Having read the posts above I'd like to suggest a few things:
01 - If you hunt, the greatest thing you can do as a hunter is to mentor another hunter - family or not. My father taught me as his father taught him, and so on. I'm not a father but I can be a Dad and mentor those who are not fortunate enough to have learned how to hunt form their Dad's. I'm working with 2 gents and 1 lady right now ages 16-38...
02 - Part of that responsibility is to teach shooting skills - Pick a tool, shotgun, bow, blackpowder, bb gun, etc. The tool is a teaching item but it translates across - be thoughtful and ethical and you will be a good hunter. Guess what, you fail my shooting course, you're just walking along behind me with a camera at best. You pass my course and I'll walk behind you as a mentor - proudly, with a camera.
03 - If you are so new and also older than 16 - try to find a mentor. The reason us old buzzards have all the gear and spots and know-how is because we earned it. Share it with some new guys - I'm not saying give your favorite spots away but understand that taking a "new guy" is not always bad
04 - New Guys - When an Old Guy shows you "the spot" - it's not yours! It's Still His! He brought you there to teach you HOW to do, not where. Don't pi55 the mentor off.
05 - new guys - just saying - be a guest at all times until the mentor actually says - out loud - in front of witnesses that know what it means when he says: "You're blessed, a made man, you have my permission to hunt here without me."
And in my experience, just relax and hunt with your mentor/hosts when you can. They mean the best for you and hunting - if you do it right, your "hunting buddies" will be your best friends and surpass your "daily friends" in a matter of years.
One of my best friends I met randomly at the gun club - I traded a hunt for a hunt - ducks vs pheasant - They are my "family without blood relation" now - best trade I ever made.
I hope this is helpful moving forward - I'm sorry to hear bout bad shot placement - I've found a 6 pt that was "facing the wrong way" when hit - kill shot to the hind leg - may have been 100 lbs +/- dressed.
Old Guys: Think twice when a new guy asks for help...
01 - If you hunt, the greatest thing you can do as a hunter is to mentor another hunter - family or not. My father taught me as his father taught him, and so on. I'm not a father but I can be a Dad and mentor those who are not fortunate enough to have learned how to hunt form their Dad's. I'm working with 2 gents and 1 lady right now ages 16-38...
02 - Part of that responsibility is to teach shooting skills - Pick a tool, shotgun, bow, blackpowder, bb gun, etc. The tool is a teaching item but it translates across - be thoughtful and ethical and you will be a good hunter. Guess what, you fail my shooting course, you're just walking along behind me with a camera at best. You pass my course and I'll walk behind you as a mentor - proudly, with a camera.
03 - If you are so new and also older than 16 - try to find a mentor. The reason us old buzzards have all the gear and spots and know-how is because we earned it. Share it with some new guys - I'm not saying give your favorite spots away but understand that taking a "new guy" is not always bad
04 - New Guys - When an Old Guy shows you "the spot" - it's not yours! It's Still His! He brought you there to teach you HOW to do, not where. Don't pi55 the mentor off.
05 - new guys - just saying - be a guest at all times until the mentor actually says - out loud - in front of witnesses that know what it means when he says: "You're blessed, a made man, you have my permission to hunt here without me."
And in my experience, just relax and hunt with your mentor/hosts when you can. They mean the best for you and hunting - if you do it right, your "hunting buddies" will be your best friends and surpass your "daily friends" in a matter of years.
One of my best friends I met randomly at the gun club - I traded a hunt for a hunt - ducks vs pheasant - They are my "family without blood relation" now - best trade I ever made.
I hope this is helpful moving forward - I'm sorry to hear bout bad shot placement - I've found a 6 pt that was "facing the wrong way" when hit - kill shot to the hind leg - may have been 100 lbs +/- dressed.
Old Guys: Think twice when a new guy asks for help...