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How old were you when you started deer hunting?

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Small game hunted in my late teens/early 20's. Decided I needed to know if I could provide for my family IF things ever got that bad in my early thirties. Went out deer hunting for the first time at 32yrs old. Killed a dandy on my third day. I have been ate up with it ever since. I had 130-150hrs in the tree stand my second and third years. Second year was EXTREMELY humbling. Man was I a lucky son of a gun that first year! lmao

I would agree with the comments on starting older. I believe you are more open minded to learn the more advanced scent control and scouting methods at an older age. I believe the learning curve is shorter if you start at an older age. I am still far from an expert, but I realize I have learned a ton when talking to some of the old timers which don't get on the forums or alter their ways from year to year. Today's information age can help one to get up to speed much much faster. I also believe all the time I have spent in the trees has helped versus the guy that just sits a few days a year during gun season.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
46.

Went thru hunter safety course back in early 70's in the Boy Scouts, small game hunted as a kid.
Didn't deer hunt till gun season '08, was immediately hooked and lost my mind. 4 years and $$$$$$$$$$$ later I'm still ate up with it.
Hope that someday (a long long time from now) when it's my time to pass, I'm sitting in a ground blind and lean back against a tree to take a nap and just move on.

Hope they find me before the yotes do......
 

Boone

*Supporting Member*
833
96
N.E. O-H-I-O
I worked part time in a plant to pay my way through college and the guys there were always talking about hunting. My first deer hunt was opening day of gun season at Salt Fork. Talk about a wild start. People were shooting everywhere around me before I could even see my hand in front of my face. I shot a doe about noon and have been hooked ever since. That was when I was 20.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,943
139
Began deer hunting in 1984. Since then I've accumulated over 70 kills.

damn thats impressive!

I think I started rabbit hunting around 8-10, started going deer hunting when I was 11 or 12, Killed my first deer 120+ 8 point when I was 16! Still trying to kill a big boy!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Nothing wrong with 120" 8pt AT. That is a darn nice deer. Maybe you should post it up here sometime.
 

hunna771

Junior Member
Been in the woods with my ole man since i was 8 i think... started carrying a gun when i was 12. Shot my first deer my first season with my 20 gauge. Started hunting with a crossbow my second/ third season. 4th with my longbow and recurve..
 

bigten05

*Supporting Member*
3,675
151
knox county ohio
i started when i was 7 took the hunters ed class and got the best score in the class.been doing it for 18 years now, i remember when i was around 9 or so shooting my bow at our house in town, and the cops showed up and wanted to take it because i was shooting a weapon in town, dad pretty much told them to go get fugged.