Total Newbie.

[Pippin]

Age: 26
Gender: Female
Occupation: Working for a transit company while in Nursing School.
Location: Long Island, NY

About me: I grew up in suburbia with a completely no guns, no hunting, buy everything from the grocery store family. I've never exactly "fit in" with my family and I figured it's time to make it completely offical and figure out this whole hunting thing. LOL. I'm on a mission to make myself completely independant... of course my idea of independant doesn't consist solely of finances like it does for most of the people I know.

Hopefully, I can learn a bit about hunting... then get my first gundog. I've looked up several breeds and I'm leaning toward the Spinone as I feel they would fit in best with my daily lifestyle.

I've contacted a local member of Ducks Unlimited, I'm planning on attending a few different "Becoming an outdoors Woman" retreats to learn how to shoot, hunt & fish, and I'm hoping some people on here can perhaps give me a few more options to follow? I'm also hoping I can pick up a lot of information and tips on the forum.

My other hobbies include horses, hiking, and backwoods camping... right now I mostly hike/camp in the whites in NH.

alright, well I think that about sums everything up. Looking forward to getting to know everyone!

[art hubbard]

welcome pippin, sounds like your on the right track, you'll love the gun dog life...

[SpinoneIllinois]

Welcome. You'll have fun with a Spin.
Look for your nearest NAVHDA chapter and join right away. You'll learn tons. They're a really helpful, knowledgeable group.

[aulrich]

X2 my local chapter was very helpful to me.

http://www.navhda.org/

[Pippin]

Thank you! I will def get in contact with the closest chapter to me.

I found a new friend, LOL, her & her husband hunt and she does taxidermy as a hobby... We have plans to hit the gun range together. Very exciting!

And I'm really looking forward to the point I feel ready to add a dog. The spinone seem to be the right energy level and temperment for me... Now it's a matter of picking out a breeder! So any recommendations are always welcome, but I'm thinking at *least* a year before I am ready to add a dog.

And school is almost out for winter break, so time to get things going!