Preparing for your hunting trip is mostly based on what game your hunting and how long. But here are 9 tips to prepare for a hunting trip.
1) Prepare Your Bow Or Rifle
The first thing you need to do is prepare your weapon. It should be cleaned and in the best shape before you head out. It is very important to make sure your sight is aligned properly before every hunt.
Target practise at a local range will allow you to make any necessary adjustments so that your rifle or bow is ready to go when you get to your hunting base. A sight that’s out of alignment can/will cause a bad incident on the hunt. Nobody wants to tell the story of the one that got away.
2) Understanding Regulations
Before you go out on a hunting trip make sure you understand the regulations for the region you are hunting in. This is even more important if you’re hunting in an area you’re not familiar with.
Don’t assume that the regulations are the same as the ones in the forrest by your house or in a different town.
Instead of jumping into trouble take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the laws of the area that you are hunting in. A quick internet search should help you find this information, and then you can head out on the hunt with peace of mind knowing that you know exactly what’s permitted and what’s not.
There are several applications that can be of great use while in the field, one however I found was very user friendly, accurate and helpful.
3) Dont Forget Your Hunting Licence And Tags
Once you understand the regulations you still have to make sure you have a valid hunting licence and tag for the species you’re legally allowed to hunt.
This isn’t something you’d ever want to risk going without even if you’re a first time hunter and you’re simply tagging along with a group of more experienced hunters that have all of the required paperwork. If there is any chance that you are going to be taking a shot yourself make sure that you’re doing it legally! There are serious legal consequences if you don’t ensure your paperwork’s in order.
4) Make Sure You Have Enough Ammunition/Arrows
A rifle or bow is useless to you on a hunting trip if you happen to forget your ammunition at home! Make sure you have enough ammunition for the length of time you’re going for, even pack extra for emergency situations that could occur being camped out in the middle of nowhere! If this is your first hunting trip you may find this hard to judge and it’s probably best to lean on a more experienced member of your group for advice.
5) Pack For Warmth!
Hunting season can be a lot of fun! It is a great way to bond with friends and family, but if you don’t pack the right clothes to keep you warm it probably won’t be as much fun as you planned it to be…
Make sure you have a warm sweater, Jacket,Rain Coat, Hat, A Nice Pair Of Gloves, Toque/Balaclava, Socks (Pack Extra) etc…
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy unseasonably warm weather on your trip, and you don’t end up needing this gear you can simply leave it sitting at camp. It’s better to have it available, and not have to use it than sitting for hours freezing!
6)Dont Forget Your Rain Gear!!!
When you’re hunting there’s a good chance you’ll run into some rain from time to time. This won’t be the end of the world if you have a nice waterproof rain coat with you! Some hunters prefer to stay at camp when the rain comes in, but you can have a great deal of success hunting in the rain. The deer are typically around more in these conditions and their senses are not as strong. If you have the rain gear to go hunting in this type of weather you can take advantage of a great opportunity to catch a deer off guard walking to some cover! But don’t forget if your hunting in the rain pack a tarp to cover up the animal if nessesary while dressing it so the meat doesn’t get damaged, and so your hands can stay warmer.
7) Avoiding Hunger And Staying Hydrated!
Waiting in the big trees or huge cut-block for hours on end waiting for a prize deer to cross your path can be a long and tedious process. It is best to plan to be there for hours, that means you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible.
We’ve already talked about the need to have the right clothing to keep warm, but it’s also important to make sure you have the energy you need while you wait. Make sure you take enough water with you and that you have some snacks in your pocket while you wait for that deer to make an appearance.
8) Other Accessories
There are all kinds of tools and accessories you can take along with you on a hunting trip. Some are more important than others. It’s a good idea to have a good flashlight with you, a good all-purpose knife, a small hand axe if your cabin/tent isn’t equipped with one for chopping wood, and a field dressing knife for prepping your prize deer.
There are plenty of other accessories you can pack in your bag as well, but these are some of the more important items so don’t forget to prioritize what you need most then if you want you can fill your bag with the rest.
9) finding Your Spot – Scouting Out
Last but not least, this is one of my favourite parts of hunting. Scouting out your hunting spot ahead of time. If you’re going along with a more experienced party they may have a spot already set up, if not you should think carefully about your options. Drive around the area or use a small ATV and just spend a day driving around looking for private tucked away areas to claim! Make sure when doing so you don’t claim an area that deer could be hanging out because that will then scare them off.
After you’ve found the golden spot and set up camp, if there is some daylight left explore the area! Look and see where you will be heading out in the morning, maybe you’ll find a nice rock looking over a massive cut-block, or a nice tucked away area beside a meadow! have fun with it, and be safe!