Hey y'all, I am new to the hunting scene and had a couple of questions? How often do you guys generally buy gear and what are the top brands to buy from?

Depends on the gear. What that means, clothes, guns, feeders?

I went hunting yesterday in blue jeans, adidas and sweatshirt.
Academy has everything that I need.

Welcome!

First off is to select the appropriate rifle and caliber for the game you will be hunting. For your first rifle there are some really nice ones in common calibers. If you will be mainly deer and varmint hunting I would suggest a composite bolt action in .243. Savage makes a great one with one of the best stock triggers on the market.

2nd - buy a good scope, as much as you can afford.

3rd - buy a good pair of binoculars

There a numerous forum topics here @ THF that can educate you real quick. Keep in mind you will never get the same advice on manufacturer and caliber of a hunting rifle. If you have a friend who is an experienced hunter I would talk to him.

I would strongly suggest getting your Hunters Education Certificate (required by TPWD) and then follow that up with a personal firearm and hunting safety course

1) Daily, if not more often.
2) Anyone and everyone who sells it.



All kidding aside, while it makes sense to look for deals, over time I've come to realize the wisdom of "buy once, cry once". When you ask for recommendations here, you'll get much better feedback if you specify a budget, otherwise responses will be all over the map. People mean well, but "the best" for $300 is very different than "the best" for $3,000.

I received my hunting education certificate through my highschool a couple of years back and always have been into the sport, but just haven't been able to actually get into it like I would want to.

That's good but there are so many other things when out and about in the field to consider regarding your safety and those of others. That is why I recommend a personal course for hunter safety - The HEC only touches on the basics. Sight lines, back drop, positive target ID, property lines, bullet trajectory and elevation, humane kills, public versus private land hunting, how to safely cross a fence or enter/exit a blind/treestand and the list goes on. Experience does play a big role, however having a personal instructor, unless you have an experienced trusted mentor, will help a lot. Good luck and wish you safe and happy hunting!

It really depends what I need in specific. I buy a lot at Academy but I also visit gun stores, feed stores and shop online. Unfortunately, like most of us, I buy too often!

Don't sweat the gear too much. Sure, it's fun to pick up something now and then, but your hunting success is gonna hinge on how many hunting skills you learn, not stuff you own. Rifle, cartridges, binoculars, a knife...and TP; the rest is fluff that can weigh you down.

Yep, you only forget it once.

...and once is more than enough to not let it happen ever again.....keep rolls in all my vehicles....and hunting packs.....

Get out the checkbook

I’d say some good insulated boots and gloves are pretty important. Few years back I got some Columbia bibs that are waterproof and they are pretty great as well... they zip up the legs to the knee and make it real easy to get on and off over boots. On the whole, Columbia makes pretty good stuff and is a name you can trust. Like most things, you generally get what you pay for. One thing’s for sure... being cold and wet can really suck, and it will cause you to spend less time out there.

I use the same gear I bought 15 years ago. Same jacket just new pants to fit me now. Same Nikon binocs, dekes, heater, etc. Spend once and be done for deer, dove, turkey, ducks, preds, hogs... Helps to be on the same lease as long too. Good luck.

Keep in mind that in order to do it right, hunting requires knowledge in three core areas - marksmanship and/or archery, woodsmanship, and animal behavior. Learn as much as you can about firearms and/or bows, what you need to stay warm and dry in the woods and without getting lost, and why animals do what they do so that you have a good chance at getting a shot at one.