Adult Noob

Good Day!

*.Background Info (skip if you feel its unnecessary).
*Forgive me if i'm providing too much information but I believe the better I explain my position, then the more accurate information that I will receive.
*I'm 29 and the extent of my hunting experience is walking around the CO San Juans with 0 kills. Basically, I learned stepping on a twig will get you a glare of death from fellow hunters in a stalk.
*My father stopped hunting around the time I was born and I never became familiar with it. We fished and backpacked but that was it as far as outdoors.
*My brother, having lived in SW Colorado the last 10 years, got me interested in venturing into hunting but I must admit I'm feeling lost on how to get into it having no background in it.
*I bought a 270 a year a go and have taken it to range regularly to become familiar with shooting it. I bought a 20 GA this past week upon my brothers recommendation for bird hunts.

I'm out of Houston and don't have anyone local that can show me how to field dress or clean a kill for either bird nor larger game. I figure a bird I can wing(no pun intended) but the larger game not so much.

I'm also not sure what game to start with or if public vs private is a better starting point. Beyond licensing etc., I am just having a hard time finding somewhere I can hunt + learn what to do with something once I down it. Killing anything has little interest to me if I'm not fully engaged/learned in the entire processing of the carcass.

Suggestions/Tips/Input? I'd welcome any of it at this point. Thanks for taking the time to read.

YouTube is your best friend for cleaning an animal if you don't have someone directly there to walk you through the process.

If you have the money private land is probably better for hunting and if you can get involved with a group of hunters they can help you as well.

I would suggest networking with some of your coworkers, 1 or more might be hunters and willing to mentor you. Another option is to check the forum that has outfitters, find one that does hog hunts in your area. Throw yourself at his mercy and tell him you want a hunt and his guidance because you are new at the hunting game. Good luck.

The guide and outfitters forum https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/16/1/outfitters-guides

Have you had your hunter's education class? If not you need to find one in your area, check with TP&W

Glad to have you. You'll find your way. We need more hunters.

Start with small game hunting. Get the APH and take that 20 gauge up to the Sam Houston and try to stalk some squirrels. You'll get a booklet with the state's public hunting areas. Find an area of the Sam with a creek that runs through it and walk the creek bottom. Lots of areas of the Sam are mostly pine, but you'll find hardwoods in the creek bottoms. If you find hardwoods, you'll eventually find squirrels. Good squirrel habitat is also good deer and hog habitat, so every squirrel hunt can pull double duty as a bigger game scouting trip.

Truly wild squirrels are a lot harder to hunt than people give them credit for, but they're plentiful enough that you can usually find some. They're not too difficult to dress or cook. Look for Squack's skinning method on YouTube, its quick and easy. There's plenty of squirrel recipes floating around the internet too.

I'd rather squirrel hunt than just about anything else, it's so much fun. I'm like you and had to learn mostly everything myself, but I like figuring things out. The downside to teaching myself is I'm still a pretty sucky hunter. But that's ok I'm having fun and getting outdoors anyway.

OP, check your PMs.

Look on the outfitter posts. Find a doe hunt somewhere and ask a bunch of questions of your guides. Most will clean your deer. Ask to help so you can learn. I'd do this 2 or 3 times just to make sure I was good. You will never know everything, but if you can make a kill shot when the opportunity presents itself and can clean your kill, you've got a good start. The rest will be a lifetime of figuring it out. Good luck!

ta HF .... Keep it simple... Enjoy the time spent. Dont presure yourself with others expectations.

Go to Sam Houston national forest and learn learn learn. If you get a deer there, you will have learned everything you need to know.

I was just like you two years ago. I got my first deer on the Sam Houston this year. It was only a little spike, and it was a ton of work with a steep learning curve, but it was fun and rewarding. I think he best resource out there is you tube for sure. I am trying now to get my first hog up there. If I can get that figured out I would be glad to share what I know.

Good advice on using YouTube to learn what you are interested in hunting.

Thanks for the replies and to those who PM'd me. I'll put the input to task.

OP, machine73 is spot on about getting started with squirrel hunting.

If I were going squirrel hunting in Sam Houston I'd go here. = 30.558026, -95.747302 (copy that and past in google maps)

I'd keep the creek to my right and walk towards Old Deer Camp Rd. A straight line on google earth shows it less than a mile and a half. Given the twists and turns of the creek it will be some what longer, but the point being is when you get to the other side, you'll know where you're at. Plus to your left is Taliaferro Rd. So if you get turned around you walk in one direction or the other and you're coming out of the woods.

Here is a link to get TPWD's pdf map of Sam Houston - https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/resources/905.pdf

If you've not done your hunter's ed, you need to get that done - https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course-for-certification


Just did a search on how to hunt squirrels and found the following that has some good info:

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/2018TexasSmallGameRoundup%20/328420

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/tips-and-tactics-for-early-season-squirrels/245121

https://www.wildernesstoday.com/how-to-hunt-squirrel/

Goodluck