Beginner help

[Eliseo120]

I want to try deer hunting sometime in the near future, but I have no experience with any part of hunting. I am going to take a hunter safety course as soon as I can, and then a few rifle classes to get some experience shooting. I want to learn all I can before I go out. But as I am going to college in Frederick, and I don't have any relatives nearby, I can't buy very much gear; specifically a rifle and ammo. Is there anybody that could use a new member to go with, and also help me learn?

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I want to try deer hunting sometime in the near future, but I have no experience with any part of hunting. I am going to take a hunter safety course as soon as I can, and then a few rifle classes to get some experience shooting. I want to learn all I can before I go out. But as I am going to college in Frederick, and I don't have any relatives nearby, I can't buy very much gear; specifically a rifle and ammo. Is there anybody that could use a new member to go with, and also help me learn?

Take the classes. Buy the gun. Practice much at a local range. Replan to ask this question again next hunting season and you may just get a few more responses. Classes mean little, but are required. No one is willing to to teach someone how to shoot and handle a gun safely and also invest in teaching someone how to hunt who knows nothing about it at all. This might sound a bit "direct", but, learn to shoot and handle the gun safely and "know" the firearm you are handling. After that your chances of hunting success will come easier.

 

[mopar92]

Yo shoot me a PM I'm going to the range tomorrow and can help with shooting a rifle at least.

 

[Mdeng]

Welcome to the forum from Southern Maryland.

I understand the starving student lifestyle well and have made up for it. Check out the Frederick IWLA and get in contact with Ben Kelkye there.

 

[jpo183]

In all reality learn to bow hunt. Overall cheaper, more places to hunt and more time to hunt.

Go out to frederick watershed and start hiking around and messing with some basic bushcraft. Ive just started hunting this year and a lot of it is just getting out there and scouting and failing.

Edit youtube is your friend

 

[Eliseo120]

Take the classes. Buy the gun. Practice much at a local range. Replan to ask this question again next hunting season and you may just get a few more responses. Classes mean little, but are required. No one is willing to to teach someone how to shoot and handle a gun safely and also invest in teaching someone how to hunt who knows nothing about it at all. This might sound a bit "direct", but, learn to shoot and handle the gun safely and "know" the firearm you are handling. After that your chances of hunting success will come easier.

I wasn't asking people to teach me how to shoot, I was going to get basic idead from taking rifle classes at the IWLA nearby and go from there. I also can't buy any guns because I don't have any places to store stuff except at my dorm, but there aren't any guns allowed at the school I'm attending.

 

[Hyp81]

When I was at VT, guns weren't allowed in dorms, but if you hunted, the University police would allow you to store your gun there and check it out when you needed. Not sure where you go to school, but might be worth checkin out, and bows probably are not covered under that... particularly if you kept them cased under your bed or something. You'd need to look into joining a range that allows bow shooting.

 

[Eliseo120]

Oh thanks, I'll check that out. I'm pretty sure they don't allow any type of weapons. Hunting knives aren't allowed so I'm sure bows aren't.
Btw I am going to Hood College in Frederick, if anybody knows their rules about it, or hunters that go there.

 

[jpo183]

Oh thanks, I'll check that out. I'm pretty sure they don't allow any type of weapons. Hunting knives aren't allowed so I'm sure bows aren't.
Btw I am going to Hood College in Frederick, if anybody knows their rules about it, or hunters that go there.

Bows should be fine. The other thing to consider is do you have private land to hunt? I decided for bow so I dont have to go hunt in rifle season with drunk morons. You're more likely to get shot on public land during hunting season then getting a deer....

 

[Eliseo120]

No I haven't found any places to hunt yet. I probably won't be able to start until next year, because I want to get more experienced and get a knowledge of places to go. And I do want to try bows, but after I got a hang on rifles.

 

[Hyp81]

I have been assuming you are a guy b/c you did not say otherwise so it is typically assumed. You can contact your local Issac Walton League for assistance (there is a big, active chapter in Frederick) and also the local chapter of hunting groups like the Nat'l Wild Turkey Federation. I have gotten a lot of good advice and support there.

If my assumption is wrong, and you are a girl, check out the MD DNR's Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. Great program for women interested in learning to hunt, fish, etc.

 

[Eliseo120]

Yes I am a male.

 

[Rem700fan]

You're more likely to get shot on public land during hunting season then getting a deer....

I hunted public lands for over 20 years and the trick is to study maps and be willing to hike in far enough to get away from the orange pumpkin patch. Most guys wont walk more than a few hundred yards from a road or trail. Most will also avoid areas of thick vegetation. The deer will be were the hunters are not. Also head in very early and let the other hunters push deer toward you. Stay on stand all day as hunters going out for lunch will also move deer around. Cant say I am sucessful every year but 75 % of the time I am. Been shot 0 times.

 

[Eliseo120]

I hunted public lands for over 20 years and the trick is to study maps and be willing to hike in far enough to get away from the orange pumpkin patch. Most guys wont walk more than a few hundred yards from a road or trail. Most will also avoid areas of thick vegetation. The deer will be were the hunters are not. Also head in very early and let the other hunters push deer toward you. Stay on stand all day as hunters going out for lunch will also move deer around. Cant say I am sucessful every year but 75 % of the time I am. Been shot 0 times.

I like your no shot score. I'm sure that would really dampen your day.

 

[Biggfoot44]

You can certainly say that hunting on crowded public land is not your prefered hunting experience ( not mine either) , and requires different stratagies , but the fears of being shot are greatly exagerated. In recent decades , the odds of being accidently shot ( by someone else) during deer season roud off to zero.

 

[Eliseo120]

I would assume that's because you have to wear bright colors.

 

[jpo183]

You can certainly say that hunting on crowded public land is not your prefered hunting experience ( not mine either) , and requires different stratagies , but the fears of being shot are greatly exagerated. In recent decades , the odds of being accidently shot ( by someone else) during deer season roud off to zero.

You are correct , I was over exaggerating. But point is public rifle season is no bueno.

 

[adjusterr]

New Hunter

Look for a used rifle, you can find a .30-.30 or 308, 30.06 in decent condition for a few hundred dollars, check pawn shops and MD shooters site. Spend as much time as possible learning to shoot accurately, try to include a scope in your rifle purchase. The most simple and successful form of deer hunting is to find some public hunting ground, explore it well prior to hunting season then go find a comfortable spot and sit there all day. Try not to move any more than necessary. Take something to eat and stick two Gatorade bottles in your pockets, when you empty one, keep it to pee in. Watch for movement, deer can stand still for a long time but their ears move involuntary due to sound direction. Many new hunters look for big deer, deer in the woods look more like big dogs, not giant trophy bucks. Patience is the key to success. Be careful, be patient, you will have a great time.

 

[Mdeng]

I would assume that's because you have to wear bright colors.

During Firearms season Maryland hunting regs require that you wear Orange. It has nothing to do with public or private lands. The primary problem with public land is overcrowding. To many hunters in a small area.

If you are going to hunt public land make sure you are willing to and able to hike and possibly drag your harvest out of the woods over a long distance.

 

[wilcam47]

During Firearms season Maryland hunting regs require that you wear Orange. It has nothing to do with public or private lands. The primary problem with public land is overcrowding. To many hunters in a small area.

If you are going to hunt public land make sure you are willing to and able to hike and possibly drag your harvest out of the woods over a long distance.

get a game cart...it will be a lifesaver!