Perhaps you’ve always thought about hunting but have never known how to get started. If hunting really appeals to you, but you’re unsure about how to get into it, there is no need to worry now because we’ve put together this brief beginner’s guide to hunting. We’re listing some of our pro tips on how to know what you’ll be hunting and then gather up the best equipment for your first hunting trip.
What Kind of Hunting is Right for You?
For any beginner in the sport of hunting, firstly you must decide what type of hunting you want to specialise in. You can try your handguards at a few, to see which ones you prefer, but before you do that you must select one kind of hunting because each has its own gear and techniques associated with it.
For example, you can hunt for birds or ducks, small game or large game. You may choose to go rifle hunting or crossbow hunting. Before you begin down the path to becoming a specialist hunter in your chosen area, you should really have a think first about what kind of hunting you’ll want to end up doing in the long run.
You can get tips from people you know who are already into hunting, or get some ideas from magazines, websites, or other literature published in the hunting world. Perhaps the type of hunting you will end up doing the most will be determined by your own accessibility to hunting grounds. For example, if you live near a wetland area, you may wish to specialise in waterfowl hunting. Think about it all anyway, before you continue to delve deeper into the pastime.
Get Your Gear Together
Once you’ve decided on the type of hunting you’ll be doing, it’s time to invest in adequate equipment. Otherwise, you’ll reach a dead end to your new hobby in no time. When you first start out hunting, there are a few more things you need to add to your gear list for the initial run.
The first step is getting the right clothing since hunting is an outdoor sport that requires specialised apparel for the occasion. You will also need to make sure that your clothing is lightweight and waterproof in order to be of use to you whilst out hunting, as it involves spending long amounts of time outdoors. There is a good selection of Seeland clothing for sale at Great British Outfitters, a great place to start adding necessary apparel to your collection.
Next thing is to know your categories, and then start stocking up on the hunting equipment based on this. All of the following fall under rifle hunting:
- Big game (e.g. deer)
- Small game (e.g. rabbits)
- Furbearers (e.g. foxes)
- Game birds (e.g. pheasants)
- Waterfowl (e.g. geese)
Here are some of the additional pieces equipment that you’d need to acquire before going rifle hunting:
- Ammunition
- Game bags – for carrying small game
- Water and Food, and an adequate storage place
- First aid kit stocked with all the correct requirements
- Hunting knife
- Binoculars
- A torch
All of this equipment will have to be carried around with you whilst hunting, so the trick is having clothes that will accommodate as many of these things as possible. If you choose to go crossbow hunting, then you’ll need to carry around additional equipment. It is usually recommended for beginners to start with rifle hunting until they get used to it all, and then try bow hunting later.
As you can see, it’s fairly straightforward to get going with hunting. What are you waiting for?
