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

[Varmint Hunter]

I guess I am allergic to deer dander as well ,when handling deer if I rub my eyes or nose, I will sneeze and my eyes will swell and water like crazy!

Shoot deer - take Benadryl - don surgical gloves. Works for my buddy who is rather allergic to deer hides.

 

[338 dude]

Shoot deer - take Benadryl - don surgical gloves. Works for my buddy who is rather allergic to deer hides.

Seems like it's just the hide. That's why I say the dander bothers me, blood or handling the meat or eating meat does not bother me at all.

 

[mod 700]

Lots of great advice, think I would record hunts w/pics, in a journal, the good bad, ugly, with pics of buddies and family who might not be with us now.. write down the facts while it's fresh in your mind. Lost a lot of photo albums in the camp fire in 2018, of my dad and uncles when I was younger, on hunts, fishing trips... that hurts.
Mike

 

[Muddyboots]

Photos, rarely took them 50+ years ago. Now I wished I had to capture those moments with family no longer with us.

Reloading: wished I started earlier and stocked up when primers were <$20/brick.

Land: I passed on 110 acres years ago and now still kicking myself sideways. Bit of a drive but dang it!

Physical conditioning: we all beat the crap out of ourselves younger and now paying the price. Seriously, who thinks jumping off a horse at 40mph onto a steer's head is a good idea? Dumass.

DO NOT SELL ANY RIFLES! You will regret it later.

Take the time to hunt with family and savor EVERY second. Time flies and those opportunities will never be again.

Take a kid hunting.

 

[Radman]

Funny things you pick up from a book when reading it, hence this thread.

If you had the ability to go back to the point your hunting/shooting obsession began, what is the one and only thing you would you say to your younger self?

I know it will be hard to narrow it down to just one, there are so many.

For me, buy components even if you don't need them.

I would've spent more time with & appreciating my Dad more.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I would have joined a real shooting range, with 100 and 200- and 300-yard benches set up, and handloaded more, and shot more, and most of all Hunted More !!! Waiting for retirement was not my best idea.

 

[Radman]

Photos, rarely took them 50+ years ago. Now I wished I had to capture those moments with family no longer with us.

Reloading: wished I started earlier and stocked up when primers were <$20/brick.

Land: I passed on 110 acres years ago and now still kicking myself sideways. Bit of a drive but dang it!

Physical conditioning: we all beat the crap out of ourselves younger and now paying the price. Seriously, who thinks jumping off a horse at 40mph onto a steer's head is a good idea? Dumass.

DO NOT SELL ANY RIFLES! You will regret it later.

Take the time to hunt with family and savor EVERY second. Time flies and those opportunities will never be again.

Take a kid hunting.

EVERYTHING you said!

 

[Bob2650]

Forget the hot rod cars and trucks, they are a waste of money and they will make you deaf. Profoundly deaf above 2,000 hertz in my case. Buy land!
Take note that most self made millionaires made their money in real estate. Buy land!

 

[Bravo 4]

Back in High School I was trying to get the girls with the biggest boobs, I should have been trying to get the girls with the biggest farms.

Live and learn.

I did both and the outcome was still the same…less hunting.
I jokingly (wink-wink, nudge-nudge) told my wife a little while back that if something ever happens to her I was going on Farmers Only and finding my next woman. Don't care the looks or age, just a minimum of 1000 acres of prime big game hunting land.

 

[memtb]

My advice to young me would be quit partying and save the money for components!

I did that! But, getting married at 16, starting a family soon after, and wanting to have nice home/property, vacations with family/ building a decent estate for you kids /grandkids and a few stock market crashes will limit your hunting cash!

I truley envy those that can do all of the above……other than dealing with the market crashes! memtb

 

[Revolting Peasant]

To investors, a market crash is a buying opportunity, 2008 was a garage sale. i bought everything I could, and ate rice and beans. Paid off in the long run.
Woulda paid off more if I had invested more earlier, but I can't complain. If I had not made mistakes, my ex-wife would be a multimillionaire.

 

[Revolting Peasant]

Looking back, I would tell myself shoot more. Try more different disciplines. Expand beyond local. I remember 30 years ago trying to find a wore out Olympic rifle and try shooting 22 at longer range. Like a practical shooting mini competition.

I would definitely tell myself to not worry about that $200 tax stamp. Get that $750 Thompson subgun. And every other NFA gun you can buy.

 

[hesse]

Photos, rarely took them 50+ years ago. Now I wished I had to capture those moments with family no longer with us.

Reloading: wished I started earlier and stocked up when primers were <$20/brick.

Land: I passed on 110 acres years ago and now still kicking myself sideways. Bit of a drive but dang it!

Physical conditioning: we all beat the crap out of ourselves younger and now paying the price. Seriously, who thinks jumping off a horse at 40mph onto a steer's head is a good idea? Dumass.

DO NOT SELL ANY RIFLES! You will regret it later.

Take the time to hunt with family and savor EVERY second. Time flies and those opportunities will never be again.

Take a kid hunting.

I have given more rifles away then sold

 

[bultinkle]

To play devils advocate I don't regret any rifles I've sold, life's too short to waste component money on rifles I don't use or love.

I don't sell heirlooms or gifts, but anything I've bought is a tool and if it's not what I want or like to use it gets axed