Vancouver Island big game rifle

J

jaydog

CGN frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
54   0   0
Location
Surrounded by the Pacific.
So I'm moving to Vancouver Island and am looking forward to the big game hunting. Problem is, I own a Remmy 742 in 30-06 which my father pretty much wore out (hi black_fly!) and a Mk4 Enfield which isn't exactly sniper quality. So I'm looking for ideas - gun *models* really - that I can then look up online or try to find locally to handle. I'm most likely going to get another 30-06 as I truly like that calibre, but might consider a .300 mag. Off the shelf ammo is part of the reason - I don't reload.
I have read all the "need ###X to shoot deer/bear/moose/elk" threads so lets not repeat them please.

Besides the Winchester Model 70 featherweight, what else should I look at??
 
With all the weather you guys get I'd look at a stainless/synthetic. Rem 700, Ruger, or the new Model 70 when it comes around. There are always .30-06's in the EE, check them out too.
 
Island

The largest deer I ever saw on the Island was about the size of a large German Shepard.

I know there are some bears.

Are there any Moose or Elk on the island?

:slap:
 
Depends on where on Vancouver Island.

There are spots that you won't see 20 yards in front of you for the brush, and others were you can see across a clear cut for hundreds of yards.

Common ammo (ie Canadian Tire available) 30/30, .303, .270, 30/06, .308, .300 win mag etc, etc blah blah. :D

Also I agree with the idea for going stainless/synthetic if you can.
Tikka stainless/synthetic are pretty popular here. Granlunds in Campbell River had a stack of them last time I was there.

Pullens in Victoria is another good place for firearm related stuff.

Biggest problem these days is locked gates and access to land.
I'm told North Island is the place to go for the larger critters.
Check out the Hunting BC site for more hunting info regarding the Island.
 
Last edited:
"...featherweight...what else should I..." Light weight rifles have more felt recoil. That's not a big deal when hunting, but it'll tell on you when sighting in and practicing. I'd stick with the .30-06 though. Nothing else is as versatile. Think 165 grain hunting bullets and you'll be set for any game you care to hunt.
 
The deer are Coastal Blacktail. I have had spikes that dressed 55 lbs, and 2 points in the 65-75 lb. range. 243/6mm are enough for the deer; lots have been taken with 303's, 30-30's.
There are also Roosevelt elk but by limited entry only. I took my first one in 86 with a 30.06; Dressed 534 to the locker; scored 320. They are bigger bodied than the Rocky Mountain but smaller in the antlers. The second one dressed 420 and was a 5 x 5 probably 3 1/2 years old, and I had a 338 Winchester by then.
Don't count on the luck I had to get two draws; my friend has not received a draw since 1971 (or so).
 
VanIsle deer are smallish, a good buck may go 140lbs, rarely bigger. [BUT] black bears are large as are the elk if you are lucky enough to get a draw. There's nothing overly destructive with shooting a 100 lb deer with a 30 06.

Shots can be any distance. There's timber and thick second gowth and there's big cutblocks and alpine meadows.

If your not a road hunter, bushwacking, climbing and falling are common.

Versatility I guess is key.

It does get wet.
 
30-06 is fine.... However for the Island a 308 or 7mm-08 will do everything the Island has to offer with less recoil....
 
True, and 7mm-08 is way cooler than an '06, but 7mm08 isn't ammo is always readily available as I found out when I bought mine. Any cartridge in that area would be fine.
 
I have a ruger compact stainless in .308 for island hunting. The only better gun would be the frontier in .300 wsm........good guns for walking, the only way to get deer on the island. IMHO
 
I have shot a truckloads of deer during 15 years hunting on the Island, the longest shot maybe 75 yards. I used to lug around scoped magnum bolt actions, just in case of a "long shot opportunity", and found myself more often than not trying to see through a blurry water soaked scope in the timber at a buck not 20 yards away. I since have gone to a Win 94 in 30-30 with regular open sights. IMHO, it's perfection for an Island gun. And it kills bears as well.:)
 
Last edited:
There is nothing on Vancouver Island I wouldn't shoot wiht a 7-08. A 30-06 works fine, too..

Last bear I killed on Van Island was with a 375 H&H, but I used 7RM, .270 Win as well.
 
lessons learned

Thanks guys! So far I have learned two valuable things:
- rifle really should be stainless/synthetic
- I had hugely misunderstood what was available for hunting on the island

I'm moving from Nova Scotia and had everyone I hunt with being jealous about the opportunities 'out west'. Turns out they were thinking of the mainland...:( I can hunt deer and bear within a mile of my house now!

Time to start checking out some new guns!
 
bam bam said:
I since have gone to a Win 94 in 30-30 with regular open sights. IMHO, it's perfection for an Island gun. And it kills bears as well.:)
Click to expand...

That exact combination cost me an opportunity at probably the biggest Black Tail I've ever seen on the Island. I really liked carrying my '94 and yes, most shots are usually well under 100 yards, but not all, things open up. The next ridge over may only be a few hundred yards (as was this case). Since then I've also taken deer in alpine and in large cut blocks where closing the distance was near impossible.

I would suggest a versatile, weather proof package with a quality variable scope.
 
Vancouver Island

I moved from Ottawa to Victoria 4 years ago. I soon came to realise most Island residents (not all), do their big game hunting on the mainland as there are so many more options. I have seen some decent Blacktail bucks even right in town, but for rifle hunting you have to go north or west and there lies the problem of getting access to areas. Elk are strictly draw and and almost unattainable (depending who you talk to). Lots of bears I understand.
Since moving here I've hunted a friends farm for deer south of Vernon and most recently in western Alberta!. As for guns, any of the calibers mentioned and a stainless/synthetic rig would be a good option.
I'd love to hunt the Island for deer, but just havent made a connection yet and trust me, I can be found hanging out at Pullen's every weekend.
Geoff in Victoria
 
jaydog said:
Thanks guys! So far I have learned two valuable things:
- rifle really should be stainless/synthetic
- I had hugely misunderstood what was available for hunting on the island

I'm moving from Nova Scotia and had everyone I hunt with being jealous about the opportunities 'out west'. Turns out they were thinking of the mainland...:( I can hunt deer and bear within a mile of my house now!

Time to start checking out some new guns!
Click to expand...


The island has some fine fishing,but if you want to enjoy most of the great hunting that B.C. has to offer you have to come to the mainland.Get the regs figure out what you want to hunt for and plan out annual hunting trips.If it's elk the Island LEH draws are hard to come by but on the mainland there's plenty of elk hunting non LEH and easier to draw LEH.Pretty much any north american big game species is available for some kind of hunt in B.C. .From Bison to pronghorn,goats ,sheep,moose, griz,mulies,whitetail predators of all sorts we have it all.
 
30-06 is a good Island caliber, it has more than enough power for anything here.
If you plan on hunting north Island some of the shots are way further than 100 yards. Even some of our spots mid Island are 200 to 300 yards.
It just depands on where you go. I use a 7mm myself with excellent results.
 
From Bison to pronghorn
Click to expand...

Pronghorn? Really? Lived in BC all my life and always thought you had to go to the prairies to hunt them. I do know we have huntable populations of: whitetail deer, mule deer, blacktail deer, fallow deer, Roosevelt elk, Rocky Mtn. elk, moose, Mtn. caribou, Rocky Mtn. goat, Rocky Mtn. Bighorn sheep, California bighorn sheep, Stone sheep, Dall sheep, black bear, grizzly bear, cougar, wolf, small game, upland game birds, migratory game birds...and anything else I may have missed. If you like hunting, you have arrived in the Serengeti of North America...welcome and stay safe (not to mention the extremely good fishing including salt & fresh water)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom