Teach a beginner

[elk yinzer]

No not me.

I have a great friend I went to college with. City kid. Millennial. But a good guy. Heck of a guy. True friend. Godfather to my daughter. The kind "we" want on "our" side. Not a snowflake. Hark worker. Showed an interest in hunting a few years back. I felt a duty as much as I actually wanted to take this project on and here I sit.

So, two years ago I guided him to his first rifle kill, a doe. It was beginners luck in every sense of the word. Since then, he's screwed up a couple times. Yet he's hooked. The combination of organic venison and the mystical part of hunting that we all love seems to have a firm grip on his soul. He is motivated by his failures, but at he same time, I have been holding his hand, maybe a little too much.

So rifle hunting is easy right, but I told him to get on my level and we'll talk. I gave him a 20 year old bow this spring and part of me thought he would throw it in the garbage by August. But he is gung-ho and shooting it on the regular. He is taking some time off to come out during my rutcation. I thought I was going to freeze his cityboy rear off two years ago and this would be over.

So...I have no bleeping clue what to do next. Thoughts? Anyone ever teach a city person how to hunt? He honestly couldn't tell a beaver dam from a buck rub. And that is what I struggle with the most, how to teach woodsmanship. Do you throw him in the deep end? Am I in for a couple more seasons of hand holding before everything clicks? Do I need to come up with a whole curricula of key points? What are the Beast related thoughts? Do I make him straight beast from the start, or let him fumble around awhile on his own? I know we have some guys on here that adopted hunting later in life and that is probably the most valuable input. I learned to hunt from the womb, so I cannot relate here whatsoever.

[Boogieman1]

First of, great job introducing someone to our sport. I have tried afew times to introduce people to bowhunting. Here's afew lessons learned. Does he like to hunt, I mean does he wanna learn to hunt or is he just happy with u doing the hunting and him doing the show up and shooting. I would tell him this year we are gonna go scout and u can pick out your own spot for the fall. If he asks questions answer, if he knows it all let him watch squirrels. In my case this is where I lost all my recruits, when it came time for them to do the actual hunting part they lost interest and found something else.

Doesn't sound like this is your case, but for me afew of them were just using me for a spot to hunt. So I advise to always be careful the locations u show folks.

I also noticed while worrying about someone else I struggled for myself. A lot of my scouting/hunting time was geared to get them on deer and I paid a price I'm not yet ready to commit. I say rip the band aide off, and let the school of hard knocks take over.

[Ack]

I guess I would start him off slow.......basic woodsmanship, and then break down deer sign and where he needs to be and when to kill.

Have him get a few kills (any deer, doe or buck) under his belt before going straight to big bucks......I feel he would appreciate hunting more and not be like the general "modern day" hunter.

Explain to him that any deer kill is an accomplishment, and not to compare himself to those on TV or in magazines......most of that stuff isn't realistic.

When his confidence increases and he is truly okay with taking an animal's life, then introduce Beast tactics, that is IF he has the interest to kill bigger bucks.

[dan]

Give him you old beast DVD's so he don't get swayed into disappointment by watching mainstream kill shows and video's.

And more importantly, great teachers don't tell others how to hunt, they are just there to lead by example and answer a question when needed. Bringing a new person into hunting is a great responsibility. Be a role model more than a teacher, and don't feel like you need to force it. He is either a hunter, or he is not. That's in his passion and sole, not in something that can be taught.

My fondest memories are not the big bucks I slayed over the years, they are from my beginning years, that 1st deer (a button buck) and my 1st bow kill, my 1st encounter, the small stepping stones. The small accomplishments and adventures along the way... Anybody can be a killer, but it takes passion, drive, and commitment to be a hunter, and those things can't be taught. You either have it, or you don't.

[MATexbow]

I am embarking on the same adventure of teaching city folk how to hunt (I am city folk for what it's worth). #1 guiding principle, keep asking them what they want to learn. Every time I go out scouting, I ask if they want to join, and I focus on one lesson, rubs, tracks, beds, etc.

[Kraftd]

Agree with everyone else so far. One thing I would be teaching him is this is going to be a loooong process, but the work and experience is fun at least. He isn't going to learn this stuff in a season, or even 10. Sounds like he's engaged, which is great, and doesn't mind working, which is great. As long as neither of you get frustrated and understand it's a process, it will be a blast.

I've been helping two neighbors that are a lot like what you describe get going over the last three years or so, and I've been getting another guy I have done alot of bird and small game hunting with get into bowhunting. One guy does have some uncles that are helping him as well, but he's also a hard working guy who doesn't like failing. He killed a nice little buck last year in his first full bow season on his own. The other guy is interested, but hasn't gotten over the hump of doing anything without me leading the way yet, so he's behind the game. Doesn't bother me either way. I answer questions when I can, and make what time I can. I have two other guys who have been pestering me a little this spring too. I'm glad to help out, but always tell people, I'm hunting at least a few days a week from September through January, call me when you want to head out and we will get something booked. I'm not going to chase them around. This has historically weeded most guys out. The ones who call and pester me to get something set-up, I know are worth investing time in. Sounds like you buddy is one of these guys.

I'd second Dan's recommendation on the Beast DVD's. Both of my buddies have eaten them up. It'll be a while before most of it clicks, but it's a good precursor. The Hunting Public stuff, which last season is on Amazon now, would be great as well.

[Swampbuck]

Sounds like you have passed the point of bringing him to spots for him to kill. Sounds like you should bring him scouting and start actually showing him what you are looking for. Give him suggestions but start letting him make his own choices too. A season of that and he should be ready to fly by next season

[<DK>]

Just ask him what his goals are and go from there. Matter of fact, teach him to set a goal for every year. I think one of the most important things to teach is how to read a map. Majority of people around me do not know how to properly.

[jporcello]

We all know we actually start hunting in the post season by scouting. invite him to go scout for buck beds if answers yes than you know where he is, if he answers no maybe time to cut the chord.

[<DK>]

I also agree with everyone about scouting and being "hardcore" about things. However, there is a journey we all have to take in order to hunt big bucks. I think every hunter needs to find that drive and not be thrown into it.

[jporcello]

if you like hanging out with this guy and have become friends maybe keep holding his hand, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink.

[elk yinzer]

Lot's of good input. He is a fraternity brother and a lifelong friend, so not just some dude that latched onto my coattails. The level of commitment to see this through properly, there is no way I could take it on otherwise. He lives 3 hours away in NYC (not joking when I say city dude) so it is tough to get together often enough to really soak in and apply it like I feel he really needs to.

I also noticed while worrying about someone else I struggled for myself. A lot of my scouting/hunting time was geared to get them on deer and I paid a price I'm not yet ready to commit. I say rip the band aide off, and let the school of hard knocks take over.

This is really part of the dilemma. It wasn't too bad doing the teacher/pupil deal in rifle season after I tag out. Now that he is getting into bowhunting, coming and out and hunting during my rutcation, it's pretty much to the point where I'll kick in when needed but he is definitely getting tossed in the deep end this year, and we'll see if he sinks or swims.

[jporcello]

Lot's of good input. He is a fraternity brother and a lifelong friend, so not just some dude that latched onto my coattails. The level of commitment to see this through properly, there is no way I could take it on otherwise. He lives 3 hours away in NYC (not joking when I say city dude) so it is tough to get together often enough to really soak in and apply it like I feel he really needs to.

I also noticed while worrying about someone else I struggled for myself. A lot of my scouting/hunting time was geared to get them on deer and I paid a price I'm not yet ready to commit. I say rip the band aide off, and let the school of hard knocks take over.

This is really part of the dilemma. It wasn't too bad doing the teacher/pupil deal in rifle season after I tag out. Now that he is getting into bowhunting, coming and out and hunting during my rutcation, it's pretty much to the point where I'll kick in when needed but he is definitely getting tossed in the deep end this year, and we'll see if he sinks or swims.

good luck, please post the successes and failures so that we can learn from your experience

[headgear]

I guess I would start him off slow.......basic woodsmanship, and then break down deer sign and where he needs to be and when to kill.

Have him get a few kills (any deer, doe or buck) under his belt before going straight to big bucks......I feel he would appreciate hunting more and not be like the general "modern day" hunter.

Explain to him that any deer kill is an accomplishment, and not to compare himself to those on TV or in magazines......most of that stuff isn't realistic.

When his confidence increases and he is truly okay with taking an animal's life, then introduce Beast tactics, that is IF he has the interest to kill bigger bucks.

Lots of this, baby steps and take it slow. I wouldn't even bother with anything but the simplist of beast tactics and basic woodsmanship for the first full years. If he becomes crazy like the rest of us then you go more advanced. I take a lot of friends hunting who have done it their entire lives, still I have very little confidence in them setting up near a bedded buck so they get dopped off at a decent spot with a good chance for a deer on the way to my desired location. There is a huge learning curve for expereinced hunters let alone a rookie.

[Twenty Up]

I’ve got a couple buddies similar to what you speak of. These guys often times do not have the ability to hit the woods as often as us, or they haven’t gotten to “that” level yet where they make sacrifices to hunt.

Regardless I’ll try to put them in high deer traffic areas and let em have fun. The biggest thing is having fun and try not to get discouraged at them. Even if they play on their phone or nap half the time and miss deer walking past