Following the Footsteps
Appreciating the value of having a mentor.
Learning to hunt comes with challenges unlike any other activity. In addition to the technical aspects—things like selecting the correct ammunition and sighting in a rifle—there are a whole host of written regulations and ethical guidelines to learn, not to mention field skills like tracking and identifying animals. All said, it’s an extremely high barrier to entry, especially for those who didn’t grow up hunting with family. If that’s the case, finding a mentor—or several—will be key to your success.
Mentors come in many forms. They needn’t be older than you, and they needn’t be experts in their own rights. They must, however, be willing to take the time to share what they know. Fortunately, here in southwest Montana, there are plenty of people who hunt, so tracking down a friend or two with the knowledge usually isn’t challenging.
The best place to begin, rather than diving in headfirst and purchasing a pile of gear, is to accompany a hunter on one of his or her hunts. Ask if you can tag along for a day, and what you’ll need to bring (typically just boots, a pack, and warm clothes). Pack plenty of snacks and water for the day, and be attentive while afield. Ask questions about what you’re doing and why, how he or she selected the area you’re hunting, and what tactics you’ll be employing. If all goes well and an animal ends up on the ground, you’ll also learn field-dressing skills and maybe even walk away with a few pounds of meat. At the very least, you’ll get an idea of what hunting actually entails.
Mentors come in many forms. They needn’t be older than you, and they needn’t be experts in their own rights. They must, however, be willing to take the time to share what they know.
Now that you’ve gotten a taste, it’s time to learn the basics. Assuming you’ve taken a hunter-safety course already, a mentor is essential in learning about guns and selecting the right one. Then, you’ll need help understanding the regulations. For a newbie (and even for a seasoned hunter), the Montana hunting regs are difficult to understand, and they change from year to year. Go through the booklet with a friend to understand how it’s arranged, how to select a hunting district, and how to figure out what tags you’ll need. Purchasing the “Sportsman” combination license should cover most bases. The combo includes general-season elk and deer tags, a fishing license, and an upland game license all for $62.
There’s also an incredible wealth of knowledge on the internet, YouTube in particular. Watch how-to videos on everything from sighting in a rifle to identifying animal tracks to field-dressing elk. The more sources of information you have, the better.
Some day you may even introduce a friend to hunting and share the things you know—or at least wish you had known back in the day as a novice hunter.
No matter how much prep and research you do, there’s only one way to really learn: get out there and hunt. Tagging along with a friend—this time with a tag in hand—is the best way to go about it. He or she will not only provide guidance, but can also serve as cool, calm backup should you take a poor shot, panic or freeze, and need help finishing off an animal. Over time, you too will learn to remain calm in these kinds of situations, but as a novice it can be overwhelming to take a first shot.
Ultimately, you’ll make mistakes, such as misreading the regs, wounding an animal, failing to retrieve your quarry, or any number of other things. Remember, mistakes happen to everyone, but the important thing is that you own up to them and learn a thing or two along the way. The beauty of hunting is that there’s always more to learn, and you’ll never stop making mistakes.
Some day you may even introduce a friend to hunting and share the things you know—or at least wish you had known back in the day as a novice hunter. The reward of watching someone catch the bug, dive in, and ultimately find success on their own can be as satisfying, if not more so, than harvesting an animal of your own come fall.
