Hunting Hero

stonecreek

Senior Member
Well like many it would be my dad. Passed in 96 but to this day still take the knowledge and advise he shared and put it to use. He harvested deer in the 60s and 70s when there were not many out there. He hunted to feed the family. He taught me how to call a turkey and most importantly when to quit calling. One of his great lessons was slow down and enjoy the hunt. Now that I’m approaching 60 I appreciate it more than ever.
 

splatek

UAEC
I thought about this not applying to me, because I am so new. My dad didn't hunt. I didn't know either of my grandfathers, only one of who hunted. I had no family that hunted. I did have a neighbor who was an outdoorsman, Mr Gross. He was always gone during PA trout season and taught me a thing or two about fishing, but when I asked if I could go deer hunting with him, my mom, who was petrified of guns because of some personal stuff that she went through, replied for him with a resounding "NO!"

Mr. Gross, of course, respected my mom's wishes, but I can still remember going to his house and seeing antlers of all sizes on his walls, most relegated to the garage, what would be referred to as a man cave by today's standards. I also remember his gun and bow cases and having a fervent interest. Again, he didn't show my a thing, in respect of my mother's wishes. I think back on him and how he would let me hang around the garage and watch as he hung and processed a few deer, and more than a few trouts. I guess as far as heros, maybe not quite a hero, but certainly a good woodsman that I have a huge amount of respect for, now that I am in the sport.
 

35 Whelen

Senior Member
My Uncle Kenneth. I was 13 years old and deer hunting for the very first time. I had looked forward to going for over two years (minimum age in Pennsylvania at that time was 12.) After two days hunting with my father I vowed to myself that I would never go again (my father made most things in life miserable.) My uncle could see that I was miserable and he asked my father if he could take me out hunting the next day. We had such a great time I could not believe the difference! He taught me how to see feeding deer in the woods and so much more. I was hooked for life! He passed away last year, miss him but forever grateful to him for taking the time and effort to help me at a time in my life when I needed a role model. Thank you Uncle Ken!
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
This man, my Maternal Grandfather. He wasn`t a deer hunter because for the first 50 years of his life there weren`t any in his section of south-central Georgia. He was a turkey hunter, and the best one I`ve ever come in contact with. I killed my first one setting at his knee when I was 5 years old. I still have the call he used. One that he made that is now over 100 years old. He was a self sufficient, subsistence farmer-hunter-fisherman, a stern old man, and a strict taskmaster and teacher. He taught me most of what I know as a hunter and woodsman.


This picture was taken on his 88th birthday. He died the next year on the day before what would have been his 89th.



74586074_153162236069237_7200111603402932224_o.jpg
 

gma1320

I like a Useles Billy Thread
My dad, about the only time we got along was hunting or fishing. He taught me lots of stuff about finding and hunting deer. He showed me to find where the big ones live and also about how difficult they can be to kill. I aleays wondered why he didn't kill more deer even though he could have. It wasn't until a few years ago that i realized he was a trophy hunter before trophy hunters were cool. Even though he always managed to get some backstraps.
 

The Original Rooster

Mayor of Spring Hill
This man, my Maternal Grandfather. He wasn`t a deer hunter because for the first 50 years of his life there weren`t any in his section of south-central Georgia. He was a turkey hunter, and the best one I`ve ever come in contact with. I killed my first one setting at his knee when I was 5 years old. I still have the call he used. One that he made that is now over 100 years old. He was a self sufficient, subsistence farmer-hunter-fisherman, a stern old man, and a strict taskmaster and teacher. He taught me most of what I know as a hunter and woodsman.


This picture was taken on his 88th birthday. He died the next year on the day before what would have been his 89th.



View attachment 991327

That was the Ivey Kirby I never got to know. By the time I came along, he had slowed down considerably except for working the farm and I was always closer to Mama Dell anyway.

Despite that, I've actually got a couple that taught me more than any others. My father, Walt Stanley, and my brother Nick Baker. Dad would take me deer hunting back in the 70's when I was little and I would sit between his knees in the stand. He taught me a lot about wildlife and woodsmanship and everything I know about Turkeys. Nick picked up where Walt left off. Nick took me to my first Dove shoot and how to make a lot of my own hunting equipment. I was lucky!
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
That was the Ivey Kirby I never got to know. By the time I came along, he had slowed down considerably except for working the farm and I was always closer to Mama Dell anyway.

Despite that, I've actually got a couple that taught me more than any others. My father, Walt Stanley, and my brother Nick Baker. Dad would take me deer hunting back in the 70's when I was little and I would sit between his knees in the stand. He taught me a lot about wildlife and woodsmanship and everything I know about Turkeys. Nick picked up where Walt left off. Nick took me to my first Dove shoot and how to make a lot of my own hunting equipment. I was lucky!


Thank you, Little Brother. That means a lot. :cheers:
 

NCMTNHunter

Senior Member
I would have to lump both of my parents together. My dad taught me to hunt, fish, and shoot but when I was a kid he had to work a lot. His hunting pretty much took place in the one week a year he would take off to deer hunt. By the time time I was in high school we were able to hunt together a lot more. My mom basically allowed me to hunt and fish all I wanted before then. Before I had a drivers license she would drop me off at forest service gates before daylight and pick me up at an agreed upon time. She put up with me living for years with a turkey call in my mouth and made meals of all the critters I drug in.
 

livinoutdoors

Goatherding Non-socialist Bohemian Luddite
I thought long and hard about posting this here, because i dont wanna come off as a kiss up or whatever, but this is my honest reply and i feel that yall deserve to know this. I did not grow up in a hunting family, nor did i have any good neighbors or family friends to show me the way. I did have a grandpa and uncle who showed me how to fish a bit but other than that my outdoors experience was camping and hiking only. A few years back i made a good deal of life changes and added in some new more productive ways to spend my time. Hunting was one. That i really wanted to do but had zero place to start! So i got to readin the woodys gon forum and got a shotgun and started chasin squirrels( with very little success). So i read more, asked questions, read the answers to others questions, and just tried to spend as much time in the woods as possible. Fast foward several years and i now have a good many deer( most from public land) to my name, almost a hog!, and a pile of squirrels! Now i will say this, my best teacher has been mother nature for sure, but a very close second has been the fine folks here on the woodys forum! I wont name names, but you know who you are! Its the people who take time to answer the questions, and post about your experiences, and also those that post the questions i didnt think to ask! Thank you all very sincerely! Very glad that a place like this is still around in this day and age!
 

jbogg

Senior Member
Similar to livinoutdoors, I got a late start to hunting as I didn't know anyone who hunted as I was growing up. Back then there was no internet or hunting shows for that matter. Bought a pawn shop bow about 4" to short for me and stumbled around the woods for a few years, but continued to fill my experience bucket with every hunt.
Fast forward 30 years and I decided to start hunting public ground in the mountains. It's been an uphill climb (no pun intended), but thanks to a handful of generous folks on this great site it has been the best hunting decision I have ever made.
 

strothershwacker

Senior Member
My dad introduced me to squirrel and deer hunting bout the time I could walk, but then he went to prison. Thankfully we lived in the country and I could continue my pursuits on my own. He would somehow send me subscriptions of Field and Stream. I loved reading the articles. I learned a lot own my own, and would question other hunters to death when I got the chance. Met a kid on the school bus in elementary school who lived down the road from me who hunted with his dad. We been friends and huntin buddys for 30+ years now. His dad was really good to me growing up and they have always been a big part of my hunting. I'm thankful for 'em. The folks on this forum are an endless supply of info. Had the pleasure of meeting some of these people and have hopes of meeting more. Dad's been passed on almost 2 years now and even though he had to leave me as a kid, and has left me as a grown man he'll be with me in the woods as long as I can walk them. The Lord has put a lot of good folks in my life along the way and I'm thankful for them all. And a lot of y'all are included in that number. Thanks!
 

zedex

Gator Bait
My father never hunted. He never owned a gun. His father came from a very wealthy and well-to-do family in Detroit. He moved to south Georgia round about 1920. He self taught hunting, fishing and trapping.

No one in my ma's family hunted or fished.

I have one brother that hunted about 20-25 years ago. I never went with him.

Like my father's father, pretty much self taught. Got tips and pointers from various people. Most of my success, I credit to studying wildlife biology. I cant say I'm a great hunter, but have done well; I'm not going hungry. We have 2 freezers still full from last year.

As for fishing.... same thing. I always limit out when I go. There are very few fish I eat. I keep a couple for my daughter and give the rest away to those who love fish but cannot go fishing.

I wish I had someone who could have taught me these things. I wish I had more knowledge to give to my kid. Some things she and I learn together. It fun like that . Next summer, I'm teaching her scuba-spearfishing.

So far, we have hunted/fished the US, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, China and Japan.
 

rigderunner

Senior Member
My dad gets the credit for this one. Although he has never been a big deer hunter he always kept me in the woods as a kid chasing Squirrel rabbit coon hogs or deer. Dad loves to fish but is not a bass fisherman by any means so I had to learn that on my own. He taught me to catch bream bluegill and crappie by the boat loads and taught me how to put a limit of trout on the string. I've always went back to dad's knowledge on the outdoors but I also read and take alot from this forum and the members. I got my eagle at a young age stayed in scouting until I was 18 so I use alot those skills in the outdoors/everyday life.
 

ugajay

Senior Member
Like many others, it's my dad. I was his shadow growing up. Everywhere he went I did too. I remember the first time he took me squirrel hunting. It was a cold morning, and we walked what seemed to be a hundred miles chasing squirrels. I killed my first one with my 16 gauge A5 my papa gave me. About mid morning we sat down beside the creek and he got out 2 biscuits and a piece of side meat. Best meal I ever had. Then he taught me how to lean down and drink straight from the creek. It's those memories that stick with me. He was with me when I killed my first dove, duck, squirrel, deer, hog, and so on. If he asked me once he asked me a million times, "son, your gun on safety?" Now it's on safety and I don't even realize I've already put it back on safety. He's truly my hero
 
Top