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New to hunting. Never been.

The OP hasn't been around for a couple of days, but just in case he drop back in...

Know where you are. Wandering onto someones private land can get you jammed up. If you do get permission to hunt on private land, get it in writing and have a copy or picture of it handy.
There are plenty of good hunting grounds on the south shore.
 
Leave the binos and range finder at home. You won't use or need them in any woods in zone 11. There dead weight.. You'll have to trust me on this one.

Step 1: take the MANDATORY class as a prereq to your hunting license.
Step 2: buy your hunting license.

At that point then you'll be in a position to actually begin thinking about hunting. But right now with your being completely unfamiliar with the regulations and not having the mandatory prerequisites to go hunting, this needs to be your starting point. Once you accomplish this then you can think about what game, weapon, equipment, etc. You may want to consider getting a rifled MuzzleLoader as opposed to a shotgun. It can be used during the shotgun season and the muzzleloader season. This extends your season. Shotgun season is short (2 weeks). With a ML you can hunt more than twice as long (SG + ML) seasons. This is why you need to know the regulations.. Making informed decisions are important.

I also would recommend starting with small game. Just easier to get a handle on the sport. Not trying to discourage you from whitetail. But keep in mind that probably 98% of the hunters who hit the woods for whitetail come home empty handed each day. Deer is a tough game to hunt and the gun season is short. They're quite adept at avoiding hunters, especially on heavily pressured public land where any animal over 1.5 years old is well educated in avoiding hunters. So keep your expectations realistic. Deer hunting requires a larger commitment than small game. There's additional equipment required (tree stands, safety gear, maybe trail cameras, etc) and there's additional time required (postseason and spring scouting). It's best to look at it like this. Deer hunting is all year long. Deer harvest season via shotgun is 2 weeks post-Thanksgiving. So you have to make it count and the way that you do that is by putting in the time outside of that 2 weeks. For every 1 day you plan to hunt, plan on spending at least 3 scouting. Especially if you're just starting out.

Ignore most of the hunting shows too. They feature folks like Lee and Tifiny chasing corn fed B&C bucks on private land in Iowa. They do not represent the kind of combat hunting you will be doing in MA public lands. Those shows are more about selling you products (from the show sponsors) than they are about teaching you anything about hunting. There's no magic bullet, tactic, method or strategy. It just takes good old fashioned woodsmanship and you only get those skills by putting in your time and learning some lessons via some hard knocks. All of us who chase whitetail have been there. I'm not devaluing any of the content out there. Rather just want you to realize that what you see on TV, read on the internet, etc will not match up with your experiences in the woods.
 
Last edited:
ThePreBanMan said:
Leave the binos and range finder at home. You won't use or need them in any woods in zone 11. There dead weight.. You'll have to trust me on this one.

Step 1: take the MANDATORY class as a prereq to your hunting license.
Step 2: buy your hunting license.

At that point then you'll be in a position to actually begin thinking about hunting. But right now with your being completely unfamiliar with the regulations and not having the mandatory prerequisites to go hunting, this needs to be your starting point. Once you accomplish this then you can think about what game, weapon, equipment, etc. You may want to consider getting a rifled MuzzleLoader as opposed to a shotgun. It can be used during the shotgun season and the muzzleloader season. This extends your season. Shotgun season is short (2 weeks). With a ML you can hunt more than twice as long (SG + ML) seasons. This is why you need to know the regulations.. Making informed decisions are important.

I also would recommend starting with small game. Just easier to get a handle on the sport. Not trying to discourage you from whitetail. But keep in mind that probably 98% of the hunters who hit the woods for whitetail come home empty handed each day. Deer is a tough game to hunt and the gun season is short. They're quite adept at avoiding hunters, especially on heavily pressured public land where any animal over 1.5 years old is well educated in avoiding hunters. So keep your expectations realistic. Deer hunting requires a larger commitment than small game. There's additional equipment required (tree stands, safety gear, maybe trail cameras, etc) and there's additional time required (postseason and spring scouting). It's best to look at it like this. Deer hunting is all year long. Deer harvest season via shotgun is 2 weeks post-Thanksgiving. So you have to make it count and the way that you do that is by putting in the time outside of that 2 weeks. For every 1 day you plan to hunt, plan on spending at least 3 scouting. Especially if you're just starting out.

Ignore most of the hunting shows too. They feature folks like Lee and Tifiny chasing corn fed B&C bucks on private land in Iowa. They do not represent the kind of combat hunting you will be doing in MA public lands. Those shows are more about selling you products (from the show sponsors) than they are about teaching you anything about hunting. There's no magic bullet, tactic, method or strategy. It just takes good old fashioned woodsmanship and you only get those skills by putting in your time and learning some lessons via some hard knocks. All of us who chase whitetail have been there. I'm not devaluing any of the content out there. Rather just want you to realize that what you see on TV, read on the internet, etc will not match up with your experiences in the woods.
Click to expand...
The only hunting show I can watch is meateater with Steve rinella. His only "sponsor" is vortex optics and he doesn't even really discuss them.....just see the logo on his binocular case around his neck. Hes a proponent of public land hunts and speaks to his disdain for "high fence deer" hunting. He even films and releases vids of his failures.
 
fencer said:
The OP hasn't been around for a couple of days, but just in case he drop back in...

Know where you are. Wandering onto someones private land can get you jammed up. If you do get permission to hunt on private land, get it in writing and have a copy or picture of it handy.
There are plenty of good hunting grounds on the south shore.
Click to expand...
Been stopping in regularly and just reading. Thanks to all for responding.
 
ThePreBanMan said:
Leave the binos and range finder at home. You won't use or need them in any woods in zone 11. There dead weight.. You'll have to trust me on this one.

Step 1: take the MANDATORY class as a prereq to your hunting license.
Step 2: buy your hunting license.

At that point then you'll be in a position to actually begin thinking about hunting. But right now with your being completely unfamiliar with the regulations and not having the mandatory prerequisites to go hunting, this needs to be your starting point. Once you accomplish this then you can think about what game, weapon, equipment, etc. You may want to consider getting a rifled MuzzleLoader as opposed to a shotgun. It can be used during the shotgun season and the muzzleloader season. This extends your season. Shotgun season is short (2 weeks). With a ML you can hunt more than twice as long (SG + ML) seasons. This is why you need to know the regulations.. Making informed decisions are important.

I also would recommend starting with small game. Just easier to get a handle on the sport. Not trying to discourage you from whitetail. But keep in mind that probably 98% of the hunters who hit the woods for whitetail come home empty handed each day. Deer is a tough game to hunt and the gun season is short. They're quite adept at avoiding hunters, especially on heavily pressured public land where any animal over 1.5 years old is well educated in avoiding hunters. So keep your expectations realistic. Deer hunting requires a larger commitment than small game. There's additional equipment required (tree stands, safety gear, maybe trail cameras, etc) and there's additional time required (postseason and spring scouting). It's best to look at it like this. Deer hunting is all year long. Deer harvest season via shotgun is 2 weeks post-Thanksgiving. So you have to make it count and the way that you do that is by putting in the time outside of that 2 weeks. For every 1 day you plan to hunt, plan on spending at least 3 scouting. Especially if you're just starting out.

Ignore most of the hunting shows too. They feature folks like Lee and Tifiny chasing corn fed B&C bucks on private land in Iowa. They do not represent the kind of combat hunting you will be doing in MA public lands. Those shows are more about selling you products (from the show sponsors) than they are about teaching you anything about hunting. There's no magic bullet, tactic, method or strategy. It just takes good old fashioned woodsmanship and you only get those skills by putting in your time and learning some lessons via some hard knocks. All of us who chase whitetail have been there. I'm not devaluing any of the content out there. Rather just want you to realize that what you see on TV, read on the internet, etc will not match up with your experiences in the woods.
Click to expand...
Took the course 2 yrs ago. Got my license this year researching so I can do this right.
 
whacko said:
The only hunting show I can watch is meateater with Steve rinella. His only "sponsor" is vortex optics and he doesn't even really discuss them.....just see the logo on his binocular case around his neck. Hes a proponent of public land hunts and speaks to his disdain for "high fence deer" hunting. He even films and releases vids of his failures.
Click to expand...

X2

I used to laugh when they show a hunter putting out a scent bomb with bare hands. It’s all about the Benjamin’s for the majority of shows.

Speaking of scents. I stopped using them years ago.

Local off the shelf scents are misused by many hunters so they educate the deer. Hunters put them out at the wrong times and contaminate the scents with there own scent either by improperly handling them with bare hands and/or setting them up wind of their set.

Don’t use a doe in heat scent if you have a doe tag. When a doe that isn’t in heat hits that scent they are going to turn around and go back the way they came as they don’t want to be harassed by a lovesick buck.

If you feel that you must use scents you are better off buying. Something higher end and online. The local deer won’t be familiar with that scent.

Meat Eater is great and it is on Netflix IIRC.

Bob
 
Last edited:
HorizontalHunter said:
X2

I used to laugh when they show a hunter putting out a scent bomb with bare hands. It’s all about the Benjamin’s for the majority of shows.

Speaking of scents. I stopped using them years ago.

Local off the shelf scents are misused by many hunters so they educate the deer. Hunters put them out at the wrong times and contaminate the scents with there own scent either by improperly handling them with bare hands and/or setting them up wind of their set.

Don’t use a doe in heat scent if you have a doe tag. When a doe that isn’t in heat hits that scent they are going to turn around and go back the way they came as they don’t want to be harassed by a lovesick buck.

If you feel that you must use scents you are better off buying. Something higher end and online. The local deer won’t be familiar with that scent.

Meat Eater is great and it is on Netflix IIRC.

Bob
Click to expand...
When my cousin got into deer hunting about 6 or 7 years ago he started hinting my uncles property in nh. 100 plus acre lot that my uncle successfully took at least one deer a year from 10 years straight. Just by playing the wind and a little scouting. My cousin came in with scent bombs and drags and hanging scent wicking shit and never saw a single deer. My uncle was pissed and he even missed out that season.......told my cousin he ruined that plot for the season with all his dicks sporting goods and Walmart scent crap
 
whacko said:
When my cousin got into deer hunting about 6 or 7 years ago he started hinting my uncles property in nh. 100 plus acre lot that my uncle successfully took at least one deer a year from 10 years straight. Just by playing the wind and a little scouting. My cousin came in with scent bombs and drags and hanging scent wicking shit and never saw a single deer. My uncle was pissed and he even missed out that season.......told my cousin he ruined that plot for the season with all his dicks sporting goods and Walmart scent crap
Click to expand...
Deer, like us, do not like change. Jack.
 
OP:

Sounds like your a bit farther along than your original post let on. That's good. So the next thing you'll want to check off is memorizing the regulations for your chosen game. It may sound excessive to "memorize" them but trust me, there isn't one hunter on this forum who doesn't know the regs inside and out for where they roam and the game they chase. Put this in the category of keeping yourself out of trouble. During hunting season the EPO deal with far too many jackwagons and truth be told, have no patience for crap - even honest mistakes. Know the property lines for the area you'll be hunting as well.

Next up - I would strongly suggest you get yourself acclimated to navigating in the woods. If you use a GPS, a smartphone app, compass, whatever... But make sure you can hit your marks. And make sure you can hit your marks if your primary means of navigation fails. If the battery in your phone dies, you wander out of a service/coverage area, know how to use a compass and map. Having a compass and map as a backup is "must have" in my book. I've had to make use of it on a couple of occasions. Rarely, but it has happened. Having them was the difference between getting out in the dark and calling for help. Remember, most of the navigating/moving you do during deer season will be in the dark. Early early AM and after closing hours in the PM. Even if you know your way around a piece of land, it's a whole new ball game in the dark and off the trail network. One wrong turn is all it takes. Don't be the guy we read about in the paper.

If your dead set on whitetail there is some equipment you're going to need aside from the weapon. A treestand is pretty much must have. A safety harness, lifeline and possibly a lineman's belt/rope as well. There are lots of options here. Whatever you choose make sure you are comfortable with your equipment. A climbing stand isn't a bad option for someone just getting started. As far as climbers go the Summit stands are hard to beat. The Summit Viper is the go-to standard in the world of climbers. If you want some additional flexibility such as getting into crooked trees, trees with limbs, etc, then you're going to want a hang on and climbing sticks. The Lone Wolf Stands and Sticks are the standard here. These stands are far less comfortable than a climber though. So that flexibility comes at a price. Staying still is a big part of whitetail hunting and a comfortable stand makes that easier. Especially for those longer or all day sits. The difference is substantial. Many a folk have fallen asleep in their Viper. No one is falling asleep in an Assault. There are other options like permanent stands such as ladder stands. But since you're just getting started you're not really going to want to go that route. Those stands are stands you leave in the woods and don't move them around. So you have to have a lot of them deployed in advance of the season. That may come with time if you choose to buy them. But for your first go, you're going to need a stand that moves around with you since it will likely be your only one.

Aside from that, scout, scout, scout, hunt.. And always respect the deer's nose. They can pick you off at well over 100 yards. And when they do they'll know pretty much exactly where you are. You'll see. This is one of those hard knocks lessons we all learn. You'll have a big boy coming in and then bam, he stops in his tracks, stomps his foot a couple of times, snorts/blows and looks at the exact tree your in. Everyone has had it happen to them. Their nose doesn't just tell them there's danger, it also tells them distance and direction! ScentBlock ain't fooling a deer's nose so don't waste your money. Learn how to play the wind. Learn how the wind flows over terrain. Learn how thermals in the AM and PM impact wind currents. Especially on light and variable days. Your success depends on your ability to keep your stank out the deer's nose, to keep quiet, and to keep still when on the stand. This more than anything else! More than the latest fancy camo pattern, fancy new deer slug, or MZ sabot, more than anything really and by a wide margin. There is no magic bullet or piece of equipment that will make you a more efficient killer. Only time, dedication, some hard lessons, and good old fashioned woodsmanship will do that.

Having someone show you the ropes helps... But it's not necessary. Keep expectations realistic and don't get discouraged. Like I said before when it comes to whitetail, the vast majority of the time you're coming home empty-handed. That's okay. Because if you wanted something easy, you would be shooting squirrels with Whacko. :)
 
Last edited:
ThePreBanMan said:
OP:

Sounds like your a bit farther along than your original post let on. That's good. So the next thing you'll want to check off is memorizing the regulations for your chosen game. It may sound excessive to "memorize" them but trust me, there isn't one hunter on this forum who doesn't know the regs inside and out for where they roam and the game they chase. Put this in the category of keeping yourself out of trouble. During hunting season the EPO deal with far too many jackwagons and truth be told, have no patience for crap - even honest mistakes. Know the property lines for the area you'll be hunting as well.

Next up - I would strongly suggest you get yourself acclimated to navigating in the woods. If you use a GPS, a smartphone app, compass, whatever... But make sure you can hit your marks. And make sure you can hit your marks if your primary means of navigation fails. If the battery in your phone dies, you wander out of a service/coverage area, know how to use a compass and map. Having a compass and map as a backup is "must have" in my book. I've had to make use of it on a couple of occasions. Rarely, but it has happened. Having them was the difference between getting out in the dark and calling for help. Remember, most of the navigating/moving you do during deer season will be in the dark. Early early AM and after closing hours in the PM. Even if you know your way around a piece of land, it's a whole new ball game in the dark and off the trail network. One wrong turn is all it takes. Don't be the guy we read about in the paper.

If your dead set on whitetail there is some equipment you're going to need aside from the weapon. A treestand is pretty much must have. A safety harness, lifeline and possibly a lineman's belt/rope as well. There are lots of options here. Whatever you choose make sure you are comfortable with your equipment. A climbing stand isn't a bad option for someone just getting started. As far as climbers go the Summit stands are hard to beat. The Summit Viper is the go-to standard in the world of climbers. If you want some additional flexibility such as getting into crooked trees, trees with limbs, etc, then you're going to want a hang on and climbing sticks. The Lone Wolf Stands and Sticks are the standard here. These stands are far less comfortable than a climber though. So that flexibility comes at a price. Staying still is a big part of whitetail hunting and a comfortable stand makes that easier. Especially for those longer or all day sits. The difference is substantial. Many a folk have fallen asleep in their Viper. No one is falling asleep in an Assault. There are other options like permanent stands such as ladder stands. But since you're just getting started you're not really going to want to go that route. Those stands are stands you leave in the woods and don't move them around. So you have to have a lot of them deployed in advance of the season. That may come with time if you choose to buy them. But for your first go, you're going to need a stand that moves around with you since it will likely be your only one.

Aside from that, scout, scout, scout, hunt.. And always respect the deer's nose. They can pick you off at well over 100 yards. And when they do they'll know pretty much exactly where you are. You'll see. This is one of those hard knocks lessons we all learn. You'll have a big boy coming in and then bam, he stops in his tracks, stomps his foot a couple of times, snorts/blows and looks at the exact tree your in. Everyone has had it happen to them. Their nose doesn't just tell them there's danger, it also tells them distance and direction! ScentBlock ain't fooling a deer's nose so don't waste your money. Learn how to play the wind. Learn how the wind flows over terrain. Learn how thermals in the AM and PM impact wind currents. Especially on light and variable days. Your success depends on your ability to keep your stank out the deer's nose, to keep quiet, and to keep still when on the stand. This more than anything else! More than the latest fancy camo pattern, fancy new deer slug, or MZ sabot, more than anything really and by a wide margin. There is no magic bullet or piece of equipment that will make you a more efficient killer. Only time, dedication, some hard lessons, and good old fashioned woodsmanship will do that.

Having someone show you the ropes helps... But it's not necessary. Keep expectations realistic and don't get discouraged. Like I said before when it comes to whitetail, the vast majority of the time you're coming home empty-handed. That's okay. Because if you wanted something easy, you would be shooting squirrels with Whacko. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks. I do have to go back over all the regulations. Most of what you said I kind of know. Being up wind staying still. Getting everything I wanted to know out of this thread. Funny though. My first sentence told that I had already taken the course and got this years license. Just forgot to say I was looking for deer. And I just picked up a mossberg 500. I don’t think a tree stand is in the near future for this year. I’ve kind of been scouting my back woods for practice. Possibly could hunt back there but probably not.

Thanks again.
 
I must have spaced out your taking the class and shit. I had a few adult beverages so I'll blame it on that.
You can be successful from the ground but man is it tough. We have a really thick understory so distances are very limited. Plus you're putting yourself into the deer's line of sight. One more thing working against you.
There is almost always used tree stands on Craigslist going pretty cheap. You might not be able to get a brand new viper or an assault 2 with sticks but you can get something that would be functional. It's the one advantage you can give yourself.

Here is one for 25 dollars...
Hunting Tree Stand
 
Last edited:
ThePreBanMan said:
I must have spaced out your taking the class and shit. I had a few adult beverages so I'll blame it on that.
You can be successful from the ground but man is it tough. We have a really thick understory so distances are very limited. Plus you're putting yourself into the deer's line of sight. One more thing working against you.
There is almost always used tree stands on Craigslist going pretty cheap. You might not be able to get a brand new viper or an assault 2 with sticks but you can get something that would be functional. It's the one advantage you can give yourself.

Here is one for 25 dollars...
Hunting Tree Stand
Click to expand...
I’ve still got time. Thats the point of asking what is recommended to get started. I’m making my list and will get what seems to be the most important stuff.
 
You should be aware of the upcoming doe tag deadline next month:

In Massachusetts the definition of a buck is any deer with one antler that measures at least 3” from antler burr to tip. If not it is a doe and requires a doe permit which is issued by deer management zone. It has nothing to do with the actual sex of the animal.

Paper currency is 6” long so if you have any bill you can fold it in half to check the length of the antler.

Don’t shoot anything close unless you have a doe tag.

Don’t “waste” a doe tag when you shoot a legal buck. Your license comes with two buck tags and zero doe tags. All doe tags are distributed by the lottery system and surplus doe tags are sold on line after the lottery on specific days.

You must apply for a permit by July 16. Then, check back any time between August 1 and December 31 to see if you won the right to buy a permit.

Check Antlerless Deer Permit award status

Last years odds of winning a doe permit and surplus doe tags that you can just purchase online after the lottery. Where you are there is no shortage of surplus permits.

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/07/23/2018 ADP allocations and odds of winning.pdf

Apply for an Antlerless Deer Permit

All of this is far more important to those of us in the western part of the state. There are some zones out here that doe tags are very hard to get.

Bob
 
HorizontalHunter said:
You should be aware of the upcoming doe tag deadline next month:

In Massachusetts the definition of a buck is any deer with one antler that measures at least 3” from antler burr to tip. If not it is a doe and requires a doe permit which is issued by deer management zone. It has nothing to do with the actual sex of the animal.

Paper currency is 6” long so if you have any bill you can fold it in half to check the length of the antler.

Don’t shoot anything close unless you have a doe tag.

Don’t “waste” a doe tag when you shoot a legal buck. Your license comes with two buck tags and zero doe tags. All doe tags are distributed by the lottery system and surplus doe tags are sold on line after the lottery on specific days.

You must apply for a permit by July 16. Then, check back any time between August 1 and December 31 to see if you won the right to buy a permit.

Check Antlerless Deer Permit award status

Last years odds of winning a doe permit and surplus doe tags that you can just purchase online after the lottery. Where you are there is no shortage of surplus permits.

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/07/23/2018 ADP allocations and odds of winning.pdf

Apply for an Antlerless Deer Permit

All of this is far more important to those of us in the western part of the state. There are some zones out here that doe tags are very hard to get.

Bob
Click to expand...
I did apply for the tag when I bought the license. So if I get one I don’t want to waste it. If I can get lucky.
 
ThePreBanMan said:
OP:

Sounds like your a bit farther along than your original post let on. That's good. So the next thing you'll want to check off is memorizing the regulations for your chosen game. It may sound excessive to "memorize" them but trust me, there isn't one hunter on this forum who doesn't know the regs inside and out for where they roam and the game they chase. Put this in the category of keeping yourself out of trouble. During hunting season the EPO deal with far too many jackwagons and truth be told, have no patience for crap - even honest mistakes. Know the property lines for the area you'll be hunting as well.

Next up - I would strongly suggest you get yourself acclimated to navigating in the woods. If you use a GPS, a smartphone app, compass, whatever... But make sure you can hit your marks. And make sure you can hit your marks if your primary means of navigation fails. If the battery in your phone dies, you wander out of a service/coverage area, know how to use a compass and map. Having a compass and map as a backup is "must have" in my book. I've had to make use of it on a couple of occasions. Rarely, but it has happened. Having them was the difference between getting out in the dark and calling for help. Remember, most of the navigating/moving you do during deer season will be in the dark. Early early AM and after closing hours in the PM. Even if you know your way around a piece of land, it's a whole new ball game in the dark and off the trail network. One wrong turn is all it takes. Don't be the guy we read about in the paper.

If your dead set on whitetail there is some equipment you're going to need aside from the weapon. A treestand is pretty much must have. A safety harness, lifeline and possibly a lineman's belt/rope as well. There are lots of options here. Whatever you choose make sure you are comfortable with your equipment. A climbing stand isn't a bad option for someone just getting started. As far as climbers go the Summit stands are hard to beat. The Summit Viper is the go-to standard in the world of climbers. If you want some additional flexibility such as getting into crooked trees, trees with limbs, etc, then you're going to want a hang on and climbing sticks. The Lone Wolf Stands and Sticks are the standard here. These stands are far less comfortable than a climber though. So that flexibility comes at a price. Staying still is a big part of whitetail hunting and a comfortable stand makes that easier. Especially for those longer or all day sits. The difference is substantial. Many a folk have fallen asleep in their Viper. No one is falling asleep in an Assault. There are other options like permanent stands such as ladder stands. But since you're just getting started you're not really going to want to go that route. Those stands are stands you leave in the woods and don't move them around. So you have to have a lot of them deployed in advance of the season. That may come with time if you choose to buy them. But for your first go, you're going to need a stand that moves around with you since it will likely be your only one.

Aside from that, scout, scout, scout, hunt.. And always respect the deer's nose. They can pick you off at well over 100 yards. And when they do they'll know pretty much exactly where you are. You'll see. This is one of those hard knocks lessons we all learn. You'll have a big boy coming in and then bam, he stops in his tracks, stomps his foot a couple of times, snorts/blows and looks at the exact tree your in. Everyone has had it happen to them. Their nose doesn't just tell them there's danger, it also tells them distance and direction! ScentBlock ain't fooling a deer's nose so don't waste your money. Learn how to play the wind. Learn how the wind flows over terrain. Learn how thermals in the AM and PM impact wind currents. Especially on light and variable days. Your success depends on your ability to keep your stank out the deer's nose, to keep quiet, and to keep still when on the stand. This more than anything else! More than the latest fancy camo pattern, fancy new deer slug, or MZ sabot, more than anything really and by a wide margin. There is no magic bullet or piece of equipment that will make you a more efficient killer. Only time, dedication, some hard lessons, and good old fashioned woodsmanship will do that.

Having someone show you the ropes helps... But it's not necessary. Keep expectations realistic and don't get discouraged. Like I said before when it comes to whitetail, the vast majority of the time you're coming home empty-handed. That's okay. Because if you wanted something easy, you would be shooting squirrels with Whacko. :)
Click to expand...
True....squirrels pretty easy. But alot of damn fun. :)
 
I might try squirrel hunting. My stepson has talked about eating them. And I’ll try anything. I’m just not going to go out and shoot something for the hell of it. I did kill a ground hog or 2 for destroying my pumpkin plants. One was execution and the other was a good shot with my pellet gun.
 
whacko said:
True....squirrels pretty easy. But alot of damn fun. :)
Click to expand...

I know, admittedly when the season starts, I check this section often. Sometimes I think about trying it when I go out chasing whitetail and see nothing all day, and you go out for a couple of hours and are coming home with like 3 or 5. Thing is I only see the reds out in the woods. The only time I see the grays are in my bird feeders.
 
MFSP101 said:
I might try squirrel hunting. My stepson has talked about eating them. And I’ll try anything. I’m just not going to go out and shoot something for the hell of it. I did kill a ground hog or 2 for destroying my pumpkin plants. One was execution and the other was a good shot with my pellet gun.
Click to expand...
Grey squirrels do taste just fine. Lots of fun to hunt with a shotgun.
 
Going sighting tomorrow at my club. Put the rifled barrel with scope on the mossberg 500 I bought. Thinking about the squirrel hunting to get used to it. A few places I can go. Before I try deer.
 

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Thank you guys for all the reply’s. Some I knew. Some were funny and to the point. Got what I needed.
 

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