Anybody here start hunting late in life?

[JD Covey]

I have hunted some over the years, but it feels like I’m just starting!
Nobody in my family hunted, but I had a good buddy of mine that got me interested in my teens.  I killed my first deer with a shotgun when I was in my early 20’s. ( I’ll be 53 this year) I didn’t care for gun hunting so I picked up a compound. I shot the compound for a fews years then bought my first recurve and loved it, been shooting one ever since! Due to construction jobs, lost properties, moving, amongst other things, I haven’t put much effort into it in a lot of years. My outdoor pursuits have mainly been fishing, camping, hiking, etc, but I’ve always kept up with shooting my traditional bows for the most part. I hunted as much as I could this past season and that lit a fire so now I’m pretty pumped about next season. Hopefully I get the opportunity to put my tag on one this year.
Hope everyone had a great season.
Thanks for listening! Lol

[2wfstlhunting]

I started  shooting a bow when I was 38 yo.  I started for exercise after a neck fracture in an MVA. After a year with my starter compound I dumped it, got my first recurve and never looked back.  I was living on a farm in NJ, and one thing led to another.  I am/was the only person in my family to hunt and still am these 35 years later.  My father was for a fact a great outdoorsman and hiked many a trail, but had no interest at all in hunting.  I have never hunted with a gun, have not missed an archery season in all these years, and find that being there is just as important to me as bringing meat home ( although that IS why we go and is nice to come home with). I have hunted 5 countries, 8 states, and used hunting as a vehicle to travel the world.  You are just getting started on a very exciting course which has an endless supply of information to give you, lessons to teach you, and highs and lows to be experienced and understood.  It is very much not just about going out and killing animals.  Take the time to have fun and enjoy just being there, look around and ask yourself what you can learn about that you just don't yet know.  Ever new thing that you learn, makes it that much better   

[johnnyk71]

I followed a similar pattern, JD. Grew up on the gulf coast, so it was always boats and fishing. Nobody in my family deer hunted. Started with a compound around 29-30, and moved to trad after a few years. Turned 54 yesterday, and I haven't looked back as far as hunting. I do occasionally gun hunt in the late season, but only for meat, and I acknowledge it's not nearly as exciting. Killed a cull buck with a rifle 2 days ago, and I'm going back out tomorrow with the recurve. Really enjoy shooting 3-D in the off-season, and I plan to try my hand stalking hogs in the delta this spring. Only own two rifles and a shotgun, but I have more stick bows than I have good sense, haha!

[Pat B]

I was 29 or 30 when I started hunting. That was pretty late in some camps.

[Guiltytundra]

This year will be my first hunting. I bought a longbow second hand last march and wanted to hunt last season but didn't feel like I could make an ethical shot till about a month ago. I'll be 36 before I go on my first hunt

[danbow]

I was 34 when I started hunting. 45 when I started traditional.

[Stumpkiller]

I was 20.  Not too old, I guess.  Was married then and needed any groceries I could gather (1980).

[socalmonster09]

I started archery hunting about 7 year ago and I'm 69 year old. all my hunting has been with a
compound bow. I've been shooting with a recurve bow for the last 1 1/2 year. I'm hoping
to hunt with this year for turkeys. I have harvest one turkey last year and a hog about 3 years
ago, I came close to two bucks but made all the mistake. I need all the help, I could of
shot a couple of does but they had the fawns with them. good luck to all this year.