A Hunting Guide For Beginners: How To Improve Your Hunting Skills
Hunting is a tried and tested hobby that many continue to support throughout the years. It’s a challenging, rewarding, and exhilarating experience that you might want to try out soon. However, hunting is not for the faint of heart. You’ll need a lot of skill and determination to become a successful hunter.
It’s very easy to start hunting nowadays. Hunting is a hobby that requires both patience and a good eye for spotting targets. If this is something that has interested you over the last couple of years, then you might finally want to give it a shot. How does one start hunting anyway?
Before you venture out into the open, it’s very important that you read on and check out these tips first. These will help you get a headstart on your hunting journey. These can also ensure that your first hunt is going to be safe and rewarding at the same time.
Don’t Hunt Alone
It’s not advisable to hunt alone if you are a beginner. As much as possible, you should venture out with your friends. It’s not about strength in numbers. It’s more about ensuring that you’ll be able to get home safely as this is the most important part of hunting to be honest.
What you can do is join a hunting club. Hunting clubs are groups where you can learn from and be guided by those who have years worth of experience when it comes to hunting. If they’re able to join you on your hunts, that would give you a huge advantage from the get-go.
Get A Feel Of Your Gun
Your gun is going to be your primary hunting tool. While others prefer using a bow or a crossbow, guns are better for beginners because they are more accurate and they are a lot easier to use as well. That being said, improving your skills with a gun can effectively make you a better hunter too.
Take time to master your gun of choice. Get a feel for it. Learning how to properly hold your gun can make a huge difference when it comes to accuracy. Of course, it also makes you a safer hunter around others as well.
You’re most likely going to be using a hunting rifle for the trip. The first thing you’d need to practice is your breathing technique. Hunting experts will tell you that your breathing can put off your aim by a huge margin. Ideally, you’ll have to hold your breath as you take your shot so that your gun stays as steady as possible.
The best way to begin practicing your gun skills is by going to the shooting range. Starting with stable targets and then slowly increasing the distance between you and your goal can help in terms of improving aim. As you progress, go for smaller moving targets so that you improve better.
Practice Being As Quiet As Possible
The animals that you’ll be hunting are smarter and more alert than you think. Ask any hunter and they’ll tell you that the best way to secure a prey is to stay as quiet as possible. Deer, hare, and other prey will flee at any sound you make while you are out hunting.
The most common mistake you’ll be making as a newbie hunter is not watching your step. Dried leaves and branches can make enough noise that scares off your target. Be as light on your feet as possible and focus more on stepping on solid dirt. Eliminate all possible sources of sound that can come from you and yes – that means traveling light as well.
Be Well-Equipped
Your hunting weapon is just one part of your arsenal as a hunter. You should also bring other gadgets such as binoculars, rangefinders, as well as extra ammo. Hunting grounds are usually large and densely forested areas and these tools will help you find your prey easier.
Of course, make sure to bring enough water and food for the trip as well. While hunting isn’t exactly a high-intensity hobby, it can still consume a lot of energy especially if you’re hunting during warm weather. Having enough energy to keep your gun still can make a lot of difference.
Study Your Prey Well
The most common animals you’ll be hunting include deer, hare, wild turkey, boar, and even certain species of birds. A smart hunter will first study each of the possible prey he’ll encounter in the area and that’s what you need to do as well. It will increase your chances of becoming a better hunter.
Learn about the diet and the common traits of the animal. This way, you’ll be able to create a better idea of how you can take down the prey as efficiently as possible. In some cases, studying the prey will also help you create effective traps to lure them out.
Part of this process also includes knowing when the hunting seasons are.You can’t expect a good haul if the season isn’t right. Remember, some animals are more active during certain parts of the year. The better your timing, the better you’ll be at hunting.
Stay Patient
Hunting isn’t a hobby where you’ll be running around or covering a ton of distance in a short amount of time. In fact, hunting is the opposite of that. It’s about staying patient and understanding when it is the right time to take out your prey.
As a hunter, the last thing you’d want to do is to rush and scare off your prey. This will reduce your chances of making an easy kill. Just stay calm, keep a safe distance, and relax your trigger finger. Only take a shot when you’re guaranteed a kill.
Hunting can be very difficult without proper guidance. Make use of all the resources you have so that you’ll become a better hunter. Eventually, you’ll be able to hunt on your own without any worries. Always take hunting step by step as it will prevent any bad things from happening in the future. Here’s to big hunts in the future!
