New to hunting? Start here.
Done right, hunting is one of the most rewarding ways to put honest food on the table - and doing it right means starting slow and deliberate. This is the path from "I want to learn" to a safe, ethical first hunt, in six steps. Chasing deer? Follow your first deer season.
- 1
Take the readiness check
Before anything else, find out where you stand. Our five-question check covers licence, range time, a place to hunt and a mentor - and tells you exactly what to line up next.
Am I ready? - 2
Get educated and safe first
Hunting starts with a hunter-education course, a licence, and real firearm or bow safety - non-negotiable. Find a mentor or a guided first hunt; learning from someone experienced is the single best thing you can do.
Learn the basics - 3
Meet the game
Browse the species library - where each animal lives, how it behaves, and how it's hunted. Knowing your quarry is the foundation of a clean, ethical hunt.
Browse game - 4
Know where to aim - ethics first
A clean, quick kill is the whole responsibility. Learn the right aim point for the angle and weapon, and just as importantly, when the ethical call is to pass.
Shot placement guide - 5
Sight in and plan the pack-out
Free tools to confirm your holdover at range, estimate the meat you'll bring home, and pack the right gear so nothing gets left on the mountain.
Open the toolbox - 6
From field to table
The work isn't done at the shot. Learn to field-dress, cool, butcher and cook your animal so you honour it with great food on the plate.
Field to table guide
Keep a record of your seasons with a free printable hunt log, learn the terminology in the hunting glossary, or take another quiz.
Field basics for any hunt
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