Fella,

After you get all the preliminary hunting safety done, I'm gonna give you the secrets to a life of successful hunting, fret free.

30-06 or 308 with a Leupold
Trioxane
Rubber Boots
Be Still
Hunt high in the morning, low in the evening

Thats it, you are now a master hunter!

You need to get out there and try, first and foremost. I recommend a good shotgun to start because it will allow you to hunt everything, from doves to squirrels to deer, with the right load. Get out there and get a few squirrels. Be observant and you can learn a lot about animal behavior, you might even stalk up on a deer. Animals all have habits, once you find a deer you are liable to find him in the same place around the same time of day the next time you are out. Except that next time you bring slugs.

I have never killed a deer, but I have walked right up on several while stalking squirrels in North Carolina- with just a pellet rifle. Which, by the way, is a great way to hone your off-hand skills. Squirrels with an air rifle are a lot of fun. I walked up on the same doe in about the same spot, on probably 3 or 4 consecutive squirrel hunts one season. And i mean right up on her, probably within 15 yards- on public land, during deer season! They have daily habits and follow patterns just like people do.

Most importantly, if you hunt over "feed", it ain't much to be proud of.

This year, wait till after hunting season is over and take your kids for hikes in the outdoors. Pack a lunch and make it fun for you and the kids. Look for tracks and scat and signs, and enjoy looking at all the things in the outdoors. That way you can learn what to look for while you're spending time with your family. When the kids get older you can all do it together. The more time you spend, the more you'll get the hang of it. Watch online videos and read message boards like this one.

I started hunting at age 44, with limited time go on outfitter hunts for hogs does or even management bucks.

See trienta trienta above and learn to hunt the wind. When you have the time get on a lease with good folks and seek out advise from the successful experienced hunters. Enjoy it is a lifestyle for a lifetime.

Get a book by Gene Wensel called "Buckskin & Bone". Get a book by Steve Chapman called "A look at life from a deer stand".

I think you achieve Master status when deer is the last thing you worry about while on the stand. You appreciate things like a lone redbird in a backdrop of gray.

To start scouting and hunters safety is a big part. Learn the ways of the woods recognize used trails,scrapes, rubs, poop, feeding areas just any sign of the animal you are trying to hunt.

You haven't really said what you were interested in hunting. Many, like myself, enjoy hunting all sorts of things. A lot of things depend on your situation but I started out with small game like doves, squirrels and rabbits and then moved to ducks and geese. I have only recently got into deer and hogs. One thing I like about small game hunting for beginners is a theoretrical higher potential for success. Normally I would say this for a kid but I guess it could apply to adults as well. I do think having success helps in reducing the frustration level. But that is also atrributed to what your expectation level is. I read in a magazine a long time ago that just getting to go hunting was one of the greatest things. Seeing something was just extra and harvesting was just the ultimate. I have had many hunts where nothing was shot but that didn't make it a disappointment. Nowadays too many people rate the hunt by their success and fail to recognize the thrill of just getting to go.

I had some kids and I stopped (Time and Financial constraints). I was getting very close to my blue belt (I had blue belt level top game......bottom game not so much).......John Machado just opened a school in Allen, so very tempting to start again, just goes back to time constraints.

Do you Train BJJ?

Wow.....I'm truly overwhelmed by the wealth of info given...I never expected this.....I'm going to have to reread this thread a few times to fully get all of the info dispensed. Thanks so much......

Do you have a firearm/bow or hunting license yet? May be able to take you hog hunting if we can put together something on a weekend sometimes. If you don't have a shot gun or a rifle I can also loan you one for the hunt but you have to have a license.

Some good info has already been provided in other responses but I want to comment on your jiu-jitsu experience. I don't know any form of martial arts but I believe you have already learned an important aspect of *shooting* (which also relates to hunting) in your jiu-jitsu training and may not even realize it... self-control (calming yourself, thus breathing). Uncontrolled emotion impacts heart rate, vision, breathing... which impacts shooting whether at a target or an animal.

A general firearms safety class, hunters safety, range time, guided hunts, this site and you'll be off and hunting on your own in no time.

To success,
Mickey

Thanks Mickey, yeah if you don't learn to breathe and relax in Jiu-jitsu, you're going to be in some trouble.....

I didn't start hunting until 3 years ago (I'll be 35 in a couple of weeks), so learning to hunt as an adult is definitely doable. My husband grew up hunting, but I never did as a kid (fished a lot, though), so I'm lucky in that I have someone who's been showing me the ropes. There are also some older land owners out by us who have kind of adopted us, and they've also helped when I've needed it. But I've also watched a ton of YouTube videos, read a lot, talked to a lot of people, etc. Hunter safety is a must, as is finding a gun you're comfortable with. And as someone who's still pretty new to this hunting thing, I would also add: don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they might be dumb. We all start from the beginning, and I've found that hunters are some of the nicest, most giving people out there. They'll share their stories, their tips, and their time with you if you're willing to learn and serious about what you're doing.