Absolute beginner to deer hunting. Help us out?

I expect they have javalinas as well...

Funny you should mention that. I almost got ran over by a HUGE javelina last weekend (see my thread on rabbit hunint in AZ).

he decided he wanted to live and headed away at the last instant before I pulled the trigger. Now if I had a javelina tag he would be in the freezer right now.

YES, retirees active duty and activated reserves/guard and DoD civilians (sorry no contractors) can hunt on post down here as long as they have a hunters safety card and purchase a base hunting permit (still need a state permit). Plus, down here they stock the ponds with trout so i can hunt in the morning and then fish in the afternoon and maybe get in a round of skeet in the evening.

Now if the wife would just agree to this weekend schedule. :(

Any chance you could hook me up with a link or something??

Here is the link http://www.mwrhuachuca.com/sportcenter.html

JOE
 
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UF - thanks for the link, I will check it out. Do you know off-hand if you can bring a guest? My full-time hunting buddy is ex-Navy, but is does not have any real status (i.e. not a retiree).
 
I don't know, best call them.

I usually go out shooting with retirees or dod civy's . Just give them a call, almost all of the guys there are retirees and all but one are prior service, so they can relate.

JOE
 
Here is a great video on how to field dress a deer. It is a video from "Kentucky Afield", a long running outdoors show shot in Kentucky. This video is very imformative and is very explanatory. YouTube does require you to have a login ID and password because they say it contains "explicit material" (I guess because all the blood???) Anyways, great video, it is definitely worth checking out. Kentucky Afield also has tons of other videos on You Tube, they are all very informative.

Deer Field Dressing Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECdaKBbmGnU

My favorite Venison Recipe! (Video From Kentucky Afield)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIEk2L7sVOo

Kentucky Afield YouTube Channel with all their videos listed
http://www.youtube.com/user/KYAfield

They also have a great video about how to process your deer, but I can't find it on youtube. Anyways, hope this helps...
 
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Honestly, you've got more info than you can probably digest here already, but I just wanted to be another voice letting you know "It can be done!" I'm a self-taught hunter who started at 21 with no family or friends in the field. Read a couple books, attended hunters' safety, and read forums like this one. There's no substitute for getting in the woods for some trial-and-error though. Definitely frustrating at times, but I've been lucky more often than I've been skunked. If you have any specific questions that aren't covered by the above, feel free to drop me a message. Good luck!
 
Army GI, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm 27, and will probably go hunting for the second time this year. I didn't even see a deer my first time out, let alone bag one. My friend's dad and brother want to take me hunting down in AL, but I'm open to any and all suggestions from people in other states as well.
 
Again: Get out into deer counttry as often as you can, early morning and/or late evening, and just sit and watch. Practice imitating a stump.

Art
 
One other thing to try is carry a digital camera. Keep it in your pocket until you see a deer within range. Than practice pulling it out and zooming in and CLICK... if you can consistently get the photo than you are closer to feeling confident you can get a round into one...
Range finders are good but I would use one to "calibrate myself"... I use real world "items" to guess distance... I use 18 wheeler trailers and extension cords...:o I have dragged a zillion hundred footer cords and walked along as many 18 wheeler trailers 48-53 foot in length... good enuff for me YMMV.
Brent
 
It sounds like your have the firearms experience & safe gun handling down, which is very important. A low level guided hunt is not a bad idea, doe, hogs in CA or similar. Some type of bird hunt is also a good intro hunt.
 
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