Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, has enjoyed hunting for years. When people hear that you’re a hunter, they often have questions. Those who don’t come from hunting families are often curious about trying it themselves but intimidated by the idea of starting. Today, Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, will advise adults looking to break into hunting.
Because much hunting lore comes from family tradition, it is the less common path to enter hunting as an adult. Still, anyone can choose to hunt as long as they take it seriously and understand the commitment it takes to improve hunting skills. For instance, Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, notes that a commitment to hunting will cause a person to dedicate a lot of time to the hunting ritual and education. For starters, where a person lives will directly impact when people can legally hunt. The only way to improve as a hunter is to go out and garner experience, so during the season, hunters often put aside any other extracurricular activities.
Hunters often visit the range when they aren’t in the fields or near the water. Whether a hunter chooses to utilize a bow or a firearm, they must hone their skills with their weapon. Serious hunters are known to attend target practice at the range as often as possible. Accuracy as a hunter is key so that a target can be hit and hit in the proper spots. Hunters learn how to ethically take an animal’s life by shooting the proper area, so there’s no unnecessary suffering.
Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, notes that no one can legally hunt without a proper license. The process of applying for a license can be a bit draining. There are usually accompanying tags that must be applied to give a hunter access to multiple seasons. Depending on your desired hunting location, the tags needed will likely change. Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, credits the sense of community that is shared by hunters and encourages beginners to ask a fellow hunter for advice on the tags to apply for.
In fact, Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, strongly encourages every new hunter to find a mentor. Most hunters are passionate about their craft and willing to take a new hunter under their proverbial wing. The key to a good mentor-mentored relationship is respect. It’s good to ask questions but pay attention and learn from every answer. One of the best ways to find a mentor is to start to show up frequently at local hunting shops. They are usually owned by people who hunt themselves and will have staff members who can start providing knowledge or much more than the best products to purchase. Although, it doesn’t hurt to have someone you can trust to point you toward the best gear.
Many new hunters go into the process expecting to choose one weapon only to find that it limits their ability to hunt how they want. Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, notes that different weapons have different ranges, which means those who choose to learn with a bow and arrow are going to need to get very close to the animal they are hunting. This requires more skill not only because it’s easier to learn to shoot a rifle than master a bow and arrow, but it’s also more difficult to hunt when you need to get close to an unsuspecting animal without scaring it. In addition, people who carry a bow will often hunt on the move. Those who choose a rifle might sit along a meadow or across a draw for an entire day as they wait to take advantage of a clear sight line.
Weapon choice will also impact when a person hunts. Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, notes that rifle hunting season is often shorter than bow hunting season. Those who hunt with a rifle often hunt during periods where they won’t be utilizing animal calls but rather searching for signs, like tracks, beds, or skat, along the ground. For those just starting, Taylor Metzger of Sabillasville, MD, does suggest starting with a rifle. People can consider adding a bow and arrow into the mix as they accumulate more skills.
Hunting is a constant pursuit of education. Not only do hunters learn on every trip they take, but they also must learn to navigate the constant changes in hunting regulations and legal hunting seasons. Even the process of getting a hunting license is intense. As hunters progress and want to accumulate more licenses, there may be years before they obtain the license they seek.
