First hunt.

[Minesweeper3433]

I have gone hunting once in my life as a kid with my uncle. We didn't see anything but it was a load of fun. I have since become very interested in shoooting sports over the last 5 years and even play at my local club matches. I have many apropriate rifles for hunting and still have never gone out myself or for that matter even with someone else hunting since my uncle. I am considering going hunting as I have recieved several offers from friends for helping them out with things of sporting nature. I have the firearms and the oportunity.

What else do I need to learn/do before going on my first hunt.
I have an offer to hunt virginia and southern georgia for whitetail. As well as a whitetail hunt in florida and invitations to hunt feral hog here in florida as well. My planned rifle is a sproterized mauser in 6.5x55 that shoots sub inch at 200 yards.

 

[CaptainMal]

Safety. You need to always consider that gun as a water gun that's always spraying water. Never point, even in passing, at anyone or anything you don't want to shoot. Practice loading and unloading the rifle and keeping the safety on while loaded.

If climbing tree stands, UNLOAD the rifle or at least, unload the chamber.

Get a decent pair of snake boots for Georgia and Florida. I hunt Georgia and live in Florida. Do that.

Practice a bit shooting offhand and learn to think of the target as a 3-D experience where you have to hit somethng INSIDE the animal more than an outside spot. The angle of entry is the issue. Learn vital zones.

Learn to sit, not move around and be quiet. You may end up "still hunting" where you walk into the wind and stop/look. Most will be doing some kind of sitting. Imporvised rests, like leaning against a tree or assuming some kind of controlled position (sitting, kneeling etc) are also good things to practice.

Man there's a lot. Let others tell you more and good luck.

 

[bheadboy]

3433, i and my family andfriends hunt Gerogia,

tree stands, work best for Ga wt, set up for 8"-20" dia pine tree up 10-15ft to view over cover leaves etc
unless hunting over a bean field, expect most shots to be under 50yds, if a field, expect up to 400 +.

minimum 3-6x or binoc to check antlers out in the woods, or 3.5-10x minimum for field.

it will most likely be warm, after mid morning, cold am/near dark

if you hunt the woods, use a sent killer, the "old boys" remedy is turpintine sprayed on the boot sole

watch out for nats, chiggers, and snakes - take a small flash lite to walk in and out in the dark

Bob

 

[Minesweeper3433]

A large part that I am trying to figure out is how would I hunt? I am very good in the woods and can track. I grew up in the woods just never hunted them. Also on butchering the animal how should I go about that should I have it done by a profesional first time or take the time to learn? I have a load worked up of 140 grn SGK at 2600fps out of my rifle and it is pleanty accurate. Will this work for what I will be hunting?

 

[bheadboy]

in the ga woods, the leaves make it very hard to track and get in sight of a deer - they will hear/see you before you see them, thus scout and look for trail, rub, scrape sign then set up tree stand in reasonable view of the area,

the big problme is heat, gut the deer, to cool, then get it to a cooler as soon as practical, they are all around the towns in so ga. let them skin and chill, if you want to butcher -pick it up a day or two later and do it yourself, however most will pay for them to do it and chill/freeze wrap the meat as you want it.

I personally get it chilled, then personally debone it and package the meat as i would use it., grind the tuff stuff with 20% beef fat from a nearby grocery store. - this is a good bit of work and have in later years had it done by the cooler folks.

Bob

 

[GlennGTR1]

You can come up here to Washington to hunt black bears, blacktail deer, cougar, and elk. That way you get a more rounded experience. Safety is critical and dont hesitate to take hunter safety courses. Field shooting is different than target or range shooting. Greatest sport on earth and I will fight to the end to defend it.

 

[Minesweeper3433]

First thanks for all the info. It is amazing how fast you gyes all respond.
I have some training in field shooting and am very comfortable shooting from improvised expediant postions. I just never learned what is involved in the hunt itself. I can carry a load comfortably still and have my ruck to help carry. Only thing I can think of still is the rules regarding hunting. Any sugestions on where to look for those would be most helpful.

 

[bheadboy]

Rule # 1 -- respect the land owner, rule #2 Respect the fact that other hunters or persons may be arround, DO NOT SHOOT with out being sure of what you see, do not shoot over roads, towards cattle, buildings, never leave a fence gate open, always leave the woods the way you found them, never shoot from a car, most states outlaw shooting from a roadway - know what is beyound what you are shooting at, a tree stand offers shooting down which is safer

Bob

 

[jonbearman]

Any kind of camo clothing is a must if legal.That way you blend in to the scenary. Definitely buy the snake chaps as a bite could ruin your day for sure. Wear a treestand harness to prevent injury or death.The vest types work real well and are the safest thing going.Read the hunting sylibus for each state you hunt.You can usually view it on the site of the dept of natural resources or as we call it the dept of enviromental conservation here in new york state. Above all safety is number one and planning your shot is extremely important.No skyline shots either.Know where the bullet is going after it hits the target.

 

[2506]

Nobody mentioned how or where to shoot a deer. Do not shoot at a deer, pick a spot on the deers front shoulder and shoot that spot. Yes you will mess up a little meat but you will not have to track the deer most of the time. When hit in the shoulder scapula it imparts lots of shock plus you get the extra bone fragments flying along with the bullet and it takes out the heart, lungs and most of the time the spine. If you will sight your rifle in to hit point of impact 3" high at 100 yards then you can hold in the center of a deers front shoulder and kill it out to 300 yards without worrying about shooting over or under it from point blank to 300 yards. Remember hold in the center of the shoulder and pick a spot like a ripple of muscle or a tuft of hair and shoot it. I have killed many deer with the 140 Sierra GK out of a sporter 96 Mauser in 6.5X55. I prefer the 120 Sierra or the 120 Nosler ballistic tip but the 140 GK will do the job. Another tip I have learned is to get some red fox urine and spray your boot soles with it before you walk into your stand. Once at your stand take you some scent bombs made from 35 mm photo film bottles with cotton balls in them or you can purchase them at sporting goods where the deer scent is found. Place one with some red fox urine in it at the foot of your stand and once you get into your stand place one up in the stand with you. It stinks but it is the best stuff that I have ever used to cover your scent. Deer do not pay it any mind. Matter of fact I have had deer trail me to my stand smelling the ground where I walked with it on my shoes. They are curious about things that don't spook them. Deer don't always trust their eyes but they always trust their nose. If they see you move a little many times it will not send them into flight at that moment but let them get just a whiff of you and they are gone. Be scent conscious, no after shave, smelly deodorant, (non scented deodorant is OK) gasoline where you stepped in it getting gas before you came hunting, tobacco smoke even on your clothing. People that smoke don't realize just how much they and everything they own stink. Your best time to kill deer will be in the first 2 hrs after light and 2 hrs before dark especially in the hot south. I have hunted the past 31 years in east NC so I know about the heat. I do my own butchering. Learn how to do your own skinning and you can de-bone all the meat right off the deer as it is hanging up by it's back legs with only a knife. It usually takes me between 20 and 30 minutes from start to finish and I don't even have to gut a deer. Once the meat is de-boned off the deer I place it in a 48 qr cooler and cover it with cold water and place between one and two cups of white vinegar depending on the size of the deer in with it and stir it up. I let it set in the shade or the coolest place I can find for at least 12 hrs. This will pull the blood out of the meat and loosen it up. I then wash the meat in cold water and cut the hams into roast of steaks and the back straps into three equal length each and place in zip lock freezer bags and place them in the freezer. Get the deer out of it's hide as quick as possible and de-bone the meat and soak it out like I said and you will have some good eating. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[M700]

You've received some great advice. From the posts I'm sure you've got a bunch of experienced hunters advising you, and it's been a long time since I've hunted back east, twenty plus years. I don't think I can add much that's worthwhile.

Another thing, pause to enjoy the experience.

You're not hunting for subsistence, nor for a trophy, but for the experience. Savor it. From the preparation and planning all the way through cooking your venison and putting the antlers on the wall. Share it with someone you like and respect.

Enjoy!

Guy

 

[M700]

My first hunts were so long ago I think any record of them must have been recorded in a cave painting. My son on the other hand, benefited from hunting in the age of digital cameras. I think you'll find that he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I hope you have a similar look on your face on your hunt:

His first deer, one shot from a 6mm Rem at nearly 300 yards. Understandable when the sparse vegetation is considered:

His first bear, last fall, using a .30-06 sporterized by Grandpa right after WWII and updated about ten years ago by me:

I had the pleasure of some absolutely outstanding hunts with my father - he was primarily a bird hunter (lots of fun, don't ignore the possibility of a quail hunt...). Also thoroughly enjoyed hunts with other friends. My son grew up tagging along with me until he was old enough to hunt out here in Washington. He's a very safe hunter, meticulous about his gun handling. We've had an absolutely outstanding time the past ten years or so as he's grown up shooting, hunting and fishing with me and our friends. I hope you enjoy some of the same.

BTW - you can find the hunting rules and regulations online for most or all states. Search out the state fish and wildlife department - they're usually named something similar. Be prepared to pay a pretty hefty non-resident license & tag fee. Perhaps it's not so expensive back east.

Again, enjoy your hunt! Guy

 

[TheSnake]

Minesweeper,
Will you be hunting alone? If you can hunt with an experienced hunter that can teach you what they know, in my opinion, that would be ideal. Everyone has their own methods that work best for them and every hunter I know is more than willing to take someone new out and do a brain dump including every last detail of every hunt they have ever been on. Just be careful, if you do take a deer, in most cases, you will be hooked and MUST hunt every season from then on for the rest of your your life.