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The weapons used for hunting are extraordinarily diverse. They range from the most primitive devices, such as slingshots and bows, through to modern hunting rifles with sophisticated optical sights.
Weapons
In hunting, the most important considerations are to choose the right weapon for your intended prey, to know how to use that weapon fluently and maintain it in good condition. Selecting the right weapon for hunting can be a complicated process, not least because different types of weapon are suited to different types of prey. To take an obvious example, a .22 airgun would serve as a useful hunting weapon for small game up to the size of a rabbit, depending upon the model and the sight options. Use the same weapon against a fox, however, and the likely result is a wounded animal running off into the wilderness. Take on a bear with an air rifle and you run the risk of being killed by a creature that has received nothing more than an irritating localized skin wound. Conversely, a .338 Win Mag rifle will comfortably bring down a large deer or bear if the shot placement is accurate, but it will obliterate many smaller game, rendering them useless for eating.
Remember that in hunting your objective is not simply to kill an animal cleanly, but also to kill it cleanly and leave it in a fit state for consumption. The author remembers early forays into the field rabbiting with a 12-gauge shotgun. While the gun did indeed prove fit for the job, some sobering close-range shots resulted in little more than a bloody mess rather than a tasty meal. The lesson learnt by many hunters is that not only should you choose the right weapon for the job, but you should also become familiar with the performance characteristics of that weapon across its range spectrum, and adjust your hunting technique accordingly.
Steady Shot
A monopod – purpose-designed or improvised – can provide a useful frontal support for a rifle when taking a standing shot. Ensure the monopod is set on firm, non-slip ground.
Basic Hunting Weapons
Most of us identify hunting weapons with firearms, and indeed sporting guns will form a large part of the focus of this chapter. Yet there are many other types of weapon that can be used in hunting (depending on local or national restrictions) that are far less advanced but which can still do a respectable job of bringing down prey. Some of these can even be constructed with basic tools and pressed into service in a survival situation.
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