Foo - Are there any hunters around here?

I have afew questions that might be easy to answer by somebody who already hunt stuff.

Licenses:

I wanna hunt big game (deer & bear maybe) is FL and GA. Do I have to get separate Licenses for FL and GA or can I get something that will cover both states?

What the heck is the "sportsman" license?

Guns:

Given that I'm not gonna be hunting everyday, I can get something cheap for now and upgrade later if I really like the hobby. Can a cheapo .22 from x-mart take down a deer? Do I need something bigger? What caliber?

Clothing:

What's the point of wearing camouflage stuff if you have to wear a shiny orange vest over it? Kinda defeat the purpose me think. Is it like some kind of balance between not being noticed by the deer but still remain visible to other hunters?

Classes:

Are there any classes I need to take before getting the licenses? Can it be done on the internetz?

Gun Permits?

Do I need any kind of weapon permit to carry a rifle in the woods? I'm sure the concealed weapons permit don't apply... rifle is too big to be concealed below the clothes.

Licenses:

I wanna hunt big game (deer & bear maybe) is FL and GA. Do I have to get separate Licenses for FL and GA or can I get something that will cover both states?

No


What the heck is the "sportsman" license?

Covers big and small game plus fishing

Guns:

Given that I'm not gonna be hunting everyday, I can get something cheap for now and upgrade later if I really like the hobby. Can a cheapo .22 from x-mart take down a deer? Do I need something bigger? What caliber?

It is illegal to hunt deer with a .22. Depending on the area, you may need to use a shotgun with slugs. Otherwise a rifle of suitable caliber

Clothing:

What's the point of wearing camouflage stuff if you have to wear a shiny orange vest over it? Kinda defeat the purpose me think. Is it like some kind of balance between not being noticed by the deer but still remain visible to other hunters?

Deer are color blind

Classes:

Are there any classes I need to take before getting the licenses?

Yes

Can it be done on the internetz?

No

Gun Permits?

Do I need any kind of weapon permit to carry a rifle in the woods?

No

I'm sure the concealed weapons permit don't apply... rifle is too big to be concealed below the clothes.

Oh yeah, you'll shoot your eye out.

Gun safety is no laughing matter. This year in NY an 18 year-old shot himself in the face while dragging a deer - he's dead. Another man shot and killed his long time friend - he commited suicide afterwards - his poor wife - their 18 year-old daughter was killed in a snowmobile accident last year.

You really need to spend several years hunting with an experienced hunter to learn the ropes of big game hunting. Safe gun handling can't be taught in the course of a few hours. It's learned.

Are you doing this for "free" meat, because if you are just go to the store.

Gun - cheep one - $300

License - ?

Gas for the car - ?

Beer - ?

Although I am not an avid hunter, in my town it's a huge part of the local economy and culture.

Licenses: Yes, you'll need separate licenses AFAIK. Keep in mind that unless you can prove residency, out of state tags can be as much as ten times the local's rate. Best to hunt your own locale for many reasons.

Guns: Please see classes and Permits.

Clothing: The point is that deer are colorblind, most other hunters are not. Believe me, when you hear a few stories about other hunters shooting at movement in the bushes...you want to be seen.

Classes: My state requires every hunter to attend hunter safety classes. If you go, pay attention. It could save your life. They also teach about the ethics of hunting that are far more than just good advice. The goal is to harvest an animal in the most humane way possible, meaning you don't take the shot until you know that it's a kill (meaning you've practiced. My class required a shooting skills test to pass), you've determined the sex of the animal (depending on what tag you posess) and you've examined the backdrop to not endanger any other woods travelers...not necessarily in that order.

Gun Permits: State firearms laws vary from state to state. It is your responsibility to research them and conform.

It can be expensive, but check into outfitters in the area you wish to hunt. They know the region and it's their job to keep you safe, warm, and as successful in your hunt as possible. Later when you learn more you can strike out on your own.

I have afew questions that might be easy to answer by somebody who already hunt stuff.

Licenses:

I wanna hunt big game (deer & bear maybe) is FL and GA. Do I have to get separate Licenses for FL and GA or can I get something that will cover both states?

What the heck is the "sportsman" license?

Guns:

Given that I'm not gonna be hunting everyday, I can get something cheap for now and upgrade later if I really like the hobby. Can a cheapo .22 from x-mart take down a deer? Do I need something bigger? What caliber?

Clothing:

What's the point of wearing camouflage stuff if you have to wear a shiny orange vest over it? Kinda defeat the purpose me think. Is it like some kind of balance between not being noticed by the deer but still remain visible to other hunters?

Classes:

Are there any classes I need to take before getting the licenses? Can it be done on the internetz?

Gun Permits?

Do I need any kind of weapon permit to carry a rifle in the woods? I'm sure the concealed weapons permit don't apply... rifle is too big to be concealed below the clothes.

Fl, you can get a resident's license

GA, you need a nonresident.

No, you cannot use a .22 to hunt deer.

You may need to take a hunters education class. Refer to both states DNR sites for hunting regs and permoits/licenses.

OK... I've been reading a lot and (regulations aside) it seems that the opinions on "rifle vs shotgun" are just as passionate like the "campy vs shimano" threads. And in the middle there's something called a "rifled barred shotgun" which sounds like a hybrid between the two. Others say that it doesn't matter what I start with because, if I end up liking it, I'm bound to end up with a few rifles and shotguns of all kinds. Similar to bike riding where you end up with a garage full of bikes.

I still need to find out if an average sized deer can fit in the truck of the Hyundai. And I have to google the term "smooth board" which is mentioned a lot and I have no idea what it means.

All the above is good advice. Comb the gun stores for a used rifle. A .243 is a good choice for a Florida deer, though it's marginal for our big corn-fed Northern brutes and if you'd ever want to go after boar it's far too light.

Read the classic gun writers, Jack O'Connor and Townsend Whelen and Robert Ruark. Definitely a cut above today's writers. This can be a very rewrding pursuit, but it's nothing to take lightly.

OK... I've been reading a lot and (regulations aside) it seems that the opinions on "rifle vs shotgun" are just as passionate like the "campy vs shimano" threads. And in the middle there's something called a "rifled barred shotgun" which sounds like a hybrid between the two. Others say that it doesn't matter what I start with because, if I end up liking it, I'm bound to end up with a few rifles and shotguns of all kinds. Similar to bike riding where you end up with a garage full of bikes.

I still need to find out if an average sized deer can fit in the truck of the Hyundai. And I have to google the term "smooth board" which is mentioned a lot and I have no idea what it means.

Smooth Bore - A shotgun barrel with no rifling - requires that you use rifled slugs.

Rifled shotgun barrel - allows you to use sabots - more accurate than the above.

I can't rememember what year this was taken. That's my 870 "smooth bore" hangin' on the rack. There's a smaller buck to the right of "old swampy".

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l278/kdl2525/1995deerpic.jpg

That looks like a 30 pack of Keystone Ice, I can't be sure. ^^^

There ya go Rube.

An 870 smoothbore,ammo bandelero,12 pack Keystone,Florida permit,Puerto Rican toothpick(pocket knife),and you're ready to hit the Everglades for big game.

I wanna hunt big game (deer & bear maybe) is FL and GA. Do I have to get separate Licenses for FL and GA or can I get something that will cover both states?

What the heck is the "sportsman" license?

Guns:

- as stated above, covers small game, big game, fishing, and perhaps even WMA's (but not sure on that one).

Given that I'm not gonna be hunting everyday, I can get something cheap for now and upgrade later if I really like the hobby. Can a cheapo .22 from x-mart take down a deer? Do I need something bigger? What caliber?

In GA, it must be a center fire cartridge. So, a .223 is a valid caliber to hunt with, but personally, I'd want to throw a bit larger lead at the animal. I prefer a 30-30 or better for deer. For bear....get the biggest thing you can find. A 444 Marlin is a good gun for both deer and bear, from what I've heard.


Clothing:

What's the point of wearing camouflage stuff if you have to wear a shiny orange vest over it? Kinda defeat the purpose me think. Is it like some kind of balance between not being noticed by the deer but still remain visible to other hunters?
Camo is good for hunting...but keep in mind, you want other hunters to know you're there. So, something of safety orange is almost mandatory.


Classes:

Are there any classes I need to take before getting the licenses? Can it be done on the internetz?
Hunter safety coars is worth every penny. Take it. Do not take anything online...go to a classroom and get grossed out by pics of self inflicted gun shots.


Gun Permits?

Do I need any kind of weapon permit to carry a rifle in the woods? I'm sure the concealed weapons permit don't apply... rifle is too big to be concealed below the clothes.

No gun permit needed in GA unless you are going to buy a hand gun...even then, I don't think you need a permit except for concealed carry. For a rifle or shotgun? No permit.



Have fun, be careful, and good luck.

These questions are disturbing.
Have you ever butchered a deer?

After you have all this, go with someone who knows what they're doing for the first few trips.

Pretty much covered by everyone else. The out of state license will likely be more expensive than the instate one. In the end, you might want to just pick one and roll with it.


If I wasn't a hunter, I'd really be failing to live up to my real name.

Now that you got it all figured out, here is some motivational music.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CBVtC-Y3ek

for a rifle look at something in a 30-06 caliber, has about the greatest range of different powder loads and weights of bullets out there; therefore you can pick a particular load for each style/animal you ae hunting.

for a rifle look at something in a 30-06 caliber, has about the greatest range of different powder loads and weights of bullets out there; therefore you can pick a particular load for each style/animal you ae hunting.

Is it too soon to start discussing Black Powder with him?

FYI - Björk was executed in Dancer In The Dark.

These questions are disturbing.
Have you ever butchered a deer?

After you have all this, go with someone who knows what they're doing for the first few trips.

Oh, I have that figured out. The place I'm planning to go has deer processing plants all over the place and people have 4 tracks to move the game out of the woods.

I went to a local "Gander Mountain" store which is kinda like a walmart (it's huuuuge) for fishing/hunting. They even sell little pink bows for little girls to hunt squirrels. I signed up for the hunters education class.

I looked at some rifles and almost pulled the trigger on one (no pun intended) but decided to wait a little and get some feedback first. I was looking at these 2:

* Remington 770, centerfire, bolt action, 30-06 caliber $399
* Remington 700, centerfire, bolt action, 30-06 caliber $529

They also have a range but the guy said you can only shoot rifles up to .22 caliber. Guess I'm gonna have to find an outdoor range around these parts.

Oh... and they had some bumper stickers that say "You might not always get the deer, but you can always drink the beer".

Is it too soon to start discussing Black Powder with him?

what's that?

Oh, I have that figured out. The place I'm planning to go has deer processing plants all over the place and people have 4 tracks to move the game out of the woods.

I guy I work with uses a huffy bicycle to ride into where he hunts, then after he cleans his deer he mounts it onto the huffy and wheels it back out that way.

what's that?

That's the real men hunt....well....sort of real men. I guess the real men go after the bear with a pocket knife....or nail clippers or something.

Blackpowder is a joke anymore. Few actually use blackpowder. I remember when they first allowed scopes and in-lines in Virginia and everyone threw a fit. Now they're just regular guns that take slightly longer to load.

My new goal is to take something with my .357. Haven't found a suitable victim yet.

Blackpowder is a joke anymore. Few actually use blackpowder. I remember when they first allowed scopes and in-lines in Virginia and everyone threw a fit. Now they're just regular guns that take slightly longer to load.

My new goal is to take something with my .357. Haven't found a suitable victim yet.

I don't consider that BP.
My .45 TC Kentucky Long Rifle muzzle loader is a black powder rifle.

MV
Real men hunt Dear and Bare.
Dear faces and Bare ass.

Black powder is great but the season is usually only a week long. Thats why more people quit going.

Either 3006 you get you will like. I suggest finding someone to go with you the first couple of times. #1 rule just make sure you know exactly what you are shooting and whats behind it.

Good luck and happy hunting.

For a guy that complains he's always broke,Rube sure seems to travel, enjoy life,and appears to be eating well lately.

I may have to adopt this "Rubalifestyle".

Oh, I have that figured out. The place I'm planning to go has deer processing plants all over the place and people have 4 tracks to move the game out of the woods.

Check to make sure "deer processing plants" will gut/dress deer. If it's just a skin/cut/wrap type of operation, they won't take kindly to you bringing in a whole animal...

People around here like 30-30 lever action, but most suggest using something bigger. 30-06 is a good choice. 300 Savage, 308 Win are some other useful rounds.

Check to make sure "deer processing plants" will gut/dress deer. If it's just a skin/cut/wrap type of operation, they won't take kindly to you bringing in a whole animal...

People around here like 30-30 lever action, but most suggest using something bigger. 30-06 is a good choice. 300 Savage, 308 Win are some other useful rounds.

Not certain where you're going to find a decent supply of 300 savage...

30-06 and .270 are going to be your most commonly available modern rounds. 30-30 is cheaper and probably just as available.

I have a .270, a 7mm mag, .243, .264 win mag and a 6.5x55 swede. The .264 and 6.5 are the only ones that get used for hunting anymore. Until you've hunted a bit and tried other rounds, you probably won't develop a taste for a particular caliber/load. For now .30-06 and .270 will suffice.

Not certain where you're going to find a decent supply of 300 savage...

^^^ listen to 20grit and others -- I don't hunt.

Skinning, cutting, wrapping, and laughing at hunters who completely blow up an animal is what I do...

While there's a lot of good advice here, the place you need to go to is the Department of Natural Resources website to check the hunting requirements. I'll get you started: http://myfwc.com/hunting/

Go through the regulations, find out what kind of firearm you can and cannot hunt with (e.g. here in PA I can't hunt with a semi-auto) and then start deciding what you want in a firearm. I go with a 30-30 Winchester 94 because that's what my grandfather gave me, but I'd really like a .308 stainless with synthetic stock.

I'd also recommend doing what I'm doing--honing your hunting chops on small game. You can get a cheap .22 (or shotgun) for this, and you get a lot more action. Here's my first squirrel ever:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aFoQGbObpo4/TpBsdZ4LVhI/AAAAAAAAAWk/wvUdxVXkYyE/s400/deadsquirrel.jpg

That was taken with a perfect head shot from my Savage MKII .22. It tasted like crock-pot after spending six hours in it. Note the lack of camo--I've since expanded on the gear a bit.

FWIW, here is my dream rifle: http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-stainless.aspx

I use a pellet gun for squirrel. Part of the challenge is stalking them. I wouldn't try stalking deer or bear.

For some reason the idea of Reuben hunting made me think of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb9yhhflmvY

* Remington 770, centerfire, bolt action, 30-06 caliber $399
* Remington 700, centerfire, bolt action, 30-06 caliber $529



Remington is a quality brand. Also Winchester and Savage in terms of bolt action rifles. Anything from .243 to .30-06 will be reasonable. As has been mentioned it helps to select common calibers because ammunition is more readily available anywhere you want to hunt. A Marlin lever action in .30-30 is also reasonable for use in areas where you don't have to shoot very far. They are inexpensive and ammunition is common.

You will need to find an outdoor range to shoot the rifle so you can get some practice and make sure that the sights are set properly.

Your licenses and hunting regulations are very specific to the state and maybe the area where you want to hunt. Every state is different.

As in most aspects of life, you get what you pay for, especially up to within about 20% of the top end. Then as with bikes and everything else, you'll see the whole diminishing returns bit kick in. Assuming you buy their normal grade stuff, you won't see any problems (from my experience) with Savage, Browning, Winchester, CZ, Remington, or Marlin. I've handled others, but haven't shot them to any extent to weigh in. My two go-
to guns are a winchester and a CZ. That's mostly because of caliber though.

I have afew questions that might be easy to answer by somebody who already hunt stuff.

Licenses:

I wanna hunt big game (deer & bear maybe) is FL and GA. Do I have to get separate Licenses for FL and GA or can I get something that will cover both states?

What the heck is the "sportsman" license?

Guns:

Given that I'm not gonna be hunting everyday, I can get something cheap for now and upgrade later if I really like the hobby. Can a cheapo .22 from x-mart take down a deer? Do I need something bigger? What caliber?

Clothing:

What's the point of wearing camouflage stuff if you have to wear a shiny orange vest over it? Kinda defeat the purpose me think. Is it like some kind of balance between not being noticed by the deer but still remain visible to other hunters?

Classes:

Are there any classes I need to take before getting the licenses? Can it be done on the internetz?

Gun Permits?

Do I need any kind of weapon permit to carry a rifle in the woods? I'm sure the concealed weapons permit don't apply... rifle is too big to be concealed below the clothes.

Lets keep it fair, if your going to call yourself a "hunter" don't use a gun/rifle. Get yourself a spear and a big ****in' knife! Go into this fight fair and square! I don't see any big game animals carrying guns/rifles.

Get a muzzle loader. Smokeless powder is a passing fad, black powder is forever!

Lets keep it fair, if your going to call yourself a "hunter" don't use a gun/rifle. Get yourself a spear and a big ****in' knife! Go into this fight fair and square! I don't see any big game animals carrying guns/rifles.

You've never hunted big game that can hunt you back, I see.

You've never hunted big game that can hunt you back, I see.

I've never hunted big game that can hunt me back with a rifle!......unless you count a man with a rifle as big game. I don't.

Lets keep it fair, if your going to call yourself a "hunter" don't use a gun/rifle. Get yourself a spear and a big ****in' knife! Go into this fight fair and square! I don't see any big game animals carrying guns/rifles.

Nature isn't fair. Last time I checked cougars and wolves have bigger teeth than deer.

Nature is absolutely fair, gave every creature everything it needs to survive. Sad to say humans came out on the **** end of that stick. Don't get me wrong I totally understand if humans use rifles to hunt for food and need protection from large cats or bears and such when hunting, but I feel if man is hunting just for bragging rights they should go mano a mano with these creatures and see if they can brag about it when the dust clears.

Nature is absolutely fair, gave every creature everything it needs to survive. Sad to say humans came out on the **** end of that stick. Don't get me wrong I totally understand if humans use rifles to hunt for food and need protection from large cats or bears and such when hunting, but I feel if man is hunting just for bragging rights they should go mano a mano with these creatures and see if they can brag about it when the dust clears.

I could say that I might be a bit scratched up but that squirrel would be history.

Nature isn't fair. Last time I checked cougars and wolves have bigger teeth than deer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD5zjUbWpXY

mmmm...yes, such defenseless little creatures.



:rolleyes:

:lol: ^^^^ that deer got in more than a few good punches!

I could say that I might be a bit scratched up but that squirrel would be history.

I don't know, squirrels have been known to take out cyclist with little to no effort! ;0) 'cept for this one, this one didn't make it!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/Squirrelonafork.jpg

Shotguns are very versatile. A Remington 870 smoothbore slug barrel is good for big game with slugs and small game with shot. With a Brenneke (that's a German brand name) slug my smoothbore 870 will hit a cigarette pack at 50 yards. 870's are very common and you can probably find a used one very cheap.
Hunting can open up a whole 'nother world to you.

MV
Real men hunt Dear and Bare.
Dear faces and Bare ass.

Black powder is great but the season is usually only a week long. Thats why more people quit going.

Either 3006 you get you will like. I suggest finding someone to go with you the first couple of times. #1 rule just make sure you know exactly what you are shooting and whats behind it.

Good luck and happy hunting.

My Rule #1 is that "There is NO such thing as an empty gun", so treat them all as loaded. Then your rule #1 comes into play

Lets keep it fair, if your going to call yourself a "hunter" don't use a gun/rifle. Get yourself a spear and a big ****in' knife! Go into this fight fair and square! I don't see any big game animals carrying guns/rifles.

What are you -- Ted Nugent or something?

perhaps Ruben might enjoy bow & arrow vs mule deer? So much quieter!

perhaps Ruben might enjoy bow & arrow vs mule deer? So much quieter!

Well, rifles can be loud. I went to the range today with a friend. He's no hunter but he likes shooting rifles and has a few. He was going to try out a new HOWA 1500 and brought with him several rifles in different calibers for me to try out, including a Remington 700 like the one I was eyeballing.

We went to a nearby indoor range that has rifles lanes. It's only like 25 yards but served the purpose. With all the ear protection on, handguns sound like bam bam, pew pew... then my friend deployed a .300 Winchester caliber and it was like "KABOOM". Everybody looked at us like "damn, what a cannon". I tried the .300w caliber and it has a hell of a kick. I also tried the Remington 700 the HOWA 1500, both in 30-06 caliber. I liked both but kinda felt more comfortable with the HOWA. My friend didn't liked how the rubberized finish feels and after a few rounds he said he was going to sell it.

To make the story short, he paid 550 for the HOWA and wanted at least 450. It was brand spanking new, I took the factory zip-ties off the trigger myself and we just put 20 rounds on it. The guys at the range offered him 300 and he got pissed off. I told him "I only have 350..." and he said "here you have it!".

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/Hunting/aee5dad2.jpg
HOWA 1500

Mine looks like the one on the picture but the scope looks a little bigger. We fire it by manually feeding bullets on the bolt mechanism but there's a non-detachable box-magazine that can hold 5 rounds. That can be replaced with a detachable magazine which I'll most likely do later on.

Firing trough a scope was helluva-fun. Can't wait to find an outdoor range to try this baby at longer distances.

PS: For those wondering... I was around 7 inches away from the target's center. Yes, my target, not the targets on adjacent lanes (tho one guy did that with a 9mm lol).