New hunter in the making?

Millie

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According to my best friend, wild meat is the best thing for us to eat. So it looks like I may have to look into how to get some...lol. I'm thinking deer, mostly. Yummy!

I've never been hunting, never even considered it before, so I have no clue, so if you could give me a basic beginner's lesson on how to start, I'd appreciate it.

Like: what guns, what kind of land to go on, how to dress, what to take along to be semi-comfy out there....you get the drift, I'm sure you can recall your first time.
Thanks.
 
Hunter safety course would be my guess on the first thing. And of course a hunting license.


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Can I go with a hunter first to observe and not have to get a class and a license yet? I just want to see how it is first, then see if I may want to do all the rest of it. Not sure about any of this, actually....but I do want some tasty meat, and it's not going to jump onto my plate un-assisted!! lol.
 
Can I go with a hunter first to observe and not have to get a class and a license yet? I just want to see how it is first, then see if I may want to do all the rest of it. Not sure about any of this, actually....but I do want some tasty meat, and it's not going to jump onto my plate un-assisted!! lol.


Being out there without a license is unadvisable and to get a license you have to take the class. You might get a warden who believes you are just observing but most have heard that line before so I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
 
Being out there without a license is unadvisable and to get a license you have to take the class. You might get a warden who believes you are just observing but most have heard that line before so I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
Good thinking! lol.
 
Being out there without a license is unadvisable and to get a license you have to take the class. You might get a warden who believes you are just observing but most have heard that line before so I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

My kids took our state's hunter education course, but I didn't. I also haven't read the fine print.

When are you hunting and when are you not? If you're driving out of your gated property, wearing your favorite camo hoodie, and your rifle is behind the seat, were you just hunting and better have a license, in their eyes?

Am I asking this question the right way?
 
Millie, good meat from wild game is affected by quite a few variables. In my opinion the 3 biggest are 1st diet, 2nd quick kill and 3rd proper dressing and processing. The diet has a big impact especially in grazers like deer ... a big fat doe grazing on a nice upper field of Timothy, Alfalfa and/or Orchard Grass will have a better flavor than a low land one with lesser grass, acorns and such. Next a quick kill keeps a bunch of adrenaline and such from being dumped into the meat which can make it a little tougher and even add a little gamier taste. Then the field dressing and prep really do make a taste difference. A good time sensitive field dressing does make a difference ... do it in a timely manner not after you go by the local general store to show off you kill. After that keep it cool and get it to your processor. Like when you began shooting you really need a mentor for hunting ... especially after the kill. Field dressing is a skill you really need to be shown and taught firsthand and use of proper tools by someone who knows what they’re doing.
 
Only deer and rabbit.

Squirrel is wonderful, truly a delicacy for me. Very fond memories of knockin' 'em outta trees with a .410 as a kid & Grandma cookin' 'em up for dinner or supper.

The Hunter's Safety course is the best place to start. Fair warning/geezer alert- I was 40 or 41 when I took it & the only one in the room older than I was the instructor. Mostly kids from 10-15, with some even younger. The instructor asked me to help out with the actual physically handling & manipulating various hunting weapons portion of the class by taking half the class & running 'em through it. I really enjoyed it & had a good time, even if I did feel a little like Adam Sandler in "Billy Madison" at the time.
 
Fair warning/geezer alert- I was 40 or 41 when I took it & the only one in the room older than I was the instructor.
"Geezer alert"....lol.
When I was at Sandhills Community College 2002-2013, I was invariably the oldest geezer in any class....sometimes older than the professors. I'm used to it, not a biggie! Should be an interesting class, with license to follow, then I hope to get out there and see what it's like.
 
My kids took our state's hunter education course, but I didn't. I also haven't read the fine print.

When are you hunting and when are you not? If you're driving out of your gated property, wearing your favorite camo hoodie, and your rifle is behind the seat, were you just hunting and better have a license, in their eyes?

Am I asking this question the right way?


If it is your property no license is needed(unless they have changed that). You can hunt on your own property the only exceptions I believe would be federal stuff(migratory birds and such). I believe you still have to have the federal duck stamp. If you are hunting else where depending on the age of your kids I believe you have to have a license as well. Read the fine print!!!! Also have to have blaze orange on in certain instances. Don't quote me on any of that because it has been more than 5-6 years since I hunted and I don't keep up with the reg like I used to.


To address you question better the way it used to be is if you are still in the vehicle you are good. Get out and you is huntin. Subject to interpretation of the possum police of course.
 
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If it is your property no license is needed(unless they have changed that). You can hunt on your own property the only exceptions I believe would be federal stuff(migratory birds and such). I believe you still have to have the federal duck stamp. If you are hunting else where depending on the age of your kids I believe you have to have a license as well. Read the fine print!!!! Also have to have blaze orange on in certain instances. Don't quote me on any of that because it has been more than 5-6 years since I hunted and I don't keep up with the reg like I used to.


To address you question better the way it used to be is if you are still in the vehicle you are good. Get out and you is huntin. Subject to interpretation of the possum police of course.

I suppose they'll start tossing around words like "reasonable person" when deciding whether you're hunting or not.

For me, it's just one of those things that bother me to assume. Yeah, if you walk up and see me in a stand or sitting at the bottom of a tree, rifle laid across my lap, there's a very good chance I'm hunting. But, just because you see me walking across a field or to my vehicle, doesn't mean I'm hunting. I guess my impractical point is, I don't need a hunting license if I'm not in the act of hunting. Even more so, if I'm not armed. Maybe I'm just being silly.

Here's another take on it. My buddy wanted to spend the day fishing. But, he wanted to do it in the river. But, but, he wanted to put in at Wolf Landing (in NC) and float the river down to Laney Landing (in SC). It would be about a 4hr float. He didn't because he didn't have his NC fishing license (out of state, for us). I told him just don't fish until he was in SC. He didn't want to risk being in the water in NC without the license. I thought that was a bit ridiculous.
 
The Hunter's Safety course is the best place to start. Fair warning/geezer alert- I was 40 or 41 when I took it & the only one in the room older than I was the instructor. Mostly kids from 10-15, with some even younger. The instructor asked me to help out with the actual physically handling & manipulating various hunting weapons portion of the class by taking half the class & running 'em through it. I really enjoyed it & had a good time, even if I did feel a little like Adam Sandler in "Billy Madison" at the time.
A friend and I just took our hunter safety course last week. We did it at Bass Pro and there was a wide range of ages. We’re early-30’s and I’d say 30 was about the average for that class of 50.
I agree this is the best place to start. It was very boring but I did learn a few things. About 40% of the content was firearms related. The test at the end isn’t difficult at all.
 
I suppose they'll start tossing around words like "reasonable person" when deciding whether you're hunting or not.

For me, it's just one of those things that bother me to assume. Yeah, if you walk up and see me in a stand or sitting at the bottom of a tree, rifle laid across my lap, there's a very good chance I'm hunting. But, just because you see me walking across a field or to my vehicle, doesn't mean I'm hunting. I guess my impractical point is, I don't need a hunting license if I'm not in the act of hunting. Even more so, if I'm not armed. Maybe I'm just being silly.

Here's another take on it. My buddy wanted to spend the day fishing. But, he wanted to do it in the river. But, but, he wanted to put in at Wolf Landing (in NC) and float the river down to Laney Landing (in SC). It would be about a 4hr float. He didn't because he didn't have his NC fishing license (out of state, for us). I told him just don't fish until he was in SC. He didn't want to risk being in the water in NC without the license. I thought that was a bit ridiculous.


Your friend was not being ridiculous. Just the act of being in a boat on the river with fishing gear present would likely have gotten him a ticket.

You really need to check the regs in South Carolina cause they are likely different from North Carolina but at the end of the day as I said before, depending on the age of your kids you may be required to have a license to accompany them.

Look at it like this, the hiway is full people driving with no license and they don't all get caught simply because there are so many other people out there driving. If you are in a field and the game warden comes up and you need a license you are screwed. End of story.
 
Look at it like this, the hiway is full people driving with no license and they don't all get caught simply because there are so many other people out there driving. If you are in a field and the game warden comes up and you need a license you are screwed. End of story.

Me and two friends of mine decided to go fishing. I hadn't had time to get my license yet, had planned to get it the night before but got held up at work. I told them "Screw it, we've been fishing this spot for years and never seen a warden".

About 2 hours into fishing a game warden walks up. I'm about 50 meters up stream of them, across a log and a tributary. Game warden checks their licenses. These two "Friends" tell him "You better check that guy, he doesn't have one". I cringed, cussing them in my head but kept my eyes on the river. He laughed and then walked off without checking me.
 
Me and two friends of mine decided to go fishing. I hadn't had time to get my license yet, had planned to get it the night before but got held up at work. I told them "Screw it, we've been fishing this spot for years and never seen a warden".

About 2 hours into fishing a game warden walks up. I'm about 50 meters up stream of them, across a log and a tributary. Game warden checks their licenses. These two "Friends" tell him "You better check that guy, he doesn't have one". I cringed, cussing them in my head but kept my eyes on the river. He laughed and then walked off without checking me.


You were lucky. My FIL and BIL and myself and another guy were fishing near my FIL place at the river. Me and the other guy in one boat. My FIL and BIL in another. Fishing the river at that time was not a problem but the creek were were headed into was. We had just passed the sign that designates one from the other meaning we were now in need of fishing license. The warden checked the boat I was in first and as he pulled off to check them the guy with me shouted "check those guys they ain't got no license". I didn't think anything of it until he stayed a long time with them. Then it hit me, My BIL had neglected to get his license. That just about ruined the guy with me. I told him not to worry about it he was gonna check them anyway.
 
Sounds like you guys need some new fishing partners. I’ve never been checked for license or anything else from the bunny cops.
 
Sounds like you guys need some new fishing partners. I’ve never been checked for license or anything else from the bunny cops.
Sounds like you’ve never hunted out west then. There’s been years I’ve seen more game agents than elk...
 
Nobody in this thread mentioned the apprentice license. @Millie didn't even have to take hunters' safety, She could just go with someone who has a license. Most hunting seasons will be over by the time she takes hunter's safety.

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Before-the-Hunt/Hunting-Heritage-Apprentice-Permit

If you lived closer, you could come sit with Jill in our ground blind where I have been seeing lots of activity now. And put the rifle of your choice in your hand.

I suggest a .243 bolt gun in Youth size - not alot of recoil, plenty enough for NC deer under 200 yards, etc. I have one sitting in the safe that needs to be shot. Or a .35 Remington if you wanted to go straight Annie Oakley (and it knocks deer flat)
 
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When is deer meat season over? lol.
I hunt during the season for meat all year. Here's some meat does that are eating the welfare corn. When they come out during the day, meat season will be in full effect.

Our deer firearms season ends Jan 1st. 2 weeks after that, we can start stickin em with arrows for an additional 2 weeks during Keith Urban's Archery Season

upload_2019-12-11_11-20-36.jpg

BTW that camera is about 5 yards in front of a nice hub-style ground blind with a buddy heater. So January isn't intolerable even with all the windows open and snow on the ground.
 
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This is what the confirmation email said:

Res State Hunt (WRC# 9855660)
Effective: 12/11/2019-12/11/2020

Hunting Apprentice Permit (WRC# 9855660)
Effective: 12/11/2019-12/11/2020

No mention of "tags" for big game, or anything like that. I assume this will allow me to go out with an actual hunter to observe, correct?
 
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Next thing you know she will be going on a big game hunt with the Trump Brothers!
 
I knew that they were offering the Hunter Safety Course on-line but I had not heard that they had waived the field day. Noting that the article states "has moved" to temp. wave so maybe a call to Wildlife would be wise to clarify. If that is the case, you can get what you need from the on-line course and move forward. The field day thing is more of a firearms safety thing and a chance to actually fire a rifle and shotgun. Since you are here then I assume you are familiar with firearms already so I would just do the online thing. Anything else such as track/scat/sign identification can be learned on your own or with minimal help from an experienced hunter. I'm just up the road in Virgilina if you need any help.
 
I knew that they were offering the Hunter Safety Course on-line but I had not heard that they had waived the field day. Noting that the article states "has moved" to temp. wave so maybe a call to Wildlife would be wise to clarify. If that is the case, you can get what you need from the on-line course and move forward. The field day thing is more of a firearms safety thing and a chance to actually fire a rifle and shotgun. Since you are here then I assume you are familiar with firearms already so I would just do the online thing. Anything else such as track/scat/sign identification can be learned on your own or with minimal help from an experienced hunter. I'm just up the road in Virgilina if you need any help.

Thank you. I may take you up on that. I'm reasonably familiar with firearms from the self-defense perspective (CHP; and taken Paul Smith's basic and advanced handgun course; and the carbine course all up at Front Line Defense), but entirely clueless vis-a-vis hunting (I guess knowing that I'm clueless is knowledge of a sort!). Sort of sad to say since my mother's family and the generations prior were all South Texas small farmers/homesteaders so I have some childhood memories of the family cabin of four rooms and a loft. Maybe trying to rediscover some roots before I enter my dotage and saying adios to the suburb?
 
Millie.. how about an update. Were you able to get out before deer season went out. How about squirrel? You know, turkey came in today.
I don't know anyone near me that hunts, to take me out and show me what I need to do, so nope!
Turkey, yummmmm......lol.
 
I was thinking you were down in the sandhills area. Surely there are some folks who could get you onto the gamelands or something. Some parts of that area are wrapped up with deer and turkey.
 
I was thinking you were down in the sandhills area. Surely there are some folks who could get you onto the gamelands or something. Some parts of that area are wrapped up with deer and turkey.
My cousin has land outside Wagram that he leases to some hunters, but I don't know them.
I think not a lot of guys are going to be keen on taking an old lady out to see what hunting involves! LoL. I'll keep looking, though.
 
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