Brand new to hunting

[agardner00]

I was originally thinking deer and turkeys, eventually something bigger out west. I haven't done any hunting at all. Born and raised in NYC so it's just never been part of the culture

I grew up in Ohio in a non-hunting family, so I didn’t get started till later either. (And I can’t claim to be anything like an expert .) I hunted small game first, which is good if you’re interested. But I wish I would’ve jumped into deer earlier. I didn’t get serious about deer until I moved to KS about four years ago. I bought a rifle, reasoning that I had limited time to hunt, so I’d just hunt the two week rifle season. But then last year a buddy convinced me to get a bow, and I’ve gotten way into it. It’s not really that much more difficult to be proficient with than a rifle, there’s just a much shorter effective distance. The upside is MUCH more hunting opportunity; longer seasons, more over-the-counter tags, and fewer other hunters in the woods. It’s an option if you’re interested.

In NY, you also have a lot of black bear opportunity—you might want to check that out, too. And I wouldn’t tell you to wait until you have a bunch of experience to do a western hunt. I did my first elk hunt in CO last year after years of wanting to do it. I froze my ass off, didn’t get an elk, and I wasn’t totally prepared. But it was an amazing experience, and I learned a ton. There are some states and hunts that aren’t terribly expensive or difficult, you just have to do it. At least that’s my approach. I work with a bunch of guys who’ve hunted whitetails their entire lives and couldn’t believe I went on an elk hunt. But all it took was buying a tag and driving across the state line. KS has antelope and mule deer, Oklahoma has bears, Nebraska has great mule deer opportunity. If I have the time and a couple hundred bucks for a non-resident tag, I can do a bunch of great hunting trips. I’m currently planning an Oregon elk hunt for September 2020. I happen to be able to get a tag at resident prices, and happen to have an airline credit that will cover most of my flight. In addition, my buddy lives there, so I have a place to crash and recover at the end of the hunt. Sorry, didn’t mean to ramble so much, just trying to illustrate that if you look at what is available you can usually put something together.


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[Missahba]

I was originally thinking deer and turkeys, eventually something bigger out west. I haven't done any hunting at all. Born and raised in NYC so it's just never been part of the culture

beeflomein you said you’re target shooting right? What weapons do you have now? .22? Start with what you have. Maybe all you need is a safety class, a small game license, and to find some public land. A box of shells, and an orange hat should round out gear. There are many great posts in this thread. I agree with most of them. But you said you wanted to start hunting. So take the short path and start. You’ll have months of off-season to follow up with all the leads and suggestions. You can text me at 810-434-3939. Eastern time zone here too. PS - nobody mentioned waterfowl that I saw in here. As far as I know there is great waterfowl hunting within reasonable drives from NYC. Look into that. In my opinion it is the most “fun” hunting. Fast, social, visual, low expertise. There are guides or outfitted hints where they take you to a blind with decoys set up. Great intro to hunting. If you text me I’ll help you sort out all this optics/hubs/gear East/West stuff. Welcome!

 

[Antarctica]

Where in NY?
When I started hunting(10yrs old) in New Jersey most of my time was spent first wandering in the woods learning about animals, where they lived and exploring,took years to get my first animal on my own.Hunting is a process and can take a long time to figure out,enjoy the journey, find a good mentor but don't expect success over night.

^^^This. Being in the woods and being observant is number 1. You can be hunting all year - whether you have a gun in your hand is irrelevant. 99% if what I know about hunting I learned by the age of 12, running around the woods with a BB gun. Learn how and where animals move and where they spend their time when they are not moving. Learn how to walk quietly, look, listen, etc. Look for horizontal forms when scanning brush or woods.

 

[beeflomein]

beeflomein you said you’re target shooting right? What weapons do you have now? .22? Start with what you have. Maybe all you need is a safety class, a small game license, and to find some public land. A box of shells, and an orange hat should round out gear. There are many great posts in this thread. I agree with most of them. But you said you wanted to start hunting. So take the short path and start. You’ll have months of off-season to follow up with all the leads and suggestions. You can text me at 810-434-3939. Eastern time zone here too. PS - nobody mentioned waterfowl that I saw in here. As far as I know there is great waterfowl hunting within reasonable drives from NYC. Look into that. In my opinion it is the most “fun” hunting. Fast, social, visual, low expertise. There are guides or outfitted hints where they take you to a blind with decoys set up. Great intro to hunting. If you text me I’ll help you sort out all this optics/hubs/gear East/West stuff. Welcome!

Thanks for the info, really helpful. I've got a real old Winchester m70 308 that i've been shooting. I'm assuming waterfowl is done with a shotgun, if that's the case i've been trap shooting a couple times and I like it. I did take the hunter safety class already.

 

[Missahba]

Thanks for the info, really helpful. I've got a real old Winchester m70 308 that i've been shooting. I'm assuming waterfowl is done with a shotgun, if that's the case i've been trap shooting a couple times and I like it. I did take the hunter safety class already.

Your 308 is just fine for your future big game plans. Nothing in N. America is immune to it if you do your part. For small game you can pick up a .22 for under $200, and a 12 gauge pump shotgun with screw in choke tubes for under $500. I wouldn’t get hung up on more, better or fancier right now. Get the basics, and get in the woods, fields and water where the critters are. Everything you learn hunting squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, grouse, and ducks will benefit you on big game. Don’t discount preserve bird hunting. It’s another venue to easily and comfortably get you into the experience. You’ll meet people, get in a lot of shooting, learn about gun dogs, shotgunning, and maybe get invited to join someone’s deer camp next year. Who knows? Get out there and do hunting and shooting stuff with people who are into it. Doors could open.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Get a bow and learn to shoot it. There is extreme archery in Mamaroneck. Flying arrow up in Carmel. There is a great shop in Brooklyn that I can’t recall and I am sure a few on Long Island. Between Nassau and west Chester county you can hunt deer from oct 1 to January. Very liberal doe policy and buck tags are usually 2 per season. Believe it or not, there are nooks and crannies of public land here and there that you can hunt within a 30 mile radius of grand central terminal. If you really get into it, there are deer management programs that let hunters get access to certain portions of parks for deer control and there are corporate deer control programs on some of the land owned by big companies in West Chester. Those nice lawns are like food plots filled with clover. One guy at Extreme hunts the wooded area around the IBM or Pepsi campus and drops more than a dozen deer a year on management tags.

Places To Hunt In New York

www.dec.ny.gov

Of course there are opportunities to hunt private land too.

Welcome aboard. It’s a great journey and we’re all excited to watch you get started. The above is a great suggestion - I live in the DC suburbs and continue to be surprised at the number of local hunting opportunities. They are mostly restricted to bowhunting but I’m pretty certain the controlling clubs would welcome a new hunter and be glad to take you out scouting and show you around - even introduce you to archery if you are interested.

Another great suggestion is to join an active local hunting organization. They’re usually a wealth of knowledge and willing to share. Both of these options are more apt to get you in the woods closer to home with folks knowledgeable in how to hunt those areas.

For me, learning to hunt was a journey full of discovery, frustration, learning, trial & error, patience and perseverance. But the wonder of it all, sweetness of hard-won success, and enduring friendships made are precious and unforgettable.

Enjoy

 

[lyle_destroys]

Try squirrel, rabbit, grouse hunting to start. It's a good way to get familiar with the woods and sign. Small stuff doesnt take anytime to clean out, easy to store it in a freezer and rinella has some great recipes. You will get more practice shooting at game than you will deer or elk hunting too. I think this is where new hunters should start regardless of age.

 

[Hunt41]

Do not spend a lot of money on great binoculars!!!
You are hunting in New York State to start out. The guys out west need the expensive binoculars.
Find a mentor.
Find some public hunting grounds. Walk it, look around, sit still and watch nature. The areas that look the prettiest are usually not the best places to hunt. Deer like thick stuff. The less you can see, the more deer like it. (In general)

 

[agardner00]

I was originally thinking deer and turkeys, eventually something bigger out west. I haven't done any hunting at all. Born and raised in NYC so it's just never been part of the culture

Squirrels, rabbits, and deer are excellent choices for starting out. I have never hunted turkeys but probably also a good bet (at least it gets you hunting in the spring!). As others have said, a .22 or a shotgun would be helpful. Your M70 covers all big game. A shotgun would be the most versatile. However, given that you already have a rifle you probably don’t need anything other than hunter’s safety (free), a deer tag ($40ish), and an orange vest and hat ($20-30 at a thrift or army-navy store) to start hunting whitetails. I stand by my binocular suggestion as mine have become hands-down my most used piece of equipment, even for squirrel hunting in timber. But you don’t need them to get started.

You can start hunting deer now, and if you can borrow a shotgun or .22 you can add small game. Get in the woods; research the animals, habitat, and public land access; hopefully find some folks willing to take you out. That would be a great start. Here are a couple resources I used getting started (though field to fork wasn’t around back then):

National Deer Association | NDA

Home

www.qdma.com

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

A comprehensive small-game hunting guide, perfect for hunters ranging from first-time novices to seasoned experts, with photography by renowned outdoor photographer John Hafner Steven Rinella was raised in a hunting family and has been pursuing wild game his entire life. In this first-ever...

books.google.com

The Beginner's Guide to Hunting Deer for Food

Hunting deer is the most inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to acquire organic, grass-fed meat. In this thorough primer, perfect for those who’ve never hunted before, Jackson Landers explains how to supplement your food supply with venison taken near your home. From choosing the...

books.google.com

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[jorgensen.travis]

TBW Podcast has useful information for whitetail hunting. Kifarucast for western hunting. The problem with a lot of the bigger celebrities, is that they get the opportunity to hunt these great places that the rest us don’t have access to. Then there information becomes relevant to us. Paying attention to them at that point is almost purely for entertainment.


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[beeflomein]

Squirrels, rabbits, and deer are excellent choices for starting out. I have never hunted turkeys but probably also a good bet (at least it gets you hunting in the spring!). As others have said, a .22 or a shotgun would be helpful. Your M70 covers all big game. A shotgun would be the most versatile. However, given that you already have a rifle you probably don’t need anything other than hunter’s safety (free), a deer tag ($40ish), and an orange vest and hat ($20-30 at a thrift or army-navy store) to start hunting whitetails. I stand by my binocular suggestion as mine have become hands-down my most used piece of equipment, even for squirrel hunting in timber. But you don’t need them to get started.

You can start hunting deer now, and if you can borrow a shotgun or .22 you can add small game. Get in the woods; research the animals, habitat, and public land access; hopefully find some folks willing to take you out. That would be a great start. Here are a couple resources I used getting started (though field to fork wasn’t around back then):

National Deer Association | NDA

Home

www.qdma.com

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

A comprehensive small-game hunting guide, perfect for hunters ranging from first-time novices to seasoned experts, with photography by renowned outdoor photographer John Hafner Steven Rinella was raised in a hunting family and has been pursuing wild game his entire life. In this first-ever...

books.google.com

The Beginner's Guide to Hunting Deer for Food

Hunting deer is the most inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to acquire organic, grass-fed meat. In this thorough primer, perfect for those who’ve never hunted before, Jackson Landers explains how to supplement your food supply with venison taken near your home. From choosing the...

books.google.com

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Thanks so much for this info and your advice. The wife bought me some binos for my bday and I found someone who's a beginner but been hunting with one of his friends before. We're going out this week to give it a go.

 

[agardner00]

Great! Let us know how it goes and please ask any questions. We were all in your shoes once and would love to help!


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