Once I realized that western big game hunting was an opportunity to have an epic backpacking trip in the wilderness that potentially could yield a yearlong supply of the most organic, local, grass-fed protein there is, I committed myself to learning to hunt. I learned quickly that getting started as an adult-onset hunter is no easy task. First there are all the necessary and important regulatory hoops one must jump through first to make sure you can hunt safely and ethically. This often means you’ll be the lone adult among children in a hunter’s education course. Even after I took all these steps and was now allowed to hunt, I didn’t feel ready to head out into the woods and hunt big game on my own. My personal efforts to find a hunting mentor had met many roadblocks. The bow shop down the road offering lessons for adults, closed after 30 years of business. The lone offer to tag along on a hunt in another state from the only other hunter I knew got cancelled a week before after their house caught fire. My first few years of applying for tags were not fruitful as I didn’t really understand the state’s system. The most hunting I had managed had been a state sponsored, beginner friendly pheasant hunt last fall. That was an awesome opportunity, but my goal was targeting big game in their expansive mountainous habitat in Utah. This is why I was grateful to be selected as part of Utah Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Hunting for Sustainability Course.

Over six sessions myself and other adult aspirational hunters were paired with a group of seasoned hunters willing to mentor us towards our first big game hunt. We gathered at Utah Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) sites across the Wasatch Front and were taught essential hunting tips like animal behavior, scouting, gear needs, and butchering. In addition to the BHA volunteers, we also got to hear directly from Utah DWR employees and law enforcement. This was extremely helpful in understanding the state’s tag system and how to stay on the right side of the law.

For me, the two sessions that were the most helpful in building my hunting confidence were the day at the rifle range and the field dressing class. These were two areas where I was willing to learn but still felt fearful. Knowing there would be someone nearby to support helped me feel more safe. Not growing up around firearms, this always felt like the biggest hurdle. My hunter education and upland experience helped demystify firearms and taught me how to operate them safely. The bolt-action rifle was a whole new challenge. I received a ton of support at the range from BHA’s volunteers and was surprised how in just over an hour I was able to comfortably fire rounds on target down the range.

The last session was the field dressing class. A BHA volunteer opened their home and backyard to our class while DWR provided a deer and a moose that had recently died from road collisions. This real experience on actual animals felt invaluable. I had watched numerous YouTube videos on this topic, but I don’t believe there’s any substitute for the real thing. Again, the BHA volunteers walked us through the process and were right behind us when we had a question or needed help. I’m really grateful I was able to learn this skill in this setting rather than on a hillside as the sun was going down. The best part was we were able to take home some of the meat we harvested. I’ve been experimenting cooking with this wild game so I’ll be ready for the day my freezer is full. I know I’m still at the beginning of my hunting journey, but I feel much more confident to get out there thanks to this course. I’ve already seen improvement based on the knowledge gained in the class. By getting myself into the right habitat and watching at the right time, I saw more big game on a recent scouting trip than I ever had on my previous backpacking trips. Thank you to BHA and all the volunteers who made this class and my confidence boost possible.

Author Bio:

Skylar Elliott Casey enjoys community, food, and adventures in nature and hopes to combine all these joys into their hunting journey.