Basic Hunting Skills

[nateted4]

Upon inquiring what the ZSC 011 peeps plans were for deer season, I got a few responses from people who had never been hunting before who'd like to learn. Unfortunately, I do not feel qualified to put a course of instruction together. But, this being the internet, I'm sure ya'll have some thoughts.

My hunting experience is in Southern AL swamp/farmland. The whitetail are small and plentiful. If you're willing to get up early or hang out at dusk near the tree line then you'll be rewarded with supper. Being that this will be my first season out west, I expect a tougher time of it.

That said, I can think of the following someone would need to be successful:

-Literacy. Read your states game regs cover to cover.

-An alarm clock and warm dry clothes. Hunting is cold and miserable, and a successful day ends with evisceration. You gotta be up early and prepared for the weather, whether it should involve cold or rain. Also, there may be sitting around and waiting, which will mean warmer clothing than when you're moving.

-Avoid smoking, pumping gas, cooking etc in you clothing. Animals can smell you.

-Navigation and map reading. You're out there tromping through the bush. Be aware of what land you are on. DO NOT TRESPASS.

-Tracking. Know what the footprint, poop and hair-tufts of your game look like. Knowing the behavior of the animal might help.

-Operation of your weapon. More than just knowing where the trigger is, you need to be safe and a good shot. All of your shots should be inside a (small) paper plate when at the range. Know how to estimate distances. Don't make shots longer than you know you've hit before. Buck fever will open your groups up, so don't take questionable shots!!! Also, safety people. The four rules don't get left at the range.

-Mammalian anatomy. I found that a year of course study in anatomy and physiology really helped my understanding of butchering, but everyone should know how to field dress their prey. If you have to carry out large game, then you'll need to know how to butcher the meat away from the bone.

Like I said, I've got a couple heads on the wall, but I'm no expert. I know I've missed something I am familiar with, and a ton of shit I am not. (it's the unknown unknowns that'll get you ). So what info would you want an adult hunter to know before they took up the sport?

[ninja-elbow]

My only hunting expereice was right before I left for the Navy in 1989. I got a little buck, almost by accident. I was the only guy to get something that day. I never got to eat any of it though as I left for the Navy about a week later - this was not planned, long and boring story (DEP, set for April 1990, got changed on me to November 1989).

My tips are:
-Dry days suck. You are really loud on dry days.

-Scouting things out. Uncle Howard taught me how to recognize a game trail and set up in those areas.

-Set up in a clear cut and watch those tree lines. It's how I ended up getting my little buck.

[aa1pr]

Out there in Oregon (I lived in WA) we used to hunt the tree lines or basically edges or open meadows and forest growth. You gotta locate thier food sources, cover, bedding and trails.

I wish here in VT we could just sit along a tree line and get our tag filled.

If Oregon is anything like Washington bring your gortex clothing along.

[nateted4]

Thanks for the responses. Anyone else? I know there has got to be some mad hunting experience around here somewhere.

For the past 3 autumns I have been hunting edible mushrooms, so my personal rain protection is pretty good. My entire kit is cotton free, which helps.

[ninja-elbow]

OH... I forgot were a mycologist-type. You need to teach me some of that stuff. I also want to hit up a few OMS meetings.

We'll talk tonight.

[AgentBlack]

Scout: Going to a new place is fun, but if you plan to fill the freezer you need to know the area. If possible scout the area for the months leading up to hunting season. Learn the watering holes, thickets, tall grass bedding, game trails, buck rubs, and food sources. Plan where your gonna hunt before opening day. Stomping into an unknown area in the dark to find a spot you can't see is a recipe of failure. Find your spot before season and mark it with survey tape.

Scent: Animals can smell you period. Some folks swear by charcoal clothing, it's expensive and I don't use it. You can however wash your nasty body with a neutral unscented body wash (avail at most hunting retailers). Wash your hunting clothes in a neutral detergent and store them in a garbage bag spiked with local foilage and soil. Brush your teeth with baking soda, the mouth is the smelliest part of the body. And rubber boots don't hold scent and are better than leather or even nylon.

Movement: Deer are low light creatures. You stay put during dawn and at dusk when they're active and moving. They stay put during the day (bed down in thick areas) so you need to get off your ass and switch to the stalk hunt at mid day. If you find a thick nasty spot that you would rather go around, guess what? They're in THERE! Get on your hands and knees and move in SLOWLY.

Vision: Deer can see better than you! Everyone has heard deer are color blind...true, but SO? They pick up movement better than you and are always nervous (except during the rut when the bucks are stupid with lust). Invest in a good pair of field glasses, scan an area (twice) before you stomp through. I'm always amazed at how well a brown/grey deer can blend in to anything.

There's a start of what I've learned over the years. It barely scratches the surface, but it's hard to pass this over the internet. I'm no expert, but I have hunted quite a lot...I've slacked off as I get older (ah, kids) but I used to be a real nut about it. I'll think of some more as this threat goes on and the season gets closer I'm sure. If you like, just ask.

[huntingohio]

I was thinking of writing a basic "idiots guide to hunting" if i get i done ill post it in this section with the same name as this topic

[yadayada]

Books have been written about this.

A lot of good information has been written on this board already.

If you're hunting with a rifle, make sure it is zeroed and you know how to use it. Know the trajectory of your caliber/load and how you plan to use it ie hold over, dial it in, point blank zero, etc.

If you're using a shotgun, know how to use it and know the size shot you need for your game.

Wear good, broken in boots or shoes appropriate for where you are hunting.

Deer is usually an early morning/late afternoon event. Find a gametrail, crosscut, watersource, meadow, glen or whereever deer congregate. Get there early, sit quiet, b ecarefull of your scent ( smoking, gas, detergent, etc) put in your time and be patient, you will see and kill game.

Adapt to your enviroment. Hunting in the woods is vastly different than hunting the plains. It will effect you tools and tactics. A 30/30 with no optics might be just the ticket in the northern woods or Tennesse hill country, but a scoped bolt action 30-06 might be the better choice in Wyoming or the Dakotas.

Know where you're at and have a working knowledge of land navigation.

Have a sharp knife or knives. A small whetstone or crocksticks are not a bad idea.

If you shoot a deer and it runs, don't chase it right away. If you pursue it aggressively, it can run for miles if it is not immediatley incapacitated. Sit for 20 or 30 minutes, then look for it. If not actively pursued they will go downhill or toward water, lie down and die. This is not valid information for elk. Get back on a wounded elk as quick as you can and keep shooting them until they are on the ground. Antelope, if you hit them even remotely in the boilerroom, they will go down. Antelope have no will to live, IMHO.

If your walking, stalking and think you may have to make a quick shot, or have are sitting and waiting in a stand and expecting a shot at close range, ie the woods and are using a variable power optic, dial down the magnification. Much larger field of view.

Practice for and know how far you can make a offhand shot.

Use appropriate ammo. Military/ball ammo punchs a little hole and is not appropriate for hunting. CoreLokt is affordable ammo that provides solid performance.

How your meat tastes is directly related to how quickly you get your kill field dressed and cooled down. Morons who do not get their game quickly fielddressed and drive around with their deer on the hood of the truck and wonder why it tastes bad are beyond me.

Plan for emergencies when you go hunting. Let someone you know where you are going hunting if you are hunting along. Small first aid kit, cell phone, something to start a fire, , cordage, a poncho, a signaling device. If you're in the wild in inclement weather, little problems become big problems and big problems become enormous problems.

Plenty have more expierience than me. Some of this is opinion and some is just common sense. Your mileage may vary.

Hunt hard.