What should I get for my Birthday?

T

Tim8954

New member
Hello,
I am new to pheasant hunting and live in NJ. I am hoping to go on my first hunt this fall. My birthday is coming up and my wife said she would get me something for me to use on my first hunt this fall. At this point the only thing I own is my gun. What would be something good to ask for? Was thinking a vest. Anyway, just curious what you guys suggest.

Cheers,
Tim
 
A dog! The necessities are gun, shells, dog. The rest you can add later. Have to learn to kill em dead before you can put em in a vest. Until then they will fit nice and snug between the belt and belt-loop. Versatile dogs are good to start with because they do about anything. You can narrow it down from there depending on how you like to hunt.
 
Spend some serious money on good boots.

Make sure they fit well, even with thick socks, and have some water-proofing or gortex protection for weather. Be careful of the weight, because you'll be lifting those extra ounces every step you take.

Others here are wiser than I am about brand names and finer points, but I know that boots can make or break virtually every hunting experience.

Have fun and be safe.

:thumbsup:
 
A pup would be great but I can't get another dog till our rough collie mix moves on. I also don't want to take advantage of my wife's generosity.
 
Well if you're planning on going hunting on weekends and like 90% of us, going out of town on hunting trips, she's gonna have to get a whole lot more generous than that! Plus, even the wife loves a new puppy.
 
I second good boots. Get them early and break them in. Bad boots will definitely mess up a good day's hunting....and possibly several days thereafter.
 
The wife has to learn she is no longer top dog..:eek:
On a serious note another dog will enrich your current best friend and add youth to his or her life.
 
I too am a Jersey boy. I have been hunting on WMAs for 40 yrs. I would recommend that you ask for a hunter orange vest and hat. Be sure the vest is all orange, not only partial orange. Believe me, on a WMA in NJ you want to be very visible. Also, I would ask for a good pair of shooting glasses with polycarbonate lenses. you do not want to get hit in the eye with a stray pellet. On a side note, try to hunt on a weekday if at all possible. There are a lot fewer people hunting during the week. Saturdays can be rough. Good luck and perhaps I will see you in the field.
 
Tim8954 said:
Hello,
I am new to pheasant hunting and live in NJ. I am hoping to go on my first hunt this fall. My birthday is coming up and my wife said she would get me something for me to use on my first hunt this fall. At this point the only thing I own is my gun. What would be something good to ask for? Was thinking a vest. Anyway, just curious what you guys suggest.

Cheers,
Tim
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ask to move west where there's some good pheasant hunting :thumbsup:
 
What kind of gun do you have? If not a British Best double, 16 gauge to be different, you could always use an upgrade. :)

I second the idea of buying the best boots you can afford. Boots that fit your foot are a God-send.

I like a strap vest better than a traditional bird vest.

Chaps for when you hit the brambles.
 
I'd say the best thing to get after a gun, and if the wife won't allow another dog purchase, is a well fitting set of boots. If your feet hurt and are wet it makes hunting miserable and not a lot of fun.
 
jpari said:
I too am a Jersey boy. I have been hunting on WMAs for 40 yrs. I would recommend that you ask for a hunter orange vest and hat. Be sure the vest is all orange, not only partial orange. Believe me, on a WMA in NJ you want to be very visible. Also, I would ask for a good pair of shooting glasses with polycarbonate lenses. you do not want to get hit in the eye with a stray pellet. On a side note, try to hunt on a weekday if at all possible. There are a lot fewer people hunting during the week. Saturdays can be rough. Good luck and perhaps I will see you in the field.
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This guy probably has the best advice for you TIM8954 if NJ is where in fact you are planning to hunt. Can't go wrong with dogs and boots either.

If of all the suggestions you have gotten so far comes back to boots I have a IMHO to put out there for boots- When I hunted in KS yrs ago I found a pair of rubber boots with good foot support that came up to the knee, yes I know there are ones out there now but the ones I had were lace ups so there was no slippage and you could walk all day in the cover and cross water w/o issue. Those boots disingrated, last year I tried an experiment and boot some knee high snake proof boots. They are light weight good foot support and 100% water proof. I now live in MI but walking in the woods there are freq areas of water easily crossed with the boots. Took them to SD this fall water was a none issue and I could walk hrs w/o discomfort.
 
I've been wearing hiking boots the last few years as opposed to buying "hunting" boots. My first pair was Merrells, or something like that, and last year I bought a pair of Keen brand hiking boots. Both good, but the Keens look like they are built a little better.

Light boots that fit your feet well are a great investment in your enjoyment of the outdoors. Heavy boots that don't fit right or give you a blister will wreck your trip as quick as anything.

The more hiking you do year round, the better off you'll be in the Fall. After all, upland hunting is just hiking with a gun. :laugh:
 
jpari said:
I too am a Jersey boy. I have been hunting on WMAs for 40 yrs. I would recommend that you ask for a hunter orange vest and hat. Be sure the vest is all orange, not only partial orange. Believe me, on a WMA in NJ you want to be very visible. Also, I would ask for a good pair of shooting glasses with polycarbonate lenses. you do not want to get hit in the eye with a stray pellet. On a side note, try to hunt on a weekday if at all possible. There are a lot fewer people hunting during the week. Saturdays can be rough. Good luck and perhaps I will see you in the field.
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Come out west. Your making me feel really bad for you eastern boys! I couldn't imagine HAVING to wear shooting glasses to hunt. I saw signs in a public dove field around here about requiring shooting glasses. We quickly retreated to another area. I've hunted in areas with other people visible, but not in gun range. But, I've never been to South Dakota on opening day either. They say it gets pretty crazy up there too. But way more ground to hunt.
 
This will be my first season hunting. I have heard a bunch of horror stories about the WMA in NJ. I think I am going to go a little later in the day and not first thing in the morning. I know the hunting won't be as good but I do value my safety
 
With regard to boots, I wear lightweight Merrel's for hiking but upland hunting often involves mud which is like gumbo on waffle stomper type soles with a deep tread. Upland soles are designed with shallower tread to avoid picking up the mud. After years with less than satisfactory boots, I stumbled upon a reasonably priced boot that has been terrific for me - the waterproof version or the Timberland Pro boot. You will save enough on them over the internet to be able to buy something for you wife as thanks for her encouraging you to hunt.
 
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