git config --global init.templatedir '~/.git_template'
# Afterward, new repositories you create or clone will use this directory for templates.
# Place the hooks you want in ~/.git_template/hooks. 
# Existing repositories can be reinitialized with the proper templates by running git init in the same directory .git is in.

# For git versions older than 1.7.1, running git init --template ~/.git_template will work if you're like me and still want to manage your .git_template dir along with the rest of your dot files. You can also use the $GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR environment to tell git init where your template directory is.