Someone new with a different question

[Dnicewonger]

Hey all,

I have never been hunting before but I have been shooting for many years now. I have decided this year that I would like to go for the first time. Nobody in my family hunts and I dont know anybody that does either. I took my search to guide services only to find out how expensive they are. I searched craigslist and found a post with somebody who would take me for 400 bucks for opening weekend. From talking with him it seems like they have had great luck in the past and I have seen pictures as well.

Have any of you found somebody to hunt with on craigslist? Even on this forum and you find a partner how do you know it will be safe and legit? Call me crazy, but how do I not know that this guy is not going to take me out to the middle of nowhere and leave me or do much worse?

I know that was alot but I was also just rambling on. Let me know what your thoughts are.

[huntnphool]

Welcome to the site.

Have you passed hunters ed?

[elk247]

Welcome, You might have better luck posting on here about a hunting partner. Need to know what species, weapon, and unit you want to hunt.

[pendoreilleadventures]

I learned a lot of what I know from trial and error.  I was introduced to hunting by my uncle he was a road hunter and at a young age I thought that was hunting. But as I started talking with other people about hunting and found that there was a lot better ways to hunt. Just in case you don't know what a road hunter is. It's someone that just drives roads looking for an animal to shoot. Don't get me wrong, for some people that is their only option due to disabilities and what have you and I am fine with them doing it. But when able bodied people are just too lazy to get out and learn how to match wits with their prey that's just sad.

 I would recommend just going out and try hunting by yourself. Sure you don't know what you’re doing but each time you make a mistake, learn from it.  Keep in mind no matter how many years of experience a hunter has there is always more to learn.

Welcome I would think that a fellow H-W member would be willing to help you out. There is a great group of guys here.            

[Button Nubbs]

Hey all,

I have never been hunting before but I have been shooting for many years now. I have decided this year that I would like to go for the first time. Nobody in my family hunts and I dont know anybody that does either. I took my search to guide services only to find out how expensive they are. I searched craigslist and found a post with somebody who would take me for 400 bucks for opening weekend. From talking with him it seems like they have had great luck in the past and I have seen pictures as well.

Have any of you found somebody to hunt with on craigslist? Even on this forum and you find a partner how do you know it will be safe and legit? Call me crazy, but how do I not know that this guy is not going to take me out to the middle of nowhere and leave me or do much worse?

I know that was alot but I was also just rambling on. Let me know what your thoughts are.

Is the guy on craigslist named Shane Barbour by chance?

[Fl0und3rz]

Welcome to the site.  Good information on this thread so far.  People will need answers to the questions posed, so far, before helping you much further.  You might tell us a little bit more about yourself, such as age, physical abilities or disabilities, etc.

Other questions to consider are:

Have you read the regs?  It is not meant as a jab.  You will need to know the basics such as what comprises a legal weapon, what the hunter's orange requirements are, what is a legal animal for your quarry, etc.  Once you have read the regs and think you understand them, reread them and be sure by ensuring you know what each term means if defined.  There are some traps for the unwarry in the regs, but they are not impenetrable.

Assuming that you are wanting to do something other than sit in a blind on private land over a pile of bait, do you have the 10 essentials and other essential gear such as wet weather clothing, insulating layers, and decent footwear?  How are your wilderness experiences and physical abilities such as ability to hike and carry heavy loads, land navigation, etc. outside of hunting?  I would not want to take someone out in the wetside brush and mountains or even the east side for that matter and have to worry about whether or not the person would end up cold, wet, lost, or worse.

Do you have a dependable vehicle?  I would hate to have to nurse someone else's vehicle back to civilization as part of a hunting trip, because of a basic lack of an essential such as this. I would do it, but don't be that guy.

Are you familiar with any particular area of huntable land in general such as national forest areas?  If you are, that would be a good general area to start, if you are going to go out on your own.  You should be aware that there are many different rules for land access depending on whether it is private land owned by an individual, timber company land, state land, National Forest, etc.  Some can have particular passes required re: Discovery Pass, Northwest Forest Pass, timber company permits, etc.


All this is to say that it is best to narrow down species and weapon, then to identify the area you would like to hunt.  Then you can focus on items you need for the area such as a decent topographical map of the area if necessary, the proper clothing and gear, and making a plan for how you plan to hunt. 


If I was in your position, I would forgo hiring a guide this close to the beginning of the season, as you may not have enough time to research and gather references.  There are people that have no qualms about taking your money and providing you with a disappointing experience.  Not all guides are like this, but the goods ones I expect would be booked already.  Here is a sample disappointing experience as one example from the Barbour thread.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,133032.msg1803057.html#msg1803057


Road hunting gets the thumbs down here by many, but for a new hunter, you could do worse such as by sitting at home and not going out at all.  (I am assuming you are looking for modern firearm dear or elk.) If all else fails, get out there, drive some roads, find some areas that look interesting or like would hold game based on further research and questions here, and get out and go explore.  Even if you couldn't actually hunt this year, such as due to a lack of hunter ed, there might be little reason why you could not get out and hike and explore some areas that you would like to hunt in the future.  (Beware that you would probably not want to take your hunting weapon while doing so, as you would at least get some inquiring stares or worse if you do without proper orange, license, and/or tags.  Just look like a hiker and consider wearing orange while doing so.)

It is a learning curve and the more time you are out learning the better you will be at determining what does and does not work for you.

[bearpaw]

Dnicewonger,
If you are under 18 you need to have a parent or guardian involved. If you are over 18 then I might suggest finding a mentor here on the forum to help you get started hunting. If you want to hire a guide I would consider one of the guides in the Sponsor Classifieds or that has banners on this forum. I have not heard of any excessive complaints about any guide who is a sponsor on this forum.

Good Luck! 

[Dnicewonger]

WOW I am happy that I have had so many responses! So thanks for your eagerness to help!

Many have asked for background. I am 23 years old and I have been backpacking with family my whole life, so I am at least familiar with that aspect of the outdoors. I have been shooting for years now and I am comfortable with all modern firearms so that would be the hunting to start with for me. Yes I have passed the hunters safety course and since then I have been reading about regulations. I have clothing for all climates and a dependable truck as well.

The person who will take me has a group of about 5 people going to Okanogan near Twisp, so the Methow Valley. Honestly I would be perfectly fine with not shooting anything. I simply need the exposure of learning etiquette, scouting,  when the best time to shoot would be, procedure after a lethal hit...you get the picture. Being able to follow somebody and ask questions is all I am looking for in this.

I live in Bonney Lake so even the Methow Valley is a 5 hour drive for me. I willing to go anywhere and do what it takes to get exposure and learn.

Once again thanks for all of the replies!

[huntnphool]

Are you relayed to Craig?

[Dnicewonger]

huntnphool,

No I dont have anybody in my family by the name of craig but that last name is more popular than you might think!

[Eli346]

 I think I would be kind of leery of somebody that wants $400 up front to take me hunting if he wasn't a licensed and bonded guide with good references. There might be someone on this site in your area that needs a buddy also. Look around on the site and ask a few questions. I'll bet you'll find someone here. Good luck!

[Netminder01]

Hey all,

I have never been hunting before but I have been shooting for many years now. I have decided this year that I would like to go for the first time. Nobody in my family hunts and I dont know anybody that does either. I took my search to guide services only to find out how expensive they are. I searched craigslist and found a post with somebody who would take me for 400 bucks for opening weekend. From talking with him it seems like they have had great luck in the past and I have seen pictures as well.

Have any of you found somebody to hunt with on craigslist? Even on this forum and you find a partner how do you know it will be safe and legit? Call me crazy, but how do I not know that this guy is not going to take me out to the middle of nowhere and leave me or do much worse?

I know that was alot but I was also just rambling on. Let me know what your thoughts are.

Is the guy on craigslist named Shane Barbour by chance?

Oh God... please don't let this be the case.   

[Turner89]

"Is the guy on craigslist named Shane Barbour by chance?"

Is he the backyard blacktail guide on the peninsula?

[Fl0und3rz]

Don't forget to check out some of the hunt swap threads such as this one about guys forming new hunting camps.  You always have to have a new guy that brings all the beer and gets his feet wet snipe hunting.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,134377.0/topicseen.html

Good luck.  Keep people posted on your plans or progress so that people in a position to offer can consider it.

[Doc Sauce]

I understand that a good hunting guide can be a large expense HOWEVER, if you look at the hunting guide like it is a consolidated training program with a good experience and a chance at a shot and some meat as opposed to a several day vacation, the money seems to be less of an issue.

I got some "perspective" from some folks on this site (Bearpaw included) just about a month ago.  I have been here for almost 4 years now, have been trial and error learning for about 3 years now and have not filled any of my hunting tags yet.  I did not do any kind of a guide service in the beginning because of how expensive they were.  If I add the cost of fuel and food alone for the last 3 years of my driving and walking (which has been SIGNIFICANT) I would have SAVED money by hiring a guide that first year. 

Bearpaw and others correct me if I am wrong here, but I would expect that, with a good guide (check with one of the site sponsors) I should be able to observe/learn what good, fresh sign looks like, what good habitat looks like, how to enter/exit that habitat, how the animal in question functions on a normal basis, how they act when spooked, how to read the environment in order to make the best in field decisions.

Given, the guide might not be lecturing all this as y'all are walking, but a good set of observation skills, a polite manner with a respectful tounge, and head full of questions would probably provide the "client" with more hunting knowledge than he could glean from trial and error...

It seems that, unless our dads and grandads taught us, we will be behind the powercurve.  Option 1, find a Mentor.  Option 2, hire a guide.  Mentors have families and jobs too so getting SOLID time with one might prove to be difficult.  Hiring a guide may be expensive now, but if you look at it as an investment in education versus an expense for a trip, it makes more sense.

Having said that, do any of the Guide services offer scholarships?     (Gotta try right?)