What is the one piece of hunting/shooting advice you would give yourself if you could go back in time

[Turkeytider]

I`m 75, hunted for the great majority of those 75, but only with shotguns ( bird(s) hunting ). If I could go back to my earlier days, I`d tell myself to get into rifle shooting. I`ve only acquired my first rifles, well, civilian rifles anyway, in the last couple of years. Rifle shooting, IMO, requires discipline regardless whether it`s hunting or long range targets, that`s not required in shotgun shooting IMHO.

 

[memtb]

There are so many things that could be improved upon. I think that my biggest regret is not hunting more……there comes a time, when the mind is willing but the body is not. Get your serious hunting in while you can! memtb

 

[Buffalobwana]

Do not pass up the cheap Problem Bull Elephant in Mozambique. And Zimbabwe. Problem Lion in Namibia and that $6700 discounted Coastal Brown Bear hunt. (That one still stings).

Hunt Dagestan Tur while you still can, and while it's $3500

Hunt Dall while they are $10k

Buy more land.
Buy more land.
Buy more land.

Don't buy 50 mediocre rifles. Buy 3 really nice ones.

Buy more land.

Hunt all over Africa while it's still affordable. Wait … I did that.

Hunt sheep while you are able. Shoot, hunt all the hard animals while you are still able.

Do not take current hunting opportunities for granted. They may not be there tomorrow. (Still true).

 

[DoneNOut]

I'd grab myself and say, "There is nothing growing in the woods in the dead of Winter that is causing your allergic reactions, you're allergic to the deer dander!"

 

[memtb]

Money for family necessities most often prohibits the majority of us from making those "dream hunts"!

Perhaps the best way to overcome this (and obviously you don't have to be smart) would to be a corrupt politician. The additional cash flow could pay for all those hunts of game that most of us can only dream of!

You should be able to get those hunts in before you're sentenced to jail time…..by then you've made the hunts and are too old to make the tough hunts! Spend those "golden years" behind bars in a federal penitentiary living in luxury on someone else's dime!

Sorry for this outburst……staying serious is terribly depressing for me! memtb

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Why so many...you can only shoot one at a time...Grampa would be shaking his head...

 

[DoneNOut]

Why so many...you can only shoot one at a time...Grampa would be shaking his head...

"Tis better to have than not need, G-Pa?" LOL

 

[wasskeet]

I am 55 years old and just now going on my first western states hunt. I always wanted to hunt pronghorn, mule deer and elk when I was younger but always convinced myself I didn't have the money.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have spent lots less money on "toys" that now mean nothing and would have at least been stacking up points. And truthfully had I not spent that much on toys I would have had the money and would have been in much better physical condition.

Kinda like a fellow I know stated "If I would have known I'd live this long - I would have taken better care of myself."

 

[Philward]

Get that machine technology degree instead of going into the army.

 

[DoneNOut]

Get that machine technology degree instead of going into the army.

BOTH!

 

[Philward]

Buy more land.
Buy more land.
Buy more land.
Buy more land.

Oh yeah, buy land and move out of Washington state. Go to Wyoming like you want, or Montana.

 

[Hydra6]

Go to Africa sooner

 

[TontoDean]

Realize the time to hunt high altitude difficult big game hunts like sheep etc is when you have the physicality to do so. Points. Buy your own hunting land. Build an ammo bunker. 55gal drum of Retumbo, H1000, RL26 and stupid Bh209. Learn how build rifles early. Try harder to get your brother to hunt, he might of lasted longer.

You are dead on. Don't wait till you are in your late 60's early 70's to do your difficult hunts. Unfortunately, most of us can't afford them when young. On my recent Mountain Goat hunt in Alaska I was 74. The other two hunters were 28 and 32 yrs old. They looked at me and said "What the Fxxx are you doing here??" Africa is easy. Save it for later.

 

[birddog 68]

Patience! Almost always pays off!

Agreed