prairienights

Hey everyone, I'm a very new hunter. I hope this section is appropriate, I couldn't find a "newb" section, so I figured this will work since I'll be hunting whitetails. Despite growing up in northern Wyoming (and going to college in Auburn, AL, another big deer hunting area), I just never got involved with it. Nobody in my family hunts, and so neither did I. I fly fish and do a fair bit of hiking and camping, but just never hunted. I don't look like a typical hunter either, when I was buying my deer license, the guy actually asked if I knew which end of the gun was the business end.

My husband and I recently purchased 35 acres of beautiful land right along a prairie creek in northern Wyo. It's surrounded by public state land, and has plenty of habitat. Draws, the creek, a cattail swampy area, plenty of meadow. Needless to say, it's crawling with whitetail. Sooo, I decided I'd get myself one this year.

I went on my very first hunt yesterday. It was an absolute blast. We walked around in below freezing wind and snow for a few hours and finally found our perfect spot. My "guide" (one of my best friend's husband), helped set me up for a perfect shot. She was just a pretty little doe, but it felt like a trophy to me, lol. He helped me field dress her and all of that, and I can't wait to eat my venison all winter!

Well finally, the point of all this is, I've decided that I am officially a hunter, lol. I have a ridiculous amount to learn, but it's something I enjoy and I think something I could get passionate about. My first step is equipping myself with at least the basics. I have no hunting gear whatsoever. I wore an Auburn Tigers hat for my fluorescent orange, and I one of my husband's uniforms for camo (he's an Army Officer).

Mostly I'd like to save up and get my own quality rifle. I used a .243 yesterday, and I was able to carry it, handle it, and shoot it fairly easily. So any tips on good brands? Choosing a good rifle? And any other basic things that a new hunter would need?

Here are a few photos of our land, it's my favorite spot in the world. And one of me so you can put a face to the name

Michlw39

Congrats on the doe! That's great--and some good eating.

If you liked the 243 you should consider sticking with that. It's a good all-around gun. A rifle is such a personal thing and preference that it's hard to give advice. I'd find as many different friends as you can with various types of rifles--bolt, lever, pumps, various cartridges--and shoulder them and (if possible) shoot them.

You can narrow it down a bit as well by answering the question of what type of hunting you'll do mostly: are you hunting in thick cover and doing fairly close shots (100 yards or less)? More open areas with longer shots? Answering those questions could help a bit as well. (Judging by your pictures, it looks like you'll be taking some longer shots at times in open country--beautiful country, btw!)Again, the 243 is a pretty flat-shooting cartridge overall.

Cost is also issue. If cost isn't a top priority, that opens the conversation up a bit as well. If good "bang for the buck" is a concern, that also is useful information. For example, ammo for your 243 (and others like 30-30) can be had pretty cheaply. On the other hand, a box of ammo for my 7mm08 can run me $30-$40 or more.

Lots of possibilities. Lots to consider. The thing to do is 1) figure out your budget (and that includes after-purchase ammo) 2) the type of hunting you'll be doing 3) shoulder as many different makes, models, and sizes (and shoot preferably) as you can based on the answers to 1 and 2.

*final tip: if you walk into a outdoor store or a gun store and the clerks patronize you and crack jokes about you knowing this or that--get the hell out of there. There's no excuse for that nonsense in this day and age.

gator59

IF you decide to buy another gun? You may want to consider purchasing the Thompson Center Encore. You can pick the caliber (my preference is the 7mm-08), then for another $250 you can purchase a black powder barrel and if you want a shotgun you can buy a barrel as well. In other words you will have one guns with 3 different calibers and options.

The Encore is a single shot. But like my Dad always told me if you have to shoot twice you probably are just burning powder.

Congrats on the land it sure is a beautiful place. Just make sure the game feel secure out there. Dont over pressure it. I would field dress the game I shot out there elsewhere. Just get in and out and it will be very productive.

And welcome to the world of hunting. Hopefully this is the beginning of a long family tradition for you and your family.

prairienights

Thank you so much for the reply!

I was rather pleased with my doe. I love venison (far prefer it over steak), so I'm currently much more enthusiastic about a good-eatin' deer than a wall-worthy trophy, lol. That said, I am only hunting for meat for me to eat, and just me, lol. Just like nobody else in the family hunts, I'm the only one who likes game meat. So I'll probably be hunting one deer a year, lol. I'm more interested in a safe clean hunt where I can learn technique as opposed to shooting as many deer as possible or getting a huge trophy, lol.

I'd like to get a high quality rifle that I can use for as long as it lasts. I don't need to get the cheapest thing that will get the job done. I suppose I'd realistically want to spend $1,000-1,500. Would that be a reasonable estimate for a high quality rifle? Ammo costs aren't that big of an issue since I wouldn't be shooting frequently.

And yes, I'll mostly be shooting fairly long range. My doe was shot at about 125 yards (our best guess). It's mostly open prairie land.

I'll definitely have to go try some different rifles. I was very comfortable with the one I used yesterday, perhaps I should just figure out what that one was. I've shot some rifles just at ranges and they were far too big/heavy/clunky for me to carry around, let alone handle in an actual hunting situation.

Thanks for the tips!

kswild

AWESOME! It's great that you are getting into hunting and have already harvested a doe. Congrats on that! Don't let anyone tell you different THEY are the best eatin. As far a the weapon you want to get ... I think you said it best find something that you are comfortable handling and shooting. I wouldn't trade my NEA (New England Arms) 243 for anything. It does it all.

Light enough to pack around all day and big enough caliber for deer. It will reach out there too. I live in almost the exact type of country as you. Here in Kansas we have rolling grasslands.

Good luck with whatever you get to harvest your meat with and Welcome to our sacred hunting lifestyle and hunting.net. We are glad your here!
Live it up! Deerwoods Doug

RaySendero

prairienights,

Make you a list and start shopping - Its not that much.

Since you can borrow a rifle, start with some clothes. You'll need: boots, thermal underwear, gloves, pants, shirts, cap and a coat. Since you are hiker you may have some of these already. You can get a good start by googling "ladies hunting".


With land that open, you'll also need binoculars, an accurate rifle, a rifle cleaning kit and a scope for it. Take your time, learn as you go and maybe get'em in that order. For budgeting I'd say $125 for binoculars, $500 for a rifle, $25 for cleaning stuff and another $300 for a scope.

Talk to and make friends with other lady hunters in the area and find out what they use.

I'd recommend a bolt action rifle chambered in the 243 you mentioned PLUS look hard at a 270 and a 308 - Think you'll find a wide selection of AMMO for all 3 is easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

Big Z

It really doesn't take much to start hunting. You've already gone out and done it. Only problem is, it can turn into a serious hobby, and you can spend serious money over time. Anyways. There is much to learn about. Hopefully in this thread, you will learn some important things and also be able to reply with questions that are more specific so that we can better help you. From socks to rifles, everything's a potential question..

I certainly agree with starting at clothing. I live and hunt in Wyobraska. Think layers, and it doesn't hafta be complicated. You probably already know and understand what I'm going to suggest, but here it is... I usually hunt in jeans and a sweatshirt and uninsulated boots. As it gets colder, I add cotton thermals and fleece under said jeans and sweatshirt. Colder yet, and out comes the overalls and a jacket or coat, and insulated boots. I love to have a neck gaiter, and Outdoor Research makes a great one. A stocking hat, a must. And gloves. I tend to use whatever for my body.. jacket, pants, but I like to use higher quality for boots, socks, gloves, and hat. You'll want good performance that isn't overly bulky. You may or may not decide on having a camouflage outer layer. I prefer a vest for my orange, rather than the jacket to be orange.

Now, the gun. You can get a good rifle and scope for your price limit. These subjects have been covered countless times, and you may want to do your own use of the search function, as well as working the google. The 243 is a great deer rifle. But you're probably close enough to some elk that you could do with a rifle that does both. I would consider the 7mm-08. It's kin to the 243, just runs 28 caliber rather than 24. Recoil is still low, making it a pleasure to shoot, but bullet selection is graduated into elk range. And IMO elk is about the best darn wild game meat around. The whole family WILL like it. Rifles like the Remington 700, Savage 11, Winchester 70, Weatherby Vanguard and Mark V, Kimber 84 and many more have both lovers and haters, but have all proven themselves to be effective rifles. I would compile a list of rifles that suit your fancy, and visit a shop(s) to check them out. Decide between stainless or blued metal, and wood or synthetic stocks. Good scopes are also available from numerous manufacturers. Nikon and Leupold are probably the 2 most popular. I myself would not get into the high magnification game. 9-12x on the high end is perfect for just about everything. Get the best you can. It's the same lifelong investment you want your rifle to be. I'll toss one up...Leupold VX-3, 3.5-10x40. Like rifles, scopes have lovers and haters, despite having proved themselves. Don't get overly sucked in. Scope mounts from Warne, Weaver, Talley, Leupold etc..you might consider weight, and I would spend more than 5 dollars on your set. FWIW, I only trust myself to mount my scopes. More than once I've seen friends' scopes mounted at a store wind up loose. I mount with blue loc-tite on the screws. I like a sling and bipod on my rifles. I don't usually venture more than a few miles from the vehicle...the added weight doesn't bother me. Maybe weight will be a bigger factor in your decision. Keep that in mind when handling rifles.
With scoped rifle in hand, its ammo time. I'm gonna guess that you will be shooting factory ammunition, at least for awhile. Again, there are many makers of ammunition more than capable of taking deer. Hornady, Remington, Federal, Winchester etc. This is a debate in itself, but most guys agree anything from cheap soft points to the $3/shot premium ammo will bring a deer down. What you really need to do, is to try more than one kind, and go by accuracy. Your rifle could be picky on what it will shoot the best. If it shoots 'em all, then balance things like price and ballistics. I handload my ammunition, and by far shoot hornadys the most. Once you're done shooting, you need to take care of your rifle. Wiping it down with oil is a minimum, though you will need periodic disassembly to oil hidden parts and also bore and chamber cleaning. You can get a kit or buy your rod, brushes, jags, solvent, oil etc separately...either way, as long it sees some care after use.

Binoculars are going to be a biggun too. I tend to opt for a set of 10x. Maybe you'll find the need for a spotting scope, but the binoculars should be your first priority. I'm certain I'm going to be leaving things out of the scenario, but now you're dressed for the weather, have your gun and your optics, tags. You can hunt. When the game is down, you will need to extract it. Whether or not you can get a vehicle close to you, I feel a harness style deer drag for about 5 bucks is a great addition. It makes dragging much easier than using your bare hands or a rope with a handle on it. I don't have much love for game carts. I always gut my deer in the field, and bring a knife or two and a foldable bone saw. Don't go rambo style with your knife; a 4 or 5" blade is pretty handy for the work. Some latex or nitrile gloves will keep your hands much warmer when it's cold out. If you don't wear gloves when it's cold out, as soon as your hands leave the cavity, they are wet and exposed. Makes 'em cold pretty quick. I get mine from the ambulance, but you can probably find them at a store in the automotive section (mechanics wear these sometimes) or in the painting section.

The successful hunt is over. When the animal is checked in and home, you can start to process if you choose to do it yourself. You'll want a gambrel and either a hoist or extra hands to hang the game up in a shed or meat room. I have access to a cooled meat shed of a friends where the skinned carcass can hang and age, but I have used a fridge for the deboned meat when I couldn't let it hang. It just takes some decent knives that you probably already have. I usually grab a small drop point and get to work, but I'm not a professional butcher that can make beautiful cuts of meat. Before I freeze the meat, I like to soak it in a brine. At the least, this means saltwater. But I usually add onion and garlic powder and other favored spices. It'll help pull blood from the meat and it takes gamey flavor and smell away...it's really worth it IMO. Preparation for the table....well I'll leave that up to you.

You will probably consider venturing into the world of scents, maybe decoys...whatever variety of hunting techniques you choose, remember to have fun, and share your experiences!

GTOHunter

Well it looks like You have a wonderful and beautiful place to go Hunting and enjoy the Wildlife and I see You know how to drive a Tractor...ever think about putting out a few food plots for the Deer and other Wildlife...its just one more aspect of Hunting that makes it all much more enjoyable!

Camo clothes are great to have,I can't see spending the extra money on any of the Scent_Lok clothing...the main thing is to wash all Your clothes in scent-free detergent and spray them down with the scent-killer spray,rubber boots will also help in keeping Your scent from being picked up by Deer where You walk.

I've been Hunting for several years using a few different caliber Rifles and my best and most accurate one in my Browning A-bolt Hunter in a .243 bolt-action...nice and light and a great shooting/accurate Rifle.Browning also makes a Micro-Hunter for Women and Youths that may fit You better than a full size Rifle?Another thing to use is a good shooting stick for those further out shots You may need to take while Hunting in open Country,another great Hobby to get into is Varmint/Coyote Hunting and it gives You 1 more reason to go out Hunting and learning how to shoot further out with Your Rifle.

Oh yeah..."Congratulations" on the nice Doe and welcome to the great Sport of Hunting! GTOHunter in Missouri

RTG_Bekah

First I would like to say congrats on your doe!
Second, I am thrilled to hear you are taking up hunting! It s a great sport, challenging, fun learning experience, you get to see a lot of natural things with the animals and the land.
I love how more and more women are getting into hunting that they have actually come out with lines of womens camo!!
As far as your gun, the 243 is a great gun thats what i started out hunting with, but now I shoot a 7mm-08 and I absolutely love it! I'm a smaller build and have terrible shoulders due to sports injuries so even something that kicks like a 30-06 i cant shoot it kills me, so I looove my browning 7mm-08 its very light can carry it through the woods(where i live, its all very thick wooded mountains) and its very easy to shoot.
Just some basic things to have when hunting, a bloodtracker light is awesome but a regular flashlight will do also, a nice sharp knife, the new pakrak works really well for the rut if you want to learn how to rattle a deer in, of course u will need ammo, a good scent eliminator system for washing your camo and your soap for showering and stuff(My personal preference is scent away brand), a really good thing to invest in would most def. be a range finder and a good set of binoculars since u r out west.

I would also like to suggest bow hunting if your havent tried it, it is soo much fun! This is my first year with a bow, my husband passed his bow down to me and I started practicing with it and its a lot to learn, but sooo much fun. It is also a costly sport lol

One last thing, You can learn a whole lot by getting on the chat room and talking to us and asking questions we are here for you, I am new to this also and have only been hunting a few years and these people have helped me alot, It is pretty much the same people on the chat room all the time! We would love to have you join us!

Good luck!

cjwink

Congrats on your first deer.. The 243 is a great round.. If your looking at getting a new rifle I would suggest you take a look at the Ruger Compact in the caliber of your choice. It is a great little package that is easy to handle. I have one in 7mm-08. It is short, light weight and accurate.