>>794291figure out what you want to hunt
>rabbits/squirrels/small gameget a .22lr or 17hmr
>game birds20 or 12 gauge, new shooters can err toward the 20, but a 12 is very manageable, especially for larger birds like geese and big ducks.
>larger game (deer, furbearers)look into a .243, .30-30, or .223. the .223 is light for a deer load but can kill with decent shot placement.
depending on what you want to do, your state may have certain licenses/tags/stamps you need to buy in addition to a hunter's education class as a requirement to hunt. if you're choosing to ignore those, your $200-500 gun could become a very expensive fine/jail time. the species you choose to hunt may have caliber restrictions set by the state (ex.: deer may not be taken by a bullet smaller than a 22 caliber).
once that's done: practice shooting, check some youtube videos/printed sources about your target species, and find some public land.
