20 hunting tips for better results

You’ll know some of these crucial hunting skills, but not all! If you make them a habit, your hunts will go better than ever.

1. If you are hiking on flat to hilly terrain, determine the prevailing wind direction before setting off and plan your hunt by going in, picking up likely game spots along the way.

2. In hills in sunny weather, the prevailing wind swirls around ridges and ravines, which means you have to change direction frequently. If you suddenly feel the wind on your neck, reevaluate.

3. In less windy weather, air currents rise up the hills in the morning and begin to descend in the afternoon coolness.

4. Walk slowly, pausing every 50 yards or less to watch, glare and check the wind.

5. If you spot wild and it hasn’t seen you, stop and wait a few seconds, then slowly crouch and rate it.

6. Wear gloves to hide pale, moving hands. Don’t move your hands around.

7. Light rain is really good for tight stems as the rain will obscure your footsteps and soften brittle leaves and twigs.

8. Still hunting and glassing can be very effective, especially from a high position at dawn.

9. Don’t silhouette yourself by walking on ridge tops. Select one side and contour just below the crest.

10. Although dawn and dusk are known to be the magic hours, many good animals are shot in full daylight, so persevere and tread carefully throughout the day.

11. Animals stay outside longer after a frosty night or after rain. Hunt sunny spots in the morning where they may be warming up.

12. When you draw a blank space, think of food, water and shelter, the three things that animals seek. Let that guide you.

13. If it rains, close your breech on an empty chamber and carry the muzzle down. Electrician’s tape over the muzzle keeps water and debris out of the barrel.

14. Never close an uncocked bolt with a live cartridge as the firing pin will be in hard contact with the primer. Wear it closed on an empty chamber or open to the final stages of your stem.

15. If you need to take the shot at stationary or slow-moving game, remember that you have a few seconds to fire a shot, so take an extra second to better position yourself, calm down, and to make the perfect shot.

16. When planning your stalk, look at the terrain features and stage your stalk until you end up where you can take a well-concealed, rested position.

17. If you are stalking in a group, go in single file as you only hold one profile upwind for visual detection. If you move side by side, you halve your chances.

18. When chasing goats, remember that every mob will always have a sharp-eyed nanny posting a sentry, and you need to hide from it well.

19. When stalking a pig with poor vision, approach it quietly upwind while it has its head down, but freeze as soon as it raises its head. If it eats again, keep going.

20. You can mask your scent with eucalyptus and/or tea tree oil spray. Do not use deodorant or aftershave and wash in clean water with a little soap.

23. You can mask your scent with eucalyptus and/or tea tree oil spray. Do not use deodorant or aftershave and wash in clean water with a little soap.