Hunting Fun

One of the most popular kinds of hunting nowadays is dove hunting, and this is certainly a sport that can challenge hunters of all ability levels. I don’t care how much success you might have achieved with deer hunting or large game hunting, because dove hunting will take your skill to a whole new level.

The reason is quite simple: whereas large game, you can generally get quite close to them, and therefore you don’t have to be all that accurate to catch them, dove hunting is a whole other ball game. If you aren’t deadly accurate, you will miss out, because you will be hunting from long distances, and firing at a moving target, at that.

The number one thing to do when dove hunting is to keep a close eye out of the dove’s flight patterns and habits. For example, try and find the area where they live (not always easy) and where they will be feeding, and then you can have a general idea of the area they will be going. Thus, you can intercept them quite easily doing this.

Be sure to stay out in the open fields, as attempting to hunt for doves in areas where the are trees can tremendous hinder you, because you won’t be able to see the dove that well. When you stay in open fields, you give yourself the best chance of success possible.

Make certain you don’t move a muscle when the dove are drawing near. They have excellent eyesight, and if they see any movement at all, they will quickly fly away, taking away your chance of a kill.

Try and hide behind some tall grass or another barrier, if at all possible, to prevent them from seeing you, and always wear camouflage to ensure you blend in with the surrounding area.

If you do catch a dove, and want to continue hunting, be sure to leave some kind of marker so that you can find it when you are done, and ready to go home. Many hunters are carafes with this process’s and after they go to all the work of catching the dove, can’t find it in order to bring it home.

What a waste of effort! While these are some very important dove hunting tips, there are many more that you need to keep in mind as well.

By: Jimmy Harris

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Dove hunting is an exciting sport. Getting together several hunters in one field that is an active feeding ground results in an eventful hunt. However, it is illegal in some states to hunt mourning doves so be sure to check local laws. Some states and counties only allow hunting in the afternoon as well. Planning a hunt is not difficult but requires some work.

The best way to ensure a successful hunt is to find a popular feeding or watering source. These two may even be close together. Watch local fields for dove activity. Doves tend to feed early in the morning and in the mid to late afternoon before going to roost. Look for flocks gathering in fields or on power lines overhanging fields. Fields that have just been harvested make for great food sources. Doves flock to these fields if hunting has been restricted there. In the days before the hunt, check out these fields to see if there is any activity.

Once a busy field has been identified, contact the land owner to get permission to hunt there. Once permission has been secured, call several hunters to get in on the action. Of course a hunter may hunt alone but the chances to shoot at birds may not be as numerous. A field full of hunters scatter the birds as they come in allowing for most everyone to get a shot.

In areas where hunting is allowed in the morning, doves start flying just before sunrise. Hunters should be in place before this time and be ready to shoot. Doves are harder to see in the early morning and so are other people so be careful about shooting until visibility is better. In the afternoon, doves return to feed. Afternoon hunts are best in fields that were not hunted that morning. As a flock comes in one or two hunters in range shoot and the birds scatter so be aware and ready to shoot. These birds can see well so hunters should be in some cover such as weeds or have very good camouflage clothes. Hay bales if present offer great shelter.

Hunting mourning doves is a lot of fun but planning a hunt does take a little time. Be sure to buy plenty of shotgun shells because on a good hunt, three to four boxes will be used easily. Also be careful not to shoot a neighboring hunter. Keep all of this in mind on the next hunt and if the scout was paying attention in the days before, be ready to have a ball.

By: Jelena Leger

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Wild hog hunting can be an exciting hunt as well as helping farmers and ranchers. There are a growing number of feral hogs in the United States. These hogs are causing havoc and destroying many crops. The natural feeding patterns of feral hogs of rooting destroy natural habitat and crops.

Feral Hogs Grow Huge

The introduction of the Russian Boar and the growing number of feral hogs has produced huge hogs eating their way through the countryside. These hogs are very dangerous and thus hunting them will call for skill, if you wish to hunt them safely.

There have been hogs shot that weighed over 1,000 pounds. Wild hogs have tusk that will grow to 9 inches or longer in some cases. It’s these tusks that can cripple or kill animals and hunters if they are cornered or are protecting their young.

Hunting the Hog

If you are interested in hunting these hogs, you will find in a lot of states wild hog hunting is permitted year round to control their population.

Here are some tips if you want to hunt wild hogs. First is if you have not hunted them before, your best bet will be to hire a wild hog guide. This guide will help you with all the techniques and regulations for hunting wild hogs. An experienced guide will know the area you are hunting and safety tips to keep you from being injured.

When hunting wild hogs there is very little room for error. The slightest mistake could cost you severe injury or even death. Do not just wing it; your safety will be well worth the price of a guide.

Hunting Tips

Weapons will vary according to the size and species of hogs, as well as the area you will be hunting, so do your homework first. Feral hogs have an excellent since of smell, so unscented bug sprays as well as deodorants are best used when looking for wild hogs. You might consider the same techniques of stalking and hunting with a bow. A feral hog has good hearing as well, so be as quiet as you can while hunting. If you wish to hunt for the meat go small. The smaller the hog the tastier, the meat will be. You see the older and larger a hog gets the more gamey the meat will become. Getting rid of that gamey taste will take some extra work.

Most importantly is to make sure you follow the rules of the state or county you are hunting in and get permission of the landowner. Poaching is a serious offence and will be handled as such. In many cases, landowners will appreciate your helping to control wild hog population.

By: Robert Joe Wallace

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Early settlers in America kept domestic pigs as pets, but provided no pens to house them in. As a result, with a free run of the land, the animals began to scatter and got more and more habituated to following their own instincts. They not only began damaging fences and crops, but also managed to kill livestock. And thus, the wild boar or wild hog was born! Hog hunting with dogs is therefore seen to be the only way to keep their growing population under control.

The entry of wild hogs caused the entry of diseases like triginosis and disease of the foot and mouth. These diseases can be transmitted to the livestock in surrounding areas.

A survey conducted in Florida revealed that wild hogs could fall prey to 45 kinds of parasitic as well as infectious diseases. Among them, eight of them could be transmitted to humans. Additionally, the four species of tics that fed on the wild boar could also be transferred to man.

The animals become sexually active at a very young age–six months. Two litters are given birth to annually, with at least six piglets in each one. Despite the mortality rate being high, the numbers refuse to come down!

Thus, the wild hog is responsible for spreading disease, destroying livestock and damaging the surrounding habitat. And that is why hog hunting with dogs is advocated.

A wild boar can be vicious and will stop at nothing to mortally wound something or someone it considers a threat, especially if it is a mother sow guarding her new litter in the brush. Hence, though seasoned hunters may prefer to go it alone with just the services of a guide, it is still advisable to give a thought to going hog hunting with dogs. Not that there is a guarantee that the dogs will be safe either!

Most hunters avoid the wild boar. They much prefer the milder duck, pheasants, quail and deer. It is only those who are hungering for unique experiences, who come forward to go hog hunting with dogs. For them, it has all the markings of a memorable adventure!

Coming to the qualities expected in this type of dog, it has to be very tough. The enemy is extremely intelligent and ferocious. So the dog has to possess an equal amount of shrewdness and smartness to outwit the boar. A keen sense of smell is essential. By and large, the hunter has to go hog hunting with dogs that are able to stand up to anything and everything without fear. Also, give a thought to the type of environment to be provided for these dogs after a hunt.

Some of the breeds chosen for hog hunting with dogs are–pit bull terriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Blackmouth Cur, Jack Russell terriers, pit bull mixes, hounds, German short-haired pointers and bulldogs.

In conclusion, the Appalachians have an ample supply of food, adequate water supply and can provide excellent cover for the wild hogs. This is therefore the area where the majority of wild hogs love to stay! If the need arises to diminish their population in this region, there is always hog hunting with dogs!

By: Abhishek Agarwal

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In most places, hog hunting is permitted all year round unless forbidden in an area for a more specific reason. Since it is allowed all the time and every season, fall would be the opportune time for hunting for hogs. Hunting for these large animals has certain places, tools, and times for which hunting them is the best.

Texas, Arizona, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, California, and Georgia are among some of the greatest area for hunting hogs in the United States. Tennessee and Arkansas are also good quality areas to hunt for wild pigs. In Tennessee, where the population is steadily increasing, hunting for them is highly approved and advocated by people in charge of wild life in the state. The state of Illinois desires feral hog hunters from all around because they consider the hogs a danger to the environment and so not want them around. In Louisiana, the hog’s populations are overwhelming and becoming a problem for the state so this state welcomes hunters to come help them control the animals. These states are some of the best areas for pursuing hogs and recommended for every hunter looking to track and catch hogs.

You do not need any sort of license to hunt hogs if you are on privately owned land, however if you are on public land you will need some sort of hunting license. Since there are many states that do not want the animals around it is easy to require the permit needed to hunt hogs. Besides the required paperwork, you need other things. You will need a firearm to hunt these large beasts and you want to make sure it is big enough to get the job done. Wild hogs are not small animals so a 22 rifle might not be enough to make the kill. Make sure you have a powerful enough weapon to take care of business.

Since it is highly illegal to hunt for feral hogs after nightfall, therefore, the daytime is the only time in which you can hunt them. Like mentioned before, there is no certain season for hunting this animal, but there is a certain time. Hog hunting is a sport that any man can enjoy as long as he knows the right places, times and tools to use in order to make his hog hunting trip a complete success.

By: Darren Gettis

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Like most everyone, I started out bow hunting from a tree stand and still do most of my hunting up above the scent and sight line of deer.

But after my first two or three years, someone stole my climbing stand. This was during my “mountain man” period. I was actually living off the land at the time and simply couldn’t afford to buy another. So I learned to hunt from the ground.

It can be done. So I thought I would share what I’ve learned about this most challenging and rewarding way to hunt, just in case some of you would like to get down and walk around once in a while.

Stalking to within bow range of a deer is not as difficult as many may think. If you’ve learned to be a good squirrel hunter, you can approach deer using the same methods, but you do have to stop more often and stop for longer periods.

In fact, I see more deer when hunting from the ground than I do from a stand, mainly because I am mobile and cross paths with them more often. I sure haven’t killed many this way, however, because I do most of my hunting from a tree stand and use a compound bow.

What I’ve learned is that color-blind deer don’t see as well as most people believe. What they are extremely adept at is detecting the slightest movement. Hunting deer from the ground is not much different than hunting turkeys from the ground. They may notice something strange about your shape or form, but if you don’t blink for however long it takes, they will go on about their business.

The problem is that to draw and aim a compound bow requires considerable movement and some time. When you are that close, it is rare when they don’t see you draw, and they usually bolt before you even get a chance to put the sights on them. A practiced “instinct shooter” with a recurve would have a much better chance.

The most important thing is being aware of the direction of the wind. A deer may see you or hear you, but if you stay still long enough, they won’t leave. If, however, they get the slightest hint of your human stink, they’re gone in an instant-no questions asked. Just from the feel of it, I am able to determine the direction of the slightest breeze and pay attention to it constantly. If you can’t do that, it is a good idea to tie a short piece of very light thread to the end of your bow and pay
attention to it.

Stalking them really isn’t the best way to hunt from the ground, however. I will move around quite a bit when I’m ground bound, but I spend most of my time siting or standing in natural blinds. One of the best is a fallen tree. If it still has some leaves on it, all the better.

I climb right into the middle of it and then practice swinging the bow around and drawing to be sure I can shoot through the openings. The irregular cover of the twisted limbs not only breaks my outline and masks small movements, deer don’t seem to expect danger from within it.

Fallen trees on an otherwise open area are similar to isolated cover in a lake. Deer usually pass very near to them. They feel secure next to them and they seldom look into them. So, when I’m hunting from the ground, I most often follow visible deer trails and look for trees that have fallen within bow range of the trail. In hilly or mountainous areas, those on saddles or benches are ideal.

Fallen trees are best, but a brushy area, or even the base of a tree broader than your shoulders will do, just as it does for turkey hunting. It is important that wherever you chose to sit is in full shade, and it is very important is that the natural blind be above, not below, the deer’s path. As they travel, they often look down a slope, but seldom up it.

The very best place to hunt from the ground, however, is along an open field-not where they come to or enter the field, but where they venture along the edge after coming into the open. Deer usually avoid these open areas, except during the low light of early morning or late evening. Late evening definitely is best.

Open areas make them very nervous, and when in the open they spend a lot of time scanning the open area for approaching danger while they graze, or socialize or whatever. Rarely do they look back into the woods, and, because the contrast between the open field and the darkened woods (especially along pine thickets) is so dramatic, you can get away with drawing and aiming without detection, as long as you are in the darkened area behind the brushy edge of the field.

Hunting from the ground is very challenging and less productive, to be sure, but it’s not as boring as sitting in a tree for hours on end.

There is something very real and rewarding about ground-bound bow hunting.

By: Ron Kruger

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Every season, millions of hunters take to the woods with renewed enthusiasm and vigor. Unfortunately, many come away empty handed, returning day after day to face similar results. It’s every hunter’s biggest dilemma, but some have found the perfect solution, and that is hunting by moon phase.

Fishermen have long been aware of the powerful influence of the moon on the tides and chart the various phases of the moon in order to determine the best time to fish. Similarly, animals are in tune with their surroundings and certain shifts in natural forces trigger corresponding responses in the wild.

For years, researchers have studied the reaction of wildlife to changes in the position of the sun and moon and have come up with some rather interesting observations in relation to hunting by moon phase.

So, how does this work? How can paying attention to the phases of the moon help ensure a hunter’s success?

Animals and the Moon

Animals in the wild tend to be less active during daylight hours. Feeling safer under the cover of darkness, many animals will increase their activity as dusk falls.

However, many observers have noted that activity amongst all animals is greater when the moon is full and that this one form of hunting by moon phase — hunting during periods of full moon — can yield excellent results.

In other words, if you’re aware of the phases of the moon, you’re in a better position to anticipate the peak of animal activity. The more active they are, the better your chances will be of finding them.

Moon Phase Deer Hunting

Much of the research that has been done on this subject has involved hunting deer, and many hunters swear that hunting by moon phase is the only way to accurately predict deer activity.

But the moon doesn’t only have an impact on deer activity. The various phases of the moon also seem to have a direct effect on deer mating patterns, which in turn make them easier to locate. It’s because of this that moon phase deer hunting — as it’s becoming commonly known — is quickly gaining acceptance.

Being aware of when the breeding season begins helps to determine travel patterns and areas of increased deer activity. When the breeding season is at its peak, finding deer is easier and finding more than one in a particular area more likely.

So what does this have to do with the moon? A female deer’s reproductive cycle is influenced by the different phases of the moon, and peaks in the three or four days surrounding the second full moon after the autumnal equinox. When the does are in heat, the bucks begin rubbing and scraping in an attempt to attract them. If you know when the full moon occurs, you can be at the right spot, at the right time, and have the best chance for success, luring the bucks into your site.

By being aware of the different moon phases, deer hunting can be far more successful. But not only that, it can also help you figure out when not to hunt. You aren’t going to be successful after the deer have mated and even the phase when the bucks are chasing the does can be pretty fruitless.

By becoming familiar with these patterns and planning ahead, hunting by moon phase will almost certainly lead to your best hunting season ever.

By: David Rose

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Dove hunting provides hunting fun year round. Doves provide good game hunting and good eating. Doves live all over North and South America providing great hunting year round. Hunting dove gives hunters opportunities to use different types of equipment, experience the outdoors, and go on great hunting adventures.

Good dove hunters use specific equipment, helping them bag doves. Hunting these birds requires a good shotgun. A 20, 16 or 12 gauge shotgun works fine. Many dove hunters prefer auto-loaders. This gives them three quick shots before reloading. Make sure to read and follow regulations detailing rules for repeating shotguns in the area you hunt. Hunting doves requires only small shot size. Hunters recommend shot sizes 7 1/2, 8 or 9. Doves have keen eyes, so proper concealment increases success rates. Good camouflage provides another necessary piece of equipment. Another great piece of equipment is decoys. Using dove decoys bring doves into shooting range, allowing hunters to bag more doves. Buy decoys at sporting goods stores or on the Internet, or make decoys out of cardboard. Proper equipment makes for successful hunting.

Perhaps the best thing about hunting any type of animal is hunting provides outdoor adventure activities. Successful hunting of dove requires time spent studying doves, scouting, and practice shooting. All these activities provide fresh air and fun. Doves eat seeds and grains. They also tend to be predictable. They fly out of their nighttime roost to the local watering hole, before finding a nice, often freshly harvested grain crop to feed on. With this information, scouting is easy. Simply identify the watering holes and feeding areas on the land you intend to hunt, and then find a nice spot. Sit quietly watching for doves. Once the doves are scouted and identified, pick a nice spot to conceal yourself and practice shooting. Work on accuracy within a specific target area. On actual hunting days, this practice makes for more bagged doves.

Another great thing about the hunting of doves is going on great hunting adventures. Different states have different seasons for hunting doves. Trips to Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona and more provide different seasons for hunting doves and many different adventures for dove hunters. Argentina offers what is perhaps the best hunting experience. Millions of doves inhabit Argentina and the Argentines provide a great hunting experience. There is no hunting season in Argentina, so doves are always in season. Resorts in Argentina offer affordable, five star trips, complete with gourmet meals, beautiful rooms, equipment rental and great service. To learn about the seasons for dove hunting in each of the states and about dove hunting in Argentina, simply get online. Go to Google and type in “dove hunting.” Adventure waits.

For adventure and outdoor activities, go dove hunting. It provides year round fun. Hunters find great places to hunt doves and find great adventure all over North and South America. Good hunters use proper equipment and follow hunting regulations. To learn more about hunting doves, get on the Internet and do some research. The last thing to research before going hunting is how to cook a great tasting dish with dove.

By: Darren Gettis

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What to do?

Okay, you’ve acquired everything you need to begin dove hunting, NOW WHAT!?!?

There isn’t too much to it, but if you take a few steps prior to taking the field, you’ll have a lot more fun and a lot less stress. Let’s begin.

1. Get familiar with your gun.

If this is your first shotgun, it can be kind of intimidating. Just remember, safety, safety, safety. Always make sure your gun is unloaded before doing anything to it. You should take it apart and put it back together, as you will have to do this to clean and oil it. Practice loading and unloading shells. As I like to say, make love to your gun. The last thing you want to do is get out in the field and not know how to work your gun.

2.