considering getting into hunting some time soon

Kevinkris · May 3, 2013

so i havent been hunting in about 10 years and i was only 16 then on top of that i was in florida, in areas i knew well. i dont know a whole lot about the areas, game nor the laws for hunting in oregon. so this is kinda what im looking for as far as the quick run down before i start doing the real research:

not really considering big game because im not trying to drag something out of the forest that weighs more than i do and i only weigh 140. i think i would prefer small game that will still make for a good meal. that being said i would still prefer to only have to bag one animal to be happy with 5-6 servings from it. anyone have any suggestions on target game with that in mind?

i dont have a rifle appropriate for this either, being as my sks is too powerful for small to medium size game and its not very accurate past 100 yards. on the other hand i would prefer to have something with a bit more power than a .22. i was considering something in .223 and i havnt found anything as far as an in between. would .223 be appropriate for what im talking about? as far as shotguns go, i realize you can use a 12 ga. and take a wide range of game without doing anything besides changing the shot type but id rather fire a single projectile. also needs to be a budget rifle.

not knowing a whole lot about the forest areas in oregon, i would like to know more about how to stay found and if i get lost, how to stay alive long enough to be found. i see on the news every year, a group and/or person gets lost and they dont get found unlit the snow melts. are there classes that can be taken for this; are there hunter safety courses that have this in addition to the requirements for the card? if not, is there anyone willing to let me tag along so i can learn from someone with experience here?

speaking of the hunter safety course, i took one in florida but i have no idea where my card went. all the same im not opposed to re-taking it for a refresher. what would be a good place for this? i assume it is required for a hunting permit. i also noticed someone posting a reminder for people to report their game by a certain date, how does this work? in florida you would just fill out a quick form and drop in in a box as you left the area you were hunting.

lastly, the quick and dirty on requirements for a permit, and yes i will be reading the laws but reading what you guys understand to be the law will help me get started.

any tips are very welcome if i missed something important.

mrblond · May 3, 2013

best thing to do is find a buddy, someone who has been hunting for a while and can show you the inns and out of it. as far a what game to target, whitetail is about the only mammal that is large enough to get 5-6 meals from. You could also target birds, like duck, turkey geese or pheasant.
You can take deer with .223, just if your going to use an AR platform, remember to get a 5 round mag for it..

nwwoodsman · May 3, 2013

mrblond said:
best thing to do is find a buddy, someone who has been hunting for a while and can show you the inns and out of it. as far a what game to target, whitetail is about the only mammal that is large enough to get 5-6 meals from. You could also target birds, like duck, turkey geese or pheasant.

Exactly what he said. The only animals I can think of around here that fit your description are coon, coyotes and opposums, none of which will encourage you to further pursue hunting after eating one. .22lr is perfect for either. You can also hunt gray squirrels and legally hunt grouse with a .22lr. 223 would probably be a little much. Now if you're not really interested in hunting but just want an excuse to run around the woods with a rifle, do it. I do it all the time.
As far as where to go and not get lost, most of the timber company's allow access and you can stick close to the logging roads if you're not ready to trek off into the woods just yet. Print off some maps from google and get a gps or learn to use a compass. Maps.google.com is my best friend come hunting season. ALWAYS take along a pack with enough clothes, food, canteen and a few different ways to start a fire even if you think it will just be a short hike. The people that are found cold and hungry always say they didn't think it would happen. Don't be one of them.
The regs aren't really that complicated. ODF&W also has a website. They state very clearly what you need to get hunt what species. Hunting license and tag for a "game" mammal like deer and elk, usually just a licence for coyotes and other non-protected species
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slingshot1943 · May 3, 2013

If you are lost during good weather just follow a stream down hill. Sooner or later you will find a bridge whitch means a road to somewhere.

Kevinkris · May 3, 2013

nwwoodsman said:
Exactly what he said. The only animals I can think of around here that fit your description are coon, coyotes and opposums, none of which will encourage you to further pursue hunting after eating one. .22lr is perfect for either. You can also hunt gray squirrels and legally hunt grouse with a .22lr. 223 would probably be a little much. Now if you're not really interested in hunting but just want an excuse to run around the woods with a rifle, do it. I do it all the time.
As far as where to go and not get lost, most of the timber company's allow access and you can stick close to the logging roads if you're not ready to trek off into the woods just yet. Print off some maps from google and get a gps or learn to use a compass. Maps.google.com is my best friend come hunting season. ALWAYS take along a pack with enough clothes, food, canteen and a few different ways to start a fire even if you think it will just be a short hike. The people that are found cold and hungry always say they didn't think it would happen. Don't be one of them.
The regs aren't really that complicated. ODF&W also has a website. They state very clearly what you need to get hunt what species. Hunting license and tag for a "game" mammal like deer and elk, usually just a licence for coyotes and other non-protected species
l

well you did hit part of it. a big part is just an excuse to do some exploring but call it youth and the cultural material need to want something to show for my efforts, which is why i would like to make it a hunting trip. bagging and tagging as much game as i can is far from what im looking for and carrying a deer out of the forest isnt my idea of fun lol. i would really like to get out doors like i did as a kid and in my later teen and early 20s. i suppose being unfamiliar with the forests here is my biggest hang up. i have had raccoon and squirrel and i actually kinda enjoy it when its prepared properly. now from what i gather from you guys, a .22 seems like the likely choice for those and it wont break the bank, which is also good. maybe ill see if i can find someone in the classifieds here who may be willing to trade a decent .22 with a scope for my sks to keep its cheap and the amount of hardware in the house low, so my girlfriend wont complain about me owning so many guns.

i did do a bit of skimming through the regs and it seems i can simply pay the licence fees and head out but i need to look a bit more into the harvest season dates so i dont make any mistakes. also remembered last night my girlfriend is buddy buddy with an older man at work who goes on hunting trips when he can get away. maybe ill ask him for a rundown, he's always helpful and a guy i can trust around firearms.

i still kinda wonder about predators in the region too. i have a 9mm handgun, would that be of any use if i ran across something with hungry teeth? or is that something i shouldnt really have to worry much about?

mrblond · May 3, 2013

I think, as long as your west of the Cascades, all you may find will be Cougar and black bear. Also keep in mind in the eastern part of the state, and i am sure in other parts as well, you will run into rattlesnakes. Depending on where you go East of the Cascades, you would run into a wolf as well but I think they are very rare.

Kevinkris · May 4, 2013

well ive dealt with small bears and rattlesnakes before, they arent really an issue. black bears will stay away if you make some noise and the snakes can generally be dealt with by walking away from them. so the cougars are the ones ill have to do some research on i guess. i probably wont be headed out on a hunt for a while due to a near future move thats going to happen in less than 2 months, ill have to put more effort into that paperwork because ive never bought a house before. ill likely be sticking to squirrels for my hunts after i head out because i dont have the strength or money for the equipment to drag out anything larger than 50 lbs and later ill look into changing it up a bit.

thanks for the help guys, i think ive got a good starting point for the things i need to look up. the three of you were great help.

slm9s · May 10, 2013

+1 on finding someone to hunt with, even if its just one morning.
I'd get a 243, many states don't allow 22 cal rifles for deer - if you ever move or want to go hunt with a friend in another state. Better yet, get a 260, still little recoil and you could hunt elk with it if you wanted.. These days, even the cheap new rifles shoot well, Stevens 200/Ruger American etc.

jordanka16 · May 10, 2013

Hunting Quail is the most fun I've ever had hunting, they are small but you could easily get enough for you and anyone else you're with to have enough to eat. They also taste better than pheasant.