Hunting Zombies

 

Everybody talks about where they might run to for supplies and weapons when the zombies show up but do you really know what to grab? I thought about where I might head for weapons closest to my place and decided on my local hunting store. I always look in the window when I walk by and see hunting and fishing gear. Maybe if Zombies rely on sight having camouflage will help.

Today, I decided to walk in and learn what basic items a person should have when they go hunting. This way when the zombie apocalypse happens I won't just be grabbing random things but will be able to acquire valuable tools for the zombie hunt.

When I walked in I was greeted by the store owner who is an older man with a great deal of hunting experience. Photographs of his kills line the display cases. He told me how hunting is more popular in Europe than here in the United States. Maybe Europe would be a better place to be if the undead start walking. Then the owner was more than happy to tell me what the top of the line hunting gear is at his shop.

For small game, like rabbits, pheasants and turkey, he suggested a 12 gauge shotgun. These produce a good spray pattern since shotgun shells have a bunch of pellets inside instead of a single bullet. He recommended Banelli and Remington shotguns.

For big game like deer, bears and zombies he recommended a rifle with a scope. This is for shooting at a distance. Good rifles are Remington and Marlin and good scope brands are Bushnell, Leupold and Nikon (not in any particular order).

The best place to shoot a deer is in the upper front shoulder area of the front legs. As for a zombie, as I'm sure you already know, best place to aim is the head. But if you're not a great shot you might want to consider a shot to slow the zombie down giving you more time to either flee or aim better. I asked he owner if it is more difficult to shoot a target that is coming at you and he said "yes, definitely!". Keep in mind zombies will probably be coming at you while you're shooting. Unless you find a distant perch and are a skillful sniper.

To shoot he suggested taking three deep breaths while aiming and holding your gun very steady. As you exhale on the last breath take your shot. I have never been hunting but I have used this technique in a shooing range and I can say it works quite well. Another thing is that when shooting outdoors you don't need to worry about hearing protection like indoors. This is great to remember if you get caught in a gun battle in a building. Protect your hearing or else when you get outside you won't be able to hear the dead nurse dragging her broken leg as she sneaks up on you from behind and tears out a chunk of your upper back. 

Good shoes are essential for hunting Zombies and for getting away from them. Ask any soldier who has had to fight in bad weather and they will tell you that having dry and comfortable shoes is a luxury. The owner of the hunting store recommended these two brands out of all the ones he carried because they are light, waterproof and warm.


Next, get a good knife. Not just for defending yourself in case a zombie gets too close to your face but also to use in skinning animals you will also need to hunt for food. Unlike the undead you will still need to eat to survive.

This is something you won't probably need when hunting Zombies. It will make you more of a target if anything. I personally would steer clear of the bright orange hunting safety stuff. It will either attract Zombie attention or it could also attract a trigger happy hunter waiting to shoot the next thing that moves.

Finally, you should grab a compact, yet powerful, set of binoculars, a compass and a small (strong) flashlight. This completes a basic list of essentials that any good hunter will have on him at all times and a basic list of things to grab before heading out to defend our planet from the hordes of undead. Of course, this is based off of the information from a hunting shop in Astoria, New York. Perhaps there's a hunting store in your town or city. Check it out, see what they have. Maybe you'll find out some more things that are good to have. If so feel free to leave a comment here and let the rest of us know.