New to hunting

[socalsldr]

So i'm new to hunting and want to know how to go about starting up, as far as how to get licenses, where to go, and how to go about it. I am in Southern California, San Bernardino area. Anyone have any suggestions or able to help me out?

[pennstater]

To get a Ca resident license, you'll have to take DF&G Hunting class. To find out where to take that, contact a Turner's Outdoors sporting in your area, and they can get you going.Once you get thru all that, you can pretty much choose where and what you want to hunt. For example, deer hunting, you could choose zone D-8; it never sells out, you're fairly close to it, and you can get your feet wet checking out Ca areas to hunt. Any other questions, I'll try to help you out. Welcome aboard soldier.

[r3dn3ck]

Find a mentor.

[pennstater]

Yeah, what r3dn3ck said goes along ways also.

[Which Way Out]

Find a mentor.

Much easier said than done on the mentor.....
By the way its a Hunter Education Program Certificate. Unless of course you have an out of state hunting license already that I think is no more than 2 years old. Anyway take the course it might be a good place to me people.

[Tanner68]

Find a mentor is important.

Second, find committed partners, even if not a mentor, to learn the ropes with. It can be hard to muster solo when there is so much ground to cover and time to be spent. You have to really push yourself.

Start wearing out shoe leather. You have to be hiking and exploring and looking for game always. Hunting, like fishing, is twofold. Finding the game is first, and bringing them to bag is next. Spend the offseason learning to find them. Granted game patterns can change in the fall, but there is tons to learn so get out there already.

[Cougar125]

I think we need a "New to Hunting" sticky for all the guys that are new to read. Saves a lot of time answering the same questions over and over. Just my .o2.

But yes, everything everybody above me has said.

[socalsldr]

I really appreciate the help guys. Just moving back to CA after being gone for over 7 yrs, figured a lot has changed and want to make sure I go about it the right way and ask people that know not people that have "heard through the grapevine". I will get on all your suggestions

[Hunt]

real important to know all the rules and land regulations. Problem is, if you make an honest error, for example cross a boundary into a State Park while hunting, there is no mercy. Here in CA they rarely give warnings, and are very quick to hand out $1,000.00 fines. Know the rules and abide, nothing to worry about. This is an excellent resource
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=186457 I would add that rules change, so always call local ranger and ask if it is OK to hunt a specific area. You will need a good pair of binos best value now is the Zen Ray ED2. Although the CA deer herds are tough to hunt we do have a lot of extra days and otc tags other States don't have. You will want to use some type of insect repellent as Lyme disease is for real out here. Check over at Jesseshuntingforums there is a mentors list over there and in the mule deer forum I often see So CA guys offer to show beginners the ropes. Good Luck