Have you ever met a self-proclaimed expert hunter? One that knows every trick in the book and uses them all equally well? Neither have I.

No one hunter is perfect at everything. But the really successful ones have many things in common. First of all, even the greenest beginners have a natural born instinct to hunt. It's in their blood. But in the beginning they lack the knowledge of this wonderful outdoor sport.

Hands-on experience is the only way to become a successful hunter, but there are some vital things every hunter must learn before he takes one single step into the woods.

A person needs persistence as well as patience when he is on a hunt to become successful in any season. The capacity to sit still and wait in his position until the right opportunity to fire at his prey is necessary. Some animals, such as deer, will become very much aware of danger and wait until they think the time is right before trying to escape.

A successful hunter must have the decisiveness to act when the perfect situation arises. There are situations in the course of his hunting when he needs to be decisive before catching the attention of his prey. A hunter may have the game in his sight but feels that his shot will not have the correct angle to give him a direct hit on the animal. He may also think twice because the animal could be too large for his ammunition. Being undecided will cause the hunter not to pull the trigger and the opportunity will be missed.

A hunter needs to be patient and calm when hunting. Hunting may be compared to a combat fight and he may spend hours waiting for his prey to come. He will be unsure whether or not he will have the opportunity for a clear shot. A hunter must always be alert as well as hopeful and at the same time be thankful for whatever prey may come his way.

He should be in very good physical condition allowing him to be prepared for any circumstances that he may encounter during the hunt. He must set boundaries and limitations for what he can do.

He should be determined and focused in aiming for his prey. Determination in hunting is the desire to sit still and wait for long hours despite missed opportunities, fatigue, and the frustrations that occur.

Most importantly, a successful hunter should have very good shooting skills. The ability to be steady and accurate when aiming at the target will ensure a successful hit on any target.

Every gunslinger from every old western movie started out by shooting at tin cans on a fence post. That's a great place to start. When you become good at shooting stationary objects, only then will you be ready for live animal hunting.

There are basic steps to make game hunting a fun and enjoyable activity. But you need to know what you are doing, why you are doing it, and just how to go about it.