Never been hunting, need help!

American_Fusilier

American_Fusilier

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So I didn't grow up with anybody to take me hunting. But I've decided that it would be a useful skill to know and would be a good thing to have in my belt for potential difficult times ahead. Plus it'd be nice to have the extra meat.

I've never been hunting before, but I decided that I'm going to start small, and go after some squirrels or rabbits. Work my way up to deer next season (if I can find a place to go)

I need to find a place to go yet, but I've got some friends who know places to hunt small game.

I'll have my trusty 10/22 rifle, my Morakniv Companion knife, and some binoculars.

I've been watching YouTube videos on how to field dress and gut squirrels and rabbits, as well as how to prepare them.

My questions are: what tips/tricks can you guys share with me for a beginner hunter? Any gear suggestions? Any hunting/stalking tips? Anything at all that I should know?

I really wish I had family members or family friends to teach me this stuff, but I'm 37 years old now, and if I don't make it happen, it never will on its own. Anything you guys could add would be valuable insight!
 
Honestly, I would advise you not to put off getting into deer hunting. Squirrels are great, and hunting them is its own fun activity, but they aren’t really good training for deer. They’ll get you in the woods without having to buy a new gun right away, so that might be your angle.
Tips for squirrels: rubbing two quarters (the ridges) together sometimes draws them out if the woods are quiet. Take a comfortable but light chair/stool to sit on and not make much noise.
Tips for hunting in general: know the local laws and stay legal. Be cordial if you encounter others on public land. Be safe.
Tips for starting out on deer when you get there: you don’t have to have all the gadgets. A climbing stand makes the whole forest your tree stand location. Still makes you quiet, and the direction of the wind matters more than pretty much anything other than safety and legality.
Qualifying statement: I had to learn to hunt on my own as well, and it wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding. Hang in there and don’t expect instant expertise. Every time you learn something new you had a successful hunting trip.
 
Most states offer a hunter safety course. If you have that in your state plan to attend one and you can ask about hunting opportunity's there! States love hunters because hunters fund all types of activities related to maintaining wildlife preserves, game management programs and proper enforcements.
 
Squirrels are curious critters. They can see color well enough, and people make a big deal of wearing camo, but I go the opposite route. I take small brightly colored stuff with me and toss it out about 20 ft or so from where I find a spot to sit. The squirrels come to investigate the intruder that’s not big enough to be scary. Curiosity kills more than the cat.

As for deer, there are plenty of people who can tell you all there is to know about it which leaves you still knowing nothing about it. Deer CAN be predictable but they change with their environment, so the only way to find them is to spend time learning the ground. Only thing predictable about a deer is that you will see more while your driving than while hunting, and as soon as the phone rings or you stop to pee and are in no way able to get a well aimed shot off, they give you perfect opportunity.
 
Milt1 said:
Most states offer a hunter safety course. If you have that in your state plan to attend one and you can ask about hunting opportunity's there! States love hunters because hunters fund all types of activities related to maintaining wildlife preserves, game management programs and proper enforcements.
Click to expand...

I should have mentioned that I did take a hunter safety course. If you want to hunt deer, legally you have to take the class. I didn't learn much in the class however. It was mostly geared towards kids and gun handling.
 
I had to teach myself too, although I had friends my age who liked to hunt, and gradually we figured it out.

There is no substitute for experience, and this includes general time outdoors. Spend a lot of time outdoors in isolated rural areas. Spend a lot of time just watching and listening. Learn how not to make noise. Practice patience. Talk to old-timers, and listen to landowners. If a property owner tells you that a certain spot is a good place to put your deer stand, he's probably right.

The hardest part about getting started in hunting, nowadays, (at least if you live in the eastern U.S.) is just finding a place to do it. There are more and more people chasing fewer and fewer available spots. Having landowners as friends, if you don't own your own huntable property, is a big, big part of this. I suspect you'll find this a greater challenge than acquiring hunting and animal-cleaning skills. But don't let that deter you....you have to start somewhere.
 
Last edited:
American_Fusilier said:
So I didn't grow up with anybody to take me hunting. But I've decided that it would be a useful skill to know and would be a good thing to have in my belt for potential difficult times ahead. Plus it'd be nice to have the extra meat.

I've never been hunting before, but I decided that I'm going to start small, and go after some squirrels or rabbits. Work my way up to deer next season (if I can find a place to go)

I need to find a place to go yet, but I've got some friends who know places to hunt small game.

I'll have my trusty 10/22 rifle, my Morakniv Companion knife, and some binoculars.

I've been watching YouTube videos on how to field dress and gut squirrels and rabbits, as well as how to prepare them.

My questions are: what tips/tricks can you guys share with me for a beginner hunter? Any gear suggestions? Any hunting/stalking tips? Anything at all that I should know?

I really wish I had family members or family friends to teach me this stuff, but I'm 37 years old now, and if I don't make it happen, it never will on its own. Anything you guys could add would be valuable insight!
Click to expand...
I was pretty much in your shoes. I agree with idea that, for the most part, you'll just have to learn by doing. I will say that my single biggest lesson was to do far more looking than moving. I spent a lot of time wandering around and unknowingly scaring game. When I finally figured out that the trick was to take a step, look at everything I could see, take another step and look at everything I could see, etc., my success rate went way up. I quite literally take one to four steps per minute, when I'm really at it.

The other thing you might check out are the high-fenced and stocked "hunts". These are rightfully scorned - it certainly is not sporting or even really "hunting" - but it will get you into the field with a fellow who, if nothing else, has plenty of experience tracking and butchering game animals.
 
American_Fusilier said:
I should have mentioned that I did take a hunter safety course. If you want to hunt deer, legally you have to take the class.
Click to expand...
That's good that you've already had the class. Here in Idaho, without a hunter safety course behind you, you can't get a hunting license period (for hunting deer or anything else) if you were born after 01/01/75.
I myself have never completed the Idaho Hunter Safety Course (because I was born in 1948 and not required to), though I've sat through the course with each of our daughters and a friend, and Dad actually taught it for a few years.
American_Fusilier said:
It was mostly geared towards kids and gun handling.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it is - at least Idaho's Hunter Safety Course is "mostly geared towards kids and gun handling." It doesn't matter - most new hunters in Idaho still have to complete it. ;)
 
courtgreene said:
Honestly, I would advise you not to put off getting into deer hunting. Squirrels are great, and hunting them is its own fun activity, but they aren’t really good training for deer. They’ll get you in the woods without having to buy a new gun right away, so that might be your angle.
Tips for squirrels: rubbing two quarters (the ridges) together sometimes draws them out if the woods are quiet. Take a comfortable but light chair/stool to sit on and not make much noise.
Tips for hunting in general: know the local laws and stay legal. Be cordial if you encounter others on public land. Be safe.
Tips for starting out on deer when you get there: you don’t have to have all the gadgets. A climbing stand makes the whole forest your tree stand location. Still makes you quiet, and the direction of the wind matters more than pretty much anything other than safety and legality.
Qualifying statement: I had to learn to hunt on my own as well, and it wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding. Hang in there and don’t expect instant expertise. Every time you learn something new you had a successful hunting trip.
Click to expand...

As d2wing and usaral63 do, I disagree with you about squirrel hunting not being good training for deer hunting. You learn to get into and out of your hunting area quietly, as well as patience to wait for things to "get back to normal", till the squirrels start to come out again. I liked to find some natural cover (inside the root cage of overturned trees was always a favorite of mine) and plan each shot. Great training for deer, and you're going to get shots. It's also great practice for learning to concentrate on the target area on the animal, though they are different for squirrels and deer. ( I aim for the squirrel's eye, and the deer's aorta.)
 
lots of good advice heere .

Going to add make sure to bring extra clothes and layer , depending on the time of year you are hunting .

You will learn a lot of pateince and how to be quiet for sure .

It will pay off in the end .

If you can find a friend or reltive that hunts all the better to learn some spots .

Good luck on your new adventure !
 
I'm in Wisconsin. So our deer season opens next weekend. There's no way I'll get to try hunting deer this season, I don't have a place to go or somebody to go with.

My deer gun also needs to be sighted in, because I just had to change the scope.

Our small game season ends at the end of February.
 
I've got a few more questions:

What do you guys carry with you on a hunt? Be it small game hunting or deer hunting?

I want to put a kit together in a small backpack or shoulder bag.

To contain a couple of extra 10/22 or Savage mk II magazines (depending on which gun I take) and 22 ammo, one of my Morakniv knives, some latex gloves or similar, a bag to keep squirrels in and maybe a small simple first aid kit.

I want to keep room in the bag/pack for small game that I've harvested already.

Is it ok to spend an afternoon hunting as then field dress all the critters at once, or do you guys field dress them immediately after a kill?
 
Squirrel Hunting=Small critter but big game!
Harold Knight & David Hale comments on deer hunting video in I believe 90's aprox? "Show me a good consistent Squirrel hunter throughout a season. And I'll show you someone who is capable of hunting anything on this planet!"
Squirrel hunting teaches you more, about everything required to be A Good Hunter! Plus it's IMO the funnest hunting there is!
I'd start with a shotgun, then graduate to a 22lr if interested? There's no tougher game shooting than again, consistently taking the vast majority of your shots!
And this is all especially true if you hunt in a state that has a long season, such as Aug-Feb which is our season in KY. Missouri few more are even better, longer! I didn't really start getting serious about deer hunting until after a lifetime of Squirrel hunting! Sometimes I still think "I'm quitting this deer hunting and going back to squirrels?"
But deer hunting has gotten my interest! But I know the truth, and honestly, squirrels are the best hunting there is. Good eating too! Clean em when you get home, even if you hunted all day.
 
For deer, a “buttout” is a great tool. For squirrels, a couple gallon ziplock bags, one for the furry ones and one for after skinning. I usually carry a lighter and first aid kit also just in case I get hurt or lost.
 
Squirrel hunting and rabbit is best early mornings and about a hour before sunset . When I squirrel hunt I find some oak trees and just still hunt like I would do for deer hunting . Rabbits , I would find a field and sit late evening , or walk hoping to see one or jump one up . I use dogs . You could also try kicking some brush piles as you walk . You will do better with a shotgun and #6 shot . I like to take a jugs of water to wash fur off and clean my hands during skinning and after . I take plastic bags to put the meat in . I like using some game shears for cutting the legs and head off and splitting the butt . A rabbit is a lot easier for me to skin than a squirrel . I take latex gloves for skinning rabbits . You can get rabbit fever skinning them . I would also get a vest or coat with a game pouch to carry the game . I would get a gps to mark my trucks location in case I get lost . IMG_1034.jpeg
 
American_Fusilier said:
I'm in Wisconsin. So our deer season opens next weekend. There's no way I'll get to try hunting deer this season, I don't have a place to go or somebody to go with.
Click to expand...
If you are in Wisconsin, they have " mentored " hunts for first time hunters. This is for both deer and wild turkey. Both are geared towards folks like you and may have different season dates than the general public. Contact your local NWTF Chapter about a Turkey hunt. Contact the local DNR office or local Sportsman's club about a the possibilty of a mentored deer hunt in your area. Wisconsin also has "Learn to hunt" programs that, unlike the Hunter Safety programs are actually about hunting instead of gun safety. Hunter Safety classes are geared toward a sixth grade level of education, kinda why they seem to be for kids. The DNR "Wild" website has lots of info, not only about learning to hunt but about public lands in the state open for hunting.
 
American_Fusilier said:
I've got a few more questions:

What do you guys carry with you on a hunt? Be it small game hunting or deer hunting?

I want to put a kit together in a small backpack or shoulder bag.

To contain a couple of extra 10/22 or Savage mk II magazines (depending on which gun I take) and 22 ammo, one of my Morakniv knives, some latex gloves or similar, a bag to keep squirrels in and maybe a small simple first aid kit.

I want to keep room in the bag/pack for small game that I've harvested already.

Is it ok to spend an afternoon hunting as then field dress all the critters at once, or do you guys field dress them immediately after a kill?
Click to expand...
If you are just starting out in squirrel or rabbit hunting, you'll probably want to use a shotgun, instead of a rifle. And you probably won't need lots of rounds of ammo.

I did a fair amount of both when I was young. The only thing I brought with me, besides a shotgun and rounds, was a vest with a pouch in back to hold the game. I cleaned my game with a 3-bladed stockman knife.

Spend less time worried about gear, and more time afield. Live outdoors as much as you can manage.
 
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times for both squirrels and deer. If possible find food for both. They both like corn. Squirrels will stay on the perimeter of a corn field and deer will hide in the middle if it isn't cut. Squirrels do bury nuts in the fall. Acorns (oak), Beech nuts, and Walnuts are the most common in Wisconsin. Squirrels rarely sit still. I don't think binoculars will help much. Rather scope your squirrel rifle. Most of my shots have been under 30 yards. I also hunt squirrels with a 50 cal. muzzle loader. I use a third of a load of powder. About 30 grains and shoot 20 to 25 yards with that too using a round ball, open sites and Kentucky windage. A round ball with that little powder charge will go straight through and never expand, knocking dead off a limb. It's interesting that squirrels hear a .22 and if you miss, they are in the next county in a few seconds. They hear a muzzle loader and must think its thunder. They'll stop for a couple of seconds and then go back to burying their nuts like nothing happened.
 
True, relative to morning/evening, but that said I have killed several big bucks at mid day. Especially when the football games were running and everyone in my camp went back to see 'em. Big deer are not dumb and will react to a lack of activity and change their patterns.
 
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