It's best to do a walkabout of the area you will be hunting in so you know the areas in which your game are likely to bed down. This will also give you the advantage if you hit your prey but have to track it.  Take note of any swamps, loose rocks, fallen trees, or any other obstacles that might impede your route to your hunting location. Be aware of natural animal runs through your hunting area. These are frequently the paths your chosen game will travel, and if you have to track your prey, knowing these will be helpful. Memorize or take a picture of the tracks you see on these natural trails. When you return home, you can check these against a track guide. It's best to be prepared for bad weather when you go out hunting, even if the weather report calls for fair weather. Knowing ahead of time about inclement weather or other dangerous conditions can save your life. Forgetting something when you are out in the wilderness can be more than inconvenient: it can be dangerous. You should make a checklist and gather the things you will need before going on the hunt. In addition to the emergency supply kit you put together while preparing to hunt, you should also be sure you are wearing an appropriate amount of blaze orange (also called hunter's orange or safety orange) so that other hunters can see you. This way, if you get lost or are the victim of a hunting accident, you will know that help will eventually be on the way. In the wilderness, you can't always rely on a cellphone to get you the help you need. If you are hunting on the private property of a friend or neighbor, you must be sure you have the landowner's permission and your hunting license before setting out to hunt. It's always best to give your neighbor a warning before heading out to hunt, even if you've been told you can hunt there anytime. This will limit your chances for hunting accidents. This will jog your memory from the walkabout you took in preparation to your hunting excursion. This will also remind you of the best route to get there and safest path to your hunting location.

Summary: Familiarize yourself with the terrain. Check the weather conditions. Gather your supplies. Inform friends and family of your plans. Get permission, if necessary. Review your map.


Your state may prohibit raffles. Other states place regulations on how many raffles non-profit organizations can conduct per year and the types of prizes that are allowed. Consult your state's laws about raffles or, better yet, talk to an attorney. Avoid prizes that could cause legal problems. Prizes over $600 might draw the attention of the IRS. Also, avoid prizes that are tightly regulated, such as alcohol, tobacco, and firearms. You might get into legal trouble if a disgruntled loser decides to challenge the contest. If the rules are spelled out clearly, you can mitigate some of that liability.  Be sure to cite the appropriate provision of your state law in your raffle rules. For example: "This raffle is conducted according to the rules of the state of [your state here] in accordance with [cite the reference to the law here]." Spell out the rules in plain English. For example: "Entrants purchase a ticket which is placed into a box and blindly drawn at random." Use common sense for your raffle rules. Make it clear that your organization has some discretion in handing out prizes. For example, if a ticket is drawn and nobody claims the prize, another ticket can be drawn. State in the rules whether entrants are required to be there in person when the drawing occurs. All raffles promise at least one lucky winner a prize at the end of the drawing. There may be more than one raffle contest prize, or even prize levels (first, second, third, etc.) based on order of the draw.  You can get local businesses to donate prizes as a tax write-off. That will save your organization some money. It's a great idea to go to your local shopping mall and talk to managers in each store at the mall to solicit prizes. Gift certificates at popular stores make great prizes. That way, you're giving out a prize but in reality the winner is picking out his or her own prize at the store. Raffle tickets need certain information on them, regardless of your event or organization:  You can use your favorite word processor to print the raffle tickets.  On one side of the ticket (the stub side), list the following organization/event information: organization name, address and phone number; list of prizes; event name; drawing date and website. On the opposite side of the ticket, provide spaces for participants to fill in their information: participant name, address, phone number, and email address. Tickets may or may not have numbers on them. Some state regulations require numbers, so look into the rules for your particular state before having tickets printed.
Summary: Check the local government regulatory agencies to make sure your organization can legally hold a raffle. Define rules for your raffle. Decide on a prize. Print tickets.