With hunting season upon us, we would like to share some information that you may find useful, from our own personal points of view.
While this information could be applied to hunting most animals, we will be focusing more on Amanda and Will’s favorite season, whitetail deer (A.K.A. vacation season/seasonal shut down at work).
Clothing- Sure, it is nice to have the fancy, expensive scent- lock hunting clothes-is it necessary? No, not really. You want to be warm, but you want to dress in layers, early November can have some weird weather. Sunny and warm one day, snow the next. If you are stand hunting you want to wear warm clothes, but not so bulky that you cannot move, or shoulder your rifle properly. If you are hunting in a gang, and walking and sitting, you definitely want layers. Before you get all sweaty in heavy clothes you can start removing layers, nothing worse then calling a day short due to being cold later. As we both hunt differently Amanda will put on every sweater she owns, hot water bottles in between layers, about a dozen stick on heating pads, a snow suit and cover in blankets and still shiver in a tree stand. Will hunts in a gang, so he will wear layers depending if he is sitting, or walking. T-Shirt, Hoodie, Restoule Dinner Jacket (Will can call it that, he’s from there….) and he takes a light blaze orange coat, as well as a heavy parka style blaze orange coat. Don’t forget your blaze orange hat, not only will it keep you warm, it is required.
Boots – Find a pair that fit well, are waterproof, and that you are comfortable in. Again, sure you can spend hundreds of dollars on hunting boots, with insulation, sent-lock and all the bells and whistles. We both have tried them, both us of do not like them. We share the same problem, they make our feet colder after they cause them to sweat in the first five minutes we wear them. Amanda wears good old green insulated rubber boots, or “Green Boots” as they are called. Will has found that insulated combat boots work the best for him, support, water proof, and good grip for long walks (or in Will’s case- walk, fall down, walk, fall down…)
Knife – It needs to be sharp! Nothing will make you more frustrated then a dull knife. Bigger is NOT always better. A 3” to 4” blade is plenty, anything bigger and you are going to have a more difficult time when it comes time to felid dress. (We will skip the details for now, that’s a story for another day).
Compass – TAKE ONE. Even if you know the area, the bush changes when it gets dark, starts to snow, or rains. Take a reading before going in, know which way to walk to get out to a road, or a field. Remember GPS’s can fail, battery’s die and cell phones can lose signal. Take a compass!
Rifle – Know your rifle, before you set out hunting, take a few shots, make sure it’s hitting where it needs to be and most importantly- clean it! There is nothing worse than having a gun that jams when the deer comes out. We could debate caliber, bullet weight, sights etc., but use what you are comfortable with. Make sure that the caliber is enough you give you a clean and humane harvest. Take extra ammo too, it has come in handy more than once.
License and tag – Make sure you have your necessary licenses and your tag on you! Know the WMU you are in, and if you are close to a boarder, know it!
Take a lunch! Parents- this is where the Halloween candy comes in handy. We do not believe it is a coincidence that deer season comes after all the work you did running around with your kids on Halloween- this is our reward!
Take a shower before heading out, scentless, leave the Axe body spray alone! Just leave it! Bucks don’t care, and the does will not flock to you! Besides, when is the last time you picked up while hunting? (Have you seen the guys we hunt with?)
Small first aid kit (large one if your hunt with Will or someone of similar accident proneness)
Other small items – Hot seats (Dry Ass/Hot Ass) are an oasis on a cold snowy day.
T.P.-Charmin or a cold wet leaf, your call.
Rope-rope to pull your deer out, or to tie it to your ATV.
Eyes-Go to your eye doctor, make sure your peepers are peeping properly to see that deer in the brush, and to make sure it’s a deer, and not another animal (or cousin Billy in his brown overalls and white tilly hat, if you don’t have someone like this in your hunting party we can send you his number, it’s a really good way to learn the vital importance of identifying your target).
And we are both in agreeance that if all else fails, take your Dad (or Mom, because us moms hunt too!), they will have everything you need, and then some!