Truly this is a question I am perplexed with. How does it survive? My Dad hunted before I was born, so I have never hunted. I am a middle aged male. I am interested in hunting, deer specifically.

When I ask, "how do you hunt?" People look at me like I have three heads. And I have asked a lot of people who regularly hunt. Seems no one is in the habit of starting out new hunters or helping them. So how do new hunters become, well, new hunters?

I thought the biggest challenge was going to be finding deer, but God knows I will never even get to that point! I work with hunters; I have acquaintances that are hunters; but I have no close friends or family who hunt.

I'm not asking for any sympathy here; I'm not asking anyone here to teach me. What I am asking is how does a guy who's never hunted learn? You tube is not a reliable source, I need hip on hip training. Granted I don't have a bow so that is an issue as I am restricted to rifle season however I would get a bow to extend the season and improve my chances if someone would help me pick one and teach me how to use it safely.

Here's what I get:

1. Where do you hunt? My uncles farm, my neighbors farm, my hunting camp Well, I don't have any of that and public gamelands here in Berks well they scare me!

2. How do you field dress? Go on you tube. Cut from ass to throat and yank it out. Okay, that helps me a lot. I know I would mess up the meat, I need hand on training.

3. How do you know what to shoot? Three tines or whatever on one side. 1" long. If it's fat enough. If it's big enough. etc.. That strategy seems to be the easiest way for me to get in trouble with the PGC.

4. Who butchers it? Me. Okay, if I don't even know how to hunt, how can I butcher? One step at a time.

5. What bow? Oh, you need this $2000 one!

5. Crossbow? What are you kidding? Aren't you a man? Practice everyday with the bow, you have the time.


Anyway, this is a cross section, not just one specific group. Maybe I'm just not cut out to hunt and they have decided that for me?


Signed,

Confused