It's fall and big-game hunting seasons are either beginning or soon to begin all over the country. It's also a time when meat prices are high and many Americans are feeling the crunch. There are now so many people out there who would love to be able to harvest a few dozen pounds' worth of healthful, tasty wild-game meat. Sadly, so many of those would-be hunters simply don't know how to get started, and are nervous about going out on their own. That's where you can make a huge difference in someone's life ... and for the future of hunting in America. Now more than ever, it's time to serve as a mentor for a new hunter.
The National Deer Association (NDA), like the NRA, has spent untold hours and dollars working to increase safe, legal hunting opportunities for ordinary Americans. In the process, they've created some guidelines to make mentoring a new hunter as effective as possible. In this terrific video, you'll get new ideas for how to teach others to be ethical and effective hunters. The key, as you can guess, is empathy.
You probably remember your first hunt with perfect clarity, even if you're an expert hunter with decades of experience under your belt. What was the best part? Did anything scare you or make you nervous? How did you feel when you approached your first harvested animal? It's normal for some people to have an emotional moment or two. Did you need help with the field-dressing? That's also normal. By accessing your own memories and empathy, you'll be able to be a better mentor ... but you also need to remember that everyone is different and may not react the same way you did.
Most importantly of all, remember that safety is always paramount! Remind your new hunter that as long as they're safe with their firearms and make good, ethical choices, they'll always be welcome around the campfire, whether they took a deer or not.
