How did you become a hunter?

[noonebil]

I'd like to hear how you came to be a hunter. How old were you when you first went? Who took you? Any stories that stand out? Is there a moment you remember that defines when you decided hunting was for you?

[noonebil]

I don't remember the exact age I started, but it was probably 8-9. My grandfather went hunting in Paulks Pasture (before it was a management area). He took me several times a year to hunt squirrel, hogs, & deer (still & behind dogs). I was probably 10 when I took my first deer. I was sitting in a ditch along a road covered with winter rye. A spike stepped out at 60-70 yards & I shot. It ran in the woods. After a short tracking job by my grandfather, I had my first deer.
I took several deer over the next 10 years including a nice basket rack 8pt that is still the only mount I have (I will save that story for another time). But, when I married my first wife, the rigors of establishing a family as well as the fact that she would not eat any wild game had hunting drift from my life.
When I met my second wife, her family was really into the outdoor lifestyle. Her father was a park superintendant (Laura S. Walker near Waycross, Ga.) & both of her brothers were really into hunting. With her encouragement, I got a rifle (my ex wouldn't even allow one in the house) & began hunting Paulks Pasture & Sansavilla WMAs. This soon became restrictive since they were only open so many days & I work shift work. I joined a club near my house.
I went 2 seasons without getting a deer, but on a trip to visit my bro-in-law in Clayton, Ga., I got a fat doe. This was the first deer I got that I scouted & picked the stand site (my grandfather had always put me on a stand). I am more & more hooked every year.

[hunt4fun1]

By the grace of God. ;D

I have always fished and hunted with my Dad. I can't remember when I didn't.

[flhuntress]

grew up doin' rednecky things but it wasn't until i met my husband that i got into huntin'...it's the best gift he could have ever gave me....it's right up there with my salvation.

[benhuntin]

From the time I was five or six I was exploring the woods and enjoying nature. When I was 7 a 17 year old friend of the family took me rabbit hunting. Even though I didnt have a gun i was hooked. I was even allowed to shoot the 12 guage once. Knocked me on my butt. When I was 12 my dad bought me a .410 shotgun
and turned me loose. I had a beagle/basset hound mix
to run rabbits so every day after school we would hit the woods.

[Shorthair]

I went quail hunting with my dad and great uncle when I was little in between living in Africa and living in New Jersey whle dad was in Vietnam. I was really stung by the hunting bug watching my dad and uncle shooting quail. I never got to shoot until my dad came back from Vietnam. I was bird hunting pretty young(8 years old) but I didn't start deer hunting and duck hunting until I was 15.
I don't think I really became a "hunter" until after I was married. I'd say I was in my late twenties before I really became a proficient hunter and really knew how and where to locate game.
Of course the way my duck hunting has been going this season I'm feeling a little green again.

[hoythunter48]

I started tagging along with my dad deerhunting when i was about 4-5, but never really figured id liek huntign myself i got bored, one day when i was 12 he came home with a rifle and said your goin deerhunting this year and i said no i dont think i want to and he was like i paid 900 bucks for a brand new rifle YOU ARE GOING, so i agreed, the first day came he took me to a tower stand he had built for me and set me up made sure i was comfortable and safe,he told me not to get down till he came back, then went to his stand, right off the bat i seen a small 5 point, and i decided not to shoot, i knew my dad has always been known around here for shooting big bucks so that when i decided i was to, so i let that buck walk, then a spike came by and i let him walk to, finall about ten a looked up and seen a good buck running towards me, i started shaking so bad it wasnt funny, then he got within range and i grunted, but he ketp coming, then i whistled but to no avail, then i went HEY STOP!!!!!, and he whirled around and looked at me, i raised and shot, he went about 10 yards and dropped, it was a 15inch 9 point, to make things better dad had shot a 20inch 11 point early that morning and set in his stand till 10 to give me time to hunt and when he got down it jumped my buck and it ran to me,
THENNN I was climbin down and i saw the local news van coming down the road to our spot, we know one of the guys that manage it because he hutns with us and they heard us shoot and came to check it out and we both got on tv with our deer, we have been on tv several times since then and its pretty cool, and thats how i got started hunting.

[gulfcoasthunter]

My dad started taking me hunting and fishing when I was probably 6. Some of the earliest memories I have are sitting in a boat with him or standing in the back of his truck listening to a bunch of walkers jumping deer. He doesn't hunt anymore because around here there just aren't any places to run dogs unless you can afford 3000$ a year for a lease but I sure wish I could take him and let him hear one more good race before he is gone, especially since we almost lost him over thanksgiving.

[Shorthair]

gulfcoasthunter said:

but I sure wish I could take him and let him hear one more good race before he is gone, especially since we almost lost him over thanksgiving.

How far are you from Burke County Georgia bro? I can hook y'all up. My chances to hunt on days we run dogs are few for the rest of this season(I can send some dates besdies the day ds11 is coming) but we can start planning something for next year if you really want him to hear some good racing.

[gulfcoasthunter]

I don't know where Burke county is, how far is it from albany? I appreciate the offer maybe we can work it out.

[Shorthair]

Where I live is about 3.5 hours from Albany. My dad's family lives just the other side of Pelham in Grady County and it takes me about 4 hours to get to the farm from here.

[Covehnter]

I dont remember not being in the woods. Hunted all my life. . . i was lucky to have a dad that was a serious deer hunter and is one of the best that i know. I killed my first deer when i was 8 years old sittin by my dads side in Monroe Co. Ga, memory that will be with me when they put me in the ground. I started turkey and duck hunting on my own and now thats my main passion. My dad became addicted to turkey after going w/ me last year. . . i got him his first couple birds last year and now he is hooked. It was kinda like returning the favor. ;D

[Shorthair]

That is pretty cool. I'm jealous, I can't even get my dad to go quail hunting anymore.

[Covehnter]

My dad used to hunt only deer. . . i tried to get him to turkey hunt w/ me for 3 years. . .finally i got him to go this year and he says that deer hunting just isnt the same. It was awesome watching him get all shook up and missing his first bird at 15 yards ;D He said that he hasnt been that shakey since his first deer when he was 16. We came so close to getting him a bird so many times this year . . . . then finally . . . he did the impossible and killed two birds in one shot!! Words just cant describe it! ;D

[RedOak]

My dad hunted small game all of his life I and I did when I was younger. Honestly I don't rember the first time I went hunting or fishing it has just been something that has always been done. Same goes with firearms. I think I was 4 or 5 the first time I fired a gun. Something peculiar about my family is that they would have you shooting a .22 at 5 or so but BBs and pelets were out. You needed to lear the respect for a real firewarm. Also things are kept loaded so there is no treat it like it is because it damn well is.

As far as I can rember my dad never deer hunted in my lifetime, I guese growing up in Georgia in the 40's there just werent many around and he never got hooked. I can say my family did turn me off to coon hunting. To coon hunt with them you were supposed to be right up the dogs butt. I can think of better places to be than a swamp at 3 am. Funny with my small game upbringing I don't much like it now. I don't mind cleaning a deer but a mess of squirrels just sounds like work.