[ranburr]

Hello all. As the title says, my main passion is hunting, but I really love any outdoor experience. Thus, I am getting involved with birding as a way to spend more time in the woods , beyond the hunting seasons. I find that birding allows me to sharpen many of the same skills that are used for hunting. I really enjoy the birding and I am seeing many hunters getting involved in the sport. I think that this trend will prove to be very beneficial for all involved. It is really a natural progression for many hunters: we love the outdoors; we already have the equipment (binos, spotting scopes, etc.), and believe it or not, most hunters are much more interested in the chase than the actual kill. Birding gives me 90% of what hunting does and I don't have to work at it nearly as hard. That is what I call a good deal! I look forward to the forum.

ranburr

[salty]

touching on a sensitive subject with birders ranburr! even if you dont hunt birds, some members may be alarmed by the fact you kill for sport. expect some hostillity.

[Andrew Rowlands]

Hi ranbur and a warm welcome to you from the Staff here at Birdforum!

I'm sure you have a lot of experience to share with us. Good idea to play down the hunting side though, most of us like to watch the progress of our wildlife through the seasons!

Cheers,

Andy.

[KCFoggin]

Hi ranburr and a warm welcome to you.

If it's birds you want to learn about and share your experiences, this is the place to be. I'll admit it, I used to hunt but everything killed was eaten. It might be just a teensy weensy better if you did not go into the hunting aspect in the nature discussions.

We look forward to hearing about what birdlife you are finding in your neck of the woods, especially, during migration time. Enjoy.

[samuel walker]

Hi ranburr:Not that surprising to find a hunter getting involved.I have met several fishermen who have become birders while being "out there"
Good sightings,
sam

[ranburr]

Hey look, I am proud of being a hunter, but I am not looking to offend anyone here. Where I live, hunting is a natural part of life that is shared by friends and family. I am not going to apoligize for my actions nor am I going to go out of my way to upset anyone who does not like hunting. One thing you guys might want to consider is the fact that hunters pumps tens of millions of dollars into programs for wildlife every year. These programs also benefit birders. True hunters (there are a few slobs in every group) love the outdoors and wildlife and we don't mind opening up our wallets to support them. I would think that birders who love the outdoors and wildlife would openly welcome groups who are basically like minded on the key issues.

ranburr

[helenol]

Hello ranburr, and welcome to birdforum.net

Look forward to hearing about the birds you see.

Regards

[Pinewood]

Dear Ranburr,

I look forward to reading about your bird watching experiences and how you gear works for your new interest. I started bird watching to get more use of my astronomical binoculars. Some things work well for both; others not.

Happy nature observing,
Arthur Pinewood

[humminbird]

Hey Ranburr:
Welcome. And before we get too many of the "better not to mention the hunting" notes, let's be realistic folks - most of the money for nongame wildlife management in Texas comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses.

Mark (a fellow hunter & birder)
Bastrop, TX

[Kevin Mac]

I used to hunt big game and grouse every year, but now birding has swallowed up all of my passion. I still have all of my guns, do some target shooting and enjoy talking hunting with friends, but I haven't been out for years. Hunting season is during fall migration!