Looking to Learn Hunting (Idaho)

[cufootball50]

Hi all, newbie here. Recently moved to ID about a year ago and have never hunted outside of small fowl. I have always wanted to learn to hunt big game, didn't come from a hunting family so everything is foreign to me. Hopefully will learn about how, what I need and the fine points I can learn virtually so I can hopefully hunt next fall and figure who to hunt with and where to hunt.

 

[brymoore]

Hello!

Here’s my recommendation - Idaho BHA learn to hunt program. I know some of the mentors and a few people who have gone through the program. It’ll give you a good start but you’ll need to put the field time in to be successful.

Idaho Learn to Hunt

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

www.backcountryhunters.org

 

[Schaaf]

Sko Buffs

 

[Khunter]

Get busy joining organizations with heavy or mainly hunter membership. Archery clubs if you are a bow hunter for example.

 

[cufootball50]

Hello!

Here’s my recommendation - Idaho BHA learn to hunt program. I know some of the mentors and a few people who have gone through the program. It’ll give you a good start but you’ll need to put the field time in to be successful.

Idaho Learn to Hunt

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.

www.backcountryhunters.org

been looking for something like this. Definitely will check it out

 

[44hunter45]

Where are you in Idaho?
Don't forget Outdoor Class. Be careful though. You can end up on there when you should be in the woods.

OUTDOORCLASS - Two years of work

Well, it's been two years of work that launched today. It is an outdoor education platform called OutdoorClass. This is a platform for folks interested in adding information to their outdoor knowledge, mostly starting with hunting courses and then progressing to cooking, game care, survival...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Rzrbk]

Welcome from NM.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Welcome from PA!

 

[PNWGator]

Dive in and simply go do it. A lot.

Find a mentor. A quality mentor is worth beyond their weight in gold. Being INVOLVED in organizations like the Foundation for Wildlife Management (F4WM), the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Mule Deer Foundation, the Idaho Wild Sheep Society, Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance will offer tremendous opportunity.

You live in the ‘where‘ regardless of where you are in Idaho.

The gear and the stuff are the easy part. The ‘how‘ is the stuff that matters.

 

[nrpate05]

Welcome from a fellow Idaho resident, I also went to grad school at CU Boulder -

 

[Bill Zent]

SW Idaho is a huge area, can you be more specific?

 

[BackofBeyond]

Welcome to Hunt Talk, and not in a sarcastic way.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Welcome from MT.

From a self taught hunter, being in the field watching (not shooting) animals is the number one advice I can give. Enjoy the walk/hike. Enjoy seeing what you can see, and do not condemn the walks/hikes that you do not see anything. Every time you go out, you see and learn more- even if it’s not immediately recognizable. Do not make excuses for yourself. There’s a creek? Cross it. Down the mountain and back up a different one? It’s only too hard/far if you say it is… good luck next fall.

 

[FairWeather]

Welcome from western Oregon.
I also hadn’t come from a hunting family, and started hunting 3 years ago at 30. This year was my first time filling any tags, managed to get a spring turkey and a blacktail buck. If I can do it, anyone can. It just takes time and dedication.

 

[duckhunt]

Welcome from Iowa

 

[Desk Pop]

Welcome.

The best way to get better at hunting is hunting. Learn how to find accessable public land and get out there. Failure will make you better. And if you fail a few times before you succeed, success will feel better.

Become a student of terrain and habitat features for game, and become a student of the animals.

Also, pronghorn are an awesome hunt for beginners. Open terrain, animals visible all day, and pure fun.

Don't be afraid to hunt doe and cow tags.

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Hi all, newbie here. Recently moved to ID about a year ago and have never hunted outside of small fowl. I have always wanted to learn to hunt big game, didn't come from a hunting family so everything is foreign to me. Hopefully will learn about how, what I need and the fine points I can learn virtually so I can hopefully hunt next fall and figure who to hunt with and where to hunt.

First, hunting by yourself isnt all bad. Dont give up on it cause you dont know anyone going, for example.

Elk101 is a good online program to check out, ive heard good things.

DO NOT buy a bow with a draw that exceeds your strength, or a rifle in shoulder smasher, wallet eater, loudenboomer fudlore 460 magnum just because someone says you need it for elk. I killed an elk this year with a slow 65 lb bow at 55 yards, and a cow last year at 400 with my 308....

Lastly, dont be afraid to ask another hunter for help. As much douchebaggery there is on the internet - ive found that people in the hunting community are helpful. Someday - you might get the opportunity to help someone learn and thats as much or more fun than doing it in a lot of ways.

 

[MtnElk]

Read, learn, join and engage. The first two will give you a lot of knowledge and shorten a part of the learning curve. The latter two will connect you with real people who can demonstrate skills and lessons that aren’t in the books or courses, etc.

And last but not least, just get out there. Real world experiences are going to trump all the easily digestible info in the world.

 

[Hunt4Meat]

Don’t live in idaho, however was in military and moved around and had to learn new areas. Check at work to see who hunt and fishes. See if they are your type and become friendly and maybe you can get an invite to a club, shoot, target practice. Be a sponge, listen, absorb. Most outdoorsman like to tell their story, hunted the south slope of Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel is important, but south slop is more, look for south slopes where you going for bear. Good luck, shoot straight.