New to hunting, a couple questions
12-12-2012, 12:22 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 2
New to hunting, a couple questions
Hi all.
As the title states I am new to hunting but am very interested in learning. Unfortunately I do not know anyone that I know of that hunts so I come bearing a few questions.
I have done some reading online and other than the basic safety course a lot of advice I have seen for new hunters is to start with small game. That is fine with me as I also love to cook and am interested in trying new meats. Eventually I would like to get into Deer and possibly Hog hunting, but as I said everything I have read says start small and work up.
My main question is in regards to firearm, I know that eventually when I get to the bigger game I would like to use a shotgun but was curious if it would be a good decision to start with that for small game, or if I should invest in a .22 rifle and then get the shotgun. Also if a shotgun is recommended what gauge would you recommend? Was thinking 20 ga maybe with bird shot for small game but am unsure and any help in that area would be appreciated.
Also in addition to the class and choosing a firearm what is a good way to get into small game hunting? As I said I don't know of anyone that I know who is a hunter ( could be but just quiet about it ). I know that experience is the main teacher but is there any experience to be gained by reading up before I set out?
Thanks for your help,
Derek
As the title states I am new to hunting but am very interested in learning. Unfortunately I do not know anyone that I know of that hunts so I come bearing a few questions.
I have done some reading online and other than the basic safety course a lot of advice I have seen for new hunters is to start with small game. That is fine with me as I also love to cook and am interested in trying new meats. Eventually I would like to get into Deer and possibly Hog hunting, but as I said everything I have read says start small and work up.
My main question is in regards to firearm, I know that eventually when I get to the bigger game I would like to use a shotgun but was curious if it would be a good decision to start with that for small game, or if I should invest in a .22 rifle and then get the shotgun. Also if a shotgun is recommended what gauge would you recommend? Was thinking 20 ga maybe with bird shot for small game but am unsure and any help in that area would be appreciated.
Also in addition to the class and choosing a firearm what is a good way to get into small game hunting? As I said I don't know of anyone that I know who is a hunter ( could be but just quiet about it ). I know that experience is the main teacher but is there any experience to be gained by reading up before I set out?
Thanks for your help,
Derek
12-12-2012, 03:00 AM
#2
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 18
First it depends on where you live and where you are gonna hunt. I use 12, 20, and .22 for small game just depends on where I'm hunting and what I feel like shooting. .22 is a little more challenging so I use it a lot but if I'm hunting near some houses ill use shotgun to avoid any possible extra bullet travel. If you want to move up in game choice I would get a 12 that way you can a little heavier gun for the bigger game but a 20 would work just as fine. As far as starting get your safety course done get your license. Walk into the woods look for some squirrel nests and sit next to a tree. Clear out the leaves underneath to avoid a lot of sound if you have to move around to get a better shot and wait. The squirrels will be coming in the evening to nest and catch em on the way in. If you get one down go pick him up, come back and sit down and wait. They will move again in about 10 min
12-12-2012, 06:39 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
Go to your local shooting range.
Find the ranges that feature mostly shotguns & rifles.
trap, skeet, 5 stand, sporting clays.
Indoor 100 yard rifle range.
Those are the people you want to ask...........................
Find the ranges that feature mostly shotguns & rifles.
trap, skeet, 5 stand, sporting clays.
Indoor 100 yard rifle range.
Those are the people you want to ask...........................
12-13-2012, 05:55 AM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 21
look into hunting clubs in your area. call and find out what it takes to join. i've hunted my whole life but was raised in a hunting family. if you join one of these clubs rather it is a bird club or whatever these people should be willing to help you learn some things and help guide you down the right path. chances are that if they hunt one thing i.e. quail they probably hunt other game as well like squirrels and rabbits and deer. good luck. a shotgun would be my choice if i were to buy one gun to start out with because you can all sorts of upland game with fine shot, then hunt waterfowl with steel shot, and then hunt deer with slugs or buck shot all out of the same gun. whether you choose 12 or 20 gauge it really doesn't matter. look into a gun club or hunting club they can help answer a lot of your questions and hel get you on the right track. believe me hunting is more fun with buddies.
12-13-2012, 06:14 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY: NYC to Watertown
Posts: 897
Welcome,
Sounds like you did some research and are on the right path,
I would recommend what you stated,
Start with small game,
If you didn't get your license/permits yet,
Can still spend time hiking the woods you plan on hunting, learning your way around and learning patterns of the animals.
Even if just hiking, I reccomend wearing orange during hunting season, and stick close to the trails.
For first gun, 20ga is probably most versatile,
Can be used for small game, turkey and deer,
As you get additional firearms can get ones more suited for specific type of hunting you will be doing.
You can go out and learn on your own.
But if you let others know you plan on hunting.
Going out with an experienced hunter can teach you things quickly that may otherwise take you years to figure out on your own.
Sounds like you did some research and are on the right path,
I would recommend what you stated,
Start with small game,
If you didn't get your license/permits yet,
Can still spend time hiking the woods you plan on hunting, learning your way around and learning patterns of the animals.
Even if just hiking, I reccomend wearing orange during hunting season, and stick close to the trails.
For first gun, 20ga is probably most versatile,
Can be used for small game, turkey and deer,
As you get additional firearms can get ones more suited for specific type of hunting you will be doing.
You can go out and learn on your own.
But if you let others know you plan on hunting.
Going out with an experienced hunter can teach you things quickly that may otherwise take you years to figure out on your own.
12-13-2012, 09:43 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,903
So, here's my question back at you:
What do you want to hunt?
If you just want to be a "hunter", where you might hunt anything on any given year, then you'll need to be equipped for it, and starting out as a small-game hunter is a good opportunity to 1) learn and 2) get started for cheap.
If you just want to be a "hunter", in most states that means you'll want a .22lr rifle, a shotgun, I'd recommend a 12ga pump action, and a medium sized game rifle, I'd recommend a bolt action in .243win, .308win, or the like. Those 3 weapons will cover anything from bunnies to birds to whitetails. You'll need camo clothing, blaze orange vest and hat for deer, good boots, and a few different game calls, scents, etc, depending on what you're hunting that season.
BUT
The reality of it is that most of us end up specializing in one thing or another.
If you want to be a deer hunter, then getting a shotgun to shoot bunnies to learn really isn't helping you. You don't play soccer to become a football player. Yes, in most states, you can hunt small game year 'round, so you could 'practice more' as a small game hunter on your way to becoming a deer hunter, but for what it's worth, if you KNOW what you want to hunt, focus on learning how to hunt THAT ANIMAL, and getting gear that's useful to hunt THAT ANIMAL.
For example: Personally, I consider myself a coyote hunter, and a deer hunter second. I LOVE calling coyotes, and our season here is year round, so I spend way more time calling coyotes than I do hunting deer. I have been upland bird hunting about 5 times in the last decade, I only turkey hunt with my wife because she likes turkey hunting (I use a bow for turkeys), I don't dove hunt anymore, don't duck/goose hunt anymore.
Yes, I own all of the equipment, calls, decoys, clothing, shotgun, ammo, etc (except bird dogs or water dogs) that I can go duck hunting, dove hunting, or pheasant hunting at the drop of a hat. I support the conservation effort, so I buy my HIP stamp for migratory birds every year too. BUT, I really don't NEED a wingshooting shotgun. I own a dozen shotguns, and really only need ONE that I use for coyotes.
Moral of the story: If you know what you want to hunt, then get the gear and learn to hunt THAT ANIMAL. If you just want to be a "hunter", then hunt whatever you have interest in. But realize, a "hunter" has a lot of money in gear and guns he may not use very often than a specialized hunter has in his dedicated set up.
What do you want to hunt?
If you just want to be a "hunter", where you might hunt anything on any given year, then you'll need to be equipped for it, and starting out as a small-game hunter is a good opportunity to 1) learn and 2) get started for cheap.
If you just want to be a "hunter", in most states that means you'll want a .22lr rifle, a shotgun, I'd recommend a 12ga pump action, and a medium sized game rifle, I'd recommend a bolt action in .243win, .308win, or the like. Those 3 weapons will cover anything from bunnies to birds to whitetails. You'll need camo clothing, blaze orange vest and hat for deer, good boots, and a few different game calls, scents, etc, depending on what you're hunting that season.
BUT
The reality of it is that most of us end up specializing in one thing or another.
If you want to be a deer hunter, then getting a shotgun to shoot bunnies to learn really isn't helping you. You don't play soccer to become a football player. Yes, in most states, you can hunt small game year 'round, so you could 'practice more' as a small game hunter on your way to becoming a deer hunter, but for what it's worth, if you KNOW what you want to hunt, focus on learning how to hunt THAT ANIMAL, and getting gear that's useful to hunt THAT ANIMAL.
For example: Personally, I consider myself a coyote hunter, and a deer hunter second. I LOVE calling coyotes, and our season here is year round, so I spend way more time calling coyotes than I do hunting deer. I have been upland bird hunting about 5 times in the last decade, I only turkey hunt with my wife because she likes turkey hunting (I use a bow for turkeys), I don't dove hunt anymore, don't duck/goose hunt anymore.
Yes, I own all of the equipment, calls, decoys, clothing, shotgun, ammo, etc (except bird dogs or water dogs) that I can go duck hunting, dove hunting, or pheasant hunting at the drop of a hat. I support the conservation effort, so I buy my HIP stamp for migratory birds every year too. BUT, I really don't NEED a wingshooting shotgun. I own a dozen shotguns, and really only need ONE that I use for coyotes.
Moral of the story: If you know what you want to hunt, then get the gear and learn to hunt THAT ANIMAL. If you just want to be a "hunter", then hunt whatever you have interest in. But realize, a "hunter" has a lot of money in gear and guns he may not use very often than a specialized hunter has in his dedicated set up.
12-13-2012, 10:16 AM
#7
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 2
Thanks everyone for the advice I really appreciate it. Currently I am in Florida but am considering moving back to Texas in the near future. While I am open to trying different types of hunting, I think the only types that I am less than eager to try would be the ones that involved owning a dog, mostly because the apartments I live in won't allow them and even if they did, there is not a lot of room for one. I figured small game would be a good place to start learning the fundamentals and I could figure out from there what I wanted to do.
12-13-2012, 08:02 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
So, here's my question back at you:
What do you want to hunt?
If you just want to be a "hunter", where you might hunt anything on any given year, then you'll need to be equipped for it, and starting out as a small-game hunter is a good opportunity to 1) learn and 2) get started for cheap.
If you just want to be a "hunter", in most states that means you'll want a .22lr rifle, a shotgun, I'd recommend a 12ga pump action, and a medium sized game rifle, I'd recommend a bolt action in .243win, .308win, or the like. Those 3 weapons will cover anything from bunnies to birds to whitetails. You'll need camo clothing, blaze orange vest and hat for deer, good boots, and a few different game calls, scents, etc, depending on what you're hunting that season.
BUT
The reality of it is that most of us end up specializing in one thing or another.
If you want to be a deer hunter, then getting a shotgun to shoot bunnies to learn really isn't helping you. You don't play soccer to become a football player. Yes, in most states, you can hunt small game year 'round, so you could 'practice more' as a small game hunter on your way to becoming a deer hunter, but for what it's worth, if you KNOW what you want to hunt, focus on learning how to hunt THAT ANIMAL, and getting gear that's useful to hunt THAT ANIMAL.
For example: Personally, I consider myself a coyote hunter, and a deer hunter second. I LOVE calling coyotes, and our season here is year round, so I spend way more time calling coyotes than I do hunting deer. I have been upland bird hunting about 5 times in the last decade, I only turkey hunt with my wife because she likes turkey hunting (I use a bow for turkeys), I don't dove hunt anymore, don't duck/goose hunt anymore.
Yes, I own all of the equipment, calls, decoys, clothing, shotgun, ammo, etc (except bird dogs or water dogs) that I can go duck hunting, dove hunting, or pheasant hunting at the drop of a hat. I support the conservation effort, so I buy my HIP stamp for migratory birds every year too. BUT, I really don't NEED a wingshooting shotgun. I own a dozen shotguns, and really only need ONE that I use for coyotes.
Moral of the story: If you know what you want to hunt, then get the gear and learn to hunt THAT ANIMAL. If you just want to be a "hunter", then hunt whatever you have interest in. But realize, a "hunter" has a lot of money in gear and guns he may not use very often than a specialized hunter has in his dedicated set up.
What do you want to hunt?
If you just want to be a "hunter", where you might hunt anything on any given year, then you'll need to be equipped for it, and starting out as a small-game hunter is a good opportunity to 1) learn and 2) get started for cheap.
If you just want to be a "hunter", in most states that means you'll want a .22lr rifle, a shotgun, I'd recommend a 12ga pump action, and a medium sized game rifle, I'd recommend a bolt action in .243win, .308win, or the like. Those 3 weapons will cover anything from bunnies to birds to whitetails. You'll need camo clothing, blaze orange vest and hat for deer, good boots, and a few different game calls, scents, etc, depending on what you're hunting that season.
BUT
The reality of it is that most of us end up specializing in one thing or another.
If you want to be a deer hunter, then getting a shotgun to shoot bunnies to learn really isn't helping you. You don't play soccer to become a football player. Yes, in most states, you can hunt small game year 'round, so you could 'practice more' as a small game hunter on your way to becoming a deer hunter, but for what it's worth, if you KNOW what you want to hunt, focus on learning how to hunt THAT ANIMAL, and getting gear that's useful to hunt THAT ANIMAL.
For example: Personally, I consider myself a coyote hunter, and a deer hunter second. I LOVE calling coyotes, and our season here is year round, so I spend way more time calling coyotes than I do hunting deer. I have been upland bird hunting about 5 times in the last decade, I only turkey hunt with my wife because she likes turkey hunting (I use a bow for turkeys), I don't dove hunt anymore, don't duck/goose hunt anymore.
Yes, I own all of the equipment, calls, decoys, clothing, shotgun, ammo, etc (except bird dogs or water dogs) that I can go duck hunting, dove hunting, or pheasant hunting at the drop of a hat. I support the conservation effort, so I buy my HIP stamp for migratory birds every year too. BUT, I really don't NEED a wingshooting shotgun. I own a dozen shotguns, and really only need ONE that I use for coyotes.
Moral of the story: If you know what you want to hunt, then get the gear and learn to hunt THAT ANIMAL. If you just want to be a "hunter", then hunt whatever you have interest in. But realize, a "hunter" has a lot of money in gear and guns he may not use very often than a specialized hunter has in his dedicated set up.
"One" of my favorites, will always be hunting coyotes.
...............but it's like that Ole' Sayin, "If you have steak every night you want lobster........".
Any "good" hunt is GREAT (IMO) !
12-13-2012, 10:20 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: PA
Posts: 1,778
Congratulations in your interest to become an educated hunter.
Here is where the internet shines.
Go online and find a good state specific website (most states have at least one good one). You will find people happy to assist you in getting started.
Here is where the internet shines.
Go online and find a good state specific website (most states have at least one good one). You will find people happy to assist you in getting started.
12-13-2012, 10:21 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: PA
Posts: 1,778
Congratulations in your interest to become an educated hunter.
Here is where the internet shines.
Go online and find a good state specific website (most states have at least one good one). You will find people happy to assist you in getting started.
Here is where the internet shines.
Go online and find a good state specific website (most states have at least one good one). You will find people happy to assist you in getting started.