1st time hunter needing mentor

For sure, one way or another I'm getting out there. I'm just the kind of person that wants to be as educated as I can be before I embark on anything. When it includes firearms I'm doubly cautious.

I just want to do this legally, safely, and respectfully. If I'm going to make this a lifestyle for the future, I want to start out on the right foot.

Lots of good info thus far, and I appreciate it!
Mister TK I love your attitude and the respect you have for the sport going into it. It's all about making memories and doing it with family and friends make it all the better. I'm a flat lander in Ga but my heart and soul live in the Rockies as I spend the best week of my life there once a year chasing elk and mule deer. I wish you nothing but the best and will be happy to help you any way possible. Enjoy the journey!!
 
a group of 4 of us "seasoned hunters" :) yeah - OLD GUYS :) just got back from taking 5 new hunters from our church on a deer hunt last weekend. 3 doe tags, 2 buck tags all filled. We had 2 father-son teams with us; one dad and 12 year old son (dad had the tag), and one dad with his 19 year old son (son had the tag). No, we're not guides in any way, shape or form. Just trying to share our experience with those who haven't done it, but want to.

If/when you get out here to Colorado, reach out and let's see what we can do.

We've also hosted a Beast Feast a couple of different years as an outreach to hunters, both experienced and those who want to. We outgrew our gym last year and are trying to figure out how to do the next one for venue and logistics.
 
Mister TK I love your attitude and the respect you have for the sport going into it. It's all about making memories and doing it with family and friends make it all the better. I'm a flat lander in Ga but my heart and soul live in the Rockies as I spend the best week of my life there once a year chasing elk and mule deer. I wish you nothing but the best and will be happy to help you any way possible. Enjoy the journey!!

Thank you kindly! My sister has a cabin out in Georgia that she's offered to let me use, so maybe we will cross paths in the future :)
 
a group of 4 of us "seasoned hunters" :) yeah - OLD GUYS :) just got back from taking 5 new hunters from our church on a deer hunt last weekend. 3 doe tags, 2 buck tags all filled. We had 2 father-son teams with us; one dad and 12 year old son (dad had the tag), and one dad with his 19 year old son (son had the tag). No, we're not guides in any way, shape or form. Just trying to share our experience with those who haven't done it, but want to.

If/when you get out here to Colorado, reach out and let's see what we can do.

We've also hosted a Beast Feast a couple of different years as an outreach to hunters, both experienced and those who want to. We outgrew out gym last year and are trying to figure out how to do the next one for venue and logistics.
Sounds like I need to apply! 😁

Someday we might just have to link up out here.
 
a group of 4 of us "seasoned hunters" :) yeah - OLD GUYS :) just got back from taking 5 new hunters from our church on a deer hunt last weekend. 3 doe tags, 2 buck tags all filled. We had 2 father-son teams with us; one dad and 12 year old son (dad had the tag), and one dad with his 19 year old son (son had the tag). No, we're not guides in any way, shape or form. Just trying to share our experience with those who haven't done it, but want to.

If/when you get out here to Colorado, reach out and let's see what we can do.

We've also hosted a Beast Feast a couple of different years as an outreach to hunters, both experienced and those who want to. We outgrew our gym last year and are trying to figure out how to do the next one for venue and logistics.

Sounds amazing! I'm definitely planning to move out to CO in the future so I'm going to be traveling there pretty often over the next few years. A trip to you would not be out of question!
 
I'm a long time firearms enthusiast, particularly long range target shooting. I even have my NRA Instructor and CRSO Certification. But I'm getting the itch to do some actual hunting. I've gone for pheasant before but never anything with my rifle (.300WM for reference).

I'd like to go for deer, eventually hog, etc but I have no idea where to start. I'm in Northern Illinois, and hike/camp all over Wisconsin but I'm not opposed to traveling just about anywhere. I'd just feel a lot better going out for my first hunt with a group of experienced hunters to show me the ropes; so I can become more self sufficient at this. I'm not looking for trophy hunts - this is to fill my freezer and provide for my family.

Any thoughts? Advice? Know of anyone to recommend? Any guidance is truly appreciated!
Given your familiarity with Wisconsin, you shouldn't need to look further for great whitetail hunting.
I'll bet if you just talk about wanting to start hunting with some friends, co-workers, or fellow church members, someone
will step forward and offer to help you get started.
BTW: I think whitetail deer are the hardest species to hunt on the North American continent, so don't give up if you fail to even see
one on your first several outings.
 
Mr TK, Looks like you are right in the middle of some of the best whitetail deer hunting territory in the whole US right now! Take advantage of it! Learn all you can from game officials, YouTube, etc. Practice off-hand shooting, and also supported shooting. Go hunting with a few friends often, and learn! I started with squirrels and rabbits, varmints, then deer and bigger game, and I've loved it all! I think you will too!
 
Practice off-hand shooting, and also supported shooting.

This is one thing I need to practice more. Right now I'm a range-only shooter. I've practiced sitting, prone, tripod, shooting block etc but those are only the basic "target" positions. I'm going to try to spend the next year working on shooting from more "field" positions.


I started with squirrels and rabbits, varmints, then deer and bigger game, and I've loved it all! I think you will too!

I've always wanted to hunt turkey, rabbit and squirrel. Heard squirrel is surprisingly good meat. I just need to pick up a .22 first (like I need an excuse lol). We've free-ranged turkeys on our farm for Thanksgiving before and it was unreal how much better the meat was than store-bought turkeys. I've heard wild ones are worth it too. We get packs of them sniffin out or females sometimes.

I believe coyotes are open season in Illinois. Being on 5 acres with goats and birds, we get them creeping into our yard all the time. I practice my tracking in my backyard lol... my lady always laughs when I'm taking pictures of scat and paw prints but it helps me work on identifying species, size, etc. I'll upload a pic my trail cam took off a yote this past winter
 
The video it took is better, but this is a healthy yote. Snow is about 4-5" deep at time of the video. In the middle of farm land it's like a buffet for them. And man oh man do they get big. They aren't mangy around here.

But, I have two dogs...100lb American Bulldog, and a 65lb Pitbull/Boxer mix so luckily if they're outside they keep these little f*#&ers at bay or I'd have a bigger problem.
 

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This is one thing I need to practice more. Right now I'm a range-only shooter. I've practiced sitting, prone, tripod, shooting block etc but those are only the basic "target" positions. I'm going to try to spend the next year working on shooting from more "field" positions.




I've always wanted to hunt turkey, rabbit and squirrel. Heard squirrel is surprisingly good meat. I just need to pick up a .22 first (like I need an excuse lol). We've free-ranged turkeys on our farm for Thanksgiving before and it was unreal how much better the meat was than store-bought turkeys. I've heard wild ones are worth it too. We get packs of them sniffin out or females sometimes.

I believe coyotes are open season in Illinois. Being on 5 acres with goats and birds, we get them creeping into our yard all the time. I practice my tracking in my backyard lol... my lady always laughs when I'm taking pictures of scat and paw prints but it helps me work on identifying species, size, etc. I'll upload a pic my trail cam took off a yote this past winter
Coyotes are open year round. I would skip the 22LR and get the 17HMR and double duty it as a squirrel and coyote shooter. Head shots on squirrel and coyotes too.
 
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