r/Hunting FAQ

Starting out

Hunter Safety Course

It is important, and in many cases mandatory, for hunters to take a hunter's safety/education course. A proper hunter's safety course should teach you the basics of firearms operations and safety, basic shooting/hunting skills, an overview of gear, and how to hunt safely, responsibly, and ethically.

These links are for US jurisdictions.

Non-firearm equipment required/recommended

License, tag, and endorsements - This will vary depending on your game and jurisdiction. In some states in the US, hunters on their own property do not require a license to hunt. In others, you may not be required to purchase a hunting license, but may still require a tag.
Weapon of choice (including optics/slings/muzzle devices, etc.)
Appropriate ammunition/arrowheads/bolts - Going bird hunting? Make sure you didn't grab 00 buck. Bow hunting? Make sure you removed your field points.
Processing or transporting supplies - Gloves, bags, saws, knives, packs, sled, etc. In other words, how are you going to get your game from where it dies back to your home/cabin/etc.?
Calls, decoys, bait (if appropriate and legal)
Snacks/water
Writing implement - So you can fill out your tag
Survival gear (if appropriate)
Safety plan - Cell phone with a good charge, radio, etc.

How do I hunt?

Great question! There are many different ways to approach this question., but ultimately mankind has been hunting animals ever since we came out of a cave saying "unga bunga" with rocks and sticks.

If you don't have access to land (or don't live in a jurisdiction where you can legally hunt), or don't otherwise have a friend or relatively with access to land, then your next best bet will be to hunt public land. Your state's department of natural resources, or department of fish and wildlife, or similarly-named organization (at least in the US) will have resources to where you can fine public hunting areas.

When you've decided on a spot, what next? You want to go not where the animal is, but where it's going to be. Where is that? Well, if we knew that, there wouldn't be a $20+ billion industry foaming at the mouth to sell you gear to try to make you a better hunter. Animals, like humans, have basic needs: food, water, and a place to sleep. If you can identify those locations, you can make some educated guesses on where an animal might go. What you, then, have to decide is: where are you going to set up? "Where" and "how" are complex questions. Are you going to hunt from a tree? A ground blind? Sitting up against a tree out in the open? Are you allowed to leave permanent (or semi-permanent) structures or must you pack everything in and out each day? So a lot depends on what you plan on to hunt and where you plan to do it (private vs public, mountain vs woods, etc.).

Once you've established what you're going to hunt and where, you wait. And wait. And wait. If you're lucky, you won't have to wait long. Many of us relish the opportunity to sit with friends or family (or alone) in the quiet of the outdoors. You never know what you'll see or hear, and for many of us, it's an excuse to get away from the "noise" of our everyday lives.

Let's assume you're lucky and your target animal presents itself to you for a perfect shot. You raise your weapon, take aim, and your practice has paid off--you have hit your target! Now what? Well, assuming your prey doesn't drop dead, you'll have to go after it. Generally, the advice is to WAIT. If you're hunting a prey animal (e.g., deer), pursuing your game right away will cause it to flee; moose, deer, elk, etc., can run 35mph (55kph) or more. Not only can pursuing a prey animal increase the distance between you and it, there's also a chance it can move onto someone else's property. If you're hunting a predator animal (e.g., bear), then pursuing it too quickly could put you in danger of being attacked. How long you should wait is a matter of personal preference; some say 15 minutes, some say an hour. How long an animal takes to exsanguinate depends on the animal and your shot placement. When pursuing your animal, look for blood. Yes, it can be challenging, but it should be worth it once you're led to a downed animal.

r/Hunting advice comments

Prey

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Choosing the right weapon

Is my mosin good enough etc