As a hunter, there is no fun or excitement when there is no prey to catch, or more accurately when one cannot catch any prey. That would be a massive waste of time, resources, and energy. One needs to be aware of the easiest game to catch, whether a novice or hunting with one. This article mentions these animals for various reasons like availability and hunting methods, but they share one common characteristic: they are the easiest to hunt.
The first and easiest animal to catch is the squirrel. These rodents are not at all hard to find. They are located everywhere and can be hunted via various hunting methods such as small caliber rifles or shotguns. Most hunters start by hunting squirrels and apply several techniques learned from hunting squirrels to hunting bigger game, for example, the spot and stalk method. This method involves identifying a squirrel rummaging for food or moving across branches in the forest and then quietly following it until they can take an open shot. In states that allow baiting, squirrels can be easily baited as well, and so the hunter can stationarily hunt squirrels at a bait pile they had set up beforehand.
Pheasants are also pretty common game. These birds are available in as many as 40 states and 21 out of these states stock pheasants just for hunting purposes. They are hunted with shotguns, so hunters can easily use a spread shot to hit moving targets. They are also tracked with pointing dogs, and sometimes when hunting with a group, the hunter can have others push the field and flush out the pheasants.
If one wishes to hunt bigger game and there’s a healthy population in their state, then antelopes are the way to go. They are usually found grazing in the flatlands, and due to spending a lot of time in the open, they can be easily caught by rifle hunters. However, the hunter must learn to close in as much as possible on the game without spooking it. And by being the fastest land animal in North America, antelopes can easily escape once startled. They are medium-sized game that do not require the hardest-hitting rifle cartridges, so a novice hunter can use hunting for antelopes to hone their accuracy.
Rabbits are also a relatively easy game to hunt. They offer a challenge for the novice hunter, as they are swift and only give the hunter a moment to aim and fire, but they are also really common prey. Rabbit hunting is done using various methods but usually requires one to have pointer dogs as well to flush them out. As moving targets, they are also best hunted with a shotgun, but the best and most experienced hunters may test themselves using a .22 rifle. They can also be caught using the spot and stalk method.
Another example of prey easy to catch are geese. What makes them easy to capture is the fact that they usually fly in groups, so hitting a target is exponentially easier. They are hunted using the same techniques and firearms as pheasants and other birds, and fellow hunters could also help drive the geese to an area where the main hunter can take an easier shot.
Several other animals, such as turkeys, feral hogs, doves, and quails, are just as easy to catch. The hunter may want a more challenging game to hunt as time goes on, but these examples remain the easiest prey to hunt, as long as one follows the safest and most efficient techniques used in catching them.
