How long did you go?
I have been asked this question quite a few times over the years. I think that it is a very important question to ask, as well as a very important answer to share. I am always curious how many years people hunted before they actually killed their first deer, or got their first kill. Some of the best names in the business went years before they shot their first deer. Years!!!! All of you novice hunters out there, take note, it doesn’t always happen the first time out.
I know there are exceptions to this rule, and everyone reads or hears about a case of beginners luck from time to time. It happens. But I bet you would find the majority of hunters, regardless of what game animal they were pursuing, went quite awhile before they bagged their first one. I had an old boss, when I was first starting to get serious about deer hunting, always telling me how “The first one is the hardest. Once you get that one it will start to get easier”. Boy, how right he was.
I went 8 years before I shot my first deer. My brother, although I’m not quite sure how many years exactly, went quite awhile before he shot his first deer as well. I believe Mr. Nugent went at least 10 years before he shot his first deer. It can definitely take some time. So, if you’re a beginning deer hunter, don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. As my wife always tells me when I start to get frustrated-”You can’t control Mother Nature”. It is true. Sometimes the best laid plans, and the greatest scouting in the world, will still not produce a deer for you that season, but DO NOT get discouraged.
Now, my question to you, dear readers, is this: How long did you go before your first kill? I would love to know. Leave me the answer in the comments.
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For upland birds – I killed my first bird during the second year I hunted
For waterfowl – I killed my first goose the first year we hunted and my first duck the second year
For deer – I’m working on about 5 years of really hunting them myself and I have yet to take one
A shot a squirrel the first time we went out
Rabbits – never hunted them (would love to though)
Turkey – my husband won’t take me, he says I don’t sit still enough
… one of these days I’ll get to go! Actually if he shoots a turkey early in the season I’ll buy a tag and go with him for the latter part of the season but I’ve only gone a half dozen times total.
One word for me – Never.
When I first started hunting at twelve years old, my dad put me in for cow elk and doe tags, so it was pretty easy because he made the time to take me… but then I decided I wanted to get into archery and cows and does didn’t do it anymore for me. I went probably five or six years before I became successful again. That was a painful period for me, but definately worth it because I learned what it took. I wouldn’t trade all of those years for anything… well, almost anything. I take that back, I’d gladly trade them.
Good post. Brought back some memories.
Deer – I hunted four years before bagging my first…two of those years I was pre-teen with a bow trying to spot and stalk mule deer – slim chance!
Elk – 3 years. Then I got one 3 of the next 4 years and then I’ve been skunked since I switched to bow in 2005.
upland birds – first year. Chukars – ummm, lots of years and LOTS of shots. Those suckers fly really fast!
Coyote – first time out. I’ve been out many times since and have only shot two!
It’s a tricky game, for sure!
I bagged my first mule deer with a rifle in my third year of hunting.
I am still waiting for my first archery kill, I have a good feeling about this year!
Wow, I had no idea that it could take years! (I am not a hunter). Good idea for a post, Arthur. Maybe a couple of newbies out there who were feeling discouraged will be feeling a little better right now.
What a great post, it took me 4 years to shoot my first deer with a rifle. and it has been 30 years for bowhunting and I still have not taken one!!!! I have killed 2 with a bow, but I never found them. In my mind I know that they died, but the coyotes got a feast I guess. So I consider it still zero for me bowhunting. It took me three years for a turkey. But I did get lucky on my first bear hunt and took a nice Michigan black bear with a rifle.
I started whitetail deer hunting in 1990 and harvested my first deer in 1992
Just started hunting turkey’s this past spring, no luck yet.
I started deer hunting with my dad when I was four, but only got to watch until I was 7. I hunted a few times by myself that year, but didn’t get anything. I then killed a nice doe the first time out the very next year when I was 8, then a 145 inch buck two weeks later… I am still trying to top him thirty years later!
Sorry, I meant to add this…
I almost killed a turkey when I was 14, but blew it. I figured that I would get one soon after. Little did I realize that it would be 14 years later and more set ups than you can imagine.
I think that is why I love to kill those suckers… I just always feel like the bird should pay for all of the time I spent trying to learn how to hunt them!
Well for deer I started at 12 years old with a bow..And of course I didnt have clue what I was doing..But I will have to say from 12 to 20 when I shot my 1st deer was my best time in the woods! After my 1st deer have shot at least 2 every year since..
Turkeys took me 3 long years..But now I’m hooked
I learned most of my hunting skills when I was younger just walking the woods and taking everything in..I will never forget those days!
Good one!
I shot my first deer the first year I was allowed to carry my own gun. Nothing to it?
It took me three years to get another one, then five more years before I started killing deer on a regular basis.
When I moved to CA, it took me five years to kill my first blacktail, after many, many screwed up attempts.
I’m still waiting to actually hit one with an arrow. Just went to the compound, so my confidence is high.
I harvested my very first deer (a 6 pt. Buck) within 5 minutes on the deer stand with my step-son’s .243. The following weekend I shot a spike with 9-3/4in horns with my husband-to-be .306. He would take me hunting with him while dating and one day I told him I could do this….he showed me how to shoot a rifle and the rest is history.
PS: On vacation in VA and saw your post and could not resist to comment. Heading back home in the morning. You really have a nice site Simply Outdoors!