[Yunus]

It's not a lack of interest. It's a lack of knowledge and lack of understanding of the overly complex laws involved.

First and foremost, my dad was not a hunter so I never learned and now that I'm an adult it's more difficult than it seems to learn how. I mean I can read up on how to actually kill the animal effectively but then I'd be at a loss, somehow I don't think I would be able to harvest the meat effectively from the animal and I think that people who hunt and waste the meat should be banned from hunting. That might be an overly broad statement but I'm just in general stating that I don't think hunting is just about killing an animal, pests or other animals that harm crops/business are not included.

Secondly is that I don't know how to legally hunt. I know I need a license but beyond that I don't know the specific laws or areas I can hunt. I'm scared that I would do something that is not unsafe but illegal and end up getting a huge fine or jail time for something stupid.

I posted this after reading the thread about would you hunt if you had to pay. I didn't want to derail that thread but thought this was another interesting point of view on a slightly different topic.

[winds-of-change]

I am not interested in hunting because I don't think I could shoot and kill anything. Unless I was 100%, absolutely, positively certain I could kill it instantly with one shot.

[dks7895]

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/

[trip286]

I'm in much the same boat Yunus. I haven't been hunting since I was in my teens, and it was always on family land. Have never killed a deer, but have killed many doves, squirrels, and a few ducks-I'm very comfortable with those. But I would be lost at first on dressing a deer, and like you, I'm not to familiar with where to hunt. The information is out there though.

[Yunus]

Originally Posted by dks7895

Maryland Department of Natural Resources - 2011-2012 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland

Thanks for the link. In addition I know that when you get a license or tag they also have a few classes that can/must be taken. I guess going to one of those is really the best idea since reading about something and practicing it in the real world can be very different experiences.

[fmj]

Been killing guilty woodland creatures for well over 30 years and STILL learning. You just gotta get out and start doing it, when you come back in with questions, ASK!

Kinda the same deal with me and reloading, i am new to it, but i read some, and ask tons of questions.

[Jeepergeo]

My dad hunted when I was really young, but had stopped by the time I was old enough to tag along. He worked two jobs, had kids, a mortgage...

Fortunately, dad continued to take me shooting and I had firearms available to me while growing up, so target shooting, plinking, and some trap shooting kept me occupied during my teen and young adult years.

I passed my shooting interests to my son, and son-of-a-gun, my son told me he wanted to go hunting! I was not sure what to do. But, here's what we did and it worked for us.

1. Entire family took an NRA Hunter Safety Class (required in my state to get a hunting license).
2. Figured out what we wanted to hunt. (Upland game).
3. Bought firearms suitable for our first intended game.
4. Went to range and became proficient with those firearms.
5. Found a guide service for our intended game and put in a reservation.
6. Secured tags and licenses.
7. Hunted with the guide.

This process took us about a year.

Our first trip resulted in a lot of fun and good times, but no game. We saw a bunch, but just did not get lined up for a harvest.

Our next trip was also a lot of fun and good times, but we also harvested two animals, one for son (if this harvest was my last day of hunting, I would have considered my hunting career a complete success...dad was indeed proud), and one for dad. The guide showed us how to care for the game...he'd do it all, or show us, or combination of us working with the guide (we shared in the work).

We've been on two other guided hunts since, one for upland game and the other for birds, both trips successful.

I now feel ready to hunt on my own, but continue to hire and go with a guide as they have access to private lands which I feel improve my chances out here in a State where hunting is less embraced than in other states. My free time is limited, and paying the guide for help and access works best for me.

[unclebear]

when it comes to skinning and processing the animals meat it takes practice, I've been hunting for 6 years and I still mess up sometimes,

[boatme98]

Kind of the same for me. I never had anyone to teach me, now at my age, it just seems like too much work. Too many of my friends are willing to give me the fruits of their labor (jeez, I sound like an occupier!).
BTW, I certainly don't have a problem doing away with Bambi or any of his ilk.

[jpattersonnh]

My Dad was not a hunter. Started w/ squirrels, Rabbits, crows, woodchucks. You really learn how to clean by starting small. As far as too much work.... there is nothing like being in the woods on a cold crisp North East morning stalking a whitetail. The silence, sights, and solitude is amazing. I prefer hunting alone as you really become part of everything, not an onlooker.