You’re Never Too Old to Learn How to Hunt

September 6, 2012

Question: Most hunters that I know learned in their youth. I am an adult male who has never hunted but would like to learn. Are there classes or programs for adult males to learn? If so, can you please give me some information? (Edward H.)

Answer: Yes, and an excellent first step is to take a hunter education course. This is required to get a hunting license in California and provides good entry level instruction about firearms safety, first aid, wildlife management, etc. (http://dfg.ca.gov/huntered/). Most local communities have sportsmen’s clubs which usually are associated with a gun range. This would be another location to learn a great deal about firearms and to discuss hunting with experienced people. A number of Advanced Hunter Education classes are offered by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) throughout the state, including wild pig seminars, waterfowl seminars, wild turkey seminars, etc. These can be found on the DFG website at http://dfg.ca.gov/huntered/advanced/. In addition, there are many books and magazines that provide many resources about hunting, and the Internet is also full of information that would help (e.g. http://www.nssf.com/hunting/getstarted/). Good luck!