Minimum gear for successful hunt
 

Looking for some newbie advice. I just bought my first rifle, and would like to start hunting whitetails. I have a wall at home that's just begging for a big buck to be mounted.
Ill take the hunter safety course this summer and want to get to it as soon as rifle season opens next year. I have two places I plan to hunt. Family land in VA a couple hours away from me, and a small public hunting area right near my house in NC.

I was wondering what equipment I needed at minimum for a successful hunt. Should I save up for a tree stand, or can that wait until Ive decided if this hunting thing is really for me? Can you hunt whitetails successfully from a ground blind? Can anyone point me to some good info on this?

Im looking forward to a :guiness: and some venison in the future...

Minimum:

Well you have the rifle, so you are about there! Next: bullets, hunter orange (especially if your state requires it). Get your license.

Now go sit in the woods.

Other stuff just makes you more comfortable and may raise your odds, but the gun, bullets and license is all you really need.

Perfect advice above. Gun, bullets, & tag. Everything else just makes your experience more enjoyable and tolerable. Some of the extras will provide the ability to spend more time on stand.

I suspect you are looking for more ideas than the obvious three. Here are some more;
knife, binos, drink, attractant, scent eliminator, wind indicator, tp or napkins, food, extra pair gloves, calls, hat, saw for limbs, pull up rope, marking tape for tracking, radio or cell phone, compass.

I do recommend a tree stand. I spent may years on the ground and scared more deer. Once I got elevated, my success went up dramatically. If you get into a tree use a harness and consider purchasing a hook or hooks for hanging stuff.

Basics covered make sure the county you hunt in va allows rifle. My county doesn't.

Other than that the rest like mention make it easier sometimes. Biggest buck I ever shot was on the ground with a hawkens black powder rifle with just camo and a grunt call. Alot ofhunting is being at the right place at the right time.

Thanks for all the advice, so far. It sounds simple enough. All the hunting publications Ive read, and people Ive talked to make it sound overcomplicated.

How important is good camo vs good scent management? From what I understand deer have a very good sense of smell, but bad eyesight.


Patrick County has a rifle season. I think its roughly the month of Dec, give or take.

You don't need camo at all, just good warm clothes that are lightweight and quiet, and most of the time, they happen to be in camo. If your gonnna be walking a good pair of boots is a must, handwarmers or good gloves that you shoot in, if your hunting that late in the year. Daypack to carry extra layers.

Buy a pair of GOOD RUBBER BOOTS that are at least 16in tall and warm But don't skimp on a good pair of rubber boot. You can't sit if you have cold feet. Rubber helps eliminate scent and you will encounter water from time to time to just be prepared. Good luck

**** paper, LOL!!!!

Is there anything else that I can hunt between now and deer season with the same minimal setup? I have a .308 bolt action, and wouldn't mind picking up a few calls if I had to.

Ok be sure to take a KNIFE with you. Look for a good one with some heft so that after you take your deer you can field dress it. Also on the off season learn all you can about deer habitat and life style. What it needs, what it likes, where it might be. And while doing that research how to properly field dress the deer so as to not ruin any of the meat.

Also memorize any and all laws for the state and county you are hunting for that year. They do change.

Good luck and hope you have a successful hunt.

How much have you practiced with this rifle, can you hit anything with it? Can you make an ethical shot on a whitetail?

Deer have a great sense of smell....and very good eye sight especially in low-light conditions,don't let anyone tell You they don't.Learning patients and sitting still are good Hunting habits to learn also.Scent Control is the best thing to do to be succesful,if the Deer smell You they won't hang around and will take off before getting into range or even stay around for a shot.I wash all my Hunting Gear in scent-free detergent and then spray down with some type of scent-killer spray and I keep my Hunting Clothes and Rubber Boots outside and use them only for Hunting.


I have the shorter Muck "Chore" rubber boots,they keep me warm and dry and I can move around in them easier since they don't got up so high on my legs,I highly reccomend a good pair of rubber boots and a good flashlight,the small LED flashlights are easier to carry and pack since they are so small but put out a very nice bright beam.These can cost a lot of money but if You shop around You can find some for a reasonable price....the higher the "Lumens" the brighter and better the flashlight,a light of 20 Lumens won't be as good as a 120 to 200 Lumen flashlight....a 200,300 to 800 Lumens light will cost a lot more and some Hunting/Tactical lights will cost over $100.00 and higher!


Practice Shooting Your Rifle and be an Accurate Shooter with it.This time of year would be a good time to do some Predator/Coyote Hunting,I wouldn't reccomend using Your .308 but it can be used...a .22-250,.243,.223,.204 or 22 Magnum would be better to use in my opinion!

Have fun Hunting,always be safe and always point the barrel/muzzle in a safe direction,be careful where Your aiming and be aware of the back-stops where the bullet will hit and never shot over the horizon or towards building or at water where a bullet can richocette/reflect.

you're .308 will be more than fine for coyote, fox, & bobcat hunting. It will probably do a good deal of damage but IMO that's a good thing.

You can also look at VA/NC hunting seasons. You probably can hunt for squirrel, rabbits, and whatever other critters are up there. You definately would need a shotgun it a .22 for that though.

None and no, I cant make an ethical shot.
I just bought the rifle and haven't shot it yet. Trust me, I'm not going to take a shot on a deer if I don't think I'm going to drop it. The last thing I want to do is track a deer through the woods all night.

I'm not looking at hunting until next year. Ill have practiced plenty by then.

I have a couple of large folders that I think could do the job, but Ive been looking at the Bear Gryllis models that Berber makes. Ivr heard good things. Any reccomendations?

Gun. Bullets. Knife. Rope/drag.

Don't NEED anything else. You can't learn to hunt without hunting. So get out there and hunt. Learn about the deer in your area. Develop your own style of hunting that suits your area and how you like to hunt. No sense in forcing yourself to sit stands if you really enjoy still-hunting.

Too many guys get caught up with calls, scents, clothes, etc. When they aren't successful, they think they just need to buy something else that will make the difference.

Like the old saying goes "It's the Indian, not the arrow".

the least you'll come to find out is to forget about the cost of it all. You have to look at it from the long haul. Every season you hunt after spending what seems like a ridiculous amount will reduce the cost per deer. And you can't look at some of the stuff you'll buy as a waste even though it is, it's the education of it all you have to keep in mind. Once you've learned you can be more selective in what you buy.

I have a climber others would be hard pressed to match, yet it's made up of at least 2 different ones. Took trying things out to get it there.

I haven't had a deer bust me in a long time, that takes some doing and a lot of it was gained in the education of it all. When you think about it, the cost of this kind of education is a good deal and every year after just gravy.

Your education, what's that worth to you to be able to walk into anywhere and be successful? Answer that after hunting a season. If your like most them deer will edumacate you real good. Go get'm :)

So what? Throw an indian at them? It is the arrow and the bow and the moccasins and the scent killer (yes they used them) and the gear (that too). Calls work some places and times, others you'd better not touch them, round here it's a bad idea, but you wouldn't learn that if you hadn't tried it. Other places it works, has for me.

If you have herds of deer running past your front door, just step out and blast away. If your area has few deer you'd better be smarter than the deer that knows it's always in trouble and the slew of other hunters after the same one, that takes some doing. Deer herds are declining, going to have to step things up. I grew up where the deer are few and far between, home to me.

This newbe hasn't even gotten bite with the shakes yet. When he drills one poorly and tries to track it with his little flashlight that dies in 5 minutes he'll be looking for a better torch just for starters. All a learning process that gets cheaper every year, better too. The little indian may find his feet frozen before he even sees a deer and since I hunt with moc's only when it's dry and warm I would strongly suggest better foot wear and good socks. That's over a hundred right there, but if he can step out his front door he won't have to worry. :)

Forget about the cost, do what you can and get the best you can, a lot of stuff claims to be the best, often has a koolaid taste. You'll learn.

That ain't cheap with a 308, but cheaper if he get's into reloading LOL. The price per pouund of venison, I Yi Yie. Good stuff though, very good.

I'm not really concerned as much with the price per pound. I want to hunt as mug to keep me sane as anything. I work a desk job, and want an excuse to hide in the woods. Meat and trophies are just bonus.
However, I do have limited resourses to buy all the possible gear at once.

A little advise.... Practice,Practice,Practice then practice some more. You said you won't shoot a deer unless you think you will drop it good choice, you say you haven't shot this rifle yet, well shoot it. When/if you get a tree stand of any sort, climber, lock on, ladder, make certain any and all trees that you trimmed are cut flush with the ground, I see so many people cut little trees down and leave about 3-6" sticking up like "punji" sticks under their stand. A safety harness is a must when hunting out of a tree stand, new tree stands come with a harness, they are better than nothing, but a Hunter Safety System is money well spent. other than a rifle,bullets, tags the most important piece of equipment you can have is a Thermacell, they are $25, but they are worth 4x their weight in gold. others have already given good advice. Good Luck

X2....or an extra pair of socks

Bow or rifle, one arrow or bullet, right tag.

However when I hunt here, assuming the stand is up and I wear some of the equipment such as safety harness, all I carry is a knife, small camera, cell phone on vibrate, dip and bow or gun. Everything else is in the truck less than 100 yards away. The phone is for emergency only and I have no idea what the number is. I have had it five months and made one call to my wife.

That is all I have ever found I needed. I am familiar enough with the stands to know the yardage and have no need for binos. I do not read or play games. When I kill or shoot a deer, I go to the truck and get my cleaning pack, then go to work.

The light pack includes AI gloves, exam gloves, a bottle of water, two knives, a flashlight and a small saw. It is attached to my dragging device. Fortunately, this year, six of my seven deer fell in sight and the seventh went about 75 yards. All were less then 100 yards from the truck when they came up dead.

Also in my truck is my big camera and tripod so I don't need anyone to take pictures. My truck is also equipmed with a pulley system for easy loading. As you might guess, I hunt almost totally alone.

When I hunt other areas or for longer times, I carry more and sometimes even a small day pack. MY elk hunting pack is far more extensive but still about half what many hunters carry.

Awesome advice everyone. Thanks a ton.
I'm learning a lot.

I'm taking the rifle out to do some shooting tomorrow, and couldnt be more excited!

You say you just want to "be out there" but when them deer make you fell like a complete idiot, it will become personal and you'll want more than a reason to be out there, you'll want to take one, bad. :) Then when you get close but no cigar you'll get very serious. It's ok, that's when the real therapy begins. :)

Well you need the ammo to practice, that isn't cheap these days and a place to do it, many join a club (more cost). Usually a distance away (more cost). Targets? (more cost) and your just shooting targets. You'll want a sling and probably soon a scope and will buy what you think you can afford only to find out what you bought is great on a sunny day but terrible in low light and bad weather causing you to upgrade (cost upon cost). You can't see the deer before they see you so you'll read that other hunters always use bino's (me) and you'll be a little more savvy since buying the scope that didn't work out and maybe buy a bino that's water and fog proof (maybe and more cost)

It goes on to the point where you stop counting the cost and start making being successful the priority. Your a little smarter now, but still buy things that aren't what they claim with many claiming to make things possible, and they can, if you also change the things they work with.

The end isn't even whatever it takes for you to put a tag on a deer since the deer must be processed and stored meaning at the least another freezer.

Year after year the price per pound gets better because you need less year after year to make it happen. Unless you get into it and start hunting out of state, then there's travel expenses and NR tags and tips and presents for those at home...:)

I like it.

You can buy all the goodies there are to offer. Doesn't guarantee any success unless you know/learn basic knowledge of whitetails and how to hunt them. I like this thread. Brings me back to the begining and basics.

Nodog, I'm sure you have a lot of years under your belt as do I. The OP is simply asking the bare minimum needed to hunt. I think that's a good approach starting out. Like he said, he wants to see if it's for him. No sense IMO of buying 10 hangons, climbing sticks, dozen cams, grinder, electric hoist, ATV, scent lock camo, alpha burly boots, underarour baselayers, smoker, knives, dehydrator, backpack, grunt call, scents, binocs, etc... if he decides it's not for him. Like said before, gun, bullets, license and knife essentially is all you NEED to get going. If you like it then YES add ons will increase your chances and make you more comfortable in the woods. But Id say actually learn how to hunt whitetails and concentrate your efforts on where, when and why to setup to kill them. Learn about sign and why it's there and behavior at certain times of the year.

I'd add a few more tips...Sounds like you live in Patrick County...I'd take a backpack with tp, wipes, water, compass, snacks, cushion, 2 headlights a .22 or shotgun and go to that public land and go squirrel hunting...

Public land can be good and bad, right now you can tell where others have been hunting...Notice where they have been and get a feel for the lay of the land...Some guys go to public land and wander aimlessly around in the season...This will give you an idea of where to hunt next year...Walk creeks and look for deer crossings, poke around in cutovers, look for white oaks and notice if deer have been feeding on acorns under them...Look for honeysuckle, deer love it during the late season...

Also, when you do deer hunt, take at least 2 lights and extra batteries...I also take a small flasher light to hang over the deer so if it's dark, I can go get help or if on private property the 4-wheeler to drag it out...

Also, take a good small flashlight with extra batteries for tracking blood after you shoot that deer...Lowes sells one for about $50 that uses 3-AAA batteries and the beam can be focused, this is important as too much light bounces back and blinds you when tracking at night...You want to be able to adjust the width of the beam to tracking conditions...

I didnt read all the posts so maybe it was covered.To kill a deer you just need a gun and a box of shells.To track a deer you may need a good flashlight.To dress the deer you will need a knife.

But depending on where and when your hunting you may need some decent clothing.The late season here can be bitter, 3 or 4 feet of snow, weeks where it never gets above 0 and weeks where the windchill keeps it around -20 or colder.You need layers of clothes but you dont want to wear so much you cant move.Ive seen it before with people Ive hunted with, about an hour in and theyre headed for the car.It doesnt matter what gear you have and how good you are, if you arent halfway comfortable your not gonna be out long enough to kill a deer.Once your feet or hands start hurting from the cold your about done anyway you look at it.

I dont know where or what your weathers like during season but you cant go wrong investing in some decent clothing, even if you decide huntings not for you you can still use it.Im not talking about buying hundreds of dollars worth of designer camo, scent lock, forget the wind just hunt crap, Im talking about sensible clothes for whatever conditions you may hunt in.

What kind of land is it in Virginia? I'd hunt that over the public land in NC any day of the week. How many acres? Is it all forest? Is any of it planted with crops?

No, you don't need a tree stand. I've had one for years, and have killed far more deer (in Virginia) simply standing (or rather) laying prone on the ground.

In addition to the rifle, license and hunter orange I'd suggest a good sharp knife to gut the deer. AVOID THE BEAR GYLLIS crap. Just go get yourself a Buck 110 folder - about $30 at Wal Mart. It will last longer than you do. And some rope to help carry him out. I use an old plastic snow sled to help with the drag too.

I don't routinly wear camo. Usually have khaki or green Dickies work pants on from Wal Mart and a shirt/jacket. Shirt may be cammo, more often than not its whatever I was wearing that day. My favorite hunting shirt is a thick weight plaid red and green tartan LL Bean shirt.

Get a pair of binoculars. Deer come out at dawn and dusk. They are well camoflouged. At dusk, even at 50 yards, you might be hard pressed to see a deer standing still in the open with your bare eyes. Decent binoculars will help you see them better and extend your available hunting hours. As will a scope.

And no, you need not listen to internet commandos who insist you buy a $1000 pair of Swarovski binoculars in order to see anything. A pair of Bushnells or whatever Wally World is selling will do just fine. They aren't the best, but for the price its tough to beat (I actually purchased my $600 Steiners from a guy on Craigslist for $100. I've had them for 5 years at least. They work great). I purchased my Leupold Scope on ebay. You can find great bargains. Especially once the season is over. Ebay and Craiglist in February and March are a shoppers dream.

Beyond that, I'd take a water bottle. Maybe a book. TP is a good idea (but try to go #2 before heading to the field). Perhaps a cushion to sit on and just wait for the deer.

Once you shoot a deer, you need to gut it. This is the best video I know of for learning how to field dress a deer.

You will also want to know where a butcher is. Or learn how to butcher deer. Its not hard. But helps to have someone "show you the ropes"

If you cant clearly see a deer at 50 yards in a wide open field with your bare eyes, you should be on your way back to your vehicle and not shooting.

And there is no extending your hunting hours. They are what they are.

I didn't say wide open field. I said in the open. As in, not in the forest. And I didn't say at all times. I said at Dusk.

Actually, here is precisely what I said:

Some days the light is flat. Some days its bright and sunny. Sometimes they are in the shadow, sometime they are in the light.

Not sure about your eye sight, but mine is 20/20.

And if a deer is standing still, 50 yards from you, on the edge of a field (or in the field but in a shadow) at dusk or dawn and the backstop is a supply of rolled hay, your going to be hard pressed to see him if he doesn't move. That's his natural camaflouge, and it works.

Here in Virginia, we can hunt till 30 minutes past sunset. With a pair of decent binoculars and/or a decent scope you have no trouble seeing a deer in any conditions 30 minutes past sunset on most properties I hunt.

Without them, especially in the woods or in the shadows (even shadows out in the open), you may not see the deer.

Hence, having good glass WILL EXTEND THE HOURS YOU ARE ABLE TO HUNT ie: your hunting hours.

Oh... in the open. You mean not in the brush or timber? Hence a field?

Actually, here is precisely what I said:


Quote:
Get a pair of binoculars. Deer come out at dawn and dusk. They are well camoflouged. At dusk, even at 50 yards, you might be hard pressed to see a deer standing still in the open with your bare eyes. Decent binoculars will help you see them better and extend your available hunting hours. As will a scope.
Yes thank you for stating it again. I understood it the first time. You can't make out a deer at 50 yards with the human eye and need binocs to verify and then shoot it? Again

20/20 as well. That's why when I'm not i don't have to rely on optics to make sure it's a deer. If I do, then I'm not shooting.

If you cant see the deer unless it moves at 50 yards, how do you know your target and BEYOND? Hunter ed 101. What about what might not be moving 150 yards behind the deer that you can't see at 50 without binocs?

If you can't see a deer (not even singling out vitals) with the naked eye and not relying on optics, you shouldn't be shooting. Hunting hours and laws are structured that way.

What if someone was hunting with open sights?

I don't know what the law is there, but I would think twice about sitting concealed in a ground blind on public land. Seems a little unsafe.

I also take my handgun just in case I get ambushed. You never know what happens in the woods.

Im pretty sure that's not legal where I live.

The land in VA is 100+ acres in a valley, hunted by one or two others. Mostly wooded, with a few fields around the river that cuts across it. They are planted off and on with crops. Problem is its a 2 hour drive from me.

The public land is in NC, 10 mins down the road. I'm not sure how much its hunted, but I don't see many cars in the parking area.

What's not legal? Having a handgun with you? In Virginia its 100% legal. In North Carolina (where I hunt a lot) its legal on private land not sure about public land.

Is the NC hunting in East, Central, or West? I do most of my hunting in NC on the Eastern plain. Sampson and Duplin County.

In Virginia, I'd spend some time looking around for deer trails. Set up along the edge of one of the clearings and wait for dusk.

Actually, you didn't understand.

In some situations the light and the background is such that a deer could appear, and if its not moving, will naturally be camouflaged and you may never notice it (ie: see it) unless it moves. This has nothing to do with verifying a deer. It has nothing to do with knowing your target and seeing behind it. It has everything to do with possibilities of specific local conditions in some light.
It has to do with knowing the deer is there in the first place. Once you know he's there, he's as apparent as can be. But in low, flat light, with the right colored background the deer completely blends in.

For instance, the blind I was sitting in tonight. At dusk, if your looking off to the right, a deer could enter the field from the left 50 yards from you and wind up standing in front of some hay piles. The hay is the same color as the deer. In flat light, if the deer doesn't move, it will be perfectly camouflaged and you may never know its there when you look back to your left . You would have no problem seeing the rest of the field, as well as the fact that there is a hill behind the hay. And of course, since your shooting on a downward slope a double lung shot will hit the ground about 6 yards behind where the deer stood.

I was certain that I had read that in the NC regulations, but I just went back to confirm, and I'm wrong. I believe I was confusing that with the bow season regulation of no firearms.

In NC, I'd have easy access to game lands in Rowan and Davidson Counties. Central NC.

People who haven't used glass are the ones who don't know how valuable they are. If I didn't have mine with me on a hunt I'd feel naked. Invaluable tool to those who know their value.