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Post by hunter480 on Sept 14, 2006 20:23:06 GMT -5
Do you guys think very often of how you got started hunting? Ever think about how different your life, you, would be if you`d never started hunting? Were you brought up in the country in a hunting family? Did a buddy get you started? What does hunting mean to you? Is it something you do? Is it something that`s inside of you? Does it control you the way thirst or hunger does?
I grew up in Fountain Square on the near South East side of Indianapolis in a family of 10 kids, and whichever husband mom happened to have at the time. We were a poor family living in a poor neighborhood and it was a rough place. My older brother started rabbit hunting at some point in his teens, and although I never got to go along with him, the thought of it just “seemed” right to me. He moved out of the house before I was old enough to hunt. I worked at the old Em-Roe sporting goods store downtown during my senior year of high school and for a while after. One afternoon, I bought my first ever gun-a Winchester 1200 in 12 ga with a full choked barrel. With that old shotgun and my Outdoor Life subscription I started squirrel hunting in an old woodlot near New Palestine, and it was a couple of seasons, but I finally killed my first squirrel. A big fox squirrel, that my, then wife, used to make squirrel and gravy. Man that was the best breakfast I`d ever had at that point.
Over the years, as the deer in Indiana became more plentiful, I took to chasing them, and again, it took several seasons, as I hunted alone and was learning as I went, but I finally began to score consistently on the white-tails too, and now, white-tails are my passion, but I`m falling in love with the Easter turkeys too.
As I`ve gone through adulthood, a divorce, losing my mom, failed relationships, issues at work, and all the doubts that come with age, hunting has been the constant for me. Specifically deer hunting. No matter how down I`ve ever been, sitting on stand in the solitude of the deer woods has always helped heal me. Not always a cure-all, but I`ve never climbed down out of a tree without feeling better than when I climbed up. Whether I`ve killed a deer, or seen a deer, the time alone out there, in the last of the wild places, has always offered me a respite. Sometimes I pray and ask God for things I think I need or want, sometimes I ask God to talk to me, in that still small voice-occasionally, I just sit and let my mind wander where it will, but always I am refreshed. If it is one of the greatest of days, I`m fortunate enough to draw my bow, or pull the stock to my cheek, then I may even need to pull my truck across the field to the tree line and wrestle a deer into the bed. No matter about that though, because hunting has become as necessary to me as sleep or food and it nourishes me probably better. Much like football did for me in my youth, hunting has kept me grounded and it`s given me an identity that I`d never have had without it. Sometimes, when I think about all the things that could ever keep me from being able to deer hunt, development, land access, I ache inside, because I don`t ever want to know a season when I can`t be in my stand and have a chance to see white-tails in the wild. Still today, and it doesn`t matter if it`s a big 10-pointer or a yearling fawn, when I see that patch of winter-hide brown moving through the trees or hear the sound of hooves on leaves, I shiver.
So how about you, how did you get started?
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Post by swindianapaul on Sept 14, 2006 21:54:28 GMT -5
It is funny you should ask this question tonight Hunter480 as I spent had lunch with a gentleman yesterday where we spent the hour discussing how we were introduced to hunting.
My dad is the one who introduced me to hunting when I was 5 right in your backyard as we lived in Clayton. He loved to rabbit hunt and I was his version of a beagle...as he walked the tracks, I was down in the briars busting out rabbits for him. I must have walked every inch of the tracks from Clayton to Amo hundreds of times between 1965 and '72. When I was 9 he let me begin carrying an old Roberts single shot 20 ga. I was on top of the world!
I never did get to deer hunt with him due to his health getting worse, but can remember how excited he and I would get just to see a deer back in the days when they were scarce. While he could no longer go out hunting, he was always eager to hear how it went: asking what I saw and did I get anything. I into the service in the late 70's and had to hang up the shooting iron until '82, but was back at it and sharing the post hunt reviews with dad. Even without him in the field, there were few times when I did not get a tip from him during these talks following my hunts. I quit hunting when he died in '83 and it took 5 years before I realized how many of my memories of my dad were connected to hunting.......and how much my continuing the tradition of hunting would help my memories of him live on.
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Post by hunter480 on Sept 14, 2006 22:42:46 GMT -5
It is funny you should ask this question tonight Hunter480 as I spent had lunch with a gentleman yesterday where we spent the hour discussing how we were introduced to hunting. My dad is the one who introduced me to hunting when I was 5 right in your backyard as we lived in Clayton. He loved to rabbit hunt and I was his version of a beagle...as he walked the tracks, I was down in the briars busting out rabbits for him. I must have walked every inch of the tracks from Clayton to Amo hundreds of times between 1965 and '72. When I was 9 he let me begin carrying an old Roberts single shot 20 ga. I was on top of the world! I never did get to deer hunt with him due to his health getting worse, but can remember how excited he and I would get just to see a deer back in the days when they were scarce. While he could no longer go out hunting, he was always eager to hear how it went: asking what I saw and did I get anything. I into the service in the late 70's and had to hang up the shooting iron until '82, but was back at it and sharing the post hunt reviews with dad. Even without him in the field, there were few times when I did not get a tip from him during these talks following my hunts. I quit hunting when he died in '83 and it took 5 years before I realized how many of my memories of my dad were connected to hunting.......and how much my continuing the tradition of hunting would help my memories of him live on. Oh my gosh-what a great heritage you have from your father. And how neat to hear you talk about the rabbit hunts at the old RR right-of-ways. I used to hunt the tracks at Cartersburg west of Plainfield, and that`s where I got my first ever limit. It`s so great that you`ve returned to your hunting roots, and I`ll bet your dad is there with you every time you grab a gun and head out.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Sept 15, 2006 7:36:09 GMT -5
In 7th grade a new student was introduced to the class. I introduced myself to him, we became buds & are still tight to this day. His step dad was of French heritage from Canada & grew up in a hunting, fishing, & trapping family. He was a ex-professional wrestler & was a professional chef. He was a monster of a man, and was too busy to spend much time with Ted & I as we ventured afield. But, he did share his outdoors knowledge with us thru all of his interesting adventures & hands on lessons down at the barn after we had all of the day's chores done. It was a very vivid memrobable starting point 37 years ago. He has since passed on, but he died doing something he had always wanted to do. Move to Florida & be a professional shark guide & fisherman.
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Post by Decatur on Sept 15, 2006 7:46:13 GMT -5
Like swindianapaul said, I too was my dad's beagle, and loved every minute of it! He used to let me take a bb gun and I would shoot every rabbit in the eye after dad or my uncle shot them. I thought I was big stuff! I remember on one hunting trip, dad had brought water along because we were going to be out all day. Well, half way thru the hunt, which I thought was over, I dumped all our water out. I got a knuckle upside the head for that one! I still laugh about it to this day! Thanks for taking me along dad.
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Post by birddog on Sept 15, 2006 8:12:58 GMT -5
Well now that I'm 58 years old this goes back a while,first I was around 7 or 8 when I recall my Dad's very large dog kennel,he raised bird dogs and at that time quail hunting was very big here in S.E. Indiana but he'd go to Georgia and other southern states hunting quail.I think that's were I got my start.He passed away when I was 12 years old back in 1960 and my Mom married again a few years later to my Dad's very good friend and he also was a big hunter and fisherman,so since that time I've never been out of the fields are off the water banks somewhere.I've taken every species of game I think one can kill without leaving the U.S.,made many trips out west for deer,birds,elk,bear you name it as well as up north for birds,deer,etc..I now raise Brittany Spanials and have two at the present time that I hunt,as a matter of a fact I'm heading up to the U P of Michigan next week end for some grouse hunting then it's bow season here in Indiana,then only god know's what I'll be hunting after that but I can assure you I'll be some where hunting something!!!!!!
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Post by mudstrider on Sept 15, 2006 8:28:23 GMT -5
This really means a lot to me. I had no exposure to hunting as a kid. In my late twenties, hunting deer sounded like adventure, which I was seeking. I bought an 870 12ga. and walked into the woods completely ignorant. I thank God that He helped me stick to it even through those first unsuccessful years, because now my feelings for hunting resemble what Hunter480 described in his post. Last year my 11 year old boy got a nice doe on his first day hunting, and I was able to be there to share the experience with him. Oh, what a memory! A couple weeks ago, he told me, "this year I'm going to get a BUCK!" It's awesome to see his enthusiasm. Even though I missed out hunting in my youth, I'm grateful to be able to share this passion with my son while he's young.
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Post by raporter on Sept 15, 2006 8:57:38 GMT -5
One day while wandering in the wilderness I ran across this guy named Moses and well the rest is history.
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Post by bill on Sept 15, 2006 9:15:54 GMT -5
Hunter 480 ,
Wasn't the downtown Em roe's COOL. I always went with my dad. He didn't hunt , he was a high school AD and went to buy for the athletic dept. When we walked in I was on the elevator to the top floor. There was a store on the south side for a wile , but it wasn't the same.
I had neighbors that were big into bird hunting never got to hunt , but went to the fields with them when they trained dogs. I finely started hunting on my own in the 70's. I knew nothing about hunting. If I just saw a deer back then I thought I had a good season.
Later in the late 80's I hooked of with a friend that was born with a bow in his hand and hunting soon changed. He turned me on to archery and tree stands. Sure beat sitting on tree limbs.
With what I have learned over the years I have been able to teach my son. He has moved away so I now hunt by my self and think about hunts from the past. My dad still doesn't hunt , but sure likes to haul deer out on his four wheeler.
So I think the hunting floor at Em-roe's , the neighbors and my friend is what got me started.
Bill
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Post by jackc99 on Sept 15, 2006 10:01:28 GMT -5
I had the perfect set-up: my Dad was a fishing nut and my next door neighbor's Dad was a rabbit hunter from Tennessee. Growing up in the late 50's and early 60's we were always outdoors. Deer? Rarely saw them. Rabbits, squirrels, quail and pheasants made our bag back then. I can still remember that it took me 2 years to kill my first rabbit and longer to bag a quail. My first gun was a J. C. Higgins bolt action 20 gauge that my nephew has now.
I had an article in the Star a few years back talking about taking shotguns to high school and heading out to rabbit hunt a few hours in the winter. People made out like it was Columbine. LOL.
Like 480 I've reached the stage of life where being in the woods is much more important then the actual kill. I still grouse hunt though here are few grouse in Indiana. Just an excuse to take my dog and walk in the woods. All my friends have given up bowhunting so it's just me during October but come November we'll be out there and even hit the preserves after season ends just to work the dogs.
I don't have any kids but try to get as many kids into the sport as posssible. In an effort to pass along the tradition I've helped write the legislation for the youth deer and turkey seasons coming up this year. I work as a part of the Youth Committee of the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Committee of DNR. I've lost count of the groups I belong to but it's sufficient to say that it's a lot.
Pass along the tradtion...take a kid hunting, Jack
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Post by dbd870 on Sept 15, 2006 11:15:38 GMT -5
My friend and his father got me started when I was maybe 13 or so. My father used to take us fishing but he was never a hunter.
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Post by kevin1 on Sept 15, 2006 17:05:43 GMT -5
One day while wandering in the wilderness I ran across this guy named Moses and well the rest is history. Did you pat him on the head and show him and the rest of the first graders where the bus stop was ? ;D j/k Bob ! I'm almost completely self taught other than what I've learned from listening to others over the years . My Dad hunted prior to leaving home , but he got bitten by the dammed golf bug and never hunted again . I have an uncle or two that hunt , but always lived too far from them to tag along . This is probably why I usually hunt alone and prefer it , though nowadays I take along a cell phone and GRMS radio when I hunt away from familiar ground . I'm currently in the process of ensuring that my grandkids will have the opportunity to hunt , know how to do it , and always have somewhere to go to do it .
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Post by danf on Sept 15, 2006 20:58:20 GMT -5
My father got me started hunting when I was around 5 or 6 it seems. I would tag along in the woods when he went squirrel hunting, usually after an afternoon of cutting and splitting firewood. Had to work for the reward. I know Dad is pretty much self-taught in the ways of deer hunting, and he passed on what he knew to me when I started hunting deer way back in '92 (yep, some of you are old enough to be *my* dad!!). I can still remember him putting together the first muzzleloader he ever bought, it was a kit and it was around '85 or '86. Dad and my uncle got my grandpa to start hunting deer at some point (think it was around '90, after Grandma died in '89); to this day they still shake their heads in amazement that he was able to kill a deer with those moldy cardboard 12 gauge shells! Nothing like having your grandfather helping to drag out a deer with you, or even the other way around. Grandpa hasn't been out much in the last few years, but I might take him some meat this year if he doesn't get out. At one point, there were 6 of us family members (myself, Dad, my sister, a cousin, my uncle and Grandpa) that were going out on opening day of shotgun season. That number has dwindled to one or two in the last couple of years though for various reasons. I've been fortunate enough to have family land to hunt ever since I started hunting. It took moving away from home 4 years ago to realize just how fortunate I am to have access to that land. I'm looking forward to the day I pass it on and my daughter and son take their first shot at a target, then a game animal. It'll be a while; she's only 3, and he's 4 months old! Dad says he'll never forget the look on my face when I found him after shooting my first deer, I can only imagine what Lilah and Landon will be like.
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Post by bsutravis on Sept 16, 2006 7:15:07 GMT -5
I was self taught.....my first hunting "idol" was Elmer Fudd I suppose. I looked up to Elmer, and still do.....back then things were simplier. He had his goofy plaid hat, never dreamed of fancy camo, and yet he still always on that waskily wabbit! Bill Jordan may laugh at his techniques today...but dang it, ELMER was the first outdoorsman who also was knew how to entertain his audience. All I can say is, "Thanks Elmer"........I like to think that every time I miss at whatever I am shooting at, I am trying to keep your tradition alive!
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Post by Sasquatch on Sept 17, 2006 6:44:09 GMT -5
Good post Hunter480.
I was blessed beyond measure to grow up in the middle of one of the biggest contiguous blocks of woods near the Franklin line. I wandered the woods my whole childhood, especially in the spring looking for mushrooms. A family friend took me fishing a lot, but oddly, though I was surrounded by deer, squirrels, and all manner of woodland creatures, I never hunted. Dad never did, and I just never thought about it. Then came the summer of 1992, and I was wandering bored in the Ranch Supermarket, when my eyes fell onto an issue of North American Whitetail magazine. On the cover was an incredible 34 point deer dubbed "the Minnesota Monarch." I was curious, because I never knew deer could look like that. I bought the magazine just to find out about the deer. Well, All those articles made deer hunting sound pretty interesting. I got a bow for my birthday, and the rest is history! What if I had never laid eyes on that magazine that day?
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