Brand New To Hunting and Need Help!!

DarcyM

DarcyM

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Location
Alberta
Hello everyone! I am brand new to hunting and have never gone out yet in my life. Like BRAND BRAND new. So, I need help with how to get started! I'm very excited, I do have some rifles now, which include: 12 gauge shotgun with 5 shot capacity (Remington Model 870 Marine Edition), 22lr with 10 shot clip and scope, Winchester Model 30-30 Lever Action with 5 shot capacity, no scope. Model 300 Savage 99F with 3.5-10 Bushnell Sportview 45 Scope. I know it's not a high end scope and the rifle has only 80 round through it in its lifetime and was solely used for hunting. For interests' sake I also have a 1951 Russian SKS with 1340 rounds of ammunition. I also have several pistols haha, in case I wanted to find myself in jail dreaming about hunting! :nest:

My questions are about the best guns to use for hunting out here in Alberta!

1. What is the best calibre for medium to big game hunting? I'm interested in hunting deer, antelope (if allowed), moose, elk, caribou, and other large game of the like. What rifle would you have me carrying out in the field to hunt them? I'm a 160 lb female that will be hunting for the first time this year. I would like solid information that just doesn't fall in the form of google searches.

2. What is the best gun for hunting fowl? Migratory or otherwise? I have a 12 gauge shotgun now and that's my option other than those rifles listed above.

Whatever information you can all give me to read about would greatly appreciated. I have been unable to hunt or anything other thing for the last 6 years due to 6 major knee surgeries that left me in a wheelchair 75% of the time and on crutches the rest of the time.

3. Scopes. I've only owned one scope in my life and it was worth about $80. What do you all recommend for scopes in and under the $300 price range (I can't spend thousands all in one year to be ready to hunt game).

4. I have a decent sent of binoculars. Is there a need for a spotting scope in this year or can that wait in order to adhere to budgetary concerns? I understand it of course would help, but is a set of binoculars satisfactory?

5. Bow hunting. I've never done it before. Would bow hunting be a good option for hunting. It does interest me quite a bit. I'm a lefty so getting bows used are more difficult, but I'm also told to stay away from used equipment as it can be risky to purchase. I'm told they can be a coin toss as to whether they'll be any good. I've used a compound bow twice, but have no other experience with it.

Thanks everyone and any information you can give to me would be greatly appreciated!! I would love to get into hunting this year! I used to fish a ton in my youth and have lost touch with hunting and fishing and can't wait to get into hunting so that i can spend time outside and pay my respects to nature.

Thanks again and can't wait for your responses!!
 
First off, welcome and God bless you! Nice to have another hunter, and a lady to boot, joining the community. You didn't mention what caliber the Savage is chambered for, but if it's in .308 you should do fine for most of the game you plan to hunt. The .30-30 is usually regarded as a 100 yd. rifle and we don't know what kind of terrain you'll be hunting in mostly so do you anticipate shot's over 150 yds.? Bullet placement is critical! Being accurate and placing a round into your game for a kill shot means practice and knowing your game's anatomy. As to the shotgun, I'd personally want a longer barreled one for birds. I mostly hunt partridge and my area is good bush and woods so I like a 20 ga. with 26" barrels. The SKS is a great plinking rifle, but the round itself is good deer medicine within the 100 yd. category. I use a Howa 1500 in 7.62X39 with handloads for serious hunting and it's accurate out to 200 yds.
As to glass, if the scopes give you a clear sight picture and hold zero, you're fine. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you do want better or newer optics within your price range, you have many, many options. I like Vortex and Redfield, both within your price range for a good hunting scope. And as to the spotting scope, I only use mine at the range to save these old bones from walking to and from the target. Compact binos are excellent in the field and usually all you need.
If you're considering bow hunting, I'd go with a crossbow. You'll get lots of responses, but I hope this helps.
 
DarcyM said:
Hello everyone! I am brand new to hunting and have never gone out yet in my life. Like BRAND BRAND new. So, I need help with how to get started!

My questions are about the best guns to use for hunting out here in Alberta!

1. What is the best calibre for medium to big game hunting?

2. What is the best gun for hunting fowl? Migratory or otherwise?

3. Scopes.

4. I have a decent sent of binoculars.

5. Bow hunting. I've never done it before.

Thanks again and can't wait for your responses!!
Click to expand...

1. Any legal centre fire that you shoot well.
2. A 12 or 20 ga, plugged to 3 shots to comply with migratory bird law. Improved Cylinder choke with #2 steel for waterfowl, #7.5 or #6 lead for upland.
3. Standard 3-9x40 will do just fine. Bushnell Elite or Leupold are my preference.
4. Only ever wished I had binoculars once while deer hunting. YMMV depending on your situation.
5. We went with Excalibur crossbows. Life is busy busy, so sight it in, know your range & hunt. Easier than vertical bows IMHO.

Cheers
Jay
P.S. If mobility is an issue, get a ground blind & hunt where there is sign, crossed trails etc & ensure the wind is in your favour! Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Hello and Welcome!
1. If I understand correctly that your Savage rifle is chambered in .300 Savage, you already have a capable cartridge. I normally recommend 7mm 08 or .308 or .270 for beginning hunters, and the .300 is a decent "middle power mid-range" cartridge too, just not quite as modern. Medium weight bullets for deer and antelope, ( 150 grain in .300 caliber) and heavier weight for moose and elk ( 180 grain in the .300). You can do quite well with your 30-30 on all game within 150 yards or so with the standard 170 grain bullets and using iron sights. To be effective on big game at any range, you just have to be able to hit a target the size of a paper plate with consistency. In the case of your 30-30, the accuracy limitations of iron sights match the range limitations of the cartridge quite nicely. Your .300 is capable at twice that distance if your shooting is also up to the task. With whatever rifle and cartridge you choose, practise shooting from field positions - sitting, kneeling, offhand, and from sticks. Use a rest when practical to help make your aim be as steady as practical when hunting. Use a bench rest only for sighting in your rifle and checking how accurate it can be.

2. Your Remington 870 12 ga is a very good all around shotgun model but the "marine edition" makes me think it is shiny stainless steel and short barrel. Shiny stainless steel can be covered with camo tape for waterfowl hunting. A short barrel is handy but harder to hit flying birds with. You may be able to add an after market barrel of 26-28" with screw in chokes. Or trade in your present shotgun for the same model with a hunting barrel. Improved cylinder and / or modified are the most useful chokes. Avoid full choke shotguns for most hunting as a beginner. As mentioned, for migratory bird hunting you must plug the magazine of a shotgun to hold no more than 2 shells. Forest grouse can be shot "on the ground" with your .22 rifle. A great way to start your hunting career. Easy and delicious!

3 You don't need to spend a lot of money on scopes, but reliability is important. Top end power is not important for hunting, although many target shooters like to see holes in paper as they shoot. You already have a serviceable scope. I don't own any hunting scope of more than 10x and am perfectly happy with 4x for most hunting. If your present scope breaks or you become dissatisfied with it, choose a mid range quality scope from Bushnell or Leupold or maybe Vortex. Complicated reticles are not helpful to a beginner. 2x or 3x at the low power end is actually more useful than high magnification when actually hunting. Keep your scope at mid to low end magnification when hunting. If a quick shot opportunity happens, you are ready. If a long shot is possible, you will have time to crank up the power. You will use your binoculars to identify game, not your scope. Using a scope instead of binoculars is dangerous and a very poor practise.

4 I use binoculars constantly when hunting, but spotting scopes are really only useful for judging the antlers / horns when trophy hunting or when hunting bucks / bulls that must carry a certain number of points. Save your money this year.

5. If you wish to become a bowhunter, realize bow hunting is a major commitment. I do recommend you try it, but perhaps not your first year or two of hunting unless you have access to a good bow hunting area for deer and not for rifle. Use of a bow requires hours and hours of practise to become competent. A good professional bow shop will set you up properly with a compound bow but it won't be cheap. Used bows can be a good value, but not when you don't know what you're doing or what you need. Bow hunting requires much more specialized scouting and hunting skills, you must get very close to undisturbed game. Very rewarding when everything goes right.
 
Last edited:
One more note. Your mobility issues can be managed by hunting big game out of a blind or if you can manage it, a tree stand. Hunting from a blind in a place frequented by game is one of the most effective ways to hunt. You must do your scouting to ensure you set up your blind / stand in a good place, but after that, just be patient and shoot straight. Same thing goes for waterfowl hunting.
 
Previously mentioned by Jay about using a crossbow, being as you reside in Alberta you can only use a crossbow if you have a medically confirmed condition which prevents you using standard archery equipment, ie traditional or compound bow and you must obtain clearance from F&W. There are some special seasons for primitive weapons which would include a crossbows use by anybody, but they are not province wide, check the Reg’s for zones and seasons. Happy hunting.
 
For the most part, you have received good advice. I firmly believe binoculars are a must when you hunt.
A spotting scope is something you can acquire later.
Your 300 Savage is a plenty capable unit, and that Bushnell will do, but a good used Leupold in the 2-7 or 3-9 power
range would be a nice upgrade.
Most of all, practice, practice, practice, until you feel confident in yourself and your equipment.
A 12 gauge and a 22 rimfire basically round out what you need for your hunting of birds, etc.
BTW, welcome to the forum. We need more ladies here. :) Dave.
 
One thing I jest lernt awn'ear…………...you need a 375 H&H fur sqwirl hunting.
As mentioned in post 8, bino's are partickyewlarry importint.
Glass'in Sqwartchizz with yer scope...……………………………………………...:rey2
 
Hello and welcome!

Here are some other important considerations for being new to hunting:
1) Learn your local hunting regs concerning what and where you want to hunt. Ignorance is not a defense in a court of law.
2) Learn about the animals you want to hunt. Their habits, preferred food and water sources in their habitat where you want to hunt.
3) Learn the areas you want to hunt. Where those animals feed, water, bed, mate, winter, calve, travel and escape to. And which way the prevailing winds blow.
4) You may fool an animals eyes and/or ears, but you will never fool their nose. Learn to play the wind in your hunts and stalks. Learn and practice good scent control.
5) Learn to be aware of your surroundings. Do not skyline yourself. Use available cover or terrain features to break up your human outline, by being behind or in front of a tree, bush, rock, etc.
6) Move slowly. Movement catches the eye easier and can be seen from a distance. And many believe that a bears eye are not good. believe me, they can see as good or better than we can. They may just choose to ignore you. Some animals have larger comfort zones and/or higher levels of disturbance tolerance.
7) Learn to use your binos. Even in the thick brush, when still hunting. Theywill help you pick out an animals eye, ear, neck, head, backline, leg or tail, even at close range. Move very slow. Move a step or two and glass again, all around you. Moving slower will spook fewer animals and allow you to get closer.
8) Learn to know your weapon. Practice. Lots. So you can load, cycle, shoulder your weapon, operate the safety, without looking at it. Practice from various field positions. This will build muscle meory and make it instinctive when in the field. As stated earleir, a deers vitals are 8" in diameter (similar to a paper plate), while an elks is 10" and a moose is 12". Practice until you can keep all of your shots on the paper plate at various distances (50, 100, 200 and 300 yards). Whatever distance you can do that, will be YOUR effective hunt range with that firearm.

Your two most important tools in your hunting gear will be your boots and binos. Make sure they are well kept and fit you properly.
Get the best you can afford and take good care of them.
Lots of womens boots on the market today. Buy the type that will suit your intended terrain and seasons. Goretex and light weight Thinsulate (400 to 800 grains) will keep your feet warm and dry. Change your socks frequently and allow your boots to dry after use.
Minox makes great binos at a reasonable price. Have been very impressed with the ones that I have gotten for my wife and my daughter. 8 x 40's are great for all around use. So are 10x40's. Higher than 10 power are hard to hold steady and the wobbles will lead to eye strain and possibly headaches and nausea.
Spotting scopes are nice, but are not necessary when just starting out. For long distance study of animals in the mountains and across wide open areas.

As for your firearms:
Your 30-30 will do fine on most of the animals on your list out to 100-150 yards.
Your 300 Savage will work on the bigger game out to 300 yards.(a long shot for many hunters)
Your SKS is fine for deer or smaller black bears, but keep shots less than 100 yards, and ensure you have soft points!
Your marine shotgun is fine for a campgun and bear defense, but a 20 ga or 12 ga with 26-28" barrrel(s) will be better suited for waterfowl and upland game birds.

Best of luck to you and may all your shots be true!
 
Last edited:
As for a bow:
Go to a reputable bow shop to be measured and fit for a bow (traditional or compound). This will include your draw length adn draw weight. You will need a minimum of 40# draw weight to hunt big game.
They will check your eye dominace to determine if you will need to shoot right or left handed. You must shoot your dominant eye to be truly successful with archery equipment (same actually applies to firearms).
Buying used equipment can be a good buy, if you get what you want and need at a good price. But you must be careful, if it is not currently configured to your specs, it must be adjustable to do so. If not, many bows are not adjustable nor can be reconfigured, and therefore are a waste of money. Buyer beware!
Recommend bows by Bowtech, Hoyt, Mathews. Quality manufacturers with bows that can be adjusted easily or reconfigured to fit.
Try to buy a bow with a braceheight of 7" for forgiveness, and axle to axle length of 4-6" longer than your draw length, for the best performance for you. i.e if you are a 26" draw length, get a bow with an axle length of 30 to 32".
The get some lessons on how to shoot. Proper shooting form is critical to overall success.
 
Last edited:
All the advice you’ve been given is pretty spot on. I can really only add one thing coming from someone that’s just started down the rabbit hole as well in the last few years.
Just get out and hunt with what you have. It sounds like you have guns that will cover pretty much every situation fairly well. Sure you can always have the latest and greatest, but figure out what works for you and what you like. Who knows certain hunts or style of hunting may not be your bag.
I’ve also started to find there are more hunts then I could possibly do in a year and certain ones just appeal to me more so I’ll concentrate more on those then something else.
Who knows your shotgun may barely leave the safe. Or you become so addicted to ducks you never leave the marshes.
Just get out and do it with what you have and soon you’ll realize what you want/need more.
 
Don't overlook hunting small game. Hunting rabiits, squirrels and other critters such as gophers, coyotes, etc is also good practice for hunting big game.
In some cases their seasons are open longer or even all year round, and bag limits can be generous.
A good 22 Long Rifle belongs in every hunters battery, and is the best and least expensive rifle you can own and shoot, working on your shooting form and trigger control. And is just plain fun to shoot! You can get good shooting 22's for about $200-$500 depending on make and model. Used ones can be a good buy. Some of the older models can also be very accurate. I was taught to shoot with a Winchester Model 69A, a great rifle. I was teaching an aquaintance to shoot with his new Savage 22, and it was very accurate; it would put 5 shots into an inch at 100 yards, with open sights. (My eyes were better back then!)
A smaller gauge shotgun can also be a lot of fun to carry while out for rabbits, squirrels and grouse. The .410 is a common choice. Ammo is usually easy to find. Guns can be found for around $200 and up for a single shot. A break open with a hammer is a good choice for starting out, as you can walk with the gun loaded and just need to #### before firing at game. (How I was taught to hunt with a .410). But a safer practice is to walk with the action open and gun carried in the crook of the arm. You can have a shell in the chamber, and when you do find game, just close the action and you're ready to go.
I like the 28 gauge as it packs a little more energy for larger birds and jack rabbits, but ammo and guns can be a little harderto find. Some ammo is expensive, but with a little looking you can get it as cheap as the .410. Either has noticably less recoil than a 20 or 12 gauge.
 
Longwalker said:
Hello and Welcome!
1. If I understand correctly that your Savage rifle is chambered in .300 Savage, you already have a capable cartridge. I normally recommend 7mm 08 or .308 or .270 for beginning hunters, and the .300 is a decent "middle power mid-range" cartridge too, just not quite as modern. Medium weight bullets for deer and antelope, ( 150 grain in .300 caliber) and heavier weight for moose and elk ( 180 grain in the .300). You can do quite well with your 30-30 on all game within 150 yards or so with the standard 170 grain bullets and using iron sights. To be effective on big game at any range, you just have to be able to hit a target the size of a paper plate with consistency. In the case of your 30-30, the accuracy limitations of iron sights match the range limitations of the cartridge quite nicely. Your .300 is capable at twice that distance if your shooting is also up to the task. With whatever rifle and cartridge you choose, practise shooting from field positions - sitting, kneeling, offhand, and from sticks. Use a rest when practical to help make your aim be as steady as practical when hunting. Use a bench rest only for sighting in your rifle and checking how accurate it can be.

2. Your Remington 870 12 ga is a very good all around shotgun model but the "marine edition" makes me think it is shiny stainless steel and short barrel. Shiny stainless steel can be covered with camo tape for waterfowl hunting. A short barrel is handy but harder to hit flying birds with. You may be able to add an after market barrel of 26-28" with screw in chokes. Or trade in your present shotgun for the same model with a hunting barrel. Improved cylinder and / or modified are the most useful chokes. Avoid full choke shotguns for most hunting as a beginner. As mentioned, for migratory bird hunting you must plug the magazine of a shotgun to hold no more than 2 shells. Forest grouse can be shot "on the ground" with your .22 rifle. A great way to start your hunting career. Easy and delicious!

3 You don't need to spend a lot of money on scopes, but reliability is important. Top end power is not important for hunting, although many target shooters like to see holes in paper as they shoot. You already have a serviceable scope. I don't own any hunting scope of more than 10x and am perfectly happy with 4x for most hunting. If your present scope breaks or you become dissatisfied with it, choose a mid range quality scope from Bushnell or Leupold or maybe Vortex. Complicated reticles are not helpful to a beginner. 2x or 3x at the low power end is actually more useful than high magnification when actually hunting. Keep your scope at mid to low end magnification when hunting. If a quick shot opportunity happens, you are ready. If a long shot is possible, you will have time to crank up the power. You will use your binoculars to identify game, not your scope. Using a scope instead of binoculars is dangerous and a very poor practise.

4 I use binoculars constantly when hunting, but spotting scopes are really only useful for judging the antlers / horns when trophy hunting or when hunting bucks / bulls that must carry a certain number of points. Save your money this year.

5. If you wish to become a bowhunter, realize bow hunting is a major commitment. I do recommend you try it, but perhaps not your first year or two of hunting unless you have access to a good bow hunting area for deer and not for rifle. Use of a bow requires hours and hours of practise to become competent. A good professional bow shop will set you up properly with a compound bow but it won't be cheap. Used bows can be a good value, but not when you don't know what you're doing or what you need. Bow hunting requires much more specialized scouting and hunting skills, you must get very close to undisturbed game. Very rewarding when everything goes right.
Click to expand...

I would agree with this reply.
 
You’ve got great advice so far Darcy and that’s awesome.

And I mean no disrespect but I find it kind of funny how when a guy comes into this forum saying he is new to hunting he typically gets 3 replies, each of them pretty much telling him to start knocking on doors. But a lady makes a post and wham!!!! Welcomes and god blesses and a dozen novel length replies! Again, not saying it is a bad thing at all, just an observation. Wishing you nothing but the best as you embark on your hunting journey.
 
Thank God and bless you and those other fellow brothers in orange who defended us from the ravenous antlered horde that walks the Woods and the North. Keeping Canadians safe for decades....
 
There is a lot of good advice in this thread without much I can add so instead I’ll pose a question. Do you have an experienced hunter to partner with and learn from? It is very possible to learn all you need to going out on your own. However having a knowledgeable mentor shortens the learning curve immensely. If you do not have anyone experienced to hunt with then my advice is ask questions here and read all you can on the subject. Best of luck on your upcoming adventures.

Hurketthunter84
 
Hello and welcome!

I think most points have been covered well by others, but here’s my $0.25:

Firstly, be ethical. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing drunk people car hunting or dead animals left by the side of the road. Not only is it morally and ethically wrong, but it gives the non-hunting public another reason to ban everything. Going on here is a great sign that you’re an ethical hunter that wants to learn, so congrats.

With that out of the way, some ‘MPO’s:

- your savage is one of the most established big-game rifles in the world. You’re good with it, and if the scope holds zero well, regardless of age and price, it’ll do the job. No need for the fancy crap the magazines try to sell you; that’s for those of us who just love the sport and new stuff.

- put a decent scope (vortex, Nikon, Bushnell) on your .30-30 and you have another great deer/black bear rifle.

- most shots in Alberta are under 100 yards (generally in brush or on field edges) and a new hunter should not shoot past 150 unless you’ve had tons of range time.

- per above, a spotting scope is great for the range, not needed as much as binoculars for hunting. Covered by others. Personally I disagree with the ‘spend twice as much in your optics as your rifle’ opinion; that might have been true 20 years ago, but optics quality has gone way up recently for the price. And I’m hard on my equipment, so low price is good! Lots of deals on here too.

- spend more on ammo and practice As much as you can. Expensive gear won’t overcome poor skill. Think about a low-cost reloading setup at some point.

Above all, have fun and all the best!
 
Thank you! I'm also super excited for another female hunter in my midst!!! Sorry I'm slow to reply. Life's been chaotic the last few weeks. I had a knee replacement at the young age of 44 and just haven't had a second to spare outside child rearing, my spouse, trying to find a minute to do something for myself, and sleeping! My Savage is chambered in 30-06. Sorry for not indicating my what it was. I also have a Winchester 30-30 Lever action as well if that helps you for my other rifle. And finally, aside from my toys like my 1951 Russian SKS, a 22lr with a 10 chamber clip, and several handguns, I have a Remington 870 Marine 12 Gauge shotgun. I love this shotgun as it's great for calibre and it can sit underwater for weeks without rusting or losing funtionality. If you need any other information, let me know! Sadly, in opposition to what you mention, my shotgun is short barreled in order to be used as a tactical weapon.

Now, as for a scope, I just got an amazing scope on eBay for a great deal. It is a Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm Duplex Reticle Gold Ring Riflescope 1"Tube. I got a great deal on it as opposed to the $650 plus taxes Cabela's prices in Canada. I wish I had a 20 gauge it sounds like, but I don't have one, although I have lots of rounds of 20 gauge ammo.

When I was younger I spent a ton of time target shooting with junior rifles learning how to target shoot well and shoot properly. Now, by no means does this promise I'm an expert marksman, despite being a top scoring shooter in my law enforcement classes year after year. I do my best and am a member of a rifle/pistol club in Calgary in order to keep my shooting in top order. I just need to practice and practice on wildlife targets, as I endeavour to be a future hunter that will not be shooting animals in such a way as to cause suffering. I would not be able to survive causing my prey to suffer with gutshots or any other things, because even just getting into hunting has been a hard enough endeavour for me because of the possibility of the animal suffering in any way, but I will target practice and practice in order to prevent any undue suffering to any of the animals to the human best of my ability so that creatures that I hunt won't experience the least amount of suffering as possible. Thanks so much for all and any information you've provided and can provide in future.

Cheers!

Darcy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom