hunting -- just starting out

[bbbass]

Yes to hunting buddy... but be careful who!!! Prefer someone you know and trust. If someone is new to you, I recommend some talks, intro to your kids, talks about safety and hunter ethics, all followed by some target shooting... SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY!!! Never go hunting with someone you don't feel safe around!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nor someone that has slob hunter ethics!

 

[Cucv]

It's difficult. I would love to go hunting. But my rifles are not set up for it and I don't know anyone who hunts.

 

[FishnhuntOR]

If you don't have anyone to take you under their wing.
I suggest you start to take your rifle out for a walk. Now! with out actually putting miles in boots... you're just all talk.
Consider it scouting and learning the terrain and finding stuff is always fun. When you spot game, try to sneak up as close as you and you will see how weary they are.
They'll be your best teacher

I also suggest east side of cascades, maybe just other side. It is a Lots less dense.
3D Google scout your destination, GPS your parked truck location and head out.
Wind in your face, cover north facing slopes

 

[Aaron Brand]

It's only -required- until you are 18, but I took it when I was younger and they gave me a lot of great information that I'd even like to re-learn now.
It probably depends on the teacher, but mine taught us about tracking and basic survival skills that were nice.

I'm in Washington and went to get my hunting license last week. When I tried to buy it they asked to see my certification; all first-time hunters here are required to take the class. (There are some exceptions for folks hunting with an experienced hunter during their first season.) It was an online class and pretty informative, but had an annoying timer on each page to make sure you don't just click through without reading and watching the videos.

I'm looking to find a place to go dove hunting in my area.

 

[huzar]

I'm excited to have my neighbor take me hunting for the first time. I seriously doubt I'll get a deer, but I'm hoping to learn a fair bit so I can do better next year.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

@huzar
I wish you good luck and a safe hunt...!
Andy

 

[Mecanik]

Without knowing anyone that hunts and learning the basics it's almost impossible to get into hunting. I hunted all my younger years but I was taught by my dad. do whatever it takes to find someone to help you get started.

 

[No_Regerts]

Without knowing anyone that hunts and learning the basics it's almost impossible to get into hunting. I hunted all my younger years but I was taught by my dad. do whatever it takes to find someone to help you get started.

It depends on how bad you want to learn and your attention span. If you have a basic knowledge of firearm safety, there is hundreds of years of stories and articles to help someone figure it out. It's trial and error from there.

 

[aflineman]

It depends on how bad you want to learn and your attention span. If you have a basic knowledge of firearm safety, there is hundreds of years of stories and articles to help someone figure it out. It's trial and error from there.

While having a mentor is great, the important thing is to get boots on the ground. Google maps, and some info from hunting books are great, but you need to get out there and experience it. Mistakes are part of the game, just make sure they don't involve shooting something you don't want to. Always be sure of your target, and what is beyond it. They will always be another chance. Part of the fun is getting busted by an animal. Especially the ones you expect to walk past a certain tree, and they turn while blocked by said tree. They are very good at surviving. Got to admire them for that.

 

[No_Regerts]

While having a mentor is great, the important thing is to get boots on the ground. Google maps, and some info from hunting books are great, but you need to get out there and experience it. Mistakes are part of the game, just make sure they don't involve shooting something you don't want to. Always be sure of your target, and what is beyond it. They will always be another chance. Part of the fun is getting busted by an animal. Especially the ones you expect to walk past a certain terr, and they turn while blocked by said tree. They are very good at surviving. Got to admire them for that.

When I was learning to hunt, I was hunting really open country with very little trees or cover. I spent the whole summer trying to figure out how to get close. Once I was able to get within 50 yards, I was pretty confident.

Then opening day came and the deer "disappeared", so I couldn't get close to what I couldn't find. Should have gotten better at glassing. So, I did what I could and saved money for better glass. Lesson learned!

 

[ronmart]

Without knowing anyone that hunts and learning the basics it's almost impossible to get into hunting. I hunted all my younger years but I was taught by my dad. do whatever it takes to find someone to help you get started.

It sure feels like that. I've been on this journey to hunt up here in Washington State and while I've got some good suggestions, I've not had much luck actually getting going.

I used to hunt with friends in Mississippi or on my own property in Louisiana when I was a kid, but back then I could run around as a 10 year old with a gun and shoot pretty much anything as long as it wasn't human or too many ducks. Up here in the Northwest - the land of too many laws - it seems impossible to get started.

I finally resorted to https://www.redshunting.com/ and doing the Uplands Pheasant hunt as a reward to my son for completing hunter-ed.com and getting his license. It felt dirty, but hey we had fun and he got to eat his first kill. He also had a ton of fun sporting clay shooting.

This ended up being a semi-useful resource - https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting - but I still haven't ventured out yet.

So far on my own my only accomplishment has been to buy onX Hunt app. And upgrade it. Still haven't gotten anything yet.

There's another site that I still need to dig into as well - https://www.letsgohunting.org/

At one point I was looking for land to buy so I could just hunt on my own land. Seems impossible - it's all sold - even the freakin useless land, unless you've got several hundred thousand or more to spend.

Oh and I learned that Outfitters are people who are paid and sometimes even sponsored to take people out on hunts. They like to charge several thousand dollars for a chance to get a deer, so I haven't gone that route yet.

Meanwhile at the range when I'm shooting my 6.5 Creedmoor the deer taunt me by staying as close as 6 feet from my target without moving while I shoot the target:



and in my neighbors lawn about 2 yards from my deck they taunt me even more:



For the love of god would someone just tell me "you can go here and shoot all of the <pretty much anything at this point> with your 22LR & up and you won't go to jail for doing it". It seems like the odds of winning the PowerBall are greater, so I'm doing that so I can pay one of those Outfitters or buy enough land of my own that nobody will hear me shooting anything that moves on that land <kidding>.

 

[Mecanik]

For just shooting I go to either state or federal land. I don't know anyone with private land that has enough space to shoot. I do the same for hunting. Washington is blessed to have millions of acres of public lands so it's nice in that way. The bad thing is it's governed by people who have no interest in hunting and if they could eliminate it they would if they thought the people wouldn't scream bloody murder. Hunters don't represent as large a voting block as they once did and today with the two parties at each others throat the voters are trapped in the middle. This is one of the most poorly run fish and game states there is and I see the end coming within 50 years or so. Long after I'm dead but still a young person getting into hunting is looking at a dismal future if they're thinking big game. Bird hunting would be a good place to start. Grouse are plentiful in southwest Washington and all it takes is a small game license. I'm told turkeys are getting more plentiful also.

 

[ronmart]

For just shooting I go to either state or federal land. I don't know anyone with private land that has enough space to shoot. I do the same for hunting. Washington is blessed to have millions of acres of public lands so it's nice in that way. The bad thing is it's governed by people who have no interest in hunting and if they could eliminate it they would if they thought the people wouldn't scream bloody murder. Hunters don't represent as large a voting block as they once did and today with the two parties at each others throat the voters are trapped in the middle. This is one of the most poorly run fish and game states there is and I see the end coming within 50 years or so. Long after I'm dead but still a young person getting into hunting is looking at a dismal future if they're thinking big game. Bird hunting would be a good place to start. Grouse are plentiful in southwest Washington and all it takes is a small game license. I'm told turkeys are getting more plentiful also.

The part I'm missing is - you can go <here> and shoot <x> and you aren't going to shoot hikers or get arrested by LEO. The typical answer to inquires like this are "oh, just go look on onX Hunt" but that just tells me who owns the land. I'm still a bit skeptical of cold calling someone and saying "hey, can I shoot on your land". I think that's the part that I'm going to need to get over unless I find someone here who says "you can shoot on my land".

I hear there's actually a need to thin the Coyote's in Eastern WA so I'd love to find someone who says "hey, come take care of some of these for me".

 

[Labradorian]

The part I'm missing is - you can go <here> and shoot <x> and you aren't going to shoot hikers or get arrested by LEO. The typical answer to inquires like this are "oh, just go look on onX Hunt" but that just tells me who owns the land. I'm still a bit skeptical of cold calling someone and saying "hey, can I shoot on your land". I think that's the part that I'm going to need to get over unless I find someone here who says "you can shoot on my land".

I hear there's actually a need to thin the Coyote's in Eastern WA so I'd love to find someone who says "hey, come take care of some of these for me".

I've tried giving away a blacktail hunt on my property for a couple of years (on another site). I restrict it to newbies kind of local to me and pointy sticks (perhaps 410 slugs too). Never got a bite. It comes with WIFI and a comphy chair too.

ETA: Deer to me are bands of cloven hooved vermin that eat and kill my roses and fruit trees.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

The part I'm missing is - you can go <here> and shoot <x> and you aren't going to shoot hikers or get arrested by LEO.

Where I hunt and shoot is on public land.
I hunt and shoot on the Van Zandt Dike , near the town of Acme Wa.
Its about 2 - 2 1/2 hours* from Seattle....that may be worth the drive for a weekend hunt for you.
With that said...it is public land and folks other than hunters and shooters may be out there at times.

Grouse , deer , elk and bear are popular to hunt here.
Mountain lion as well.

If you are interested in learning more about that area , you can look it up via google "Van Zandt Dike" or PM me.
Andy
*depending on the route and how fast you drive...

 

[BigDog67]

The part I'm missing is - you can go <here> and shoot <x> and you aren't going to shoot hikers or get arrested by LEO. The typical answer to inquires like this are "oh, just go look on onX Hunt" but that just tells me who owns the land. I'm still a bit skeptical of cold calling someone and saying "hey, can I shoot on your land". I think that's the part that I'm going to need to get over unless I find someone here who says "you can shoot on my land".

I hear there's actually a need to thin the Coyote's in Eastern WA so I'd love to find someone who says "hey, come take care of some of these for me".

I live in Eastern Washington, and this is the first I've heard of an "actually a need to thin the Coyotes".
I live out in the sagebrush and range and may see one every few months. Haven't heard them in several months.

 

[Mecanik]

As long as you're on public land and you are a considerable safe distance from neighboring private land you are allowed to target shoot. Download the state rules for shooting on public lands and you're good to go. It is NEVER ok to shoot or hunt on private land without permission. That's why I totally avoid it. Pick up everything you bring with you including your shell casings. Never shoot into live trees.

 

[ronmart]

As long as you're on public land and you are a considerable safe distance from neighboring private land you are allowed to target shoot. Download the state rules for shooting on public lands and you're good to go. It is NEVER ok to shoot or hunt on private land without permission. That's why I totally avoid it. Pick up everything you bring with you including your shell casings. Never shoot into live trees.

Yeah, I had reached out and asked the forest service so they had given me a link to this:

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - Alerts & Closures

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - Alerts & Closures

www.fs.usda.gov

Along with the penalties for not following the rules. I asked for some recommendations and got a vague response. So looked at google maps and picked a place that seemed to meet the criteria and just asked for a verification from the ranger - nope, too many people. I repeated this process several times going farther out each time via forest service roads, and again - nope.

It seems they are saying one thing because its the law but they really don't want us out there. On the other hand it seems that people just do it and that's the only real way to enjoy the public lands - of which this state has an obscene amount of.

 

[Mecanik]

Being from Seattle you're in the epicenter of liberal nonsense. My guess is the forest rangers are left leaners and you might have to just pick a spot and do it. Stay away from roads and human trails. I've never asked a forest ranger for permission to do something I know is already legal. Ask yourself do people normally hunt in the area's you want to shoot in and if the answer is yes it's a good bet you can shoot recreationally safely. Find a good back stop and make sure there's no camp grounds near by etc etc etc

 

[ronmart]

Being from Seattle you're in the epicenter of liberal nonsense. My guess is the forest rangers are left leaners and you might have to just pick a spot and do it. Stay away from roads and human trails. I've never asked a forest ranger for permission to do something I know is already legal. Ask yourself do people normally hunt in the area's you want to shoot in and if the answer is yes it's a good bet you can shoot recreationally safely. Find a good back stop and make sure there's no camp grounds near by etc etc etc

Yes, I am. And them always reminding me about the rule below makes me concerned to go somewhere without their blessing as they are going to be the ones to enforce that.

Violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both (16 U.S.C. 551, 18 U.S.C. 3559 and 3571).