Ok, so you just drew the non-resident tag your buddies sister’s ex-boyfriend recommended when the reality hits you…You have no idea where to start to learn the unit. In a panic, you register on twenty internet forums that have “hunt” in their name, and post the same question on each of them:
“Me and a buddy are going to hunt unit xy in Idaho for mule deer. This is my first time hunting in Idaho and I’d really appreciate any help you could give me.”
And the response is the same across all the forums….NO response.
Well before you drop kick your laptop, think about how you approached the situation. You came into a community of folks, and without any greeting at all asked for their spots they have spent years scouting and refining their tactics in. Would you do this face to face? No.
Here are some ways to get the most out of an internet forum:
1. Introduce yourself. Most forums have a place that new members can introduce themselves and tell a little about their style of hunting and where they are from. Many times you will discover other hunters that live or have family nearby.
2. Use the search function. Forums are made to be a discussion and the search function helps you weed through the variety of topics by focusing on keywords. For example searching on “unit xy Idaho” will bring up past topics on that unit you are interested in.
3. Contribute! Not money, but knowledge. If someone is asking in a topic about some boots or a pack you have experience with, pass on your experience. You don’t have to be a cheerleader and do an ad pitch for it, but a sincere mention about how you think certain aspects could be improved, or a new way to use a product are always appreciated. Congratulate successful hunters that post photos. Believe it or not, folks want to get to know more about the person behind the avatar and internet handle. The more outgoing and sincere you are online, the more other posters will appreciate you. Your personality may come through differently in writing than if you are with your buddies, so lay off the sarcasm until you know other readers will “get it”.
4. Pay attention to the Sections in forums. With the wide variety of topics discussed in a hunting forum, chances are they are categorized. If your question is state specific, try a state section; if it is species specific post it in the deer, or elk section for example.
5. Lay off the Caps Lock. THIS IS YELLING ON THE INTERNET.
6. After you have a few posts and start recognizing other people on the forums, you can share your plans for the upcoming season. After getting acquainted with the other forum members and developing relationships, you will be amazed at how helpful some people can be. Chances are you will have already developed some information about your hunt destination just through using the search functions and ongoing topics.
With these hints, I hope you will be able to use internet forums to your benefit and become a valuable part of the community. Over the years, I’ve hunted, fished, shot archery tournaments and roomed with fellow forum members that became lifelong friends, all because we shared the same interests on an internet forum. Some of these are “obvious”, some not so much. Hope this helps you all, somehow. Good Luck,
Les
That info should be invaluable to any member, for any forum. It rings true across so many levels 
