Depends on where you were hunting and what season you want to hunt. I don't think you could get a decent rifle and scope for $175 new. You might be able to get the gun and ammo if you went with a cheap smooth bore shotgun or cheap inline. But if you get the inline you have to get the gun, powder, bullets and cleaning supplies. And regardless of what you get you need to spend the time practicing and working up a load. That means more ammo, possibly targets and depending on where you live a place to shoot.

And you could easily spend just as much on the other stuff like clothes and the what not.

If you could get all of that for that cheap it would all be crap and you wouldn't be very happy with it. Possibly turning you away from hunting all together because your experiance would be so poor. I mean you don't have to get the best stuff out there, I certainly don't. Then again you don't want the cheapest crap you can find either that will not function right or keep you warm. Good dry boots and warm dry clothes are worth every darn penny if you hunt in bad weather.

And if you want to bow hunt, figure on $400 dollars and up just to get started with the archery equipment. Go much cheaper than that it and may not be worth spending the money to begin with. And I wouldn't even bother with walmart or any other chain store. Professional help means alot in that sport.

Just my opinion though.

Paul