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What year did you start going hunting?

Probably 1977 or 78 for small game with my H&R model 88 single shot 16 gauge. I still have it and hunt with it some. Deer hunting began in 1983 in Morgan County. I carried a model 94 Winchester in 32 special and Dad carried one in 30-30. We did not kill a deer but it ignited something inside me that continues to be a passion to this day.
 
1952, When I was 11. My great Uncle had given me a single shot .22 (Winchester). I can still picture in my mind the wording "Winchester" on the barrel. Later, when I had been in the USAF a short time, my grandmother loaned the rifle to a man who farmed her place. He hocked it one day when he got thirsty for an adult beverage. Never redeemed it. My grandmother made him give me another gun. Man, I would love to have that gun back.
 
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I've got my great-grandfather's deer rifle, a 32 Remington Rimless (similar ballistics to a 30-30). He bought it from the Montgomery Ward catalog around 1912. I actually found loading dies for it, and carried it for a season.
 
Not sure how old but went rabbit hunting with a wooden "gun" where you wound a crank on the side so it made a ratatat noise probably
around 1947 or 48. Along about 1950 I would take my BB gun rabbit hunting being advised you could kill a rabbit if you hit it just right. I guess technically valid if quite a stretch. I think it was when I was 8 I got to carry a 410 which would have been 1952
 
1985. 1992 in earnest. I took my brother in law to our farm. I wore a USGI Navy flight jacket, jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt. I sat on a wet stump. I came out after shooting light. He was asleep in his insulated camo coveralls, wool camo mask and gloves and 20 feet up in a tree lounge. I was miserable. That was the last time I was uncomfortable. I have hunted every year since. My days are probably coming to an end this year but I will still go for the comradery.
 
Best I can remember would have been about 1992. I would have been 5 years old then. I remember sitting on the ground and hearing leaves crunching behind me. Dad said don't move so I sat there and didn't move a muscle. I remember hearing him turn and then shooting. He was using an old Charles Daly open sight mz. I never seen the deer at all but he said it was huge. He then tells me to stay put and he takes off tracking it. As it started getting dark I got scared and I think even started crying. He came back and somehow had shot the nuts off the deer. Never found it.

I believe it was 1995 when I was able to go for myself and killed my first.
That's a funny story. Reminds me of when my dad started taking me fishing at the steam plant in jville. This would have been around 1985 when I was 5yo.
He made it very clear when I started begging to go: he said son when we go fishing it gets cold and we don't leave until we are ready. He says you can go with me but I don't want to hear that you are cold or ready to go home. If you get sleepy, you curl up and go to sleep. He said I never complained one time and they sometime fished all night and into the next day depending on the bite. Never forget me, him and one other gentleman caught 232 catfish one day up there. Given most of them were under 3/4 pound but a memory I'll never ever forget!

As far as hunting I'd say I started squirrel hunting around 85/86 and deer hunting a year or two later. Very thankful that my dad got me into hunting and taught me the ropes. Now he doesn't go anymore and I miss that that you wouldn't believe
 
I got to go to deer camp in 1977 a year earlier than I could hunt probably to get me out of Mom's hair…1978 opening day, hunting with my Grandpap, shot a 4pt buck around 8:30, at 50 yards with a model 94 30-30. Hooked for life!
 
About 1994 I was14 years old. And my dad hunt but his brother my uncle did. After dove hunting couple years I asked him to take me with him deer hunting. Thankfully he did on muzzleloader hunt. He gave me a gun showed me how to load it. Then said you go this way I'll go that way we'll meet back at the truck at a certain time. I killed my first 6 point in 1997 on homemade 10' tripod stands we made from conduit and brazed things up with brazing rods. We would always camp and hunt with friends and family.
 

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