkey hunting was self taught. Trapping as a kid and did a lot of that I did learn some things about deer, their habits, where they hide etc and eventually utilized some of that knowledge in deer hunting. Really wish there wasn't such a large gap in age between my brothers and dad and they could have mentored me along the way. And to have shared more hunting memories with them. I've spent countless hours in the woods in the last 28 years learning all on my own. My "Live from the woods " thread in deer and turkey season will confirm my passion, stubbornness( in inclimate weather), still learning every day I'm out there .If I bring some meat home , great if not , great again. still had a great day Killed a fair amount of deer a long the way and turkey as well.  So every harvest I have I can pat myself on the back and say " nice job, you did that all on your own with what you taught yourself.  Icing on the cake is my daughter loves hunting. I now get to teach her everything I know and we can learn even more together. Something I didn't have making it even more special for her and I.

 

Still have the pellet pistol. It still shoots great if I pump it up immediately before shooting because the seal leaks. Maybe I'll send it back to get fixed. 

I had that same gun as a kid along with a pump bb rifle from crossman. 

[dbHunterNY]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 5:07 PM, Elmo said:

I like how your phone autocorrects into a profanity.  Means you probably text that stuff so much it memorized it.

in all honesty I get more vulgar language then I text to people.  i'm sure I've taught it some though.  it's also possible it was just me being at work in an office full of guys, probably multi tasking, and frustrated with something going on.  some days you or your phone just has to vent.