Q&A: How New Deer Hunters Think About Guns, Butchering, Old-School Hunters, and Their First Kill
We interviewed seven adults from (mostly) urban areas and nonhunting families about their perspectives on deer hunting. Here’s what they had to say.
By Natalie Krebs – Outdoor Life
Every second weekend December, I take a new hunter deer hunting. I hunt the same farms, in the same county, with the same landowners. Year after year, we stick to the same program, literally: Through the National Deer Association’s Field to Fork program, we go to the range, we learn about deer behavior, we hunt, we shoot mature does, and we butcher deer.
And yet, somehow, I learn something new every season. Not in the classroom, but from the hunters who trust me and other veteran hunters to show them the ropes. And while all the new hunters run through the same drills, they each take away something different from their experience.
That’s why I sat down with just seven of the many folks I’ve shared deer camp with over the years. Here are a few key details about each person, who are my coworkers, my buddies, and my family members. These interviews have been edited for space and clarity.
- Jake is 24 and a civil engineer from Louisville, Kentucky.
- Ashley is 27, lives in Salt Lake City, and is OL’s associate gear editor.
- Ann is 33 and works in marketing in New York City.
- Cathy is 34, lives in New York City, and works in media relations.
- Arc is 36 and lives in Arkansas. He works in retail.
- Laura is 40, lives in Seattle, and is Outdoor Life’s gear staff writer.
- Peter is 40, and a former Marine who works in tech. He splits his time between Denver and New York City.
