Different Weapons of the Hunt - What to Use For What - Hobbies

Throughout human history people have devised various weapons specifically for hunting, and today that evolution of weaponry for the hunt is more advanced than at any other time. There are literally millions of different types of weapons for hunting, depending upon what is being hunted, what resources one has to invest in weapons, and what one type of hunting and weapons one prefers. Most conventional weapons use gunpowder, and among firearms some are old fashioned muskets while others are highly sophisticated modern guns that can hit a target a mile away. There are also bows, arrows, knives, traps, snares, and a whole host of other weapons.

So the subject of what to use for hunting what types of prey is a broad one that can fills many volumes of books. To help reduce that massive subject matter down to a reasonable size, we can begin by looking at three basic categories of weapons and their corresponding prey. In other words we can take a quick look at several styles of hunting weapons and explore what it is that they are suitable for hunting.

Rifles and Shotguns

The rifle is a Gun with a long barrel. Some long guns - like machine guns - are not designed for the hunt. But others such as rifles and shotguns are excellent choices and will likely be found in any hunter's arsenal of weapons. The main difference between the rifle and the shotgun is that the rifle fires a single bullet, whereas the shotgun usually shoots a packet or spray that consists of lots of smaller pellets or projectiles.

Bows and Arrows

While the bow and arrow is not the most common hunting weapon these days, some sportsmen do favor these because they are challenge to their hunting talent and weapon accuracy. To take down prey with a bow and arrow requires advanced tracking skills, because the hunter has to get especially close to the animal and then hit it with exceptional precision. Large bows or powerful mechanized crossbows can be used to kill big game, and a variety of different types of arrows are available.

Other Non-firearm Weapons

Many non-firearm weapons are used for hunting, especially by those who enjoy the challenge of using a more primitive type weapon like a slingshot, spear, or boomerang. Hunters also design traps and snares to capture what they hunt, so those can also be included in any discussion of weapons that are not firearms.

But by far the most commonly used hunting weapon is the long Gun. Various numerical designations or calibers - related to how powerful they Gun is - are assigned to rifles and their Ammo. Large caliber rifles like the 30-30, 223, or 50 caliber rifle can fire larger projectiles over greater distances are used to hunt big game that is usually easier to shoot from long range. Other animals can be tracked up close, however, like rabbits or squirrels. Using a long range powerful rifle to shoot such small prey is unnecessary and can destroy the entire animals, so small bullets fired from less powerful rifles are used. The most popular of these smaller caliber hunting rifles is the.22 caliber rifle, and many hunters start off learning how to use a.22 to shoot and hunt.

But another useful and popular long Gun for hunting everything from rabbits and turkeys to ducks and deer is the shotgun. Shotguns come in a variety of styles - some for longer distance and others for up close shooting. The Ammunition is inexpensive and usually sends out a scatter pattern of tiny projectiles, so that it is not necessary to hit the target or prey exactly. Fire a shotgun in the general vicinity and at least a portion of the spray of bullets - which shoots in a cone shaped pattern - will likely hit the target.

So traditionally speaking, the two most popular hunting guns are the.22 rifle and the shotgun. Some long Gun designs even combine a.22 rifle and shotgun into one hybrid weapon so that the hunter can carry both styles of Gun in one single weapon.

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