Gearing up a noob

This will be my first year hunting and I don't have much besides my bow (and later in the year a shotgun, I do have ear protection), what are some items you vets would recommend? I'll be going after deer (and possibly Turkey if I get my license). I'm 18 turning 19 this year and I don't have a large amount to spend and I'd like to get gear that will last me a few years at the least, so clothing/gear that lasts the longest for your money is what I'm after. What are some companies that have good/reliable gear and what should I stay away from? Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!

I'm in WMU 89 so I know I can only use my bow here and I'll most likely be in or along deciduous trees, possibly on the edge of crops/fields

I'd suggest Real Tree Extra Green if you're looking at camo, this will work early in the year for turkey and in the fall for deer, you can get the Bass Pro brand in St Kits (sure you know) if you watch you can get it while on sale and save some $$, buy a size larger than you would normally get, allows you to use as outer layer during turkey and early deer season, you can get anything from basic cotton pants/shirt thru to fleece (quiet) windbreaker gear, I started with basic pants and shirt but ended going for windbreaker in the end simply for warmth factor and being comfortable on stand regardless of the weather. Depending on how much you want to spend you can construct ground blinds to hunt from (private property), that costs you time but no money, but I would suggest the best flexible solution is the climbing treestand, with a suitable tree you can get in and up almost anywhere, really makes you more effective and mobile. Assume you have all the hardware needed to shoot and practise with your bow (release, sight, arrows, broadheads) quiver is a personal choice, most guys I know take it off when on stand so you can decide how best you want to travel with your arrows. Good set of binoculars is a big help, always nice to look from a great distance when scouting etc. If you have any specific questions feel free to pm me, welcome and best of luck.

The best advice I can give...... is go out and explore the land you are going to hunt as often as possible so you get familiar with the lay of the land on how the game travels/lives on the land (daily habits/routines).... Read as much about the game or youtube as much about the game as possible.... Lots of good videos out there...........Practice with the tool you will be using to put down your game until you understand its limits.
Clothing doesn't have to be camo........ it just has to be comfortable and quiet. Movement and wind will be your biggest factor with deer hunting....
Maybe a nice pair of comfortable boots (muck boots are pretty good)
You don't need to spend a lot on equipment you just need to know a lot about the game your after...
Best of luck

Everything fratri said X2. A pair of rubber boots with the felt liners are great. I bought a reversible Coleman hunting coat at Canadian Tire and used it in Southern Ontario (WMU 48, 64 and CFB Borden) and was warm enough. Buy a decent knife, fixed or folding with a 3.5 to 4-inch blade and learn to sharpen it really well. A quiet backpack and a good thermos.
Definitely spend the money on warm clothing. You can have a dozen guns and bows and they are useless to you if you are too chilly to hunt.
Brand name I like best for knives is Grohmann, their DH Russell belt knife will be a great investment. I also really like Gerber and Buck knives, but LOVE Grohmann. Boots from Sorel. Wool clothing from Woolrich or Filson. Wind pants from Mountain Equipment Co-op. The word "underwear" is no longer fashionable, all the boutiquey places like Mark's Work Wearhouse call it "base layers", but get good stuff. Even if it's expensive. A couple really good long johns will last quite a few seasons. I have some Gore-Tex socks that were issued to me in the military; I think they are also from Mountain Equipment Co-op. Grizzly brand, maybe? Worth their weight in GOLD in damp chilly weather.
Hope this helps. Best of luck in the upcoming season.

I would suggest big pants instead of trousers. Keeps the wind out better

Awesome, thank you!

Wear some hunter orange during open season even if the legal requirements do not call for it, a flashlight, and a compass.

I get a lot of my clothing from the local thrift shop, $10 wool sweaters, $20 down parka, $5 wool scarfs.

I shot a deer two years ago in grey sweat pants and a green sweater under my orange vest. As i woke up late and jumped outta bed and i to the bush. It walked right upto me. So for camo buy what you can like others have mentioned. silent yet comfortable and keeps you dry.

My year round hunting gear is only a shell. My under layers keep me warm.

Once you read a little more on the hunting forums you will pick up a few things.

All good advice. Most every thing you need you can get at value village. Base layers and outer wear. Then a orange vest. If your going to spend any kind of money do it on a good pair of boots and gloves. Small back pack- knife- compass and flash light. every thing you take out with you comes back, so remember to go as light as possible. good luck and all the best Don

The goal is to stay dry and warm = comfort and longer hunting time. The camo pattern is for us hunters to spend more money to look fashionable. Look at the pics from yrs back they killed big deer with an old lumber coat on and no camo. Wear layers that you can take off or add too depending on the weather and time of yr. study your game and watch what they do at different times of the day. Best of all get out there and have fun and enjoy.
warm dry boots, good gloves, hat and a sack or pack to carry a few supplies in. Not sure if they still make them or not but I have a old bag made by world famous that I bought over 20 yrs ago from CTC and I don't go in the bush with out it

Focus on the things that affect your comfort the most. Your clothing and tree stand. When you're out all day and you're wet, freezing cold, or your butt or back hurts and you're shifting around every second you're just making your life difficult.

If you're looking to get somewhat serious and want to make probably one of the greatest investments in hunting, you should save up this summer for a good jacket and bib set that you won't need to upgrade. Watch for good deals and look at getting something Goretex. Never buy cheap "water resistant" stuff, guiding fishing and hunting has sold me on Goretex, my DWR crap was soaked at the end of the day no matter how much it got retreated. It's expensive but it really is worth it's weight in gold like KC said. You can either buy an all in one parka or just a Goretex shell and layer up underneath it. Wait till its on sale. The outer jacket in my display picture is a Beretta Pack light Shell that I paid about $90 for and still use 7 years later for Early and Mid-Season. If it were a size larger I'd use it into the winter as well.

For base layers check out Mountain Equipment Warehouse. They have Merino Wool tops, bottoms, and socks there, and they usually have 40-60% off sales on them.

For a knife get something reasonably priced for a starter knife. You can buy something nicer later. Here's what I use.

For a treestand get something with a nice seat that you're comfortable in. Whether you want a climber or ladder stand is a whole other topic. Wait till it goes on sale.

For boots I like the rubber insulated Kamik ones from Canadian Tire. Wait till they go on 40% off.

Buy a big box of those instant hand warmers and a big box of those instant toe warmers.

Don't mess around too much with scent remover gimmicks. Learn how to use the wind, and scout areas where the deer don't approach from down wind.

Don't spend a whole lot of money on attractants either. Salt licks in the Spring and Summer are one thing, Cmere Deer, Deer Caine, ect is another.

I'd buy a cheap trail camera or two. Seeing pictures of deer around your spots will keep you going mentally.


Just remember, keep comfort as a very high priority when you're out hunting. No sense being miserable and having to head in early.

Remember this if cost is a limiting factor.

"everything goes on sale"

So plan ahead.
You save hundreds of dollars.

Turkey

Get yourself a box call sooner than later an practice.

I have a buck vanguard and a turkey mouth call that I've been practising with, should've said that too

Boots, Boots, Boots.

If your feet are wet or cold you will be miserable.

This is not to say you need to spend $1000 on boots but get a pair of insulated rubber boots and a pair of insulated waterproof hikers. You will be surprised how cold opener for Turkey can be, not moving for that long after walking in through the cold dew can really suck.

Layers are a good thing too :)

The best and biggest camo raincoat you can find - then wear anything you already have underneath. A foam seat cushion, insulated rubber or neoprene boots, warm hat and gloves and good to go. Then spend as much time on the land as you can.

Good, warm clothes. A waterproof layer. Boots, with good quality socks. I like a wool blend. A good knife, and know how to sharpen it. Keep it like a razor. Seriously, if it can't shave hair off your arm, its not sharp enough.

Instead of a blaze orange jacket I prefer a blaze orange vest with lots of pockets. I can wear it over any other clothing I have, which means you can re-purpose just about anything and not need just a "hunting jacket".

Miscellaneous things I keep on me: About ten feet of twine. About ten feet of 1/4" diameter rope. A jet lighter. Nitrile gloves. Toilet paper. Compass. Pocket knife as well as my sheath knife. Whistle. A small roll of hockey or electrical tape.

best purchase i have made in recent years was a really good pair of hunting boots, paid more for them, then any pair of boots i have ever owned, mind ya i seldom pay more then $20 for shoes at walmart lol but let me tell you, i can walk all day in them and my feet are dry and not soar at the end of the day. quite a few years ago, i got a remington coat and bib overalls on sale at the end of the season, for like 75% off, and they are warm, have worn them down to -30's on a snow machine, with only shorts and a t-shirt underneith and bin nice and warm, which also works out perfect for those december tree stand sits...

A lot of good advice here. I've been at it for a long time and I will repeat the advice of getting really good baselayers. I use polypropylene tops and bottoms. They are not cheap. To replace mine would be about $60 each piece however they will keep you warm even if you sweat on the way in. If you do want to save a little money on camo, particularly for turkey, get a set of "leafey" mesh top and bottoms. You can wear them over anything and they work great! It's worth it in the end to save up for good clothing. I've got hundreds of dollars of cheap camo and boots, underwear, you name it that doesn't get used because it's crap and I now own good stuff. TC

There is always a local Army Surplus store around. Found some decent stuff at the one I go to !