How to get into hunting?

Brontosaurus

Hi all, I'm hoping to get a firearms license in the near future, and really want to get into hunting.

My main interest would be deer hunting for the sake of conservation but also to have some venison in the freezer...

Unfortunately I was never brought up with hunting or shooting, but it's something I want to get into but it's so daunting being in my 20s and having no clue how to get into hunting?

juice1304

If you want to hunt deer then you either need permission from a farmer to shoot on his land, rent a lease on private land or rent land from coillte in that case you also need to do the HCAP test which is a basic test on the understanding of the animals themselves, basic firearms and wildlife laws, a little bit on firearms and a shooting test. I would recommend that you do it anyway if you are new to shooting and hunting. You will gain a wealth of knowledge from it, you will come into contact with others there and you have the opportunity to have a look at how you are shooting.

It can be quite expensive getting into it but in the end it is very rewarding.

When buying your rifle you need a caliber .22 and above, 60gr bullet weight (the law states 55gr there are no rounds that will produce the required energy with that weight) and you need 1700ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle.

I would advise going for something like a .308 there are plenty of different brands of ammunition out there, it has tame recoil and you will be grand on the energy front.

Very very important when hunting deer is decent glass, you need a decent set of binos as you want to walk with your eyes and not you feet.
And do not skimp on a scope a decent scope is for the most part more important than the rifle. you need to know your scope will track the way it is meant to and you need to be sure that it will hold its zero. You are taking the life of a large beast and you want to be sure it is quick and painless.
you also need a deer licence for this you need your permission for the land and the serial number for the gun you will purchase.

Cass

I covered some of the legalise on the other thread, but for the purpose of this topic i'd suggest getting to know some other hunters around you. Go on a shoot with them and try to get into the local club. Pulling the trigger can be the easiest part, especially for deer, the work comes after.

It's a truly satisfying sport with the added bonus of my meat is fresh as about as organic as you can get. You won't learn everything overnight so be patient and take your time. Don't rush into buying a type of gun, instead look around and talk to as many people as you can. Even visit a range or two and try out some firearms to see what you like and what suits you.

Other than that Juice has covered most bases.

noeleire

If you put in your location maybe some hunters might see your post and ask you to tag long it's worth a try..

Brontosaurus

Cheers lads for the replies, I'm in Wicklow. I'll probably be better off starting off with a .22 on the range and working my way up? I suppose shooting smaller game to see if hunting is for me?

Cass

Good thinking.

No point investing thousands in a rifle, scope, security, license, leases, HCAP, etc, etc. only to find it's not what you thought.

dodderangler

Brontosaurus wrote: »

Cheers lads for the replies, I'm in Wicklow. I'll probably be better off starting off with a .22 on the range and working my way up? I suppose shooting smaller game to see if hunting is for me?

Majority started with a .22 or a shotgun. Depending on any ground you have permission to hunt also reflects on the gun to choose. If you have plenty of rabbits about and game birds I'd go with a shotgun. Don't spend hundreds on one for your first. You'd want an oul workhorse that's not exactly pretty but is solid to shoot. Like a baikel. I've had mine since I was ten and it's been through family members and friends long before I got it. It's 52 years old and il never get rid of it. All the dents and scratches are just the stories of how they got there.
But even before you apply for a gun licence get some experience first. Learn the safety spec first.

shane7

First farm is always the hardest to get. But once you get one it usually leads to more. Just use common sense when on his land and be responsible and the Farmer may actually go out of his way to recommend you to other local landowners.
A few tips would be to let the farmer know if there are issues like broken fences or any other damage to his property he may want to know about. And buy him a nice bottle of whiskey at xmas.

Having responsible hunters is a win win for both hunters and farmers. He has his vermin controlled and someone on his land who can spot trespassers and other possible trouble makers and we get to enjoy our hobby