Intro to where and how to hunt

This is yet another, Back to Basics, thread

For this thread I'm going to ask for the help of the older more experienced members here to lend a hand...
It would be impossible for me to cover all aspects of hunting all types of game over all types of terrain. Therefore I'm asking the other members to lend a hand, share your tips and tricks with those younger less experienced.

To all readers new to this subject your first real lesion should be to sign up for an approved hunter safety class!
in some states it is mandatory....
Click here to find a Safety class in the USA

before we begin I urge you to follow the Ten Commandments of firearm safety

1. Watch that muzzle!
Keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times.

2. Treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded gun.
It might be, even if you think it isn’t.

3. Be sure of the target and what is in front of it and beyond it.
Know the identifying features of the game you hunt. Make sure you have an adequate backstop—don’t shoot at a flat, hard surface or water.

4. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
This is the best way to prevent an accidental discharge.

5. Check your barrel and ammunition.

Make sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions, and carry only the proper ammunition for your firearm.

6. Unload firearms when not in use.

Leave actions open, and carry firearms in cases and unloaded to and from the shooting area.

7. Point a firearm only at something you intend to shoot.

Avoid all horseplay with a gun.

8. Don't run, jump, or climb with a loaded firearm.

Unload a firearm before you climb a fence or tree, or jump a ditch. Pull a firearm toward you by the butt, not the muzzle.

9. Store firearms and ammunition separately and safely.

Store each in secured locations beyond the reach of children and careless adults.

10. Avoid alcoholic beverages before and during shooting.

Also avoid mind- or behavior-altering medicines or drugs.

so my part I'm going to limit myself to where I am right now SE Kansas, bottom land as we call it. Here in bottomland my favorite place to hunt is a twisty old creek bed.

Before you do anything a quick word on scent control. No perfumed soaps, especially "Irish Spring" nowadays they make a number of scent masking products. remember most pray species can smell you coming a mile away and if they do, you'll never see them!

Dress approatelly, nothing to tight and restrictive, you'll want to move freely silently and quickly. Cammo is nice but really you need to do no more than pick colors that match your hunting environment. Dark Green or black clothes for woodlands tans and light browns for open prairie lands.

Now as for hunting... rabbits and deer like to inhabit the same kinds of places but for this thread I will only cover small game but keep in mind this same techniques will work on a big muley or whitetail.

Dawn and dusk are your best times to hunt. Animals tend to be most active at these time. On open ground you want to hunt into the wind, that way your pray doesn't smell you coming.
Hunting a creek bed I like to hunt upstream.

Dont set your sight (Vision) on any one thing. you can get tunnel vision and lose sight of what's happening to your sides.
most likely a rabbit of ground bird will only flush as your passing so make a habit of peeking back over your shoulder.

For small game I like to hunt with my .22 for small birds I'll pick up my old 410... you bow hunter have your own likes so I'm not going to touch on that...

So lets say you flush a rabbit... off runs that bouncing white cottontail... don't look at the tail... bunnies like to twist and zig when you thought they might zag... I like to watch the ears, they telegraph their movements by swivelling those long radar like ears in the direction they plan to go. and dont be so quick to make a desperate shot. often when realized their not being chased they will run out a little ways the stop to look back...also those rabbits will circle back to where you flushed it from, but you might have a very long wait. even if you miss that one mark the spot mentally and come back another time and keep in mind where you find one rabbit you'll find more!
if you come to an open meadow and there happens to be an old rotting log laying there... feel free to jump on it, bang on it, generally make a lot of noise....but be ready to shot... never know what's gonna come running out!

Working your way up a creek you want to move without splashing around, slowly and silently is the rule. look behind every fallen log and little side pool. chances are your find a dozing duck and duck is good eating.

I'm not the best when it comes to duck hunting, Knowing how far to lead your duck is an art form and one that still puzzles me to this day.... but I do have this general advice to offer... for me at least... when I shoot at a rising bird... if its going away from me I aim for the far wing tip... if it's coming at me I aim for the leading( closest) wing tip. for me, that gives a pretty good chance at downing my supper... but I'm sure I'll have a number of more experienced duck hunting afectados tell me I'm full of it...

As you move upstream remember to watch the trees, Squirrels make good eating too and they always pause in their flight up a tree to see what your gonna do next. very early in the morning you might just find a roosting turkey? On one creek hunt up in Colorado I found me a young black bear napping in a tree... I let him there too...

Look for places near the water where other animals come down for a drink. Check the mud for tracks look for game trails leading away, normally those will lead you to prime feeding and bedding spots.

well for sake of brevity I should stop here and give someone else a chance... to add their own two cents to this thread.... and whether you hunt with a rifle bow or just your camera... please stay safe out in the woods

Keep in mind that firearms are not the only method of hunting. If you're catching food for survival, use traps as well. A nice recurve bow is great as well, as it makes less sound (or a compound if you're so inclined). Also remember to take only what you need. If you're hungry, and you're on your own, or have just one or two companions, and you see a herd of deer, you'll be better off taking a smaller one, such as a fawn. Otherwise you'll end up with a huge carcass that will be difficult to butcher and surplus meat that will weigh you down considerably.

A simple wire snare can be used for rabbits. Use a high tensile wire contrived into a slipknot that is pegged into the ground. Try not to get your scent all over the place. To find a good spot to position the snare, look for the tracks rabbits make around their burrows - if in bushes there will be a kind of tunnel through the undergrowth. If in open grassland, look for tufts of grass that rabbits like to hide their burrows under. Before setting the snare, make a kind of funnel outside the burrow from the plant matter, tapering it down towards the wire loop so the rabbit will have no alternative course but to jump straight through the loop, and be strangled as it tries to keep moving forwards.

That's just one brief example of a basic trapping method. Do not waste your time hunting for trophies. If you ever kill an animal for reasons other than its meat, let that reason be for its fur to keep you warm during the colder months of winter.

There is more to hunting than shooting a deer, etc, from a distance with a powerful rifle simply to pose for a picture and have your superficial and undeserved glory. When I was living out in the wild, I would hunt kangaroos for food. I didn't have a gun at this stage, only my 50lb recurve hunting bow. To conserve arrows, I would sometimes climb the trees above a mob of resting kangaroos, single out a likely target, and then suddenly drop down on top of it. The impact would usually break its spine, but I had my knife out just in case.

If you're truly interesting in learning practical hunting skills for survival, don't limit yourself to guns only. Be innovative and clever. Also, once you've made a kill, make sure you know what to do with the carcass. Take both its meat and its fur, if possible. Be prepared for other predators to come slinking along, lured by the scent of blood.

I learned my hunting techniques the hard way - by being homeless and out alone in the wild for a year. I adopted a style similar to a lion or a tiger or something - patience, quickness, stealth, and the mastery of the primal nature of savagery that survives still in all humans and allows us to be true hunters.

I cannot reiterate this enough: survival is the key! Therefore you must think of new ways to hunt, and turn all situations to your advantage as best you can!

Could you give me a little more practicle advice for snare making? Thanks to both of you for the advice.

I mostly hunt large game (Elk) but have been know to make squirrels nervous every year or two.

Basically you can either be on the move and stalk your prey or find a good spot and hunker down and wait for them to come to you.

I usually advise new hunters to still hunt because very few people can move through the woods quiet enough.

Deer & Elk are not a whole lot different than people are.

HYPOTHETICAL ONLY TO MAKE A POINT !!

Assume you were hunting people. Where would you have the most luck? You would go where they are known to show up frequently. Maybe find a Starbucks and sit close by and wait?

Elk are not much different. They have to eat and drink to survive. Find a water hole that get used often (and you know it gets used because you scouted it out for a few weeks before season opened---right?)

OP was correct about the scent. Nothing will spook an animal faster than a whiff of your stinky human scent.
Also something most people don't know... when washing your clothes most all cloths detergents contain UV brighteners so the colors stay more bright and vibrant. The only problem is that the UV brighteners make you glow to the deer. More on that subject here.

1. wash your cloths in special soap made for hunters or use baking soda.

2. Cover that scent using products made for that purpose.

3. Find a good water source or a food source and hunker down and wait near a trail they use.
( I like to get there 3 hours or so before they usually show up)

4. BE QUIET !!

5. BE STILL - NO MOVEMENT.
(I had a deer walk straight up to within 5 feet of me in Wyoming because I remained like a statue & had no scent)

6. Because I did those things I still have about 300 pounds of Elk in the freezer.

And don't let people tell you that you need a "458 super magnum" for deer & elk. Shoot whats comfortable and what you can shoot well and you will make out fine.

I had MANY people try to loan me a 7mm. Mag. last year for my elk hunt because my gun "wasn't big enough"

My Marlin 336 30-30 dropped a HUGE elk with one shot. Shot placement is key !!

Now when there is a lot of pressure on the animals ( a lot of people stomping around the woods) and they feel threatened they will go much deeper into the thickest, nastiest spot of woods they can find. Sometimes they go nocturnal and move around at night and bed down during the day so be prepared for that also. About the only thing you can do then is move around (QUIETLY) and try to find where they have bed down.

Be quiet, don't stink, pick a good spot to wait.

I like this topic, but it wasn't what I was expecting.

My father and immediate family were never really hunters. I have done plenty of shooting and rabbit hunting though.

What I was hoping to find here, and perhaps someone can provide me with, is info on where to hunt and the process to go hunting.

I image there were many men who lived in cities or burbs and wanted to do the manly sciences of hunting and fishing, but didn't know the people to ask or had anyone they could join up with. I live in the rural south and feel at a deficit for not doing these things more.

So lets start from square one. Lets say I never had a gun. I determine first what I want to hunt then go and pick out the appropriate weapon. Check.

Now I get a little practice or if possible a class on shooting. I hope that the dealer knows of a place to do such things. I may need a safety course as mentioned previously, and this may all be part of it.

Now I need a license. Lots of questions here: Where to buy? Costs? Are they good for the season or longer?

With all those ducks in a row, I am ready to hunt. Question is, where can Joe Public go to hunt? Are their public hunting parks? Are there private or commercial hunting lands?

The hunt is over and I bagged one. Joe Public who is from the burbs now needs to know what he can do with it. Where to get it rendered into meat, and mount his first kill?

I could ask almost all the same questions in relation to fishing, but that's another thread. Thanks in advance for any who respond.

I would suggest a hunter safety course offered at many schools first.

Then maybe you can find someone in your area who would take you out and get you started.

I would gladly take anyone out in my area and be glad to help them.

Look for a hunting forum and try to connect with someone in your area.

Maybe get a .22 rifle or a shotgun and start with small game like rabbits & squirrels.

A license can be bought at Wal-mart.

You can hunt on someones property if they give you permission to hunt on their land if you know anyone.

You can also hunt in National forests or state land. If you want to PM me on a more specific area where you live maybe I can help more. (if you don't want to post it in an open forum)

Wear camo suitable for your environment - www.abovetopsecret.com...

Bathe yourself in wood smoke to cover up your scent or crush native vegetation and rub that on your clothes and boots.

Binoculars or a monocular are very handy for finding game.

Animals need food, water and shelter. Unless you know how to track big game making a blind and waiting near a good water hole might be your best bet.

In general look for areas like hedgerows, field edges etc. where there is a transition say from field to woods.

If fall and winter look for places with lots of acorns on the ground, Nearly every wild animal except carnivores will eat them to fatten up for winter. If you get no game you can always eat the acorns yourself. Whatever food is in season will bring animals, cornfields and orchards are good .

Stay downwind of intended hunting areas and game when possible.

Take the chest shot every time. The heart and lungs offer you the largest target of the vital areas. The amount of meat wasted shooting an animal through the chest is negligible since there's nothing but ribs and shoulder.

A shotgun is your most versatile hunting weapon.

Nice thread, OP. The only thing that comes to mind right at this moment is to have patience. I only say this because last fall, my sixteen year old had shot at (and hit) the buck of a lifetime; a wall mounter, and unfortunately he got so excited he immediately climbed down out of his deerstand to see what he hit, but the buck he shot got spooked and instead of laying down, he ran. My son and hubby couldn't track him as night fell but in the morning they could and followed his blood trail to the neighbor's property...and a gut pile. So, lesson learned and I was so disappointed and just a little bit mad cuz this should have been my kid's trophy buck! Just my little tidbit of advice: patience.

reply to post by Wolf321


Hi Wolf,
My best advice to you would be to go out with friends/family that enjoy hunting and fishing. Most people who do so are very much willing to share and teach, not to mention it's a fun time.

reply to post by Wolf321


I just knew someone was going to put me on the spot and ask me to make specific recommendations... okay
for your rifle go look at this thread
www.abovetopsecret.com...

As to where and when to hunt that answer can be found at your states "Game and Fish" web site
here's a link to my states Sportmens center it lists what you can hunt and has links to maps for where you can hunt...

Of course as a private land owner ... you can hunt your own land whenever you want... that's call taking a nuance animal.... what ya call a loophole in normal hunting regs...

When it comes to training there is only one place to look
The NRA

I'll chime in a bit later to answer some of Wolf321's questions.
I was in the same boat at one time.

Here's something I learned the hard way....

Once you've become familiar with your hunting weapon, say by shooting at the range,
practice shooting in the environments you intent to hunt.

I can not explain how different it is shooting from solid ground versus a tree stand.

Assuming you're right handed, practice shooting at a target behind you and to the right.

Guess-timating distance from 40 ft up a tree is truly difficult.
Range markers are helpful, even if that marker is simply knowing that it's roughly 150 yds to that knarly oak.

Always, always strap yourself in (safety harness) to stands.

Wow, some very good answers and info so far, I'm impressed. I'll add what I can, since hunting is my passion!
I started hunting as soon as I was legally able,which was 15 in the area I grew up. I dind't know any older people who hunted,so it was a long learning curve for me. As someone else stated,patience is the hunters greatest asset,and also often the biggest challenge. I know it was for me,and even now some 17 years later it's still a challenge. Patience means not just sitting in the woods waiting, but waiting quietly and motionless. It took me while to learn what motionless means- I figured I was sitting still,what more could you do? Later on I began to realize that even if my body was mostly still, my head was on a swivel and my hands would reach up unconciously to scratchan itch or whatever. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but once you spend lots of time in the woods, you begin to realize how easily even tiny movements are spotted. Sometimes you spot a deer(or rabbit etc) by the simple flicking of an ear. It's said that a deer has the vision of (approx) a human using 8x bino's. If I can pick up a flicking brown ear with my humanvision, imagine what a deer or elk see's when you raise a hand to you face or turn your head quickly. Early on, I got busted time and again because I made a small but sudden movement. Usually the deer that busted was never even seen by me until it was blowing and running away. I can't count the times I cursed my carelessness in those early years.Actually, I still do it too often!
Depending on the terrain and landscape, stillhunting may or may not be effective. If the underbrush is heavy or there is a heavy leaflitter on the forest floor, it is very challenging. I pick windy days to do this,and by moving only a step or two with a heavy gust of wind, you can make it work. I killed a deer at 20 yards with my bow 2 years ago using this method.
A friend of mon who is far better at this than me uses and interesting technique. Realizing that moving through thick dry leaf litter cannot be achieved quielty,he tryed something different. The area we hunted had lots of squirrels,and they make a distinctive sound as they forage for food,quite different than a walking big game animal. He would mimick this sound by shuffling his feet thorugh the leaves in quick,short movements. He would shuffle,pause,shuffleshuffle,pause, and so on. He was quite successful using this technique, but it takes lots of patience and concentration. Another thing I learned from him was getting to my treestand in similar conditions. I used to sneal in as quielty as possible,but in those conditions it still wasn't that quiet and it took a long time. So basically, you end up making a some noise(which a deer/elk/moose can hear for a looooong way) for a prolonged period. He began experimenting with sprinting full bore to his stand. Noisy, but quick. Surprisingly, the deer showed up not long after. Deer are spooky critters,and it's not unusual for them to suddenly streak through the woods,making all kinds of noise. They also settle down quickly once the threat has passed. Therefore, it seems that the sounds of a quick run through the woods is not terribly upsetting to them,while the sound of something slowly sneaking through the woods is more likley to make them wary/ Also, the sounds made by a biped like ourselves is distinctly different than the sound of a qaudraped moving through the same area. It may be that when running, it sounds pretty much the same, just a bunch of noise, so it doesn't sound so "human". Thats my theory anyway. It's something I'll only use when I have to travel hundred yards or so to my stand or blind,and then get in position and get quiet.
Funnels are another key when hunting, and something I find more effective than watering holes. Of course the area's I hunt have plenty of water sources,and in an arid area watering holes would no doubt be much more effective. For my area and others with ample water, funnels are great. Find any spot where the cover narrows down to a kind of choke point. Often you'll find these at the transition between a woods and field,or two adjoining woodlots. Animals like to keep to cover when they can, so these funnles will direct them to you if your set up there. A good funnel combined with patience properly practiced will often lead to success!
Scouting is crucila if your unfamiliar with hunting or just with the area your hunting. If you can see the prey species of your choice out eating, that's a big step in the right direction. Since I hunt primarily big game, I'm looking for deer,elk or moose out in farmers fields,in clear cuts, seismic cuts and so on. Note the time. Next, I try to figure out where they go when it's time to get back to cover. Often they eat throughout the night so this can be a challenge,as they are often bedded down by the time the sun comes up. One thing I'll do sometimes is let them see me at a distance. Usually they'll run for cover,but if I'm not close they don't spook and scatter too much. I watch where they go,as this tells me where they go to feel safe and hopefully where they are bedding. Once I know these two things, I can set my plan for ambush. I draw a little simple map of the area and then monitor the prevailing winds in the area. Once I know where I want to be, I wait till the wind is in my favor and then make my move. If the wind is going to be blowing from your back in your planned ambush spot,don't go. You can ruin a good spot by hunting it in the wrong wind conditions. Once the deer bust you in a certain spot, they will often be wary of that same spot from then on. I've seen the same happen with treestands. Contrary to popular belief,deer will look up! If you move and they bust you in your treestand,a mature deer will often give it a wide berth thereafter.
I've ahd a great deal of success the last few years with a very simple method. I find my spot as outlined before,then I go in with a 5gal bucket with lid,either wrapped in camo or painted dull green. I put a pad aon the lid to sit on,and I can put all sorts of gear and goodies inside. Once I find a likely spot, I set down my bucket and take out my pruning shears. I clear out a little nook for me to sit,clipping any branches or little tree's that will interfere with either my shot or drawing my bow. I set my bow on a holder to keep it upright,so minimal movement is needed to raise it. I try to anticipate the area and direction the prey will come from. Then I look for a spot which the y game will pass where large trees or heavy brush will block their view of me. If all goes well, I will draw my bow when they hit that spot. Hopefully, they will then pass in front of me shortly thereafter,and I can take my shot!
As far as dressing game and taking care of the meat, there are a few options out there. However,there are several excellent youtube video's that show it far better than I can explain it. Look for the gutless method of dressing game, and it should come up for you. It is the best method I have found for someone who hunts alone or has to transport the meat some distance. No need to try and gut the animal and risk cutting into the intestines or bladder,and you'll end up withe less waste weight to carry too. Anyway, I'll let someone else type for a bit,as I can get a bit carried away!

My first two bits:

As far as technique, my favorite is to hunt "funnels," stands of cover and foodsource. Prey usually travel between bedding sites, feeding sights and water. They prefer to use cover to travel between these areas (may be more than one of each, i.e., 2 kinds of food, a place where they "loaf" in addition to places where they hole up, etc).

I find the choke points where they are forced to show themselves in order to get what they want. For deer, this involves a funnel of cedars that leads down to the creek, and then fans back out on the other side. I know another place where there is a "saddle," a lower ridge between to large hills. The deer cross the saddle because it's less work, but it also keeps them from smelling what's on the other side until they stick their heads up over the ridge....

With rabbit, I look where they like to loaf in the afternoon. They will often use a stack of empty pipes for cover while they scope out a pasture near where I live. Pheasant behave similarly. I like to "push" them with a partner along a weedy fence line, to the end of the fence. They'll usually jump when you get about 30 yards from the end of the fence.


I will give you my own biases about scent and camo. But don't believe me, experiment and test every bit of "wisdom" you hear.

Most camouflage is not designed to be invisible at 100 yards; it is designed to STAND OUT on the rack at the sporting goods store. The cooler a pattern looks, the more it has too much detail, which will all fade to black at 60 yards, and with your man-shape outlined in black, you might as well wear a tuxedo.

when I rifle hunt, I don't even wear camo unless I plan to still-hunt or stalk. I get at least one a season.

Likewise scent. I use scent free soaps when I bow hunt. Instead of buying the expensive "sporting" brands, choose ones from the health food store---they have no dyes or perfumes. And instead of the scent blocking sprays, just wipe everything down with unscented hypo-allergenic baby wipes. Same alcohol.

I don't bother with scent disciple with a rifle, and occasionally not with the bow, either (when I have a specific plan).

I swear, as long as you are breathing out, a deer downwind will smell you. You might smell like a particularly clean human, but you will always smell like a human. Heck, even if he cannot smell your sweat, that buck can still smell the gunpowder in your gun.

The answer is not to get upwind of a buck. I believe odor control can help you not leave a trail for a buck to pick up an hour later; but the best way to hunt is to surprise them. And that only happens when you don't let 'em wind ya.

A deer's mind is focused on its nose, and God made it that way so the buck can smell danger. Do you honestly bleieve that you can make yourself invisible? one mistake, like standing in a puddle of oil at the gas station, when you got directions, or the thump when you shut the door as you exited the pickup.....

Some will want to argue with me, and I invite them to enjoy their carbon-suits and bags full of laundry; but I do just fine by spending my time hunting instead of buying out the sporting goods section of walmart.

Excellent post sir, it's apparent that you've put in your time. I agree on the camo issue,it's designed much like fishing lures-that is,to catch fishermen more than fish!
Since I mostly bowhunt now, I've settled on am ASAT 3-d suit. ASAT doesn't look much like camo to most people,but it works verywell. The 3-D leafy effect helps to break up the outline of your head/shoulders,as well as the straight lines of your body. Still, if you move quickly when the animal is looking in your direction,it's usually game over.
One thing I noticed as a result of wearing the ASAT suit while bowhunting is that it seesm to make me damn near invisible to coyote's. I have never had coyotes as close and as frequently as when I wear the ASAT. A few times I made accidental quick and obvious movements with the coyote's at less than 20 yards. They would freeze and stare right at me for several seconds,then relax and move on. I have never had that happen before. If anything, I find coyotes from the ground with a bow to be more difficult to take than deer. For some reason,even though they are looking right at me,they seem as if they are looking through me and not seeing me.It's the damndest thing.
It works well on deer too, but not to the same degree as the coyote's. I'm wondering if it'll work as well on other predators,as their vision is differently adapted than something like a deer.
Watching other hunters in the field,it'll quickly become obvious how dark ansd useless most camo is. Luckily, as you stated,in most situations it's not even needed if your careful.

reply to post by xxclaro


You know, I'll just say this as a joke, and then we can move on. I am not being serious, just funning you.

What if animals had low-grade esp? What if a coyote stopped to look because it "felt" your thoughts---but then couldn't see anything visually and dismissed it, going back to work.

What if successful hunters are not the ones who mask their scent perfectly, but the ones who instead can veil their minds and thus become invisible to the prey's awareness?

I know, huh? Silliness abounds.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


This goes to the "Be Still" advice...The easiest way to be still on the outside is to be still on the inside...

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


You may not be to far off in your reasoning's...
My wife... a degree'd biologist... did her thesis on inter-species communication...
In essence a bird giving a warning call that a predator is near... is something well understood by all the animals in the area... but how far does that go??? mice send out warning calls...peeps really... deer flash signs... what the big whitetail is for....

As for moving silently... sometime that means it might take hours to move a 100 yard...
but on a windy day... stomp away

reply to post by xxclaro


I DO like ASAT. The twigs and sticks autumn pattern is something I want but don't have.

One of my projects to complete this summer is to try and tie-dye my own camouflage. I'd love to be able to make something similar to the ASAT pattern, but I don't know how I'd make that work.

For archery, I use a sort of Ghillie suit, but it is WAY hot in the Texas of October; I wish I had a simple long-sleeve T-shirt with the right pattern, and some pants to match. Any ideas?