There are many hunting-related pages on the Internet – too many, perhaps. It may be hard to choose where to go to for reliable information and high-quality entertainment. That’s why we made this list of hunting blogs, forums and websites that we think are the tops. The list is a bit subjective, and obviously incomplete – there’s many more than 12 great hunting pages out there. But BookYourHunt.com is ever for quality over quantity, so we didn’t even try to go for “100 best”, or even “25 best”. A dozen pages, we think, is just enough to browse through in one setting, we picked them to represent the major hunting-related topics, and can wholeheartedly recommend each and any of them. So here you go.
Rifles and Rifle Shooting
If you wanna hunt, you first got to get a weapon and learn to use it, that’s why we start our selection with weaponry. Yet, surprisingly, there are few dedicated rifle resources today that cater to a hunter; most talk now is of AR platform “tactical” guns and “tack-driving precision rifles” that can hit a fly at half a mile distance. The good old Rifleshooter Magazine is one of the few that are still centered on proper hunting rifles, the newest bolt-actions and old singles and lever actions, .22lr to big bores for dangerous game, and there’s enough stuff in open access to keep you reading and watching till your eyes pop out.
Shotguns and Shotgun Shooting
There are many pages that cover the topics of how to hit the flying target, what shotgun to pick for doves, ducks or big-game, and what wins the Skeet, Trap and Sporting Clays courses. But we give full bonus points to Shotgunlife.com for their dedication to going places. Why not more people book their pheasant or goose hunting in another state or abroad is a mystery to us, and if you read Shotgunlife’s stories on dove shooting in Argentina, turkey hunting in best places of North America, and even Russian birdhunting adventures, you will, too.
Archery and Bowhunting
Bowhunting web sites are actually the opposite of rifle and rifle shooting web sites – they are about bows, and about hunting. Focused, that’s the word I want. That’s why it’s kind of hard to pick the winner. But for the sheer amount of content and ease of navigation, try Bowhunting.com It’s got everything – traditional bows, compound bows, pin sights and releases, bowhunting everything that can be harvested with stick and string, beginners’ tips, blog stories, videos, gear reviews and even a chance to get some gear free.
Deer Hunting
Deer and deer hunting are such a big thing in North America that it’s hard to make a choice between the many great resources. But the old and true Deer and Deer Hunting magazine’s web site should perhaps be one’s starting point. Beginners looking for tips for their first season, and experts who aren’t satisfied if the article doesn’t contain scientific research good enough for peer-reviewed academic publications, both can find something for them, and while the site is occasionally hard to navigate, overall we simply can’t leave it without mention.
Elk Hunting
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is not only working towards preservation of Elk in North America, but have a fantastic web site too. They have elk hunting and conservation news, elk hunting tips, advice on the right gear for elk hunting, even information how to avoid making an involuntarily hunting violations. But the real gem of the Elknetwork is their videos – if you like seeing elk in the wild, you won’t leave their page for a long, long time. But it’s not only about entertainment – the conservation wisdom of Shane Mahoney is pure gold. If you need evidence that hunting is conservation, there is also the list of 25 reasons, along with more facts in text and video forms.
Bear Hunting
A person first considering bear hunting may have more questions than someone considering deer hunting. There simply is less information about the pursuit of the bruin, brown or black, there’s much controversy about the ethics of various hunting methods, and the potential danger is another thing that must be considered. The Bear Hunting web site has a lot of data to answer these questions with, including information on bear biology and anatomy.
Waterfowl Hunting
Duck Hunting Chat is an old-fashioned hunting forum that brings together thousands of waterfowl enthusiasts, and “in discussion truth is born”, or how does that saying go? Do not be put off by its seemingly old-fashioned interface – behind it lurks the collective wisdom that will put you on the right track in your pursuit of tiny teals and giant snow geese, blind construction, choice of boat and camo, retriever training, and more. And a chance to meet your new hunting buddies at that!
Upland Bird Hunting and Bird Dogs –
Mouthful of Feathers could’ve won the “storytelling” nomination if we had such, because that’s what this congregation of die-hard bird dog people do best. But their stories are education wrapped in entertainment. Between shedding a tear over the last hunt of an old retriever, and breaking your sides laughing at some of the new hunters’ mishaps, this multi-author blog will make you want to follow a quartering pointer after some feathered thing – and teach you a bunch of useful tricks and tips on the way.
African Hunting
Shakari Connection was started by PH Steve Robinson, and has perhaps the greatest amount of data on African hunting, from vaccination to tips on choice of outfitter, than any other web page on the Internet. While you’re there, be sure to check their Bookshelf department – it lists just about every book ever written about safaris and travelling to hunt, and many safari classics, including but not limited to Gordon Roualeyn Cumming and Frederick Courteney Selous, come with free download links!
Conservation
Conservation Force is a powerful resource for anyone who want to know how conservation works without investing into a college degree. A lot of stories aren’t easy reading, not because they’re so sad or anything, but because they are dealing with complicated issues. But what do you expect? Life’s more complicated that a regular “bleeding heart” cry of “omg, the animals are dying!”. But if you’re seriously minded, this site will give you enough science-backed facts to win any conservation-related argument.
All Around Hunting
For a deeply personal view of just about everything, including videos, gear, big-game hunting, sighting in a big-game rifle, selecting the best cartridge for your hunting rifle, dropping pheasants with a 28-gauge shotgun and some pranks, our friend Ron Spomer’s site is well worth your visit. And the topic that we think he covers better than anyone else is how to get yourself a great hunting adventure on a working man’s budget – something we strive to do, too.
Corporate Media Blog
Blog.bookyourhunt.com. Just kidding. Seriously, a lot of analysts predict that corporate media is the future of outdoor media. Most companies realize that publishing good, honest copy in their corporate blogs and newsletters is a better strategy for building customer trust than just hyping it in traditional magazines, and corporate blogs are getting better and better. If you be researching any hunting-related issue, you’re likely to run on a good story published by one of the blogs at Realtree, the winner in this nomination.
And the Best Hunting Site Ever
Admit it, you’ve been waiting for it. If you know anything about BookYourHunt.com, you expected us to tell you that Jim Shockey’s page is the best hunting website ever, didn’t you? OK, so here you go: “Jim Shockey’s page is the best hunting website ever!”
Is your favorite hunting blog, forum or website on the list? If not, tell us what it is, and what’s great about it!
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You can add an another big site of hunitng and make it 13 😄