Would like to start hunting

[lsutigers2008]

I've never been hunting before. I am an avid pistol shooter and I would like to get into deer and duck hunting. I need to take the hunter safety course still but I need to know where I should go from there. I have plenty of friends who hunt all the time that I could probably borrow or buy an old gun from to see how I like it. Just need some tips on how I should go about everything and what all I need to buy.

 

[speedster]

Once you take the safety course you'll need to go get your hunting license, which ones you get depends on what you want to hunt. For deer & duck only you'll be good with:

State duck
Duck stamp
HIP certification
Basic game
(you will also need your WMA if you plan to hunt on a wildlife management area)
Large game-for deer

All of the info you'll need is also on the LA state dept of wildlife & fisheries website.

Not sure how good you are with a shotgun, but I'd recommend you practice skeet shooting some before you take the safety course. You don't want to be the grown man that misses all 3 shots lol.

 

[cbr900son]

Well different types of hunting are different experiences.

 

[quigleysharps]

I have plenty of friends who hunt all the time

Those are the ones that could get you squared away quicker than any.

 

[Emperor]

If your friends haven't already invited you to go with them, do they know you want to now?

The best way to start is to actually go with someone who already knows what to do. If you can't go with them, start slowly by getting a shotgun, buying a basic hunting license, and go somewhere you are allowed to hunt (private or public), and hunt squirrels.

You can learn woodsmanship on your own.

 

[speedster]

^^^ This is true, the best way to "learn" is to get out there and do it. Be wary of squirrel hunting now though on public land because the deer hunters are out.

 

[lsutigers2008]

I've been invited several times to go but I didn't have my license and didn't want to break any laws by just tagging along. I have a Remington 870 that is setup for home defense but I can swap the grips, barrel, and put the plug back in and it would be good to go. I do need to try to shoot skeet to get some practice first.

 

[lsutigers2008]

Also I have an ak-47 would it be legal to use that for hog hunting?

 

[BIG1LOST]

yes you can,but some places have mag.capacity restrictions.I am kinda in the same boat about goin' huntin'...,been a shooter all my life,but time to go huntin' for a driver has always been fleeting. Now i'm retired and have no money but LOTS of time !!!