I was reading a couple post and responses and some talking how long they hunted got me thinking. So how long have you hunted counting this year I mean any kind of hunting I started hunting starlings and pigeons at my grandpas farm with a BB Gun. 56 years for me

43 years

From squirrel hunting with my brother I guess it’s about 58-59 years now. I was hell on squirrels and groundhogs growing up.

Only 37 years for me

60 for me I think. I shot birds out of a cherry orchard with a bb gun for a penny apiece when I was 6 or 7. That was in Grand Junction Co. long before I moved to Mo.

48 years, I started hunting quail with my dad when i was 10. I didn’t start Bowhunting until I was 20

56 for me also.

If counting hunting cottontails with a wooden tomahawk and cheap kid’s bow, I’ve been after stuff 65 years or so. At 71, I killed my first mule deer at 11 and was shooting ducks over decoys before that. It’s been a good run and I don’t ever need to take anything else, but I’ll not be giving up anytime soon. Just picked up my archer elk tag today.

58 for me. Started with rabbits and a daisy pump BB gun. Bowhunting soon followed with a lemon wood longbow from York Archery .

33 years for me

50'ish

Started hunting in 1977 with a Winchester1200 pump shotgun. So 43 years.

63 years I started at 7 with a BB gun shooting sparrows that made nests in mom's clothesline poles then liked to leave marks on the clean clothes!

Started off with my RedRyder hunting squirrels and birds around the House. So I guess 46 years. And yes I almost shot my eye out lol

56 years for me.

51 and counting

Beginning with my first bb gun hunts for sparrows, about 62 years.

Since 1968

Dad bought me a single shot .22 when I was 6 or 7 years old and I killed my first squirrel with it. In 1957 Dad was able to buy 40 acres that had about 12 acres of woods and that summer he built a house there, I was 10 years old. I was hunting that 40 acres on my own when I was 12 or 13. I started bowhunting in 1972 and in 1973 killed my first deer in that 12 acre woods, and I still hunt some there. So I guess I been hunting critters for about 66 or 67 years, and bowhunting for 48 years.

Actually, I was a bounty hunter when I was a kid. My grandfather paid me a dime for every barn rat I killed.

51

56 years

66

32 years since I could hunt on my own legally. 38 years total with my father taking out with him.

56 this year Red Ryder got me started. Ben Pearson got me started Bowhunting about 50 years ago.

Killed my first dove on a shoot in 1970 with a Savage single in 20 gauge. That started it.

I started hunting frogs in the creek behind the house with a bow my dad made for me when I was 6 years old, so it's been 78 years

If a winde up rabbit with a double barrel suction cup gun counts probably 58 , BB gun probably 56, shotgun around 55 , bow around 48

58

70 years for me, when i was 8 years old grampa got me a daisy red ryder. been bow hunting since 1965.

47 as the Hunter, another 8 as Dad and older brothers Apprentice! Been bowhunting 32 years and 29 of those Traditional.

Probably since 1963. I think that’s when I got my first bow.

MP

66 years this fall. 71 years if you count bb guns.

Hap

I started bow hunting for deer in 1955 with my new bear Kodiak....65 years ago

counting sling shots made from dogwood branches, then BB guns and home made bows chasing birds and squirrels, I have somewhere around 65 years hunting experience. Bowhunting only since 75.

This year will be my 56th hunting season.

63 years, deer 58, with bow 50.

Started with BB gun and fiberglass bow 44 years ago. I remember the first sparrow I actually killed with that old BB gun. I was so fired up. You would think I had just killed a B&C whitetail buck! Got my first rabbit bow kill with that old fiberglass Pearson a year or so later. Killed my first deer with a Pearson compound with fingers and no sights 40 years ago. That REALLY got me spun up. Addicted for life!

squirrels, 1955, so guess I'm going on 65 years this fall.

About 60 years. Deer etc with a bow since 1967.

60 years.

54 years.

For deer, 57 years. For smaller critters with something besides a BB gun or slingshot, about 59 years.

I still get just as excited as I did way back, even when I think I’m not going to.

A single shot 410 rabbit hunting at 7 so 59 years. I started bowhunting at 12 but got my first deer a few months later at 13. So 54 year hunting with a recurve and bird hunting with my grandpas "elsie" double that he left me. Just retired her last year with a cracked barrel.

55 years.

I took my 1st game, a 13 lined ground squirrel, 50 years ago this month.

Joe

Started as a kid in about 1954 with a cheap kid's bow. So I guess this year I will have been hunting for 67 years.

54 years.

Around 62 years.

Started hunting squirrel's and rabbits in 1952 when I was 12 and full time bowhunting 48 years. I don`t count my BB gun years. so this fall will make 68 years.

59 for me. Started at 10 with a 410. 2 years later with a 35# Ben Pearson.

45 started in 1976

61 years

40 years if counting frogs with a sling shot, 37 with a bow.

Wow,been 46 years already.

Me and my friends did some hunting with BB gun's when I was 12.But serious hunting every year from 22 through to now so 41.

As a little roving band of hoodlums shooting any thing and everything with our all fiberglass bows. I Didn’t get my first single shot 20 gauge until 1970. So we terrorized the area with our 15-25# bows around the mid 1960s. It was a big deal to see a deer in the southern Michigan then. And when one of my fellow “hoodlums” killed a deer around 1972 it was a big deal. By then we had laminated Bear bows and were pretty deadly shots. Much better than I am now. But Then again we shot all day every day at any distance

60 years

65 yrs.

56 years and still going strong

Damn, what a bunch of old farts.

46 years

Total 66 years, with the bow and arrow 56 years.

This is my 60th hunting licensed hunting season. Add an additional 3 years warming up with BB guns and toy bows for a total of 63?

Thanks for making me feel old today!!

57 years. Shot my first squirrel with a bow when I was 10. Serious hunting for 53 years with gun and bow in quest of various small game, varmints, and deer.

Haven't missed getting a Pa. hunting license for 57 years. Haven't used any but a bow for about 30 years.

57 for me

68, got my first rifle at eight

%% years for me. My step-dad liked to rabbit hunt, he started taking me with him when I was 12 years old. Started deer hunting in 1975 first bowhunt for deer in 1976. I don't hunt as hard as I used to, but I still enjoy being in the woods on a cool and crisp fall morning.

28 years..bow hunting 17 years.

wow this is amazing! a lot of years hunting when you total them up! wouldn't trade any of them! good memories!

52 years for me with 47 years of big game hunting; still plenty of things to learn yet!

What I think is cool is how many of us were taught and trusted to hunt with a 22 or 410 younger that ten. Now days that would be some kind of child abuse or something. Lol

55 years give or take with a bow

My Dad was "anti" .22 as all of his children started with BB guns. He got us going with a .410 when we were 7 or 8 years old (single-shots and he carried all the shells). After nearly having a bad accident with my oldest brother, my Dad never carried a gun while he was out with a "hunter in training". As a rule, we averaged 3 seasons of chaperoned small game hunting before "graduating" to big game hunting training.

The big game hunting was chaperoned for a couple of years at least but he would also have a rifle. I can remember the first deer hunting stand I took with my Dad (he liked to build stone seats against trees); he placed his rifle just out of his reach and told me, "It is going to be you doing the shooting, it isn't going to be a race to see who can shoot first." I shot my first deer that afternoon, a 4-point (eastern count).

I started bowhunting when I was 15, had to teach myself. My favorite stand in those days was a large tree with the leaves removed all around the base. The tree was cover using "squirrel tactics" no matter where the deer was coming from. I never felt at a disadvantage, and was successful, and it still amazes me how close I would get to deer. I had a 2.5-3.5 year-old buck walk within a foot of my broadhead once as my bow leaned up against my tree (he caught me unaware and I had to freeze - another "squirrel tactic"!).

However, now I "know" that you cannot bowhunt deer unless you are 15 feet up in a tree (and carry a lot more gear)! lol :-)

65 for me

Don’t know exactly, but somewhere around 40-45 years.

I started at eight with a Red Rider. Couldn't kill anything, but I took it out in the field when my dad would hunt. I got my first bow at ten and haven't stopped shooting them. That was 51 years ago.

I didn't count this year but if the good Lord allows this year will be 55 bowhunting. And add 1 to total years Boy, as someone mentioned, times sure have changed. We could legally hunt at any age in Ohio and could hunt alone at 16. But the 16 law was never enforced if you looked old enough to hunt safely. When I was about 14 I was walking thru the biggest shopping center in Columbus(northern lights) carrying my 12 gauge on my shoulder when a policeman stopped me. He ask where I was going. I just said pheasant hunting. He ask where so I told him. He wished me a "good luck" and told me to be careful and then drove away. Now a days I'd be in detention center and my parents arrested.

Got my first hunting license when I was 12, which was as early as one could hunt back then. That would be 62 years ago. Of course, I was a terror with a BB gun, sling shot and sapling bows before then.

Should add, I got my first bow hunting license when I was 16, and have bow hunted every year since. That would be 58 years.

since '69

I hunted exactly once and that was in 2017 with Kerry and Peter D. But I’m looking at all the experience here and just wondering what stories I could hear around a campfire at night! I’m sure that I’d be entertained for years listening to them. Well done guys. Lance

Started in 1969 and this will be my 51st year chasing game in Canada and across this beautiful country of ours. Not to mention these hardwoods and farms here in NY

Started in 1969 and this will be my 51st year chasing game in Canada and across this beautiful country of ours. Not to mention these hardwoods and farms here in NY

Holy crap?....51....holy crap!

Just some interesting numbers from this post...

Total reply's 72

Less then 40 years old: 5

41-45: 7

46-50: 10

51-55: 15

56-60: 23

61-65: 12

66-70: 7

71-75: 0

76 and over: 1

Just something to look at. Our strength is at the 51-60 range. Keep on huntin ya all.

51

Started shooting ducks and pheasants at at age 10 so 62 years, tried bowhunting at age 12 and then seriously at 16 so 56 years this fall.

This will be my 40th year bowhunting. Started at 15.

66 for me - with neighbors .22/410 over and under ....at 14!

50 years for me wpab

50 years and still love it !

Started bowhunting birds, rabbits and squirrels before 1963. So 56+ years.

Started w/BBs at 7, 20ga single shot Winchester at 12, bows at 14, total 66 years this year, still lovin' it!

59 years for me. Ready for more.

63 years total. Started with a bb gun on starlings. With a bow its been 55.

52 years with a license add another 5 or 6 years to that with a BB gun.

first hunting license at 10. just turned 78.

Started with a little fiberglass bow chasing ground squirrels and whatever else we could find 60 years ago. When I see it in writing, makes me wonder how it could have gone by so fast.

57 squirrels first bird BB gun

57 squirrels first bird BB gun

65 years for me.

I bought my first archery deer license 51 years ago. Hunted other smaller game for seven years prior. Still shooting my self bow and cedars.

38 yrs

67

51

40 years of hunting so far. I never hunted until after I married.

I won't show you the bow I used at the time. Two years on the dark side.

60+

52

stared in 1962 shooting a recurve that makes this year 58

Slingshot, BB gun, fb bow, rifle&shotgun, bow again = about 66 years.

Stumpkiller, I had a ‘62 bug. Face mask bumpers. Called it my Cheap Jeep. It’d go anywhere. Loved that car.

Counting BB guns over 70 years. First bow deer in 1963. Will turn 78 in November.

I’m guessing that I was going along a lot sooner, but, I got my first.22 at 10, started duck hunting at 12, and was push- poling myself around the swamps alone by 14. Then I built a bow in shop class in 9th grade, that got it started. It took 2 years to get my first deer( a button buck). That was 1974, been at it ever since. 50 plus years. Thanks John

This fall will be my 40 year chasin big game. Lookin forward to the high country of Colorado, high deserts of NM an deserts of Arizona. August can't cone quick enough...

I’m still in the infancy of my hunting career at 35 years. I only hunted the Ga firearms season for the first 4 years of that. I have been bowhunting for 31 years. I sold my compound bow and went to traditional archery exclusively last season.

A little over 60 yrs! Shot my first animal at 10, a rabbit and my first Big game a deer at 13! And have never had a bad day in the woods! Got a Love Mother Nature and RESPECT her! Good luck this fall!

I started bowhunting when I was 11 years old, so 67 years now and counting.

I started hunting when I was 12, Im 59 now so 48years. I hope I can hunt til I die.

52 yo. Hunting 39 years. 38 years bowhunting. Hunting 'trad' almost 14 years.

66 years - all weapons & all game / 62 years with archery equipment, mostly traditional.

33

50 even.

I misread the original thread...I stared bow hunting in '69 which makes 51 yrs, I actually started hunting when I was eight, so I need to add another 8 yrs which brings me to 59 yrs of actually killing

I started hunting rabbits and squirrels with a 16 gauge in 1976 at the age of 12 with my dad. I didn't take up archery until 1984 when I started shooting my girlfriend's(now wife) dad's old recurves. I thought they were fun to shoot, but she told me that no one shoots those old things anymore. Lol. 44 years

45 years.

58 years

53yrs

56 years

Man there's a lot of old fogies here....

53 years a hunter, not counting the slingshot/BB gun/Pearson Jet years.

Stumpkiller awesome hunting vehicle, had 3 Bugs myself.....

Been a looooooooooooooog time ago.

1952 in the beautiful hills of PA.

68 years according to my figuring.

Small game 60 years, deer 50 years.

54 years for me.

61

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I have only been hunting for around 15 years. Then again I am only 31 and not counting the years spent stalking the city parks with a slingshot or homemade blowgun as an anachronistic city boy.

I've been hunting for 30 my 40 years. I killed my first deer when I was in the 6th grade with a 16g. shotgun. A few years later I picked up a modern bow. In my late 20's I put it down and picked up a trad bow. I haven't put it down yet.

Lot of rich kids on here.I used my first quarter for a arrow my bow was a tree limb 65 years still flinging arrows.

46 years

60 years.

50 of my 57 years.... first rifle was .22 single shot Winchester M67A....been bowhunting since 1989....traditional bowhunter since 1992.

keep em sharp,

Ron Herman

59 years. shot neighbors chicken my 8th year got my 1rst bow at 7 yr that Christmas and shot chicken on my birthday the 6th. I wanted the chicken for diner but chicken flew off with arrow and neighbor brought over to show parents asking if this was my arrow in their chicken. It obviously was.

I have been hunting for 46 years

I have been hunting for 46 years

46 years and still can't wait for opening day...

I started officially, meaning hunting game rather than terrorizing birds and vermin, in 1965 at 8 y/o when I shot my first rabbit with a 1959 Bear Panda that I still have so 55 years.

53 years hunting. Started in 1967.

60 + for me. Man I AM OLD....

I just bought my third 5 year hunting licence which will take me to age 65 when I can buy a lifetime for $25. 10 years ago, Overhearing some guys at work talking about pheasant hunting I asked if I could go along. I killed a bird on my first shot and thought "this is as exciting as climbing on El Cap!!" I started duck hunting That season and the next four. I got a compound bow somewhere in there and then a rifle which I killed my first deer with. I knew compound bows weren't for me and I like the ideal of the extended archery season. I've worked at teaching myself how to be a hunter for the last 3 Seasons till my first success this last fall. I'm counting the days till October 1st.

46 Years

47 years. Started quail hunting at 8y/o, packing a 410 single shot. Started bow hunting at 16 with a Darton SL 50.. dang time flies

Passed hunters Ed at age 8 though my dad had me out since I was 4. So that means I’m at 18 years licensed hunting this fall and 22 years trying to learn the ways of grouse and deer. To the rest of you, this thread is awesome! And a huge thanks for all the knowledge and good conversations shared over the years.

Including in my past lifetimes?

On or about 55 years. Been bowhunting since 1969. Exclusively bowhunting since 2000. Been a great ride.

48 for me

Where are all the the younger ones?

54 years and counting

Started hunting in 81 that's 1981 not 1881.

42 years big game, 48 total, not dead yet.

Since 1959, solid fiberglass bow accounted for frogs and rabbits, first bow deer at 14.Other than time in military I have always had a stickbow although I do black powder and gun as well.

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