Hunting

Hunting is a very popular sport in many places. There are many different types of hunting and many different animals that people hunt. One of the most common kinds of hunting we hear about results in putting food on the table. Common types of animals in this category include Dear, Elk, Bear, Antelope, Pig, Rabbit/Hare, Turkey, Quail, Pheasant, and Waterfowl (Mallard, Wood Duck, Goose, etc.).

However, there are other reasons that people choose to hunt as well. Another common reason to hunt is for the sport, or challenge. One of the most common types of hunting for this is predator hunting this might be for coyote, cats (bobcat, mountain lion, etc.), wolf, and more.

Additionally, removal of pest animals such as coyote, rock chuck, squirrel, various kinds of birds, and other varmints can provide a more useful reason for hunting as well.

Hunters education information

In order to hunt, most states will require you to take a hunter safety course before you can get your hunting license. This is especially true for youth hunters.

In a hunter education course, you will learn everything from safety, hunting regulations, required licensing, how to track approved seasons and use of public and private land (including zone information for different types of hunts).

Are you interested in hunting?

If you wish to begin in one or more kinds of hunting, there is a lot of additional information about hunting that you will want to research. This will include hunting strategies such as Still hunting vs. Stalking vs. Driving and more. Where to hunt. Field dressing an animal. What kind of gear you will need.

A quick suggestion, if you know someone who hunts (especially if they do the kind of hunting you are considering) they can be a very useful resource to get you on your own path.

Hunting Gear

Gear for hunting is a very big topic and depends highly on the kind of hunt you will be on, what kind of game you will be after, how long you will be hunting, what kind of location and terrain, and other considerations. The following will provide some possible options for you to consider.

• Firearms
• Hunting Bag
• Clothing
• Decoys and Calls
• Game Care

Firearms

• Large caliber rifles
• Starting with the 30-06 Springfield, moving through 416 Magnum and 45-70 Government all the way up to something like 458 Lott are possible choices for a variety of different large game.
• Intermediate caliber rifles
• 223 Remington, 22-250 Remington, and 243 Winchester are also great choices for smaller to medium game such as common predators (coyotes, bobcat, etc.) and similar size animals.
• Small caliber rifles
• 22 Long Rifle, 22 Magnum, and 17 HMR are good choices for small animals such as Squirrels, Rabbits, and other Varmints.
• Shotguns
• The correct birdshot can be very effective for hunting rabbit, squirrel, quail, dove, grouse, ducks, geese, and turkey.
• Buckshot comes in sizes that would be very effective on coyotes, deer, elk, and more.
• Slugs are very effective on medium to larger game and add a significant increase to the effective range of a shotgun.
• Don't forget your chokes and choke wrenches.
• Pistols
• Pistol hunts can be a unique challenge. Common caliber choices include 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, S&W 500 Magnum, and 45-70 Government.
• Black powder
• Available in multiple calibers and both rifle and pistol options, black powder provides an additional set of options and challenges for a variety of game choices.

Hunting Bag (possible ideas include)

• Ammunition
• You don't need thousands of rounds, but a few extra never hurt.
• Binoculars/Rangefinder
• Being able to identify your target and know how far way it is are both very useful (a spotting scope also works well).
• First Aid Kit
• Be safe out there.
• Communication (Phone, Satellite Phone)
• If something goes wrong, can you reach out for help?
• Map/Compass and/or GPS
• If you haven't been there before, you best be able to get there and back safely.
• Gun Cleaning Supplies
• Not always necessary for short trips, but can be very useful for the long multi-day hunting trips.
• Hand Cleanser
• Especially nice to have after you finish field dressing.
• Hearing Protection
• Guns are noisy. Electronic hearing protection is very nice on a hunt
• Shooting Glasses
• Your eyes are very important, protect them. They make several colors that can help with different lighting conditions
• Hunting License
• Required for most all hunting.
• Hunter Safety Certificate
• A good idea, not required in all areas.
• Journal & Pen
• Good notes can help you be more prepared in the future.
• Knife
• Always handy.
• Flashlight/Headlamp
• Especially useful if you are setting up in the dark for the next morning.
• Multi-Tool (Leatherman, Gerber, etc.)
• Can't go wrong with a good set of tools.
• Shooting gloves
• Winter gloves may be nice, but a good pair of shooting gloves can make a big difference in how easy it is to shoot when you need to.
• Toilet Paper
• Can be nice to have, even on a short day trip.

Clothing

• Shirts and Pants
• Often times cammo, good clothing comes in many different types for the specific environment you will be in. For cold and/or wet weather, avoid cotton. Dressing in layers is always a good choice.
• Hat or headwear
• Regardless of the specifics, a good ball cap, beanie, or other hat can keep you comfortable during you hunt and protect you from Sun, Cold, Rain, and more.
• Thermal Underwear
• For cold weather especially, having a good base layer will make a more comfortable experience and could even be the difference between getting hypothermia and not. Again, for cold weather, avoid cotton.
• Jackets and/or raingear
• The right top layer can be very effective. If you aren't going to bring formal raingear, having a pocket poncho to pull out in a pinch is a good idea, even if you have good weather on the forecast.
• Gloves
• Not counting if you bring shooting gloves, you should consider a good pair of gloves for setting up camp, packing yourself in and other activities. They have good quality thermally lined work gloves that hold up quite well for many cold weather activities. Mechanics gloves can also be great for nicer weather.
• Boots/Shoes and Socks
• Best if they match both the weather conditions and terrain you will be experiencing, and... Always include extra socks.
• Waders
• Most useful for waterfowl hunting, a good set of waders is absolutely going to be of benefit when you have to track through a marsh or other waterway to collect your pray.
• Face Mask
• If you have never been hunting before it is often overlooked how recognizable the human features are to animals. From the outline of your body, to the shape of your face, the more you can break up and hide those features the more better your results can be.
• Hunters Vest
• Could be cammo or hunter orange depending on the situation.

Decoys, Calls, Bait, etc.

• Manual Calls
• Available in many different styles and animal types Deer, Elk, Goose, Duck, Coyote and more.
• Electronic Calls
• Often restricted to specific animals and kinds of hunts.
• Decoys
• Most commonly seen as a waterfowl item, but different kinds are also used with predator hunting.
• Bait
• Not allowed in all states and all situations, when it is allowed, it is typically only allowed for animals that cause trouble like Coyotes.
• Sent and/or sent blockers
• Very useful to keep your game from knowing you are there.

Game Care

• Game Tag
• For game requiring a tag... you must tag your animal properly.
• Disposable gloves
• Vinyl, latex, nitrile... keep yourself away from possible contamination, including possible disease.
• Clean, sharp knife
• There is quite the selection of different options that you can use. Some are general purpose, others are best for specific kinds of animals.
• Small saw
• Especially useful if you need to section a large animal down to pack it out from a more distant location.
• Game Shears
• Another tool that can serve useful in multiple scenarios. Tends to be a good option for different kinds of birds.
• Sanitation Supplies
• Keep yourself and your tools clean to reduce risks, especially from disease.
• Short strings to tie stuff off
• Different dressing procedures can require short sections of string (10 to 12 inches).
• Large food grade plastic bags
• Useful for packing items like the heart and liver.
• Clean dry towels (paper towels can work)
• Useful for drying and/or wiping off tools and/or the game.
• Rope
• Can be used for hauling/packing and other preparation tasks.

Closing remarks

The right gear will be tailored to the kind of hunting you are doing, what game you are going to hunt, where you are going, your personal preferences, and several other possible factors.

Hunting includes a very large, diverse, and complex scope of information. This page has provided only an initial overview of information and gear to get you started looking in the correct direction.

There are a large variety of ways to get into hunting and find the information that would be useful. Regardless of if you choose to do more research on your own or find a friend or family member to help, it is a good idea to do your best to know what you are getting yourself into.

Best of luck to you on your adventure. Be safe and enjoy your hunt.