The Hunting Rookie: How a Mentor and a Thirst for Adventure Bred a Late Start Hunter

The Hunting Rookie is a chronicle of Bert Rico's first experiences as a new hunter and his growing relationship with the outdoors and nature. It is the story of his first 5 hunts beginning from a giddy no experience rookie on until it comes full circle with his first hunt as a mentor welcoming another new hunter into the community. His storytelling of the hunts captures in great detail what it is like to be a new hunter later on in life. He emphasizes lessons learned as his experiences grow in number and depth. He also discusses his passion for the animals he comes across, the emotions that runs through a hunter before, during and after a hunt, as well as the appreciation and gratitude for the meals it provides him, his friends, and family. Excerpt:...By the time we got done with breakfast and my newbie hunter interview of both Leon and Uncle Manny, it was time for us to get ready and go. My sister in law worked at Bass Pro at the time so she got me my first camo. I didn't know if it was necessary or not as we were hunting from tree stands that day, but I was wearing it with pride anyway. We arrived at the outfitter's property right as the property manager and our guide for the day were opening the gate. We pulled in and started grabbing our daypacks and our rifles. I was borrowing Uncle Manny's .300 blackout AR; I still love that Rifle. Uncle Manny had taken me to the range almost weekly leading up to this hunt, just so I could get comfortable with the rifle and set me up to take the best shot possible. The guide and manager went over the ground rules and told us we would be driven to three different parts of the property so we would have a better opportunity at being successful. Uncle Manny and I would be in our own stands, and Leon would be hunting from a blind near a small pond with his wife spectating. We piled into a UTV and take off down a trail through the trees and palmetto bushes. As we turn our first corner a medium sized hog and 2 smaller hogs dart across the trail. This is a great sign. I immediately get that giddy feeling in my stomach. After a minute or two we arrive at the first stand. This is my stop and our guide walks me through the trees and the bushes. About 100 yards into the brush there is a clearing with a feeder and off to the left is the stand. I tie a rope to my day bag and rifle and climb up to the seat. I start hauling them up after me. No sooner than untying them and getting situated do I see a sounder headed my way made up of a huge sow, a medium sized boar with 2 other medium sized sows and a piglet. I couldn't believe my luck. My first reaction is to get a few pictures of them before I remembered the purpose of this trip. I could see my target as I raise the AR to my shoulder. The largest Sow was tan with dark spots and looked like she had a good amount of fat on her. I quietly rest my rifle on the guardrail of the tree stand. I raise the scope to my eye, keeping in mind the eye relief and put her right in my crosshairs. I progress through the mental checklist I had developed while training with Uncle Manny. I steady my breathing, I am going to squeeze not pull the trigger, I am going to do so in the pause between breaths and not hold my breath, the shot should surprise me. As I do so, I think to myself...