what to get new western hunter

[westernhunter98]

I am new to western hunting and I am wondering what is the most important things to buy? also I am wondering is it worth it to buy hunting clothing like Sitka because it is my first year and I am still growing ?

 

[npaden]

I would say #1 a decent pair of binoculars (think $300ish minimum) and #2 a good pair of boots. Next up for me would be a decent pack.

 

[gknutson]

I would say wait on the Sitka clothes. Keep a eye on camofire.com and classified adds on here and other hunting forums for deals on new and used gear that fits and won't break the bank. Important things are boots and a backpack that fits properly.

I would also start to study all the western state draws. Learn them like the back of your hand. Get all the Bonus/preference points you can afford at a young age. You will not regret it later.

P.S. You can buy preference points for Wyoming starting in July. I would recommend getting points for all the species you can afford. Good luck.

 

[JohnCushman]

I would wait on the Sitka and expensive clothing and stuff like that until you stop growing. I was an Easterner up until I got out of the Army in 2007. The biggest issue I noticed right off the bat was optics. Get the best binoculars you can afford. Predator Optics is a sponsor on here and you can't beat Pat's prices and customer service. The next thing I got was good boots. One piece of advice I would give you is to start shooting at longer ranges, both bow and rifle. It's not like back East here where 100 yard shot with a shotgun is really far, especially with antelope. Also, start getting points in as many states as you can afford. Colorado has good OTC opportunity for elk and archery antelope, so you can still hunt while banking points. Wyoming can't be beat for the antelope hunting. Montana has some good hunting available with leftover tags. You'll be amazed at what you can draw for only a few points in most states, even 0 points if you do your research, and leftovers. Colorado has a good elk hunting series on the DPW website called Elk Hunting University. Welcome to the site and don't be afraid to get in on threads or ask your questions...especially post hero shots with your hunting trophies!!

 

[Bill Zent]

To answer your question correctly it would be nice to know a few details.

What animals will you be hunting, primary and secondary?
What do you use for camp, trailer, motel, base camp tent or spike camp?
How far from a road/vehicle do you plan to hunt?

Those are for starters as clothing/boot choice can vary from short hike/hunt trips to all day/overnight jaunts.

 

[Bulldog0156]

I think quality boots and binos are extremely important.

 

[westernhunter98]

to answer your questions bill zent I will be hunting primary mule deer secondary elk, next it will just be day hunts because I live close to where I will be hunting, and last the far lest we will probably be going is 5 miles from the road

 

[westernhunter98]

also I have already bought a good pair of boots, I have some decent binoculars and I have a good pack. so just wondering what else I should get with the 400 dollars I have saved up?

 

[naturebob]

Welcome. If Your hunting Nevada for Elk or Muleys Your best 2 friends will be Good binos on a tripod and good boots. Later as You can afford it if You get serious about it get some good 15 power binos for the tripod. Using a tripod in open country or in most country will find You more animals than most hunters will find. Get high on a mtn. or vantage point that You can see alot of country from and use them too Your advantage instead of just hiking. You will see more animals. Have patience too. Good luck........BOB!

 

[JohnCushman]

also I have already bought a good pair of boots, I have some decent binoculars and I have a good pack. so just wondering what else I should get with the 400 dollars I have saved up?

Save it and add to it for points in a couple of states

 

[rjlefty3]

I was new to western hunting this year. Coming from the northeast all I ever saw were trees and more trees. My list would go like this:

1. Binos. I never use them back home since I don't need them, but I would have been completely lost without them.
2. Boots. I put more miles on my boots in a couple days than I do in a season back east. Distances are really deceiving. At times I couldn't believe how far I'd gone since I could still see my truck. Definately wasn't used to that.
3. A hunting pack. If you get lucky enough to get something, you'll appreciate a good pack that doesn't make the walk back miserable. I have a pack I carry my daughter in (she's about 30-35 lbs) and compared to my hunting pack I used to haul my deer (a little over 100lbs) it was much easier to carry the deer. Don't skimp here, you'll appreciate it when you need it.
4. Some kind of GPS tracking system. You really need to know where you're at for your boundaries, especially when they aren't really marked. With few exceptions, I noticed more animals towards the edges of public land compared to the middle (probably depends on where you are and how big the piece of land is). I used an app on my phone that worked flawlessly.
5. I agree with Cush. I'd hold off on the Sitka for now. Plenty of other patterns that'll work just fine for a heck of a lot cheaper. Put your money to the above first, then move to this once you have those down.

You're in for a lot of fun. Western hunting is by far the best kind, can't wait to do it again! Good luck!

 

[RobG]

I've seen too many people in jeans not to mention it... Not necessarily Sitka, but you need some decent clothing for the rain and snow. Cotton will kill you if it gets wet. You can find army surplus "gray" wool pants for $10 if you look hard enough and I like them better than the heavier more expensive ones.

 

[Gunner46]

[/QUOTE]
4. Some kind of GPS tracking system. You really need to know where you're at for your boundaries, especially when they aren't really marked. With few exceptions, I noticed more animals towards the edges of public land compared to the middle (probably depends on where you are and how big the piece of land is). I used an app on my phone that worked flawlessly. [/QUOTE]


Which App ? And Yes a GPS. That was 1 of my 3 choices when I 1st read this thread.

 

[Bill Zent]

No mention of a weapon or camera?

 

[MKotur325]

Knowing that you have Boots, a Pack and Binos that suit your tastes at this point. Another handy item to consider would be a rangefinder.

 

[Zach]

to answer your questions bill zent I will be hunting primary mule deer secondary elk, next it will just be day hunts because I live close to where I will be hunting, and last the far lest we will probably be going is 5 miles from the road

Save the money for fuel and REALLY get to know the unit you plan on hunting.


Give us a little more background on hunting experience, where you're at, etc.

 

[renomike]

Based off what you said you already have I would suggest that if you are hunting with friends a good set of two way radios. I was on a hunt where I was up high glassing for deer while a buddy was low trying to get into a shooting position. I spotted a good group with some large bucks but our radios sucked and I couldn't communicate their location to my buddy and we missed out on a great opportunity. they are also very useful if one person is trying to push deer toward the shooter. Depending on what you are hunting with I would also suggest just buying ammo to practice your marksmanship. Practice shooting out to longer distances and try to find places where you can practice shooting downhill and uphill. I have yet to encounter a hunt where I wasn't shooting at a steep angle.

 

[2rocky]

Assuming:
You have a serviceable rifle, that you feel is reasonably accurate out to 300 yards.
You have boots that don't give you blisters after 3 - 14 hour days.
You have a pack that will hold food and supplies for a day and survival gear for an unexpected night out
You have 8 or 10 power binoculars that don't give you a headache when glassing for hours.
You have a knife that will hold an edge to skin and debone an entire animal, and a way to maintain that edge in the field.

THEN I would consider upgrading, but not until all the previous conditions were met.
Premium Ammo, and range practice
GPS and a landowner/Topo chip
Synthetic or Merino Base layers
Pack with "meat hauling" suspension and frame
More Weatherproof and breathable outer layers
Equipment for overnight excursions. Bag, Stove, Tent etc.

 

[Ben Long]

2Rocky nails it. I would add perhaps a hatchet or Wyoming saw.
NEVER scrimp on boots and make sure they fit.
High-end clothing can be worth every penny but you can do just fine spending a fraction of the price on good wool and pile. Hit the second hand stores, but don't buy junk. Also a compass and map is a lot cheaper than GPS and don't have batteries. There is no reason to spend a ton of money on hunting gear when you're starting out. But then again, I'm a cheap bastard. I've used the same Kelty pack frame for 30 years. Works!

 

[roadhunter]

I'd start with a subscription to a magazine geared toward hunting in western states that also includes some tag application info including drawing odds. This will give them a chance to understand each state and how the tags work so they can properly plan a hunt. The planning is likely the most time consuming and important part of many hunts. Figuring out how each state does their drawings and what tags you can draw can be really confusing but in many of the magazines I have read (eastmans/huntin fool) they seem to lay the information out in an easier to understand way than most of the states manage to do.

Another thing you might consider would be a course on shooting. Many places now offer a basic shooting course that teaches you various aspects of shooting form picking a round, mounting a scope, sighting in, proper technique, breathing, wind, etc.. Some of these can be purchased as a vide or can be done in person at various locations across the USA.

Going and shooting prairie dogs could also be a good gift to someone just starting out. Gets them comfortable glassing, finding the target in the scope, practicing at varying distances, handling the gun, etc...

I'd pass on the expensive hunting gear. You dont' need a $800 pack, $400 boots, and a $1,000 outfit from Sitka to hunt. You need a pack you can fit your stuff in, boots that fit and dont' blister your feet on long hikes, and clothing you are comfortable hunting in. Plenty of big animals get killed every year by guys in Wranglers. The animals don't care how much your stuff costs or if you coordinate all you gear to matching camo.