No Nonsense Hunting
6/1/2009 9:55:03 AM by (radishfarmer)

No Nonsense Hunting
by Mike Krul
onPoint Tactical Instructor

onPoint Tactical will be offering a course in October entitled "The Hunter" to help prospective hunters get their feet wet for the first time, or for experienced hunters who wish to add some new skills and abilities to their tool box. This is just a brief article and a more in-depth examination of specifics will be covered in the class. This article is written with the intent of educating and motivating the average person who is interested in hunting and who wants to get started as a hunter, but who has procrastinated because they are not sure where to begin.

The hunting community can be a little aloof and distant when it comes to presenting prospective hunters with basic information on how to get started with hunting. Many of my friends want to get started hunting and have been turned off by talking to the wrong person who may have overwhelmed them with too much information or wilderness horror stories. We all like to tell the big fish tales, but we also have a tendency to tell tall tales to prospective new hunters that may discourage them from entering the woods. So, that being said, I will address a few issues in hopes of getting new hunters into the woods to share in the Natural Circle of Life.

Quite often you may click on the TV and watch hunting shows that seem awe-inspiring, i.e. “Professional” hunters making choices between 10 point or 12 point bucks as they look out over a planted food plot from a permanent deer stand on a 1000 acre private hunting preserve. This may make for great TV, but for the beginning hunter this makes hunting seem too easy. It is, in relation, the same as opening a Bodybuilding magazine and hoping to work out a few days a week and look like the pros in the pictures. It really is truly unrealistic.

For the most part the average hunter has many challenges set before him. That challenge, in reality, is the ability to balance all the aspects of hunting with life’s daily routines and challenges, such as work, kids, wives, family, chores and home repairs. Most hunters are average people working to make ends meet and finding small slivers of time to venture off into the woods for some down time and recharging of the spirit. Sure, the procuring of sustenance is important, as well as answering the call of our distant genetic memory to be in the woods hunting and surviving. But so many hurdles have to be jumped for the layman to breach the gap between an idea and practical application.

One of the first hurdles is getting past the media portrayal of the hunter as a beer drinking dullard. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The majority of hunters have an extreme respect for the outdoors and the experience of being one with nature. All the bad press that comes from the media is based on the “one bad apple makes the whole bunch bad” philosophy. This is entirely wrong and hurtful. Sure there are a few bad apples out there, but that does not make the whole bunch bad. You will find that the average hunter is a warm, open, caring and willing to lend a hand in getting new or young hunters started out.

There are many aspects to take into consideration when getting started as a hunter and where to seek information or knowledge, as mentioned earlier. On one hand, you have the professional hunt, which is at the extreme top, and the other end of the spectrum is the primitive hunter / survivalist. They believe that the hunt should be primitive, using age old techniques and handcrafted equipment that they say “gives the animal a fair chance”. Well, this is not a good place to start either. Although challenging, the average hunter does not fall into this category and this is a way of hunting that can be pursued once one gains some experience and practical skills. Hunting with primitive equipment and skills is a very rewarding experience. However, this approach take lots of time and practice before one can ethically walk into the woods and take game.

I will focus this article on the average hunter. The average hunter generally uses limited “modern” equipment, hunts public land, and has limited time in the field. So keeping within this theme, let’s discuss a plan to get started on your first hunt. To keep things simple I will not elaborate on equipment models or specifics. I will just use general terms, and I choose to avoid any advanced ballistics debates or in-depth equipment discussions. These issues I’ll reserve for the experienced hunters to debate around the campfire. This is not “The” way, just “A” way.

I’ll start with the three basics; Guns, Bows and Traps

Guns

For smaller game, birds, rabbits, squirrels, and the sort, try a 12 gauge Shotgun with a bird barrel and #6 shotgun shells.

For bigger game, deer, bear, wild hogs, etc., try a 12 gauge Shotgun with a slug barrel and a rifled slug shotgun shell.

Bows

For a greater challenge, try getting closer to game with a compound bow (40 to 45+ pounds) with aluminum arrows (to keep prices down and make it simple).

Trapping

Trapping is generally restricted by law to small to mid game animals such as fox, coyote, raccoon, etc. The good thing with trapping is that traps can be set in a series and in several different locations and left to be checked the next day. This is what we call passive hunting. But this can be very rewarding and successful.

Once you chose and purchase a weapon it is time to hit the range and practice. Once you’ve put some time in at the range becoming familiar with your hunting weapon, your next stop is going to be the library. Check out a few books on the specific animals you wish to hunt. Read up on the habitat, types of food and daily activities of the species you wish to hunt. Don’t rush to the hunting section and check out the latest and greatest techniques of the professionals. This generally is the personal opinion of a pro hunter’s excursion into the bush that cost him thousands of dollars to achieve. Not that reading these books is not beneficial, but I just find that the sound research and scientific findings of wild life biologist to be much more accurate and in-depth. Most wildlife books will show information on breeding seasons and cycles, types of bedding areas, tracks and droppings as well as areas of travel and vocalizations. Knowing and studying your prey is always a top priority in hunting.

While you’re at it pick up a Field Guide and a book on basic survival. You may also want to rent a video or two, these are always fun and don’t forget to watch a wild game field dressing video. Reading and watching videos is a great way to pre-educate your self to field activities and skills. I am a self-taught hunter and learned much from reading books and watching videos (as well as by trail and error).

Once you have some basic knowledge about the outdoors take your field guide into the woods with you and start to educate yourself with some experience and first hand knowledge of tracking, animal tracks, runs, bedding and feeding areas. Take a few day hikes on the local nature trails. Find a spot to sit down and observe the natural surrounds and game activity in your area. Bring along some binoculars and even a camera to help with observations and remembrance. As peculiar as it may seem, animals do have many areas of vulnerability and drops in awareness that you can learn exploit by watching them and taking note of their movements and activities.

After you get some “dirt time” under your belt it is time to head off in the woods for some trial and error hunting. I find this to be one of the best ways to learn. Keep in mind that it is only ethical to be proficient with your weapon before attempting to take game with it. You don’t want to learn your accuracy in the field. Take a few months to shoot your gun or bow at the range beforehand to develop your skills and accuracy at several different distances and elevations. Once you are confident in your shooting skills you can head off into the woods for the best lessons of your life. I understand how important accuracy is but, don’t be afraid to miss, it is going to happen, hunting isn’t as easy as is seems. I have found every type of hunting and weapon to be a challenge. I have hunted with primitive and modern weapons alike and have found all to be a test of my skills and abilities. I have also missed more game that I have taken and I am not ashamed to admit it. The more hunters I talk to the more I find out they are just the same as me. There is a difference between shooting a stationary target and a moving, living, breathing animal. If it was that easy we would call it killing and not hunting.

I eventually settled on modern equipment based on ethics. I need to practice less and can maintain consistency and accuracy with my modern weapons more so than with primitive weapons. I personally prefer to bow hunt. I started out bow hunting and then wanted to spend more time in the woods hunting so I took up gun hunting as well. Don’t spend a fortune on your weapons either. Pick something within your budget and become proficient with it. A good quality shotgun combination kit will cost about $300 and a good compound bow will be about the same. You may find something cheaper if you shop around and buy used equipment. You’ll also want to get yourself some camouflage clothing as well. The army surplus store will do for some oversized woodland camo pants, shirt, hat, and jacket. I like to go a little big so I can layer underneath with thermals for warmth if needed. No need to get fancy at this point -- just something to get you into the field and obtain some hunting time. Oh yea, we will need some boots too. They can be a little pricier depending on your budget, but get something middle of the road, say around $75-$100. Don’t worry too much about equipment or gear -- you will accumulate enough gear over the years to outfit a small county, but it will be all worth it when compared to the experiences you will have in the woods.

Murphy’s Law has taught me some very valuable lessons over the years but they are lessons well learned and I would not have it any other way. As long as you keep it simple and stay close to home at first, you will be able to overcome most field issues easily. The more you learn and the more skills you develop the more you will be able to venture farther off the grid in your hunting expeditions. Take it slow and start simple, and perhaps take up hunting with a friend. I always love to hunt with a partner, even if we hunt in separate areas. It is always interesting to hear the hunting stories and close calls on the way back to the cabin.

Now that you are geared up and camoed out and have a weapon, a good knife, and a compass, it’s time to head out to a hunt spot. For the most part, in the beginning this is a shot in the dark (LOL). Take your time to slow down as you stalk out to your hide spot in the woods (You can pick up a plot map at the county seat that shows state and public land, or ask around with friends for someone with a few acres in the country willing to let you hunt on it). As you walk off into the woods remember to slow down and make slow deliberate movements. Most people move too fast in the woods and out of context with the concentric rings around them. Try to move at the same pace as the environment around you. Settle into that hide spot and let the lessons begin. Listen, watch and feel all that nature has to offer. Watch the squirrels, the birds and the deer as they move and what draws their attention and how they move. They are the best teachers of all.

As you watch and learn, you may find that as things seem to get back to normal after your entry into the woods and you yourself ease into a quiet calm, you will start to see more animals moving. Just as the saying goes “even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then,” you may find your self in a position to shoot and take down your first critter. Everything you do as a beginner is going to be a trial and error, don’t let this stop you! Even in the natural world predators go though a trail and error process learning the hunt. The only difference is they can’t hit the Quickie Mart if they don’t get some chow. Some folks are also very intimidated by the aspect of wounding or missing game. We are the most proficient hunters in the broad scheme of things. Many predators have to strangle or choke their prey to death which is not always successful and some even begin to feed on it before it is dead. If you shoot and wound, do your best to give a good track, follow the blood trail, maybe even give a few hours after the shot to allow the animal to die naturally and bleed out (usually bigger game). The animals are just like us -- when we are sick or injured we like to find a quiet spot to lie down and rest, that rest is usually the final resting place as long as they go undisturbed. So try not to push wounded animals. If you have exhausted every possible way of finding downed game and have come up empty, don’t fret as “the coyotes need to eat too” and this would be an easy meal for them, not to mention raccoon, possum, crows and turkey vultures. It won’t take long for nature to take its course in the wild. All we can hope to do is our best.

The first squirrel I ever shot was a great learning experience. I had no idea what I was doing, I was a young boy on my first hunt with my Dad and Uncle. I went off on my own, not too far from them, looking for something to shoot. Sure enough I saw a tree with a squirrel nest in it, I walked up to the tree and kicked the trunk several times until an angry squirrel scrambled out and perched on a branch starring down at me. Well that was not a good idea on his part and I got my first shot at a critter, it was a good hit and out of the tree it fell. When I went to pick it up it was still moving and alive (which kinda creeped me out), but I wasn’t going to let it struggle so I picked it up and ran to my uncle to ask him what to do, he of course told me I had to kill it. I told him I already shot it, but he pointed out to me that that was not good enough. I had no idea how to do this in a nice humane way, so after looking at my uncle with a blank stare for a few minutes, he picked it up and smacked its head against the tree nice and hard. I was shocked at first but, then he explained to me it was better off to finish the squirrel off quickly than to let it suffer.

My, wasn’t that a harsh first lesson for me, but all the same I learned a lesson well. Things aren’t always pretty in the natural world and all we can do is hope to be as proficient as possible. I won’t even get into my Grandfather talking me through the gutting and skinning process over the phone! That was a fiasco in itself! My best friend and I had some squirrel stew for dinner which taught me another lesson I now understand when people say that squirrel is a little greasy. How else would I have learned these lessons unless I had actually gone out and done them? I only relate this story not to scare people away or make you feel guilty about “killing” something, but to let you know that these things are natural and as much a part of the Circle of Life as the cheetah killing a gazelle in the great plains of Africa.

If you have the urge to hunt, go with it, don’t let anyone tell you that is wrong or that we no longer need to hunt or that we can just go to the store for our food. I have never been more satisfied than when eating a meal of meat that I have taken, processed, and cooked myself. It is 100% biodegradable from start to finish and the meat is free of unnatural processing chemicals and radiation.

Take the time to learn from your mistakes and use them as valuable (if not humorous) lessons in life. I have learned more about myself and the world around me through hunting more than many other sources combined.

Your first few years in the filed are going to be fun and you will have some great hunting tales for around the campfire in the years to come.

See you in October for onPoint Tactical’s “The Hunter” class. During this class I will go into much more detail about hunting tactics and strategies. Hopefully this will make it a little easier to get into the woods and successfully hunt. Remember to be safe and share the rich history and tradition of hunting with others.