Things to Remember While Hunting
Hunting is a fun outdoor activity, especially if you’re good at it. Two great qualities of experienced hunters are their ability to use firearms and remain patient while on the hunt.
Inexperienced hunters, on the other hand, need a ton of practice and skill. Why? Because hunting requires a firearm, and you cannot go into the woods without following safe firearm practices, this means you need adequate training before handling a firearm. There are three common mistakes hunters make, these include;
- Mistaking a human for a game. It seems almost impossible to slip a human for a four-legged target, but it happens. While hunting, take note of the shape of your target and beyond, to avoid a hunting accident. A moment of over-excitement can cost you.
- Get trained; this is critical for big-game hunting. Being inexperienced is not only harmful to you, but it could also be dangerous to others around you.
- Mechanical failures can happen with your firearm and once again this all ties back to practice and safety rules. As a hunter, you must know how to deal with a jammed gun, slam fire or a rim lock. If these terms are unfamiliar to you, stay at home.
Primary Firearm Safety While Hunting
- Muzzle Direction: You must always point your firearm towards your intended target. Misdirection is a sure-fire way to hit an innocent bystander or the wrong game. Practicing safe gun control should be second nature to you as a hunter.
- Unloaded weapon: You should always consider the firearm in your possession as being loaded even when they are not.
- Trigger: The trigger should not be a resting place for your fingers. Get your fingers off the trigger guard when carrying your firearm. This is usually a mistake most inexperienced hunters make, make sure to master this before going on the field.
6 Important Considerations
In most states, hunters are required to take a basic hunting course and gun safety classes before applying for a hunting license. Even if you’ve gone hunting before, enrolling in a safety class can increase your knowledge and better equip you for the hunt. That being said, before you go into the field, here are a couple of things to consider;
1. Firearm Safety
According to National Shooting Sports Foundation, you’re far less likely to die from a firearm, than you are from choking on food or driving and only 0.3% of unintentional fatalities come from a firearm.
However, firearms must be dealt with the utmost care. If you find a gun scary, follow the rules of firearm safety and always be sure of your target and the surroundings.
Also, while hunting, wear a bright and colorful jacket or vest (usually available in blaze orange and pink), to ensure that other hunters see you.
If you’re new to hunting, go to a shooting range and practice appropriately before heading out to the woods.
2. The wind
The wind can be your greatest rival while hunting much to the delight of your game. Expert hunters have learned to pay attention to the speed and direction of the wind while hunting because it can pick up your scent and direct it to your game.
3. Scent control
Much like drenching your outfit with a bottle of cologne before a date, overindulging with scent control can do the opposite of what it is meant for.
With a few drops of scent control during your hunt, you can lure your game as close to you as possible for a good shot. An excess of scent control can send off warning signs to your game within half a mile. The general rule of thumb is to use it sparingly.
4. Gear Up
A rifle is just one of the requirements for hunting; there are other things hunters must bring along in their hunting backpacks as well.
For deer hunters, a hunting tree stand can come in handy for an aerial view of the whole landscape. However, be careful not to fall asleep in your tree stand, stay alert and attentive to your game.
Owning a tree stand is not the end of the story, you must also learn how to use it. Tree stands reduce the ground scent that makes it easy to detect by animals.
Other gears to consider include a hunting GPS, hunting crossbows, hunting binoculars, slingshots for survival and others. All these things must be included in your backpack before heading out.
5. Patience
Deciding to move base after an hour of waiting lessens your chances of ever killing any game. By moving around, you risk spreading your scent, thereby alerting animals that pick up on scent and sound pretty quickly.
6. Stay Quiet
Hunting requires a lot of stealth movement. Going into the wild with a mobile device is a surefire way of driving the target away. This also applies to your clothes and behavior in the wild.
For clothing, stay away from paper-rustling waterproof clothes. Plush fleece material is often more silent and should be your choice of hunting clothes. It allows you to stretch and move slowly without making any noise.
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