Interested in deer hunting - how to get started....

Sorry if this is a common question, but I was not successful finding anything searching in the forum.

How does someone get started deer hunting "later in life" (I am in my 40s) when they did not grow up hunting? I have 3 kids that I would like to take hunting when they get old enough, but I have to figure out how/where to start myself. I have some buddies that are into dove hunting and have enjoyed a couple of dove hunts already, and now I would like to move on to try deer as well, but I don't have anyone in my current circle of friends that hunts deer.

I would ideally like to be able to harvest a deer, have some venison we can enjoy, and see if it is something that I would like to continue doing. I am not really interested in a trophy on the wall, and can't see spending a ton of money on a "trophy" hunt. Do the hunting ranches offer any doe/meat type hunts that are more reasonably priced for a first timer?

Any suggestions, pointers, etc on how to enjoy a first deer hunt would be greatly appreciated. I live in the Austin area.

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. Its never to late to start deer hunting. The only problem that I see is the current cost of doing it. I would suggest heading out to Bertram (About 40 minute drive off of Hwy 29) Texas and book with DB Hunting services. They run some cheap hunts on hogs and exotic does. Jake will help you with the gutting and quartering for a small fee. You will be able to harvest some great tasting meat and get a feel for deer size game.

DB Hunting is running some specials on Axis right now. Check them out in the Guide and outfitters section.

Many of the whitetail and exotic ranches in Texas offer doe and cull buck hunts for very reasonable rates - much cheaper than investing in a lease and the management ($$) that goes along with it if you are just feeling out your interest level. However, if you want your kids to join you in the experience, you will probably need to look at a family-friendly lease eventually.

Several lease options exist, e.g. a smaller lease where its just you and your family, or a larger lease managed by a game management firm where there are several other hunters. With the latter option you have to deal with and get to know other hunters you are not familiar with, which may involve some politics, but you can also develop some relationships and learn quite a bit about hunting and game management. Many of those outfits however are more concerned with trophy hunting rather than hunting purely for meat.

In both cases, it should also be about the experience and recreation time outdoors with the family and friends.

Just my two cents...

Good luck whichever way you choose but glad to hear you are interested in getting your children involved

Thanks for the pointer! I looked them up and that looks like a great introduction to hunting deer sized game. And it is close to Austin.

JRK,

Thanks for the reply!

I was thinking exactly along the same lines as what you mentioned. If it turns out I do enjoy deer hunting, I would eventually want to find a place where I could bring the family along. A year round lease where we could use the land for other recreation -- hiking, nature watching, camping, maybe hunting squirrel/rabbits, etc would be ideal.

I totally agree with your last comment -- it is about the time with family and friends enjoying the outdoors. I personally am not interested in hunting to put trophies on the wall. I would like to enjoy the outdoors with the family and be able to fill the freezer from time to time.

Thanks!

I have already gotten my 2 oldest (7 and 5) introduced to fishing. To me, I would much rather enjoy the time outdoors with my family than take off to hunt/fish on the weekends with them at home. Some of my fondest memories growing up are fishing with my dad on the weekends.

Yes ..if nothing else you can sometimes find a doe hunt for $125-$150 because they can to get rid of some. Also try to find somebody in your area that is looking for hunting companionship.

Here are a couple of things that might help:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/youth_hunting/
http://texasyouthhunting.com/
http://www.hunting-in-texas.com/youth.htm

Lot's of good advice on here. There are a lot of options. I echo the comment about going on a cheap doe/cull hunt to see if you like it. If I were a betting man, I would say that you will enjoy it and become addicted like the rest of us.

One thing that I would recommend is making sure you get a good rifle/scope and practice, practice, practice. It isn't just pointing and shooting. You have to be comfortable and confident with your firearm.

Good advice,

Also you can have alot of fun just going to the range every month or so getting ready for the season, truth be known most Texas hunters would say they enjoy getting the lease ready and taking weekend work trips as much as the hunting its self.

X2 I have a friend that has asked me to take him hunting this year since he has never been. However, my favorite part is the time spent in the offseason getting everything ready.

My advice is to find a day hunt and see if you enjoy it. If so, start looking for a family friendly lease or buy your own piece of Texas hunting land.

Non hunting activities are tough to pull off on smaller year round hunting leases. We're on over 600 acres, and do not allow trail hiking/biking or riding of quads or ATV's except to and from your hunting section.

Constant activity like that is going to change the deer's habits, bedding areas, etc.... Plus the fact that as a year round lease, other members may be out hunting varmints, predators, hogs, etc... Not an atmosphere I'd want my family walking/biking around.

Hope you can find a place like that for the kiddos. It's a great lifestyle to be introduced to at any age.

Unless you get on a really nice lease for big $$$, you may be hard pressed to find something that fits your stated goals.

Good luck to you and enjoy!

Try this, very reasonable for exotic does:

Texas Hunting Forum

Don't feel like the only one that started hunting late in life. I was out of college before I got serious about hunting. My father didn't hunt but I did spend a lot of my youth living in the country and had an older friend of the family to take me a few times. Here is how I would approach it. If you are new to hunting period, don't get in too big a hurry to book a day hunt just yet. First, make sure you are accurate with your gun. We have an obligation to make a clean, humane kill. Then, get with some friends or get acquainted with someone that hunts and start picking their brain on everything from what to look for when setting up a blind or stand site to what to do once you have the deer on the ground. We hunters love to share our knowledge and "expert advice". Then see if you can go on a day hunt with someone or get invited to a friend's lease where you will be able to get "hand's on" experience on what you learned with someone that can provide some reinforcement and support. After that is as much gaining experience by going hunting as anything.

Take the Hunter education class asap. Classes get full closer to the season. They present alot of good information you might not think of otherwise. It will be a requirement for the kids too.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and encouragement. I do have experience with marksmanship, so I am not starting from ground zero. A couple of years ago I bought a .308 for a hog hunt with the brothers-in-law that I ended up not being able to attend. At the time I sighted it in about 1" high at 100 yards.

I will definitely get out to the range and spend some time getting more comfortable with the rifle.

Wiredhernandez -- thanks for the suggestion of the hunter education class. The couple of times I have looked into it, all the classes were full.

SATX -- good point about the activity disturbing the deer habits. I was not thinking of spend a lot of time using a lease for recreation, just a camping trip a couple of times off season and maybe a few rabbit/squirrel hunts. I can see how it would be better to limit the activity on the lease to not disturb the deer, and especially to coordinate with the other folks on the lease to make sure we would not overlap with someone else hunting on it.

stxranchman - thanks for the links on youth hunting!

Thanks again for all the encouragement, links, suggestions!

Be very carefull! The VERY expensive addiction is VERY easy to catch.
YOU HAVE BEEN WORNED!

Another way to get started is by putting in for drawings by the TPWD for area state parks and Wildlife Management Areas. Very reasonably priced. Another couple ways to get the kids involved is through the Buckskin Brigade camps or through the Christian Outdoor Alliance. See the below websites for more info.

www.texasbrigades.org
www.coaoutfitters.com

I started hunting way past 40. Here's some suggestions. Go ahead and divorce your wife. She'll say she will support your hunting activities, but it's a lie. One night after you've returned from hunting and butchering a buck at the sink with blood running onto the kitchen floor, you'll get a knock on the door and legal papers served. She's gone and the lawyers bill is in the mail. You need to quit your job. You can hunt around a part time job, but the full time job won't cut it. And you will eventually get fired for missing too many deadlines as you build your blind, search for a lease, and shop every firearms dealer around. Also, go head and move into the littlest and nastiest 1 bedroom you can find. Being in cramped dirty spaces is all about hunting. And you'll save some money to buy that deer camp beer. Oh, sell your nice car. Buy the cheapest, ugliest truck you can find. Hunting and trucks go hand in hand. It's gonna get beat up driving around the ranch and you'll probably put it in a ditch as you drive home after enjoying the camp beer with your new hunting buddies. Stay on this site and you'll get enough advice for successfull hunting.