Tips for a new hunter?

LOL maybe it isn't that simple, I didn't even spell it right!
Well, looks wrong the other way too.
I'll just stick with "black powder"
 
I would recommend that you refrain from hunting altogether. Go and attend some conservation programmes and speak to various conservationists before embarking on a senseless sport. Hunt only when you need to survive. I am against sport hunting as you have gathered, because I have experienced and seen too much here in Africa. I am told it happens all over the world.


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QUOTE: Normark:
Welcome to the wonderful world of hunting..

If you want to have a lot of fun,, get yourself a Wrist Rocket Slingshot, a Big honking bag of marbels,, and go hunt some Tree Rats...

It sometimes hard to do,, but it will give you a chance to be outdoors and learn some skills...

Have fun..
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What on earth is the purpose of shooting "tree rats" (Squirrels?) with marbles???? Are you going to eat them? What a nice piece of advice to give to a future leader. Do you actually do this for fun???
Boy oh boy....

I weep for the future...

Investigate the subject of sport hunting a little more before you just dive in.
 
Originally posted by ThorTso
I would recommend that you refrain from hunting altogether. Go and attend some conservation programmes and speak to various conservationists before embarking on a senseless sport. Hunt only when you need to survive. I am against sport hunting as you have gathered, because I have experienced and seen too much here in Africa. I am told it happens all over the world.
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While the idea of eating squirrels doesn't really appeal to me, I would in fact eat a deer if I was able to catch one. Venison tastes very good!

Plus, there does not appear to be any shortage of deer in Utah!
 
Some very good advice for a new hunter...the only thing I could say is that you need to have LOTS of patience. I feel that patience is one of the most important "skills" a good hunter can have. Good Luck!
 
Hello im2smrt4u,

I have driven through the area where you said your cabin is located. As I recall, there is a road from Cedar City going up to the top of a large plateau, which is wooded on top. Cedar Breaks N.M. was still closed due to snow (I was there in late May). Anyhow, it looked like good deer hunting country on top of that plateau.

The other semi-auto hunting rifle besides the Remington is the Browning BAR. I expect it is more expensive than the Remington, however. The Browning rifles are very good.

Remington makes a pump action rifle, and Browning makes a lever action, which might be less expensive alternatives. It ought to be possible to fire the pump rifle more rapidly than a bolt action, and maybe the lever action as well. But I would still rather have the semi-auto if there is any possibility of encountering dangerous animals.

If you decide to do any camping in Utah, I would strongly recommend Goblin Valley State Park. It is like being on another planet.
 
Originally posted by W.T. Beck
I have driven through the area where you said your cabin is located. As I recall, there is a road from Cedar City going up to the top of a large plateau, which is wooded on top. Cedar Breaks N.M. was still closed due to snow (I was there in late May). Anyhow, it looked like good deer hunting country on top of that plateau.
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I see you know the exact place I was thinking of! When we drive to the cabin in the early morning we see countless deer in the area!

One of my friends at college suggested the Mauser bolt action rifle. He said I can get them very cheaply, but the ammo is expensive. He said it would be perfect for hunting deer. Any thoughts? I'll look into the other rifles you suggested also.
 
Mauser bolt action rifles is a very, very big subject. At one time many of the world's armies were armed with Mauser rifles in a variety of calibers. I had a friend in college who collected only the German ones, and at one point he told me he owned 31 different models.

It is kind of hard to talk about "the Mauser bolt action rifle" since there were so many. I have one, which is a German 8MM rebuilt by the Yugoslavs after WWII. I can't remember what I paid for it but the price was reasonable considering the good condition. However, most Mausers in good condition are collector's items, especially the Nazi stuff, and will cost you plenty.

Sweden made a version of the rifle which is highly sought after by collectors. It is considered very accurate.

I would ask your friend if he knows specifically where you can buy a Mauser in good condition for a reasonable price. Also, you might want to make sure the caliber is one for which ammo is easily obtainable. Probably the 8MM is best in this regard. It might be hard to find hunting ammo for some of the oddball calibers.

There have also been Mauser sporting rifles and possibly they are still being made, but I think those will be expensive. About the only way you can get a military Mauser cheap is when a large batch is found overseas, and imported to the US, like the Yugo Mauser I bought a couple of years ago.

I think right now the Russian Moisin-Nagant bolt action rifles are
selling for low prices. Those are probably the best deal in a surplus
bolt action military rifle. I will just caution you that the safeties on those rifles are notoriously hard to operate.
 
He specified the 8mm Mauser. He says that a local sporting goods store (Big 5) usually has one in stock, or can order it quickly. He told me it would be Turkish (far from the best), but only about $200.
 
ThorTso:

The pupose of squirrel hunting is usually to eat them. And yes, they are delicious. Throw some in a crock pot with onions, potatoes, carrots, salt & pepper, and you'll have a great meal in several hours.

Many hunters are meat hunters, and are not after trophies. However I do not think any less of trophy hunters. I don't know how it is in S. Africa, but here in the USA hunting is very regulated and controlled, which is good. Those who want to stop it are those who want to control us and steal our freedoms. The greatest thing we have here in America is freedom, and hunting is a great part of our heritage. Hunting is not only sport but helps a man feed his family with plenty of clean meat that is free of growth hormones and antibiotics. Best meat I've ever eaten was Elk steaks barbequed with mesquite sticks broken and thrown on the coals.

There's nothing wrong with hunting as long as it's done properly and controlled. You should belly ache against poachers, not against legal hunters.:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by volvi
Many hunters are meat hunters, and are not after trophies...Best meat I've ever eaten was Elk steaks barbequed with mesquite sticks broken and thrown on the coals.
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Don't make me hungry!!! :p

I intend to eat anything I would catch. That isn't to say I wouldn't make a nice trophy if I could, but it won't go to waste!
 
I haven't hunted for many years, but not because I have anything against it. Just haven't found the time, or more specifically, the right place. I do remember that when I was a teenager, that hunting ruled my world. My Father used to hold deer hunting over my head to get me to get good grades. He told me that if I brought a grade card home with anything lower than a "C", that I couldnt go deer hunting in the Fall. It worked, and I always got to go hunting. I only shot one deer in my life, but I do remember it being the most exciting thing ever. We always ate what we hunted; never shot anything just for the sport.

As for hunting advice, start with squirrels. They will teach you to be patient. My Father used to make me go out in the woods, and find a big tree and simply sit and wait. You would be amazed at what comes out of the woods if you simply sit and move nothing for 20 minutes. I mean no scratching your face or ears, NOTHING; the only thing that moves is your eyelids when you blink. After 20 minutes of you not moving or making a single sound, squirrels, deer, turkeys(if you are really, really sneaky), and all kinds of other animals will come out. Turkeys are different though, you not only have to be super quiet and unmoving, but you have to be perfectly camoflaged. Deer are more or less colorblind, but turkeys have the keenest eyesite.

I have had deer walk up to within 6 feet of me. Usually, it is the does though. The bucks are smart; they always send out the does to check out the situation first. If you see a group of does in the woods, you can bet that there is a buck hiding just out of site somewhere nearby.

Get yourself a good, accurate .22 rifle and practice until you can hit a soda can easily at 50 yards away standing up. If you can hit the can 50 yards away standing up, sitting down beside a tree will be a little easier. Shoot only what you plan to eat. Dont be a slob hunter. Leave the woods looking the same as when you got there. No trash left; be safe, and dont shoot when you dont know what is behind your target. The antigunners are just waiting for more examples of hunting and shooting accidents, so that they can parlay them into political weapons.
 
For learning the craft of hunting, there is no better way than to find yourself some grizzled ol' huntin' partner and have him show you the ropes.

I was fortunate enough to have several handy when I was a young buck. Everything from what to look for, how to approach, where to shoot, how to dress the animal and right up to tasty recipes for the venison I harvested.

Not only will you be properly educated in all facets of hunting, you will get literally dozens of hilarious anecdotes to laugh at, and you'll have a good time doing it. One other bonus, the person who takes you in will be rewarded as he watches your skill and enjoyment grow. As another bonus, if you are able to do this, your choice of rifle will probably be very easy, as a good hunter also knows a good rifle.

I thoroughly enjoyed (and still do today!) the teachings of everyone who contributed to my outdoor upbringing. I can't wait to pass this on to my boys. I truly feel sorry for people like ThorTso. They really do miss out on a great piece of our heritage (and backstraps!).
 
Another way to save money on a hunting rifle is to buy a used one. Ordinarily sporting rifles are not fired that much (unlike military rifles). I have seen many surplus military rifles with bores that are worn out, so you have to be very careful when buying a surplus military rifle. To make matters worse, some unscrupulous dealers clean stocks and otherwise refinish military rifles so that they appear to be in better shape than they really are.

You need to take a bore light and look carefully at the bore of any used military or sporting rifle you are considering. Make sure the rifling looks crisp, not worn down and rounded.

Another trick is to take a bullet of that caliber and see if you can push it into the muzzle end of the bore. If you can push it in easily and fully, chances are the bore is badly worn. A bullet should not go in all the way if the bore is good. It has to be slightly oversized so the metal will be mashed into the rifling when the gun is fired. If the bullet slides in completely, that means the rifling is worn down.
 
Here in Indiana we have to use shotguns :( , so I don't have a lot of experience hunting with high power rifles, but Remington does make fine products. Winchester and Ruger are good choices, too. I haven't used any, but I've heard that CZ rifles (made in the Czec republic, I think)are good bargians.

I would buy from a sporting goods store, (preferably in the area you wish to hunt) that specializes in hunting gear, not a department store. Those guys can usually help you make a good decision. Something else to consider, as it pertains to the best caliber for the job, is the terrain. How far will your shots be? In the woods, over hills, in the open, always windy...? The guys at the sporting goods store should be able to help with questions like that. And practice with it. Burn up lots of rounds.

The squirrel advice is good advice, if you have squirrel hunting in California. Get a Ruger 10/22 or Marlin Bolt-action 22 and you can learn a lot about rifle hunting, and have a lot of fun target shooting, too. .22LR is a lot cheaper to shoot than any centerfire cartridge. Squirrel season just opened here, I gotta get out and sight my 10/22 in soon!!

And, read some magazines. Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream are good general purpose outdoors magazines, and Peterson Hunting is a great hunting specific magazine.

Southern Utah. You lucky dog! :)
 
ThorTso,

We have to hunt here in the US. We don't have as many predators as we used to, as we don't have enough habitat for them everywhere. We have vast farmland, and too much urbanized area. Not enough wild areas, but people gotta have places to live, work, and grow food.

Here in my home state, we have no predators bigger than coyotes. Our deer population thrives on our corn and soybeans, and if we don't keep them thinned out, they soon over-populate. That leads to problems for the deer, as well as for us people. Car/deer accidents are common, and kinda suck. Having your garden that you worked hard to put out eaten by deer is irritating, and they cause considerable crop damage.

In fact, some of our state parks are being partially de-foiliated by deer over-grazing. And they are becoming a bit of a nuisence in some of our suburban areas. Controlled hunting is a big part of wildlife conservation here in the US. People in suburbs don't want bear or couger wandering around, so we assume the role of top predator.

Hunting is part of our Heritage. As long as we hunt responsibly and respectfully, eat or donate our kill, and thank our maker for a safe, sucsessful hunt, hunting should continue to be a part of our American culture, and I'm glad to see the youngster looking forward to it.
 
Ok here it is. Find a local Fish and game club, go there and find the old guy wearing plaid wool at the last lane on the range that shoots a 303 Savage levergun that has all the finish worn off and say "teach me to Hunt"

At 35 I have hunted most of my life and have learned more in 2 years from Bill the 60 yo guy with the Savage. He has never worn cammo, has not heard of carbon spray to cover smells, but has limited out on all seasons for the past 40 years.

These old timers that everyone say are mean and nasty are everything but, they will help and assist you on all hunts and will share all thier knowledge. Field and stream articles dont put meat on the table, but the knowledge in them do. These old timers have hunted without gortex, or nylon, but they still seem to do well.

Give it a shot! I know Bill has a lot more to teach me, and I hope that God will give him the time. Next month He is going to show me how to start and keep my trapline productive.
 
Yans,
Your post hit the nail on the head. It's amazing what a simple request for some help will do, if one is smart enough to spend the time watching and listening.
Jim
 
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