FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Valuable lessons for new hunters, from someone who still remembers what it’s like to head afield for the first time
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Outfitted hunts offer a chance to learn about pursuing various game#7 HIRE A GUIDE
It took me longer than I care to admit to go on a guided hunt. Paying someone to help put me on game felt like cheating. Then a friend invited me to join him on a guided hunt for geese, and I quickly learned that hunting with a great guide offers much more than an opportunity to squeeze the trigger. Not only did I finally return home with some meat for the freezer, I also met other like-minded people, and learned a great deal more about hunting.
On each guided hunt since, I’ve picked up more tips and tricks, such as how to properly camouflage and place blinds, and create decoy spreads. I’ve learned so much, that I’ve now bought my own set-up and will try to knock down some geese on my own next season. If you’re short on mentors, and can manage the extra costs, guided hunts are an excellent way to get your feet wet and learn from pros who are the best at what they do.
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#8 HUNTING IS HARD
If you scroll through social media, you’ll find photo after photo of successful hunters smiling and posing with their downed game. When you see that day after day throughout the hunting season, you can quickly start to wonder if you’re the only hunter in the world who hasn’t tagged out. I know I sure did. After each failed hunt, I put more and more pressure on myself to be successful the next time around. Eventually, it started to ruin the hunting experience all together for me.
Then I realized social media creates what researchers call “survivorship bias,” because people only share photos of their successful hunts. What you don’t see reflected are all the empty truck beds going home, the missed shots and the days and weeks spent on the stand without seeing an animal. No wonder all my social-media scrolling had me believing the odds of success were higher than they really are.
Eventually, I learned the truth: hunting is hard. If you’re looking for an easy way to bring home organic meat, get in line at the grocery store. In fact, if you’re a new hunter, do yourself a favour and take a break from social media until you’ve gained a realistic perspective on hunting. Then by all means, go back online and enjoy everyone’s trophy shots. With any luck, you’ll even have a few of your own to share.
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