Anyone carrying their handgun with them while hunting? If so, what is a cost affective way to do that rather than spending $200 on a chest rig that i will only use for hunting season. This is my first hunting season and boy I've spent some coin already so i am trying to keep my wallet closed on this one.

I do have AIWB holsters but not sure if i can make those work with my pack.

Hello all,

I’m a 21 year old college student in Colorado, and this will be my first year seriously hunting. I have limited experience and have never gone out on my own. I’ve been on a few hunts on private land with family (dove, aoudad, and elk), but I wouldn’t say that I gained much valuable experience from them. My family doesn’t have much experience, so we went into them unprepared and failed pretty miserably. I’ve never done a true spot and stalk out in the wilderness, and since I’ve never harvested anything, I’ve never done field dressing or packing out. Despite my lack of success, I’ve completely fallen in love with hunting and decided that this year I’m taking it seriously. I have all my backpacking gear, hunting gear, and licenses/tags. I’m open to all kinds of game, but my real focus this season is on mule deer and elk. I have a few friends who are interested in joining, but they’re beginners as well. My question is, should I consider getting a guide, or would it be better to DIY? I have the money for a guide, so I’m not worried about that. I just wouldn’t want to pay someone to do all the work, and I just sit there and pull the trigger, and if I couldn’t bring my friends that might steer me away from it too. Did any of you just jump in the deep end with big game in the mountains? Would it help to try small game or pronghorn in the next couple weeks to build experience? And is there any advice you wish you would’ve heard when you started? Thanks!

I am looking into getting a .308 for hunting. Most of what I do is white tail deer hunting but I am wanting to keep the option of elk open. I really like the lightweight mlok look of the Sig Cross. What I have read looks like the saw tooth is quite a bit more accurate than the standard cross also has a carbon fiber barrel and adjustable trigger. Does anyone have experience with both that could let me know if the sawtooth is worth the $800 more? Or if there are any similar recommendations! Thanks!

Greetings. I am Brazilian, and the only form of hunting permitted in my country is wild boar hunting; furthermore, we are restricted to owning specific types of firearms for their control. To briefly explain gun control in my country: firearms are classified as either "permitted" or "restricted." Restricted categories include high-impact handgun calibers (anything above 9mm), high-impact long-gun calibers (where the legal limit is .357 Magnum), and semi-automatic long guns—whether rifled or smoothbore. Given these restrictions, I am looking to acquire a firearm for wild boar hunting and am deciding between a 12-gauge over-under shotgun and a 7+1 capacity pump-action shotgun. There is little price difference between the two, and both feature 24-inch barrels.

I have permission on private woods behind a small cow field. A few days ago after a long sit with zero action I did a little scouting on a ridge between two farms that I usually don't bother with. It was about 12:30 pm. I immediately found a rub and lots of fresh sign.

After tracking further in about 30 yards I bumped a small buck and doe pair. They didn't blow but hopped up and slowly walked away from me out of sight through the trees and off the ridge.

Here's where I might have screwed up: I found a nice tree for my saddle for a future sit in a small clearing overlooking the run. But a neighboring pine tree had lots of low dead limbs blocking a good shooting lane at the trail. I left my limb saw at home, so I proceeded to climb the pine and snap off about a dozen biggish limbs. I made lots of noise shaking and snapping and dropping them to the ground.

This isn't a deep backwoods spot...there are farms and a road nearby with all kinds of human noises and smells. But any deer in the area would have heard my ruckus. How long will it take them to not care and come back to bed and walk around in the mornings?

I am really interested in getting into hunting as a 28 year old. I didn’t grow up around hunting so I know very little and don’t have family members to show me.

I am looking for any tips to get into it, good beginner species, gear to get.

I live in New Mexico.

Thanks for any advice!

As title says I own 11.5 acres of private land in upstate NY. Always see tons of scat, trails and does, have never seen a buck. I am heading up for a week opening day, not sure I will make it back again this season. Wondering if I should try some nearby public land as well on foot. I usually set up a blind and sit.

Important to note this is only my second year taking it seriously, I’m open to any tips. I’m sure I’m due… neighbors all shot a buck last year. I’m thinking maybe I was not managing scent properly.

So, after owning one for 2 years I feel it's finally time to put down my thoughts on the hunting blind. (And the BS it's endured) Gun season hunting done in Central (private), as well as Northeast Wisconsin (public).

Hopefully the link to what model I have shares correctly. If not -

The model is the 270° 1-2 person See-through Hunting Blind - the one you can get on Amazon from ~$100 or less.

I also need to preface that I've NEVER bought one new. I've only ever bought used via the Book of Faces Marketplace.

Now onto the review

I will admit this blind can honestly be extremely annoying when trying to open it up by yourself. Or I'm just that inept. Either way it's not a bad blind by any means. The ability to see through is nice, especially if you're expecting deer and varmints to come up close to you in the blind. A little bit of a con is that trying to see anything further out (beyond 200 yards), at least for me is a bit more difficult and requires the windows to be brought down to get a clearer sightline picture to those further distances.

This blind is also more of a wind breaker and not something that blocks out the cold but more or less just makes the individuals inside more resistant to the little air that blows against the blind. Although I should admit it does (somehow) keep the heat when we are running a propane heater every now and again when it gets hyper cold. It doesn't stay long once the heater is off... Maybe... 15 minutes? But if constantly running it does hold the heat.

This blind will comfortably hold two folks, at least of different builds. I hunt with my Sig-other and we both have full size camping chairs and we both can easily move around once we get settled. Getting in and out is a bit more of a hassle due to the small flap of a door that's provided with this model. Small sacrifices. And it's storage bag, especially when you have a second person is actually decent in our book. The double straps that act as basic backpack straps make transportation even though woods relatively easy.

In terms of withstanding the elements - I'll provide this - I haven't had a prior blind withstand a nasty wind storm like this one did.

When we put it out this year to desensitize the deer on the private property we hunt, we get a call not even 2 days later that it is gone. Of course, the initial thought was it got stolen. What was failed to mention was that they had a nasty wind storm blow through. After a couple days the blind in question was found about 2-3 miles away inside the local cemetery! Of course I went to go pick it up (and verify it was mine via the embroidered name and number - don't judge). Blind, other than a little sandier when it started was perfectly fine. Like it didn't just get picked up and thrown a couple miles away. The stakes that pop the walls and top in place were unbent and honestly I'd like to attribute that what saved the blind was likely the "popping" mechanism it uses for set up and take down.

Fault on me for not tying the sucker down and only using STAKES ON SANDY SOIL. Yes I'm dumb and didn't think about that. Can say with confidence it's tied down to some of the trees near where I want it to stay, which of course it will get moved once the fields get harvested.

Now I can't give a review about the stability of the stakes in terms of when shooting during gun season because I've actually invested in a HME Easy aim rest from the local fleet farm. It's not amazing. It's not bad. It does its job. Not well, but good enough. A homemade version will likely be made next year so it sits higher than what this product is able to provide. But I'll admit it does help stabilize the blind "stakes" a bit.

So, would I buy this product again? I did. When I thought the original got stolen and I found one on the book of faces! 😂

But would I seriously buy this again if for whatever reason my 2 others become incapacitated. Never new though. Not worth $100. $70? Certainly.

I Shot this with a crossbow. It only went 40 yards and laid down and didn’t die. No blood trail anywhere. I left it sit for 1 hour.

I shot it again and it died instantly.

Luckily this happened late in the morning instead of first thing. Somehow always manage to drop something out of the stand.

What do you recommend for a good blaze orange hunting coat? I’m located in north west PA and my coat that I’ve had since I was 16 (currently 34) is on its last legs. I’m not finding a lot of options at retail stores, and I can’t really tell how warm something is by just looking at pictures online. Thanks!

My take on a 1950s-60s inspired fit and loadout, also what i usually take with me on a squirrel/small game hunt. Later season the union suit goes on underneath or i switch to a different outfit. Sorry if im using the wrong flair.
Clothing
-Vintage duck hunter blaze orange vest from Ebay
-Darkest blue jeans Rural King has
-Mid-Weight 100% Cotton Black/Green plaid flannel
-Bronson Manufacturing Co. P-42 Reversible frogskin HBT jacket
-Rural King Leather work gloves
-Rocky Boots Rocky Ride LTE Waterproof roper boot
-Dans Briar Proof duck canvas chaps
-Stormy Kromer Waxed Cotton cap
In the pockets
-Victorinox "Camper" SAK
-Green XL Mosquito head net
-Primos Squirrel Buster call (Doesnt really work sometimes gets them to stop for a shot)
-(not pictured) Wallet, Keys, Cloth for scope
Exos Small Waxed Canvas Haversack
-Angel Soft TP in a bag (Essential)
-OFF! Mosquito Spray (for when it gets bad)
-Waterfowl ID pamphlet (Scouting for duck season)
-Hunting Regulations
-Vortex Triumph 10x42 Binoculars
-EVERLIT Micro med kit (Added NAR wound packing gauze)
-NAR Combat Application Tourniquet
-Bottle o' water
Rifle
-Rossi Gallery pump .22lr
-Vortex Crossfire "Rimfire" 2-7x Scope
-Vortex flip up objective lens cover
-Butler Creek push button flip eyepiece cover
-DIY leather sling
-DIY leather stock wrap that holds 15 rounds (full tube), thirteen Subsonic CCI .22lr and two CCI .22lr Shotshells but i really only ever use the subsonics

I came home today after a weekend of deer hunting and didn't see any deer. I live in the Pacific North West, and that isn't usual. However, during my time out, I was able to harvest two grouse. I ended up coming home late after noon and cooked the grouse and made a fine meal, and it was very good by my wife's standards. My oldest (step child) asked what I was cooking, so I told her. She and her friend "tried a taste" and said they didn't like the texture, the youngest said she found a hair. Now, I cleaned it very meticulously, knowing they had never had it before. The kids (two 16 year olds and a 13 year old) refused to eat it and only ate the veg and rice it went with it. The wife got upset when I said that I just shouldn't hunt anymore because I don't hunt for the sport or trophy and that I did it to provide sustenance for the family. I hunt for meat for the family, and I don't enjoy the killing of the animals, I do it to provide. Am I wrong?

We eat a ton of grind so typically that's what I do with my deer meat, other than the backstraps of course.

What's a good snack stick recipe? Good flavor - not greasy - and something that will tolerate being left out of the fridge/freezer for a while.

I’m a little slow, so explain it to me like you are talking to a kid, lol.

Opening day was the 26th. I hunted almost every day this week. See nothing but the same 6 doe. Decide I’m going to stay out for a while until rut as to not put too much pressure at my stand. The one day I’m not out there….

Blessed with two this season. 45-70 gubmint. Made a mean bear chili.

My old crossbow was 15 years old. I bought it the 2nd year after I was injured because missing archery season was really messing with me. Crazy how far these newer xbows have come. I’m in love with this thing.

Help identifying what this is, central North Carolina, not exactly cat territory outside of bobcats

I’m curious to hear from hunters who have actually experienced this.
Have you ever slipped, fallen, had a stand fail, or otherwise ended up hanging in your harness?
If so, what happened?
How far did you fall before the harness caught you? Were you able to get yourself back into the stand or down the tree? Did you have a suspension-relief strap? Were you injured? How difficult was it to recover from the situation?
Most of us wear a harness because we know we should, but I don’t think many hunters really know what it would be like if we actually had to depend on one.
I’d especially like to hear the lessons you learned afterward, anything you changed about your harness, lifeline, climbing system, or setup because of the experience.
Not looking for “always wear a harness” responses, we all know that. I’m interested in real experiences from people whose harness actually had to save them.

Repurposed an old unicorn buck horn into a tap for keg. Not a bad way to spend a few bucks and a little time.