Hunting is an exciting hobby that can actually become a way of life and an actual lifestyle. There are many good things and benefits to hunting but if you’ve already made your decision to start hunting, this is the right post for you.
This post is all about preparing yourself for your first hunt and how to start hunting without any prior experience.
Therefore, if you’re a complete beginner, don’t get scared away instead, keep on reading to find out all of the tips and advice that will help you know how to prepare yourself and also what to expect!
Why Choose Hunting?
There are many reasons why someone would want to become a hunter. And if you ask a group of hunters, everyone would probably have a different reason, yet they’d all have similar interests.
The most common reasons why hunters choose hunting often lead to being able to experience nature, be responsible for taking care of food, and even get as close as possible to and connect with wildlife.
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons why one would want to become a hunter. Even if it’s the adrenaline and rush of going for a hunt and preying on the game, this can still be a valid reason.
There are also many other reasons since it can be beneficial for both the wildlife and also for society, and lastly, it can have financial benefits to hunters at times as well, which are all reasons that should be considered.
How to Start Hunting
So if you feel you’re sure you want to become a hunter, how do you do it? There’s no one way to do it, but there are certain things you’ll have to do and get in order before you can go out for your first hunt.
And when you’re out there, it’ll be all up to you to gain skills, and knowledge, and achieve success – but with our tips, you’ll be on the right path to do so!
1. Hunter Education and Hunting License
Even before you can start your first hunt, you have to get a hunting license. Depending on the state you live in, you might even be required to finish hunter education before you can be granted a license.
However, even if you are not required to finish the hunter education, we still recommend you finish it because it doesn’t take long, and yet it will help you understand all the rules and guidelines that will help you be a decent hunter right out of the gate.
We have written a short hunting guide for each state so you can check all of the states down below in the footer. A great example is Virginia.
2. Hunting Laws and Regulations
There are a couple of laws and regulations every hunter must follow and this mostly applies to when or where you can hunt and what game are you allowed to hunt during each hunting season. We covered hunting seasons and the best times to hunt as well, so give that post a read for more clarification.
But the best way to quickly learn all laws and regulations in your state is to go to your state’s government website and read everything they have published on hunting.
Keep in mind that this is a very important step because if you don’t inform yourself, you can get in serious trouble by breaking the laws and not following regulations, which will, of course, lead to serious consequences.
3. Hunting Gear and Equipment
There are all sorts of gear you can spend your money on, especially when you’re only getting started and you don’t have any gear at all.
However, you won’t need as much gear as you think to get started. What you’ll need are layers of clothing that will keep you warm, a good pair of quality boots, and while you might not even need camo to hunt some game, you will definitely need a blaze orange vest, and additional accessories such as glows, mask, etc.
The type of gear you’ll get will also depend on the type of game you’ll hunt because not all have the same requirements. For example, if you’re going for big game hunting where you’ll likely want to use a treestand at one point, you’ll have to invest in a quality safety harness as well.
And as we’ve mentioned earlier, camo isn’t very necessary for most hunting endeavors, but if you’re hunting turkey, for example, camo will be your best friend so it’ll be a big requirement if you plan on having any success.
Therefore, you don’t need to overspend, but you definitely do need to make your purchases wisely so you don’t miss anything when you’re out there.
When it comes down to hunting weapons, choosing a gun or a bow will depend on the hunting regulations in your state, the game you’ll hunt, and your preference. Also, keep in that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on your first weapon.
4. Finding Where to Hunt
Even before you start looking for a place to hunt, you’ll need to understand that there’s a private and public grounds.
While some hunters consider a mix of both, as a beginner, you can greatly benefit by finding land that’s most accessible to you and that you can hunt on.
Also, when finding where to hunt, you will want to ensure that the land you choose is full of the game you’re after as well, but also that it’s not overpopulated by other hunters.
A great hunting mentor or a more experienced hunter who you can seek advice from will always be able to tell you the best local hunting spots in your area.
5. Hunting Tips
Hunting can be an exciting thing to do, but hunting is actually more of scouting than hunting in the action mode and that’s the mindset you should accept.
Hunting strategies you develop will be simple but they can change depending on the hunting location, weather, game you’re after, and so on.
However, scouting for tracks, game trails, droppings, and other signs will be super important to determine if the hunting location you chose is going to be a good hit.
Being sneaky is super important for a successful hunt and all the waiting you will have to do will pay off in the long run so you better arm yourself with patience.
Practice makes perfect so if you’re new to using rifles or a bow, you’ll definitely need to hit the practice range often and work on the skill.
Also, finding an experienced hunting mentor to take you on for a couple of hunts is definitely a smart idea.
What is the Easiest Kind of Hunting
A game choice is super important when you’re starting out and while you might want to head off straight for the big game, it’s a much better idea to start with a small game.
Small game such as squirrels is the best way to start hunting for a couple of reasons. Squirrels are almost everywhere so you won’t have a hard time trying to find them and yet this will lead to gaining more hunting experience quicker.
You can hunt squirrels using different methods from caliber rifles, shotguns, or even using a bow.
This way, you can really take your time to build out necessary skills, gain experience by using low-recoil cartridges, work on precision and your aim, but even be sneaky and go through the wilderness as quietly as possible not to scare the game away.
You can also try different hunting methods and strategies while hunting squirrels such as a spot & stalk method or baiting & waiting.
While it might be super hard, in the beginning, you’ll quickly build out your skill so when you move up to a bigger game, you’ll have much better aim, precision, and sense for hunting the game.
How Much Money Can You Make Hunting
While most people hunt for fun and joy, there are hunters who make hunting their living as there’s definitely some profit to be made.
Almost all the game can be either used to consume the fresh meat or it can be sold further, which is where the profit comes the most.
However, some hunters also provide hunting guided tours and are guides to hunters who are new in the area which can also be a way to get some money for the skill (which is something you could do in the future when you become an experienced hunter).
And most of the time, hunters tend to save money from their hunting opportunities for future hunts, hunting trips, equipment, license renewal, and other hunting-related stuff – which is a very smart idea.
However, professional trappers and hunters can make anywhere between $24K to $49K on average which can be enough to support someone’s hunting lifestyle.
And if you’re really interested in making money from hunting, it’s good to know that there are various ways you can do that, but maybe that’s something you should focus on later on when you gain a lot more experience.
How Should a Beginner Hunt
Ideally, a beginner should find a hunting mentor who will be more than willing to guide the beginner hunter, and teach him the ways, tricks, and important information that will help along the way.
Of course, starting with a small game first is always a better choice as it can really help a beginner hunter to craft the skills needed. Not only will it help you become more confident in your weapon, but it’ll also help you aim better, work on precision, learn how to move and stalk, and how create basic hunting strategies.
When you find out when the hunting season starts for the game you’re after, the next thing you should do is find a hunting land you’ll hunt on. And when you do, the job isn’t over there just yet. Instead, you should scout the land to get to know the surroundings & terrain.
If you’re going to hunt alone as a complete beginner, investing in a satellite phone is a must, you might not ever need it, but when you do, it’ll be right there and you’ll be able to get help in case of an emergency.
These are some of the basic ways to get started, and if you do all of these things, you’ll easily pick up on how hunting works, you’ll build necessary skills, and before you know it, you’ll feel as if you know exactly what you’re doing and your hunting success will show it.
Are Hunting Electric Bikes Really Worth the Investment as a Beginner?
Even as a beginner hunter, it’s a really good idea to think of investing in a hunting eBike.
These electric bikes are specifically made for hunting so you can easily move in the terrain (off-road and off-trail), be silent as electric bikes don’t make any sound compared to motorized vehicles, and you’ll be able to swiftly move on two wheels and yet at the speeds of a regular motorized vehicle.
It’s really a great investment and if you check out some of the best electric hunting bikes and find a great financing plan, you can finance the hunting eBike, make the purchase, and don’t ever break the bank.
Therefore, with plenty of benefits, you’ll never look further for a more suitable transportation vehicle for your hunting needs.
Click Here for Electric Bike Reviews!
Conclusion
If learning how to start hunting or how to get into hunting has prevented you from enjoying hunting so far, this post should encourage you to take action.
It’s important that you check laws and regulations in your state, obtain a hunting license, get yourself some gear, make a plan on the game and weapon of choice you’ll use to hunt, and just give it a go.
Of course, finding a hunting mentor or a guide to go hunt with for the first couple of times is always the best idea. However, if you can’t find one, you can still go by yourself, just make sure you prepare yourself well!
Did you ever go hunting before? What do you like about hunting the most?
