Hunting Guide: How to get started

Whether you’re a fresh-faced young entrant or an older person who’s trying something new, hunting can be an exciting and rewarding new pastime.

Here’s how to get started.

BE READY TO COMMIT

Hunting can take up substantial time, so determine whether you’re willing to make that commitment. Learning to shoot can take a while. Beyond this critical training, you’ll also have to become familiar with any sport-specific equipment.

Next, you’ll need to scout the specific hunting grounds and become familiar with game movement and topography. The act of hunting itself can take up an entire day, or several of them. Then there’s time spent traveling to and from the hunt. Other interests may need to take a backseat.

FIND A MENTOR

Seek guidance from more experienced hunters who can serve as mentors. Their knowledge is often hard-earned. Learn from their experiences, good and bad, and you’ll find success much faster. Consider hiring a guide to learn still more.

SELECT A HUNT

It’s best for beginners to narrow their choice of game. Besides helping focus your preparations and activity, you’ll set a specific hunting timeframe since game seasons are tightly regulated. Once you’ve mastered one form of hunting, then move on to the next. This incremental learning curve will ensure you don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of information to learn.

CHOOSE A WEAPON

The choice of weapon used for hunting significantly affects the overall hunting experience. It’s not just handling their different sizes. Some weapons have specific seasons. The type of weapon determines how close you must be to the animals you’re hunting. Those using a bow and arrow, for instance, must be much closer compared to someone using a rifle. All take a long time to master, particularly the bow.

BE PREPARED

Hunting can take place in very challenging environments. The conditions on stands and in hunting blinds may not be ideal, whether because it’s cold, hot, isolated or wet. Be honest with yourself about the conditions you’ll face based on the type of hunting you plan to do, and make sure you are fully prepared for what lies ahead.