Pay to “Learn how to hunt”

[brandoneqy]

Does anyone know of any companies or private parties who’ll charge to teach you the basics of how to hunt over the course of a few trips?

I didn’t grow up in a hunting family and I’d like to learn how to hunt deer, elk etc.

[smithers599]

I was in the same situation. Nobody in my family ever hunted.

- I was lucky to find enthusiastic hunters who were eager to take me out and show me the ropes. It gave them an excuse to "get out among 'em" between their own hunts. Dedicated hunters love to get out among 'em even when they themselves don't have tags.

- AZ Game & Fish puts on seminars. I attended all that I could.

[ducatilover]

Im in the same boat. Would love to hunt but have no clue where to start. Great question. Following.

[guardyan_angyl]

Game and Fish has a lot of great info and seminars. You can also take the Hunter Education Course online.

[Ballistic Therapy]

I agree with contacting Game And Fish about seminars and or literature.

Just curious , what are you wanting to hunt ?

[brandoneqy]

I agree with contacting Game And Fish about seminars and or literature.

Just curious , what are you wanting to hunt ?

I’m interested in deer/elk. Even wild boar.

[jdrautoworks]

Do you have any tags/hunts coming up? There are a lot of us willing to help, just get a little aggravating with all the folks looking for easy info on the .net. Best thing I would suggest is find an area you would like to hunt and see if you can tag along on a scouting trip or two.

There are a ton of different methods, even more so for AZ as we have a little different climate than most. One things I will say is get out and look around, again if you have an area of the state you are interested in let us know. I am sure someone can get you on the right track!

[brandoneqy]

I’m fine tagging along. I seriously would enjoy just shadowing a couple of times just to understand the process a lot more. But I don’t even know what I don’t know. It seems like my best bet would be trying to qualify for tags but I feel like I would be taking a tag away from someone better qualified

[Crippledtrigger]

Very important info that is helpful.

1. Elk are the size of horses. Seriously the bastards are big and ground shrinkage only applies to antlers. The are truly freezer fillers so be prepared for retrieving and processing ahead of time. You and your buddy won't drag iui t back to your truck like a whitetail.

2. No real boar hunting in AZ. The nasty ars substitute, Javelina, are large rats with disgusting tasting trash meat. That said lots of guys eat em. Guys with no sense of smell or taste but guys all the same.

I started brush n dove hunting at about 6 or 7. Rabbit Quail and dove. Enjoy the learning process. The most technical part is learning the laws. Everything else is easy.

Well except getting drawn for elk. I'm an AZ native and gave up only after I moved part time out of state. I had a 30'06 that killed a dozen elk. I sold that bastard after loaning it out to a bunch of friends who got drawn even though they had no suitable rifle. My thinking was if I acted as unprepared it would increase my luck.

Didn't work.

My god damned traitor of a son got drawn the first time he put in.

Me, never.

[Bigshooter]

Good info above. I was fortunate to have an older brother start me out hunting at an early age. Your best bet is to start small game hunting and tag along with more experienced hunters for big game and ask lots of questions. Lots of time and energy goes into prepping for hunts, scouting trips, shooting prep, gear et. but the real work begins after you put an animal down. Meat care is critical in AZ, especially on the earlier hunts.

[Lobo2087]

Not sure why you would pay someone to learn to hunt.

First thing of it as a game of hide and seek where you opponent is faster, can see better, smell better but they have a routine. That routine is their weakness

Figure out first what you want to hunt
Now figure out what what you want to hunt,
Eats
Sleeps
Hides
Travels
And looks like

Now figure out where what you want to hunt lives and start trying to draw a tag for that area

While waiting to draw go see the area, get out and walk it. Find the water, food and travel sources and you are on point.

From there it is simply prep,
Clothing that is comfortable to you
Equipment you know how to use
Map
Emergency equipment
Pack
Rifle

Are you a long shooter or do you need to be close. What caliber animal are you hunting elk? 30.06 and up deer 243 and up, javelina 223 and up and so on

You are welcome to contact most of us who hunt for tips. Most hunters will share advice and tips. Rarely will they share much info with an e scout.

Dont pay someone to teach you just get out and go. Hell first go out with a camera and hunt that way.

But again dont pay someone. You can research your animal online free or just ask

[Isnake]

Good info above. I was fortunate to have an older brother start me out hunting at an early age. Your best bet is to start small game hunting and tag along with more experienced hunters for big game and ask lots of questions. Lots of time and energy goes into prepping for hunts, scouting trips, shooting prep, gear et. but the real work begins after you put an animal down. Meat care is critical in AZ, especially on the earlier hunts.

This is no lie. We were drawn for 6A last Thanksgiving. Snowed in for the 1st 2 days and on day 3 we made it out to find virtually every single 4x4 hopelessly stuck in the snow so day 3 was spent pulling people out. One hour before we left I stopped at O'Rileys and bought 4 chains for my 02 2500HD 4wd, we needed them almost immediately and were just about the only ones going anywhere. Day 4, 2 hours in my buddy got an elk and with the chains we drove right up to the animal in the middle of nowhere. We quickly realized we had to cut the rear legs off just to get it in the truck. Best part was my buddy while showing us how to gut got distracted and nicked the intestine, now that was some truly funny s***. He got a mouthful, my son and I got sprayed. Good times!

[Tim McBride]

The ArmsRoom had a AZ G&F officer on today, and they discussed this very thing.

https://thearmsroomvom.podbean.com/

[smithers599]

As far as paying, nobody ever asked me to pay.
However, in appreciation for their time and help, I always insisted on paying for the gas, providing food, and when we were not camping, the lodging. Those were expenses I would have paid anyway, had I gone out alone. Afterward, I always gave a small gift -- a Cold Steel knife, a rangefinder, a Surefire flashlight.

[tunnug]

Find co-workers, friends and neighbors that hunt, most will be more than happy to have you tag along and help you learn, I've always tried to help anyone willing to learn, just don't be the guy that stands around while everyone is doing something at camp, jump in, ask questions, be helpful.
Be prepared before hand by making sure your rifle is properly sighted in and you know how to take care of it and it should be appropriate caliber to the game, if you're doing an overnight or extended hunt ask what you need to bring food and drink wise, bedroll, tent etcetera.