Significant other hunting intro

[BT_NVhunter]

So looking for advice or maybe just hear others thoughts. I’m just recently getting back into hunting the last few years. It’s slowly becoming a large part of my life as it was in my youth. My wife is not a killer but loves the outdoors (quite the fisherwoman) and a photographer. She seems content to sit on the sidelines but I think if I brought her in slowly she would take to it really well. She’s a great shot and physically capable and loves wild game meat. Just wondering what’s best small game, birds maybe take her big game hunting a few times, when I have a tag? Just wondering if anyone’s done this or been through this? Thanks guys.

 

[Brandon270]

Dove, and maybe ducks depending on your area is a good starting point. Those hunts are low pressure, not very physical and usually lots of action. If you know a good place for cotton tails they are always fun to pick off with a 22. I took my wife deer hunting with me 2 years ago... after about 2 miles and 1200' + climb she was over it. An easy going dove hunt a month later brought her back into it.

 

[MT Bound]

depends on the woman, some prefer big game, others like the other type such as waterfowl or upland bird. My wife loves to chase elk and deer, but wants nothing to do with anything with feathers or the like, so we stick with that and it's worked out well.

starting out she used to tell me that I was too wound up and put too much pressure on her, so this last season I just acted like I was taking her for a walk in the mountains, and when we saw deer or elk I calmly pointed them out to her, we did a relaxed stalk, and I just sat back and somewhat coached her into the shots and it worked out well, so that's how I approach it now.

 

[SFC B]

I've been married 28 years now.....been hunting for about 18 of those and just THIS year my wife took her hunter safety course and has become interested in a deer hunt. Her issues is NEVER wanting to be uncomfortable- especially cold. We'll see what happens with her first hunt, maybe it will be a new shared thing or maybe she will just understand me more.

 

[Brandon270]

depends on the woman, some prefer big game, others like the other type such as waterfowl or upland bird. My wife loves to chase elk and deer, but wants nothing to do with anything with feathers or the like, so we stick with that and it's worked out well.

starting out she used to tell me that I was too wound up and put too much pressure on her, so this last season I just acted like I was taking her for a walk in the mountains, and when we saw deer or elk I calmly pointed them out to her, we did a relaxed stalk, and I just sat back and somewhat coached her into the shots and it worked out well, so that's how I approach it now.

When it comes to big game I'd add NOT to bring a rifle for yourself. Mostly to keep you from taking over or maybe taking advantage of an opportunity. This will keep you focused on making sure they enjoy themselves and the hunt is about them, not you and they are just tagging along.

 

[glass eye]

Been married 33 years and my wife loves tent camping, eating MREs and dehydrated meals, sleeping in the dirt, baby wipe baths, glassing for game, skinning and packing out game. Basically everything except pull the trigger.
That's good enough for me.
I've talked her into hunting ducks with me in Florida in an inflatable kayak amongst gators and cottonmouths. So I feel blessed.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

When it comes to big game I'd add NOT to bring a rifle for yourself. Mostly to keep you from taking over or maybe taking advantage of an opportunity. This will keep you focused on making sure they enjoy themselves and the hunt is about them, not you and they are just tagging along.

This is great advice

A lot of our dates were spent hiking and looking for critters to capture on video. Progressed from that to accompanying me on several hunts. Followed by being a participant. From the moment that she filled her first tag....she was hooked. Now I am packing the camera on her hunts. 30+ years later and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Otto Matic]

Don't handicap a beginning hunter by taking them dove or duck hunting.
If they aren't pretty dog gone quick to pick up mounting a shotgun, lead, swing and follow through, they can get frustrated pretty quick. Not to mention species ID for ducks.

I'd start out at a rifle range and/or a camera store and see how their interests develop.

 

[glass eye]

Antelope would be good for a beginner.

 

[Dsnow9]

Antelope would be good for a beginner.

I agree, antelope is a great 1st big game hunt. Took my dad on his first antelope hunt last year. After the 4th opportunity under 200 yards he took the shot and dropped the doe.

 

[Addicting]

Don’t force the issue, if it comes around naturally encourage it. Otherwise, just enjoy having her afield with her camera with you.

 

[marshman]

I've been married 28 years now.....been hunting for about 18 of those and just THIS year my wife took her hunter safety course and has become interested in a deer hunt. Her issues is NEVER wanting to be uncomfortable- especially cold. We'll see what happens with her first hunt, maybe it will be a new shared thing or maybe she will just understand me more.

Yep, mine too, loves being out with me but she does not want to be cold at all!

 

[Treeshark]

Don't handicap a beginning hunter by taking them dove or duck hunting.
If they aren't pretty dog gone quick to pick up mounting a shotgun, lead, swing and follow through, they can get frustrated pretty quick. Not to mention species ID for ducks.

I'd start out at a rifle range and/or a camera store and see how their interests develop.

Those are all good points. I still think duck hunting is a good starting point- you can usually see them coming for a while in advance, see a lot in general (low “penalty” for missing) and marshes are just cool places to view wildlife that you don’t normally get to see elsewhere. You can socialize in between ducks too, hard for me to get too bored duck hunting even when the hunting is slow.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Her introduction to hunting will (and should) likely start long before she’s the one with a license.

I was already well on the path of being a wildlife professional when I met my husband. I did not hunt, but I loved hiking, camping, fishing, everything outdoors. So my first two seasons of “hunting”, I was really just along for the hike. I liked glassing, my future hubby and FIL quickly learned I was good at spotting stuff, and that’s how it started. Just a natural progression…accompany, assist, participate. Since I liked hiking, big game was a natural start for me because I could enjoy the non-hunting parts of it right away. Then I wanted to try deer. Then maybe antelope. Then birds (which I again tagged along on but didn’t hunt myself right away). Now I hunt everything I have a chance to. I am officially more addicted than Hunting Husband.

Figure out what she likes to do already, then build on that. The relative ease or difficulty of the quarry is less of a concern in this particular case IMO.

 

[RobertD]

Let her lead the way brother, you just open the door...

With mine I just make sure she knows she is always welcome to jump into my hunting plans. She has a few times now and we've had a blast those times. Other things she's clearly not into so I leave her out of them. It has worked well so far.

 

[BT_NVhunter]

Thanks everybody for the tips and info appreciate it.

 

[Wallydeuce]

When it comes to big game I'd add NOT to bring a rifle for yourself. Mostly to keep you from taking over or maybe taking advantage of an opportunity. This will keep you focused on making sure they enjoy themselves and the hunt is about them, not you and they are just tagging along.

Great insight and perspective Brandon
Thank you.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Don’t force the issue, if it comes around naturally encourage it. Otherwise, just enjoy having her afield with her camera with you.

I think this is very good advice. If she wants to hunt, great, but it's not for everyone. My wife's family hunts, but when her dad made her get a license she said she just prayed that she never got a shot opportunity. She has gone hunting with me and loves being outdoors, she'll get right in there and help butcher an animal, she cooks and eats wild game all the time. She shoots rifle, pistol or shotgun. She enjoys going hunting, but just doesn't want to be the hunter.

 

[Boarmaster]

Some guys have all the luck. I go to bed dreaming I will wake up in a cabin in the woods with a view of the mountains with the sound of bugling elk and the water running down the trout stream. My girlfriends all dreamed about waking up at the Ritz Carlton with a view of the beach and the sound of room service being delivered.

 

[vanish]

As someone who's wife hunts, just remember it can be a double edged sword. We sometimes have different mindsets on what to hunt, where to hunt, how to hunt and who will be hunting. Will elaborate upon request.