A hunting lottery is a selection process used to distribute a limited number of hunting opportunities among applicants. If you have seen “draw required,” “lottery permit,” or “limited-entry hunt” in a regulation booklet, you may need to apply before you can obtain that particular authorization. This guide explains what is a hunting lottery, how different … Read more
A hunting license is an official authorization to hunt under the rules of the jurisdiction that issues it. For beginners asking “what is a hunting license,” the important detail is that it usually represents only part of the legal preparation for a hunt. Depending on where, when, and what you hunt, you may also need … Read more
If you are looking for reliable access to private hunting land, you may be asking what is a hunting lease and what you actually receive when you pay for one. A hunting lease is generally an agreement between a landowner and a hunter or group of hunters that grants defined hunting or recreational access to … Read more
If you are comparing equipment for deer hunting, you may be wondering what is a hang on stand and how it differs from a ladder stand, climbing stand, or tree saddle. A hang-on stand is a compact elevated hunting platform with a seat that attaches directly to a suitable tree. It is also commonly called … Read more
If you are getting interested in bird hunting, waterfowl hunting, or working dogs, you may wonder what is a gun dog and what separates one from other hunting dogs. A gun dog, also written as “gundog,” is a hunting dog developed and trained to work cooperatively with a hunter, especially when locating, pointing, flushing, or … Read more
If you are new to hunting, you may hear hunters talk about sitting in a blind, setting up a pop-up blind, or building a natural blind. These terms describe methods of concealing a hunter at ground level so wildlife is less likely to detect the hunter’s outline and movement. Understanding what is a ground blind … Read more
If you are learning to hunt deer, you may hear experienced hunters talk about funnels, pinch points, bottlenecks, and travel corridors. These terms describe landscape features that can influence how deer move from one part of their habitat to another. Understanding what is a funnel in hunting is mainly about learning to read terrain and … Read more
A flushing dog is a gun dog trained to search cover close to a hunter, locate hidden game, and deliberately make it leave that cover. In upland bird hunting, the flush usually puts a pheasant, grouse, woodcock, quail, or other legal game bird into flight. The hunter must then positively identify the bird, confirm a … Read more
A European mount is one of the simplest ways to preserve the physical memory of a harvested deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, or other legally possessed animal. Instead of recreating the animal’s head and shoulders with its hide, a European mount displays the cleaned skull, usually with the natural antlers or horns attached. The finished piece … Read more
If someone tells you to “set the spread” before a waterfowl hunt, they mean more than putting plastic ducks on the water. A duck decoy spread is the complete arrangement of decoys around a hunting position. Its shape, spacing, species mix, visibility, motion, and relationship to the wind are intended to resemble resting, feeding, or … Read more