Information on Hunting

Hunters pursue many types of game.

There are a lot of regulations when dealing with hunting. There are different seasons for each type of game, and then there are seasons for each type of animal in each category. There are regulations on the type of firearms that can be used, where animals can be hunted, when they can be hunted and for how long. There are even regulations on who can hunt, such as youth hunts. Everything a hunter needs to know can be found at their local Fish and Wildlife Service and in the state regulations put out at the start of each year for all types of hunting.

Big Game

Big game hunting consists of hunting the large animals: bear, moose, elk, deer and big horn sheep. Many hunts for big game are from an hour after sun-up to an hour before sundown, but always check your local laws on hunting to make sure. Hunts are regulated by open and closed hunting areas where tags are drawn for a certain number of people to go to closed areas and hunt big game. Open hunts are open to anyone who buys a hunting tag and follows the regulations for that hunt.

Birds

Birds are split into two categories, waterfowl and upland birds. Waterfowl include ducks and geese, basically any bird that lives on the water. Upland birds are those such as pheasant, chucker, quail and grouse. Shotguns are the most common method of hunting birds, and in many states, it is the only legal firearm allowed to hunt birds with. Whether hunting upland or waterfowl, make sure to check the bag limit for each bird you want to hunt.

Predator

Predator hunting is exactly as it sounds, hunting predators such as mountain lions, wolves and coyotes. Many predator hunts are regulated either by how many can be taken before the hunt closes, or when the first female is taken then the hunt season is over. In some cases, the predator may be considered a nuisance, and there are no regulations.

Black Powder

Besides rifles and shotguns there are two other ways to hunt. Black powder hails back to before rifles and shotguns, when guns were loaded through the muzzle of the gun followed by a ball of lead, thus gaining the term muzzleloader. Black power and balls can be bought at any sporting store. The range of black powder is only about 200 yards, so a steady eye and quiet approach are necessary. It is not for everyone, but once tried, some never go back to rifles.

Archery

The second way is archery, hunting with bow and arrow. Compound bows can be found at sportsman shops and all over the Internet. Archery hunts are included in just about every type of big game hunt such as deer, antelope, elk, even bear. Precision and patience are useful when archery hunting, as well as strength in pulling back the bow.

References

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services: Hunting
• Hunting Society: Hunting