Free: Contests & Raffles.
I've met all of my backcountry hunting partners while out hunting/scouting.That's my advice haha. Just get out there.Get way back and you'll meet the kind of guys that know what they're doing and are passionate about the outdoors.All you need is a handful of dependable buddies and you're set.In my experience backcountry hunters are notoriously tight lipped and tend to avoid sharing much of value until you prove you're capable/willing to approach the game like they are. That's part of the reason meeting in the field is what I'd recommend!Good luck and maybe I'll see ya in the wilderness some day!
Ditto to meeting folks in the field. If you're planning to elk hunt in the Naches district, pm me. I'm most certainly not a mentor -- only been at it for 2 years now -- but I'm always down for chatting and sharing knowledge of the terrain. So far, nearly everyone I've met in the field has been very open and willing to share. So just keep at it!
Oh, along the same lines, if you meet people in the back country in awful weather, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good experience. I never really thought about it until this thread, but yeah absolutely -- we may be tight with info with random people, but if you run into me 5 miles back in wet snow, you must be cool enough to share tips
I'd like to welcome you to the hunting fraternity and to this forum. Hunting is a lifestyle that can bring great satisfaction to you and your family for your lifetime. There are many types of hunting one can get involved with and there is sort of a fraternity of participants that participate and advocate for each type of hunting that exists. Honestly I have not found any type of hunting that I dislike, for that reason I support all forms of hunting.You are not the first person to wonder how to meet other hunters or learn how to hunt. Joining this forum was a good move, lot of hunters have found long time friends through this forum, I am constantly amazed at how many good people are on the forum and how helpful they are to each other. Participate when you can and don't be afraid to ask questions about how to do something. Yes there are sometimes snide or arrogant remarks, just ignore them or report them to the mod team, but usually someone will eventually offer good advice in your topic or by private message that will be beneficial to you. But remember this, even with good guidance from others, the best knowledge will come from getting outdoors and learning from your own personal experiences.
