How to Start Hunting as an Adult?

Adult inexperienced hunters often start from scratch without mentors, unlike young hunters who frequently have family members to teach them the ropes. Yet learning how to hunt can be highly challenging without the assistance of seasoned family members or even close friends.

This guide here is to assist you in navigating all the necessary steps and abilities to learn to hunt, from enrolling in a hunter safety course to making your first hunt and everything in between.

Educate Yourself About Hunting

You must complete new hunter safety instructions to obtain your first hunting license. Safety is the most important thing! Finding the procedure and system in your state should be easy with quick web research.

Typically, you learn about hunting and gun safety during a one-day in-person or online lesson. Usually, you must take a test before purchasing your first license. However, these programs don’t truly teach you how to hunt effectively.

Additionally, we encourage you to explore this guide on hunting accident statistics to learn more about most hunting accidents and their causes and how you can prevent such accidents as a beginner.

Read Up Hunting Books

Books are a valuable resource for beginning hunters. Eventually, the knowledge you accumulated will start to pay off. Steve’s Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Preparing Wild Game: Volume 1 Big Game and Volume 2: Little Game are two of the most thorough hunting instruction books available.

You’ll discover specific details on game species, advice on where and how to hunt, and what equipment to bring. These books ought to be a part of every new hunter’s library.

Scouting

You must scout a potential hunting location, whether it is on public or private land. It is rare to enter a brand-new property and locate an excellent hunting location. You must plan to go there. For example, Deer tracks are the first thing a beginner hunter looks for when scouting deer. After that, you search for rubbings, scrapes, and droppings.

Once you have located your hunt or other hunting-related indicators, you can start looking for a location to hunt from. During hunting season, you will sneakily make your way here to set up. This might be a bucket leaning against a tree, a ground blind, or a tree stand.

Choose a suitable hiding spot where you can see the animals, but it’s difficult for them to see you. The bottom line is to find where the animals are likely to walk.

Your First Set of Hunting Gear

The equipment you already own is the best to start with. Take stock of everything you have that might be useful for hunting.

Camouflage is not an issue right now. Start with something dark green, brown, or black. Concentrate on layers and barriers, the two main things you need to keep warm. Remember bargain shops, thrift shops, yard sales, and other places to purchase equipment.

Firearms for New Hunters

You cannot know what guns, features, or specifications best suit your hunting style unless you have gone hunting.

For the first season, hunt with a subpar gun. You’ll be better able to purchase something that will be a suitable fit for YOU once you’ve gained some expertise and a little more money. Verify the permitted uses in your state before you purchase one.

Hunting Tactics and Strategy

Although there are many options here, the simplest and fastest approach for a novice hunter to get started is to locate an animal path and look for a suitable hiding area. Although tree stands and ground blinds have many benefits but also increase first-season costs and complexity.

Instead, you should seek shelter on the upward slope and sit with your back against a huge tree. You then take a seat and gaze down the route. This helps keep you safer while also giving you some advantages when hunting.

Practice Makes Perfect

You owe it to yourself and the animals you’re hunting to improve your shooting or bow skills. Accurate shooting results in clean, quick kills. This means you should often practice shooting before the hunting season, whether at the rifle range, an outdoor target, or from behind a clay pigeon thrower.

Wind, Snacks, and Bathroom Breaks

If the wind brings your smell to the hunt you are trying to ambush, it can destroy a successful hunt. You always want the wind to blow away from you and into a spot where you don’t anticipate seeing any animals. So, you want the wind to be in your face if facing a trail.

Snacks range from enjoyable to essential depending on how long you plan to spend in the woods. Nevertheless, anything you bring to eat will also produce different scents, so paying attention to the wind is even more crucial.

Start Small

Small Game is the most accessible hunting species for beginners. Little game creatures like squirrels and rabbits are generally underutilized resources that present many possibilities for beginning hunters.

Good small-game hunting is typically accessible nearby throughout the nation. New hunters can learn about the value of fundamental woodsmanship and shooting techniques on small game hunts and enjoy bringing home some delicious wild protein while gaining the confidence to pursue big games.

Frequently asked questions about hunting

What kind of hunting is most popular?

The white-tailed deer is North America’s most popular and hunted large game species.

Where is hunting most common?

Alaska is undoubtedly the most popular fantasy hunting destination, mainly because of the wide range of animals that may be found there and the difficulty of traveling there to hunt.

What age are most hunters?

Interestingly enough, the average age of hunters is 40+ years old.

What shoes do hunters wear?

Field and rubber boots are the two primary divisions of hunting footwear to balance breathability and durability.

Bottomline

Create your checklist a few days or weeks in advance. While you prepare everything for the hunt, this will allow you plenty of time to check the state of your gear. Giving yourself enough time to pack will allow you to remedy any last-minute surprises with your equipment.

Additionally, many bird hunters prefer a four-legged company when they hunt.

If you are starting as a bird hunter and are looking for one that can keep up with you and assist in your hunt, Check out this guide on Best Dog Breeds For Bird Hunting before you skip to the next page.