Hunting for the first time?

[atek3]

Hi, I was raised in suburban St. Louis by a non-hunting family. This August however, I'll be moving to rural NH (Hanover to be specific) and I'd really like to go dear hunting when the season opens, however I have no idea where to begin. When I move to Hanover, I'll be taking the local hunter's safety course but have no idea how to hunt or dress an animal. Any New Hampshire-ians care to give me some advice or lend a hand?

Thanks,
atek3

 

[fishjar]

I think John Kerry lives just down the road

 

[neo-con]

Your not alone in this one. A couple years ago I started trying to learn to hunt. It is not easy. Very few experienced hunters want to take the time to teach a new guy the ropes and there a lot of things to learn. Last year I killed a couple deer but it was almost entirely luck. I'm in the south and there is a lot of public land around. Spent about 10 days in the woods on public land and I saw a couple does. I killed two bucks in my backyard.

My advise as just try. It's fun to get out in the woods. Before the season opens do as much research as you can on the laws and the public land around you. And ask every hunter you know what they do. And have fun.
As far as preparing deer after you shoot it just take it to a processor for the first couple times.

 

[Art Eatman]

Lotsa good articles in Sports Afield, Field & Steam and Outdoor Life. Subscribe.

Don't need camo. Any dull, earth-toned stuff will do. Main thing is layers, so you can shed or add covering as you walk or sit when the weather's cold.

Get out into open country of some sort, where there are weeds and brush and rocks on the trails. Figure out how to walk quietly, always remembering there's no prize for how fast or how far you walk. Sit and watch critters, even just birds and squirrels. It's a sort of Zen thing, imitating a stump or rock for a good length of time.

Hunting-walking is different: Scan the ground briefly for where your next three or four steps will be. Then scan the world around you while taking those steps. Repeat as necessary. Don't march like a soldier. Periodically stop and lean against a tree. Check behind you.

If you have trouble with patience with just sitting, take a paperback book. Train yourself to read only one paragraph between scans of the area. Turn pages carefully, so no white flash alerts game.

So there's a beginning...

Art

 

[ACP230]

The NRA has materials for new hunters.
They also sell a good cookbook with recipes from members.

Watched any outdoor TV shows? Some of them concentrate on pretty high- dollar hunts, but there is still some information there.

Art suggested dull clothing, but hunter orange may be required by state law. Even if it isn't it's a good idea to buy and wear it. (Being mistaken for a deer is unpleasant at least and can be dangerous or deadly.)

Safety is more important than anything else in the woods. (Not getting lost is part of safety.) I've passed up shots at deer because, although I wanted venison badly, I knew my bullet might pass through and end up in a populated area. Sometimes I got another shot that day, sometimes not, but I didn't compromise safety.

I'd suggest going out for grouse and rabbits first, if you get to NH in time for small game season. It's a good time to find places to hunt in deer season, and doesn't require the amount of time deer hunting takes. Grouse season usually coincides with the best color of the fall too. Sitting waiting for squirrels is good practice for trail watching for deer.

Have you got a rifle? If not, don't go overboard on caliber. I started deer hunting with a rifle with a .30-06. Now I use a .250 Savage. It's lighter to carry and dropped most deer I've shot on the spot. My state requires shotguns or muzzleloaders for deer in the more populated areas. Check NH law before buying a deer gun, or you might have to buy two. (Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing. )

HTH.

 

[Art Eatman]

If you're going to be in an area with hills, forests and few fences, a topographic map is a Good Thing.

I haven't tried them but the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) most likely has a dot-gov website. It publishes "quadrangles", maps, about 18" x 24" in size and a scale of one inch = 2,000 inches (1:2000). These show roads, contours of elevations, streams and lakes as well as buildings, railroads and major power lines. The map and a compass will let you wander and roam around and still get to camp or your parked vehicle by a reasonable hour. A flashlight helps if you run late.

Art

 

[cavman]

In addition to getting good clothes, and researching, get out as often as you can (espesially out of season) and you will get a better sense of the land and the animals that live there. Also you will find that there will be private land that you can meet the owners of, and have the opportunity to ask permission to be on their land.

have a great day
cavman

 

[22-rimfire]

Deer hunting for the first time. Once you get moved, sign up for a hunter safety course. Learn the New Hampshire rules which are usually posted on their game and fish web site. Check for local hunting clubs that have shooting ranges and so forth and join one.

Pick up a Delorme atlas of New Hampshire and get to know the state. Having knowledge of the topography and human population distribution should help. Go the state web site and look up information there on hunting. Usually there will be deer kill information by county. This should help you get a feel for where the deer are. Choose a general area and take a weekend drive there and camp or motel it and do some exploring. Stop at local gun shops and ask about hunting. Buy something.

There are lots of books on deer hunting. Go to the library and check a few out. For the total novice, the best way to get introduced is going with a friend scouting and spending time out in the woods. If you don't know anyone, then look for public land and start exploring. Hunting small game (squirrels etc.) is a good way of getting out in the woods and begining to learn about wildlife.

Once you have found an area to hunt, then get topographic maps and begin learning specifics about that area. You don't want to get lost and you should know the general lay of the land. Ultimately, choose a choke point that funnels game toward you such as along a ridge line or in a hollow or valley. These are the places that you will most likely see deer.

Read all you can and spend time out in the country learning and observing. It will probably take you a few years to develop your approach to deer hunting. I find that scouting in the winter time is a good time as you may have snow and you can see where the deer are concentrated.

There is a lot to learn. The broad brush is fairly simple... get a suitable rifle, practice, learn the basic safety rules, learn the state regulations, and have a place to hunt. Go before daylight and stay put watching and observing. Leave the walking around for other people for the time being.

You can write a whole book on the subject and only touch the surface. Once you learn the basics, it will be pretty much up to you to learn the finer points as you get more experience. Most deer are harvested under 75 yards and most are taken by people just standing and waiting patiently for a deer to come by. Enjoy.