The other thread got me thinking...
A friend from church approached me in the fall, and after telling him about about bird hunting out of state, he said he had been thinking of taking up bird hunting. He wanted to hunt, but didn't think big game was his thing and thought he would enjoy wingshooting. He lives in the Charlotte area and wanted to know how to get started, how much it would cost and where to go. He's late 30's, a professional that makes good money.
After I gave him a realistic 10-min. assessment of the cost and culture of NC duck hunting (piedmont and eastern), the lack of opportunities for quail and grouse in our state, and what is required for a good dove hunt or an outside chance at woodcock, I felt like I didn't have much to offer him as far as a real expectation of a positive experience. He has no personal connections to other hunters, farmers, or landowners. The best thing I could think to tell him was to pay an outfitter and go hunt with a guide twice a year.
I hate to get someone excited about something that will just lead to endless frustration. I tried to give him as accurate of a representation of bird hunting opportunities in our state as I could. So my question is, how would you have answered that question? Buy a duck boat and several dozen decoys and drive 4 hours? Go to a preserve? Start talking to farmers? Go walk for miles on public land until you see a game bird?
This discussion has played out several times with younger, suburban men who really want to learn to hunt but don't know where or how to get started. Outside of inviting them with me (which I have done) how can I help them? The most common suggestions I have heard are "take up squirrel hunting" and "just go to Uwharrie". I'd like to offer them a little more than that.
A friend from church approached me in the fall, and after telling him about about bird hunting out of state, he said he had been thinking of taking up bird hunting. He wanted to hunt, but didn't think big game was his thing and thought he would enjoy wingshooting. He lives in the Charlotte area and wanted to know how to get started, how much it would cost and where to go. He's late 30's, a professional that makes good money.
After I gave him a realistic 10-min. assessment of the cost and culture of NC duck hunting (piedmont and eastern), the lack of opportunities for quail and grouse in our state, and what is required for a good dove hunt or an outside chance at woodcock, I felt like I didn't have much to offer him as far as a real expectation of a positive experience. He has no personal connections to other hunters, farmers, or landowners. The best thing I could think to tell him was to pay an outfitter and go hunt with a guide twice a year.
I hate to get someone excited about something that will just lead to endless frustration. I tried to give him as accurate of a representation of bird hunting opportunities in our state as I could. So my question is, how would you have answered that question? Buy a duck boat and several dozen decoys and drive 4 hours? Go to a preserve? Start talking to farmers? Go walk for miles on public land until you see a game bird?
This discussion has played out several times with younger, suburban men who really want to learn to hunt but don't know where or how to get started. Outside of inviting them with me (which I have done) how can I help them? The most common suggestions I have heard are "take up squirrel hunting" and "just go to Uwharrie". I'd like to offer them a little more than that.