Ok, I HATE this but...

[Rob P.]

I am now 52 years old. I have never hunted in my life but have wanted to do so for the past 30 years. I HAVE had a hunting license in the past (1992-ish??) but never used it.

I would like to change this. THIS YEAR!!!!

I work for ME so time off isn't that much of a problem (although sometimes I can't reschedule stuff). I do not (currently) have anything centerfire which is "shootable" but that can be changed immediately with a short visit to the gun shop. (270 or 7mm) I do have a 20ga Mossberg pump w/ interchangeable shotgun & rifled barrel that I purchased new in 1990 and have NEVER chambered a round in. I also have an old Carcano (7.35) which is basically a wall hangar (shot out barrel).

I am physically "challenged" in that my spine has blown out disks but I am physically fit and capable of walking 2-4 miles at a time up/down hills. I bicycle 60+ miles per week (yes I said sixty plus miles) and have hiked fireroads and LPNF trails as recently as last summer.

I have backpacking gear. I have boots. I have the desire. I can travel to A zone south (inland or coastal) and zones D 8, 9 10 & 13. I have a base in Ventura AND Bakersfield so my "travel area" is quite large.

I even have a pickup (2X4 only).

What I don't have:

SOMEONE to show me the ropes. I would like to hook up with an experienced hunter who is willing to take me out into the woods and SHOW ME what to look for. Show me where to go. Show me the ropes.

I need info on where to take game for processing (I don't know how to butcher game myself).

A scoped centerfire rifle (which is easily fixed. I have the funds available but no reason to spend them unless I can get a mentor.)

And all the other stuff that I should know but am too dumb to know to ask about.

Anyone out there who can help? Everyone in my area "hunts out of state" which is BS-speak for "I don't hunt but I want everyone to think I do even though the furthest I've ever been out of state in my life is the Morongo Casino in Palm Springs." I work in a field of professionals whose idea of hunting is to give the wife a credit card so she can go buy stuff at the mall while they work EVERY weekend, holiday and most evenings until midnight.

Seriously. I would like to go hunting.

 

[acousticmood]

Hi Rob,

I would suggest signing up for the May management hunt at Tejon that is listed elsewhere in this board. A lot of folks there are typically willing to help you get on a hog. I'm planning on going this year and I'd be happy to help but there are others who are actually qualified to help! Seriously though in reading these forums for many years and meeting a few hunting buddies, this hunt seems like a great way to get plugged in. If you decide to go let me know and me and my buddy will help you get hooked up.

 

[Rob P.]

I will consider the May hog hunt but what I REALLY need is a mentor who is willing to teach.

I don't know what areas to look over for game.
I don't know what to look for in areas where game may be resting during the day.
I don't know anything about sign.
I don't know anything about spot & stalk techniques.
Etc.

My experiences with game have always been where I come around a blind corner and there it is. Or maybe isn't. Other than blind chance I don't have any techniques to use to spot critters. There was even a post here on JHO with a pic of some brush & trees that had a bear in it and I could not see the bear. Somehow had to circle the bear and repost the pic for me to see it because I do not know what to look for. It was embarassing.

At this point the shooting part isn't that important. What is more important is getting out there and learning the things I need to know so that when I do go out to take game I have a chance at seeing some.

 

[palladin]

First, you should put something in the Mentor Wanted section so available people will see your request.

DFG has documents available to help you learn what critters are available in certain areas, the methods to hunt them, how to track them, etc.

Start here:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/publications/

and here (look for the Hunting Guide .pdfs and links to huntable areas like BLM, USFS, etc.)

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting/

 

[slanttop357]

Just woundering why you let 30 years pass u buy and now you got the Itch bad ?

 

[Rob P.]

Just woundering why you let 30 years pass u buy and now you got the Itch bad ?

When I was younger I had time to wait.

Now that I'm older I have no time to waste.

 

[acousticmood]

Don't allow the paralysis of analysis ..... Just get out there!

 

[Rob P.]

Thanks, I'm planning on it. I am going to do some looking on a local ranch where they NEVER EVER EVER allow hunting. I mtn bike on the fire road there regularly and see tons of deer/hog tracks mixed in with the abundant COW tracks/paddies. So, I'm going to take my bino's with me the next few trips. I'll see if I can figure out where to look and what to look for. Going to see if I can spot anything in the brushy areas across the draws and canyons around sunset.

I KNOW that there are deer and hogs in there (I've surprised some in the evenings when I come around curves suddenly). I was within 25 feet of one porker that was the size of a German Shepard (only porky was fatter around) just a month or so ago about 1/2 hour after sundown. He was snacking on acorns on the side of the road when I came around the curve and he saw me coming right at him. He took off over the edge of the fire road, dropped into a gully and vanished. Once he disappeared it was like he was never there and I couldn't even hear anything but I KNOW that there's critters in there. Even if I can't hunt 'em I can learn from looking for them.

That's my plan for now.

 

[ltdann]

You found your first clue to hunting, "what are they eating, where are they doing it and when?". The more you observe, the better you get. Congrats! I didn't started until my earlier 30's and I've never looked back.

 

[TonyS]

I'm about your age and started almost 4 years ago. There was definitely a big ring of truth to what acousticmood told you. Don't freeze yourself...tick-tock, tick-tock.

You mentioned you have binos which is a good thing. Now take them with you and go investigate the areas which are convenient for you to hunt. I did this the first year and only this year did I truly understand how valuable the information I learned actually was. Next thing to do is READ. I can't begin to tell you how much ahead of the curve you can get by doing this.

If you find you are missing game in an area, go scout another. Gasoline and boot leather make you successful but it won't happen if you only drive around. Road hunters have about a 2% chance of seeing game. About the same as you sitting in one spot and just watching. In fact I think still hunting is probably one of the better ways to go once you figure out where game travels.

The important thing is GO! Waiting for someone to hold your hand is not giving you the memories you want and it never will. Find a gun you like, go to the range and learn to shoot it. Then go for a walk in the woods with your gun. Who knows what's going to happen?

Good luck!

ps. I wish I knew where pigs were. But you are already a leg up on me there.

 

[bruce_ventura]

I'm 53 and still a newbie at hunting. I've learned a lot hunting squirrels, rabbits and coyotes. I've spent many hours scouting deer without success, but I had a lot of fun and came close to having a shot at a legal buck a couple of times. I got a pig three years ago (private land). I've seen many more but passed up on the shot because they were too small.

The more time you spend in the forest just scouting and spotting with a binocular, the better prepared you'll be when hunting season opens. Get out before dawn or in the late afternoon. Your mountain bike is a good way to access more remote areas that hold game.

I also recommend that you look at private hunting ranches like Tejon Ranch or Wilderness Unlimited. They're not cheap, but will get you in touch with hunters in prime hunting land.

 

[chevy_dog]

Just start watching those hunting shows on tv will get you most of the "i am too embarassed to ask" questions answered.