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New Hunter
- Thread starter huffman12
- Start date
The seasons just about here, and you want to get into it now?
Have you hunted before?
Have you hunted before?
Penniepup1
NES Member
If you have never hunted deer before, take a hunter safety course before you head out. Your a little late for this year.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
You will be hard pressed to get into a class in Mass at this point. You will likely have to take it out of state if you can find one there.
Bob
71montess
NES Member
Take the. Course , go to mass fish and wildlife website look up wmd's (wildlife management districs) as a possible place to start hunting. Birds or deer they are both there. Get some hunting magazines and read up for next year. If deer know your woods. Lots of scouting for sign. You can just walk in the woods, but unprepared u will have a crap time an d get discouraged. JM$.02
It is a little late to make the decision that you want to give it a go for this year. You still can though if you can find the class so you can get a license. But honestly this year if I were you I would probably start with birds. You'l see more action.
45collector
NES Member
Warm, quality, weatherproof clothing makes all the difference.
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Deer hunting is love hate for me. Love getting in the woods hate sitting in my tree standing watching hordes of people come by dressed in orange. It would be comical if I was not trying to put meat in freezer. Your probably too late for it this year. Hunter safety and i would suggest bow hunting. There seems to be more and more paces opening conservation land for bow hunting. You be surprised what's runnin around on some of these little spots of land
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No chance. Find some buddies that hunt and go with them. I suggest those grumpy old guys that hit the woods every year. Tag along and learn from them. Also private land is great if you can find some to hunt. Get in good with people with land. Date their daughter, mow their lawn...
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Seems people that want to hunt get excited and start right away with deer season. There is plenty of hunting to do without all the time it takes to learn how to deer hunt. Squirrell is open in zones 1-9 already. Rabbit, pheasant, and squirrell will be open throughout the entire state just after Columbus day. Prior to popular opinion you don't need dogs to hunt rabbit and pheasant......yes you'll be more productive but I've had success in the pheasant fields all over the state with no hunting dog. Nothing better to welcome in the fall than crisscrossing fields with the shotty and spooking up a hen! My suggestion is try rabbit/squirrel/pheasant first!
+1 for Goodlife's post-
No chance. Find some buddies that hunt and go with them. I suggest those grumpy old guys that hit the woods every year. Tag along and learn from them. Also private land is great if you can find some to hunt. Get in good with people with land. Date their daughter, mow their lawn...
But mow the lawn and stay away from the daughters! : )
Post where you are located and maybe someone will offer to take you out. Hunter Safety Course is mandatory for a license. Show up at a full class.
No chance. Find some buddies that hunt and go with them. I suggest those grumpy old guys that hit the woods every year. Tag along and learn from them. Also private land is great if you can find some to hunt. Get in good with people with land. Date their daughter, mow their lawn...
But mow the lawn and stay away from the daughters! : )
Post where you are located and maybe someone will offer to take you out. Hunter Safety Course is mandatory for a license. Show up at a full class.
The time to decide you want to get into deer hunting is right after the prior season ends. It's still winter and when you scout you can still see their trails, rubs, scrapes, scat, etc. Once the forest is green like it is now - good luck. This time of year you should already know your spots. That said - you can just walk out there and have at it - but you won't have much luck.
Other game on the other hand doesn't require such advanced planning nor the investment in gear. Rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, are all good places to start. You can hunt in blue jeans. Don't even need camo. Don't care about scent. Don't care about noise.... You're moving so it's easier to stay warm... Etc. All good things for someone new.
Once this seasons closes this year then start your deer scouting for next year. Find their trails, scat, and other sign. Then as the season starts to turn you can shed hunt while simultaneously scouting. When spring rolls around you can do turkey. But when the weather gets warm and woods really green up it's pretty much time to go fishing and stay out of the woods. Aside from making scouting next to impossible they're full of deer flies, wasps, hornets, bees, pricker bushes, ticks, etc. and other fun things I generally find not worth my trouble. Then in late Sept is time to tune up your previously scouted spots. Clear those final shooting lanes, etc. Then pretty much stay away until opening day.
As other's have asked what part of the state are you in?
Other game on the other hand doesn't require such advanced planning nor the investment in gear. Rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, are all good places to start. You can hunt in blue jeans. Don't even need camo. Don't care about scent. Don't care about noise.... You're moving so it's easier to stay warm... Etc. All good things for someone new.
Once this seasons closes this year then start your deer scouting for next year. Find their trails, scat, and other sign. Then as the season starts to turn you can shed hunt while simultaneously scouting. When spring rolls around you can do turkey. But when the weather gets warm and woods really green up it's pretty much time to go fishing and stay out of the woods. Aside from making scouting next to impossible they're full of deer flies, wasps, hornets, bees, pricker bushes, ticks, etc. and other fun things I generally find not worth my trouble. Then in late Sept is time to tune up your previously scouted spots. Clear those final shooting lanes, etc. Then pretty much stay away until opening day.
As other's have asked what part of the state are you in?
Find an active deer run and set up a tree stand. Stay away from it until opening day and then get up in it well before sunrise. Dress warm and comfortable and be patient.
I'll usually stay for a couple of hours after sunrise and then head home. Then I get back out an hour or so before sunset and stay until it just gets too dark to see well.
That's my preferred method although I have had some luck with midday hunting, but more often than not you will have more luck near dusk and dawn.
I'll usually stay for a couple of hours after sunrise and then head home. Then I get back out an hour or so before sunset and stay until it just gets too dark to see well.
That's my preferred method although I have had some luck with midday hunting, but more often than not you will have more luck near dusk and dawn.
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