Introducing someone to hunting

James H

Moderator
I have an opportunity to introduce a 28 yr-old to hunting birds this year. I was wondering how you all might go about this.

My background is that I came from a dad who always hunted and shot smallbore and bigbore target, I was shooting a BB gun in my parents' basement at 3, got a .22 at 8, a mossberg 500 and a .308 before I was even legal to hunt, and at 12 yrs old started hunting nearly everything available in Wisconsin in the 90's. When my dad was familiarizing me with guns when I was really young, I always expected to be yelled at a little about my muzzle position and checking my muzzle and state of gun whether it was loaded or not, and when it's appropriate to have loaded gun, etc. I always felt like it was good instruction. Bottom line...I've been handling guns hunting and target shooting safely for almost 30 years.

My question is now...I'm only 32 and I can't pull older age authority on this guy. He is new to hunting but is taking a hunter's safety course and says that he'll be able to get a license early November this year. I hope that his class teaches him well. Should I take him to a trap range first and just observe his handling of a shotgun? (we're just going to be either blue grouse or sharptail hunting). Bird hunting does get a little bit intense sometimes...you've gotta know where the birds are and not swing your shotgun into your hunting buddy when you're hunting in open country.

I had a bad experience at a trap range a few years back when a trusted bird hunting friend brought one of his friends. The guy didn't have any experience with firearms and almost ended up putting some 7 1/2 birdshot through his toes. He "accidentally" pulled the trigger on a 20 ga and put a hole in the ground about three feet in front of the line.

Any experience with this? I know that I'd be domineering if it were my son, but I don't have a son...this guy is just about the same age as me. I know him through work and school, but is there any way to test him? Determine if he's qualified to handle a 12 ga around other hunters? Is hunter's safety course enough?
 
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A hunters safety course will get him started. A few trips to shoot skeets is also a good idea.
Explain how to lead a bird and you're good to go. The main thing is to get some birds and have fun.
 
You may not be "older" but you sound as though you have a LOT more "experience". Age doesn't automatically infer ability.

In my book, safety trumps all else..... If he comes out of his class and isn't safe with a firearm then I'd steer clear of him. If he seems to be safe with the gun at the range I'd risk it for a trip or maybe two. You should however expect a slip or two when he see's birds for the first time. A tip that I have used with new hunters, if he's right handed I'd stay on his right side since it's harder for him to overswing in that direction than it would be on the left. But I'd also stay slightly behind to add an extra margin of safety. Be aware of his muzzle position and where his trigger finger is at all times. You may need to gently correct any slip ups with "tips" from time to time, just go easy.......
 
You may not be "older" but you sound as though you have a LOT more "experience". Age doesn't automatically infer ability.

In my book, safety trumps all else..... If he comes out of his class and isn't safe with a firearm then I'd steer clear of him.

agreed. I don't know what course of action you should take in this regard. maybe you should explain to him that safety is paramount and that you'd feel more comfortable going to a range to get a sense of what he's learned. on the one hand, you don't want to insult the guy and assume he's gonna walk around with a barrel pointed in your face. on the other hand, better safe than sorry. I guess it really depends on how serious this other fella is about hunting and safety.

I've haven't been hunting yet, nor do I own a firearm, but I plan on buying a rifle & shotgun in the future and I will go hunting. I haven't taken any safety courses through my local DNR but i've done a lot of research online, through books and from family members who are hunters, so I have a pretty good understanding of what I should and shouldn't do when handling a firearm.
 
+1 on the Hunters' Safety Course!!!;) By far the very first move, hell even attend it with him. If you are definetly going to hunt with this person, then I'd follow him through the course because you'll find out through the course if you even want to share the field with him!!! Everybody that I would hunt with at this time, has been to the course, and I've hunted alot with them. Age has a little to do with it but Saftey comes to us all if we care to LEARN IT!!!!!(no matter what age, creed or color, man or women!) Anyway the soapbox is someone else's... Happy huntin dude!!:)
 
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