what would the old hunter in you tell the young hunter you were

[Robhuntandfish]

If you could pass along advice to yourself as a young hunter what would you tell yourself........  Now that you have learned and gained experience.  Its a question asked about life but it could also apply to hunting. 

I guess i would tell myself to buy land when I was young as you will always have it, to be sure to get out and hunt every year cause there were years when I was younger I didnt and to get into bow hunting earlier cause I have enjoyed it so much since I did.  

And lastly to invent the Trail Camera so that I could retire and hunt and fish all the time! lol

[Jeremy K]

Certainly my first thing would be to take up my uncle on his offer to just pay the taxes on his property and he'll just keep it and let us use it, that was some good property. Practice ,practice,practice shooting the bow ,you don't want the big one to get away because the bows operator didn't do his part come crunch time. The other stuff I could see leaving alone and letting that stuff come with time, giving up all the info may make hunting a boring venture.

[chas0218]

Be patient! That is still my downfall but getting older I have slowed down and take my time. Also would tell myself to not shoot the first thing that walked in front of you, you have 3 weeks to fill a tag or 2. I would have learned a lot more if I didn't just whack the first deer that walked in front of me.

[bugsNbows]

Cherish the hunt and don't fret the outcome! 

[tommyc50]

wow thats tough i got married @ 20 and raised my kids and when i bought a house was paying a mortgage and all goes with that[ oh yeah in'88 when i bought my house i was paying 13% on my mortgage]. but i would tell you i would have gotten in to bow hunting much earlier then i did im so grateful for the opportunities that i had .  one thing you need to hunt is time and of course money.  things i didnt have when i was younger. well at 57 i have alittle of both so im glad i still have some health left to enjoy it 

[vizslas]

practice your shot . Because in the end thats  where the chips fall. its all on you to get it done. If you want to be the great white hunter.. Spend the money on boots.

[airedale]

Try your best to obtain quality hunting equipment and clothing.

Learn to have patience

Learn how to use your hunting weapons proficiently whatever they may be, as the old master gun writer Jack O'Connor put it.

"No man alive can be a good shot unless be practices a lot. No matter whether he is a varmint hunter, a small bore expert, a big bore target shooter or just some guy that likes to burn powder, unless he shoots a lot he is is not a good shot."

Take up small game hunting, there is no better way to hone hunting skills.

Al

Edited December 13, 2017 by airedale

[BigVal]

Become truly dirty with a scope 

[grampy]

I'd tell myself to just slow down, and enjoy every second in the woods. It really doesn't matter how many deer you kill, or how big the buck is. Health is a fleeting thing as you get older. So cherish the frost in the air, the cold windy days, a fresh snow, or the warm balmy October day. Without good health, you can not enjoy any of those days. Reach out and help another hunter, who has not had the opportunities you had, don't be so secretive and selfish, they are only deer. Oh, and one last thing. ALWAYS take a slow look, ALL around you, before standing up! 

[52 farmer]

Whatever your shooting practice, practice and practice more.Enjoy the woods and the outdoors, and cherish the first hunting moments with your kids or grandkids in the field .

[Steve D]

Marry a wife or a husband with a GOOD job so you can take more time off for hunting and not worry about the bills.

[Nomad]

That hunting is an enjoyable hobby , and in the big picture of little importance .

[Uncle Nicky]

Owning your own land is not it's all it's cracked up to be. You'll have more fun in the long run getting on a lease or paying for a few guided hunts each year.

Hunting is not a competition or a race to fill the freezer. Just enjoy your time in the woods.

Hunt the mountains as hard as you can. Once you hit 50 or so, it will not look like much fun.

Choose your hunting friends and outfitters wisely. But once you find someone dependable, do your best to hold onto them.

Don't sweat it if your wife complains about how much time you spend hunting, your hunting dogs, or the mounts you hang up. She may not talk to you for a few days (WINNING!), but she's not leaving. And if she does leave, you're probably better off anyway.

Nobody dies wishing they had spent more time at the office, but most of us will regret all the time we missed hunting or fishing because we were working.

[Robhuntandfish]

5 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

That hunting is an enjoyable hobby , and in the big picture of little importance .

"not because I find fishing as being so terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant and not nearly so much fun" - Robert Traver

Agreed it is a hobby but also important.  When I look back at times with my Dad it always involved fishing hunting camping, that set the scene for some of those most important times in life you never forget and an outlet to the ones you wish you could forget. 

[Doc]

6 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

That hunting is an enjoyable hobby , and in the big picture of little importance .

This is something that I have to constantly remind myself of. Hunting and fishing are recreational activities, and whether I eat or starve is not something that is at stake. Taking a relaxed attitude will make the activity a much more enjoyable pastime. 

[moog5050]

Great question and answers.  I look forward to all the wisdom to be shared in this thread from the old folks!

[adkhunter71]

Spend less time in the bar and more time in the woods.  I would still be single if I did that, and I actually like my wife, so I am kind of glad that things worked out the way that  they did....that being said, maybe spend half as much time in the bar, lol.

 

[Five Seasons]

at 34, there's not enough "old me" when it comes to hunting. I think I did everything I should as a kid, including puting in time. I'm also not sure I made any real bad decisions from lack of experience. I still haven't lost a deer with the bow, but could have made some better shots with the gun... but I think those were good learning experiences. Certainly lots I could do better...

I guess if i picked anything it would be to spend more time with my grandpa.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Belo

[DDT]

Shoot damnit shoot, there might not be a bigger one.

[NYBowhunter]

Be patient and at times just stop and look around. Dont be so rushed to get things done, they will eventually get done. At 47 i still have to remind myself to just slow down just a little. Im unfortunately of the mentality that things need to be done now, not tomorrow. 

[wildcat junkie]

Be patient. Have confidence in your rifle and shooting skills. Always assume you hit the animal. Even if there is no sigh of a hit where the animal stood at the shot, make ever increasing circles until you have covered every square yard for a 100 yard radius.

[turkeyfeathers]

Buy some land   Every day there is less and less.

[wildcat junkie]

4 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Buy some land   Every day there is less and less.

They don't make it anymore.

[Steuben Jerry]

58 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

I guess i would tell myself to buy land when I was young

I'd go along with that. I bought our first parcel when I was in my 30's. I would have gotten more than I have if I'd have started younger.

Those boats and cool cars that ate some of my disposable income are long gone.

[moog5050]

OK - I am not that old, experienced or wise, but I have learned that enjoying the success of others that hunt can be just as satisfying as knocking down your own big buck.