A few questions from a beginner

I'm in haliax. there are several stores nearby, I've been checking kelvins taxidermy'slistings and checking bargain hunter. once i get EE access im going to check it out. I would prefer to buy direct from someone and eliminate the dealer markup. have plenty of time so i will keep my eye out.

push comes to shove when deer season comes around i do have access to a handfull of firearms (a .22, .270 and a 12g, no idea what makes). they were my grandfathers, currently my dads but they are still at grandfathers house. I had been wanting to buy anyway as i would like my own, feel bad using someone elses even if it will one day be mine..

I'm pretty lucky to have access to potentialy two different sources of hand me downs i guess.

for now im just waiting and will continue to stalk the ee/ bargain hunter/local shops i suppose.
 
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With that budget you'll have no problem getting a great rifle and scope combo - new or used. I'd be buying new if I had that budget, and I as much as I think the Axis is excellent value, I'd be going for something more like a 11/111 and a really nice piece of glass.
 
i would recommend a savage axis with accutrigger. savage makes a good durable rifle you don't mind thrashing around in the brush.
dress in layers, don't go cheap on your base layers.
learn to start a fire in any condition.
don't weigh yourself down with too much gear, count the ounces and the pounds take care of themselves.
 
Wildcat, you are off to a great start...... I hear you on the borrowing thing.......

And the EE is a great place for used rifles....... So take that plunge when you can......

The most important thing, you are going hunting this year, and that's awesome...... We need as many new hunters as we can get....... I wish you all of the luck you can get during your first year.......
 
Totally agree with Brad. The most important thing is to get out there and have fun (while staying safe) ! Best of luck!
 
Wildest said:
what kind of money would a decent quality used rifle run me? i could probably spring for something in thr 800-1200 range assuming the lead on hand me downs falls through.
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Because you're starting out I would keep try to keep everything under 1200 that's rifle packsack plus Basic tools and good boots
You can save quite a bit of money by using your Standard work clothing
you have years to collect all the camo and base layers you want but for now keep sticking to the KISS rule
Camo and base layers don't help you harvest a deer
 
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carverk said:
Because you're starting out I would keep try to keep everything under 1200 that's rifle packsack plus Basic tools and good boots
You can save quite a bit of money by using your Standard work clothing you have years to collect all the camo and base layers you want but for now keep sticking to the KISS rule
Camo and base layers don't help you harvest a deer
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Camo may not but good base layers will. You can't stay out all day in cold temps or possible crappy weather if you're not dressed for it. Anybody can go out and freeze and be uncomfortable but the hunter who is dry and warm hunts better and longer because he is more comfortable. Especially if he is sitting on watch for any extended periods.
 
the spank said:
Camo may not but good base layers will. You can't stay out all day in cold temps or possible crappy weather if you're not dressed for it. Anybody can go out and freeze and be uncomfortable but the hunter who is dry and warm hunts better and longer because he is more comfortable. Especially if he is sitting on watch for any extended periods.
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I would imagine he already has work clothing for the weather
I still where bluejeans flannel shirt and a Stanfield wool shirt (Weastcoast Texido ) and haley Hansen rain gear nothing more than basic work gear I already have in my work bag

Remember we're talking about somebody starting we never had base layers and Camo clothing if we did worry about it we would have never been able to afford to go hunting everyone's been just talking about bare minimum's to get out not the nice things to have on a hunt
 
the spank said:
My Grandfather was not a bush pilot like you Bruce but he spent one pile of his life in the bush and he never went so much as grouse hunting without a compass, a fire starting kit, a good knife, hatchet and length of rope at minimum. Great advice!
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Thanks for the comments.
One of my troubles was I grew up in thinly settled, flat bush lands of northerly SK. There were so many excellent bushmen in the area, including my best adult friend when I was a teen ager, who was a northern trapper. I imagined I just came on it naturally to be a bushman and twice, once when I was only 12 and the other time I was 16 and came within a hair of spending a November night alone in the bush, either of which could easily have been fatal. From then on it was compass.
The BC registered foresters I flew in northern BC spent most of their working hours in the bush and were never without their compass. They used nothing but Silva Ranger compasses and when I started flying for them they gave me two. One to always leave in the aircraft, in case I had to walk out some day, and the other to carry on me at all times we were in, or over, the bush, just in case.
A funny thing happened once about compasses, or lack of them. Milt Warren who plays an important role in my book and we went on so many trips together. He had once been a genuine northern trapper and was a true bushmen. Once we drove his jeep above timberline to some unused mine buildings, stayed in a cabin and went goat hunting. In the afternoon we shot a goat, just barely had time to dress it out and get back to camp before dark.
Went for it next day with pack boards to bring it out. We got it packed up, then started on about a mile of nearly level alpine, before we got to the bush. It started to snow and before long we couldn't see any land marks, all was white. I was leading and we came onto our own tracks, as we unknowingly had made a complete circle! I said, "It looks like we need your compass." His reply was, "I left mine in the jeep, get yours out!" I said mine was in the jacket I had been wearing the day before!
It took a lot more than that to upset Milt and he just started to laugh. I couldn't help but join him, so we had a good laugh about it. I said I got us into this, so I'll get us out of it! By the time we got in the bush and looking for conditions for a night camp, the snow had turned to rain and we were thoroughly soaked. We found a good supply of dead wood, a great shelter spruce tree and with a good fire going we soon got warm and had our clothes completely dried out by midnight and we had a good sleep.
 
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If I had to go with any one caliber for a first hunting rifle, it would be a .308 Win simply because it is probably the most widely available and affordable round that will take down pretty much all game you will encounter (the Canadian Rangers are issued one for - among other things - protection against polar bears). Surplus ammo is also still available at prices that make extensive practice affordable. There are a lot of other solid choices - .270 included.

Other than appropriate clothing, must haves include a reliable means of starting a fire, water storage container, knife or hatchet, and protection from the elements (rain gear and tarp). Everything else is gravy. I would not discount a map and compass (with knowledge on their use).
 
Well carverk, you certainly have the experience to give lots of good information on real camping and old, genuine hunting techniques.
Now you have named the Frost knives as being good. I will go further and state that I think the Swedish Frost knives are about the most under rated pieces of equipment, in all of our hunting/camping equipment.
I probably got my first Frost Mora (Mora was the county in Sweden they are made) knife about 60 years ago and my most recent about a month ago, when I got a used one of a design I had never seen before. The blade is 6 inches, but deep, skinning knife shape.
I went to Google and found hundreds of different design Frost knives, since their inception before 1900, but I couldn't find even one, of the design this old one is made in!
These knives are all made the same, three pieces of steel laminated together. The centre one is a very thin piece of razor type steel, laminated between two sheets of softer steel. For years they were all hand forged and welded, then they designed power hammers to do the job, but still welded by the old fashioned, heat method.
The bulk of the blade being soft steel means they can be bent and straightened out again, without breaking.
Over a lot of years I have always judged the sharpness of a knife by how well it shaves the hair off of the back of my hand and arm. Frost knives have shaved more hair off me than all other knives combined!
 
Y
H4831 said:
Well carverk, you certainly have the experience to give lots of good information on real camping and old, genuine hunting techniques.
Now you have named the Frost knives as being good. I will go further and state that I think the Swedish Frost knives are about the most under rated pieces of equipment, in all of our hunting/camping equipment.
I probably got my first Frost Mora (Mora was the county in Sweden they are made) knife about 60 years ago and my most recent about a month ago, when I got a used one of a design I had never seen before. The blade is 6 inches, but deep, skinning knife shape.
I went to Google and found hundreds of different design Frost knives, since their inception before 1900, but I couldn't find even one, of the design this old one is made in!
These knives are all made the same, three pieces of steel laminated together. The centre one is a very thin piece of razor type steel, laminated between two sheets of softer steel. For years they were all hand forged and welded, then they designed power hammers to do the job, but still welded by the old fashioned, heat method.
The bulk of the blade being soft steel means they can be bent and straightened out again, without breaking.
Over a lot of years I have always judged the sharpness of a knife by how well it shaves the hair off of the back of my hand and arm. Frost knives have shaved more hair off me than all other knives combined!
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I used to test my knife blades on the hair on my arms but as a Carver I have a lot of knives
One day I realize I look stupid walking around with no hair on my forearms Haahaa
Frost knifes are so good we use them for carving totem poles
Fore under $20 you will not get a better knife
The only knifes I find are better are the custom ones I make for wood carving wen I'm lucky enough to find just the right steel
 
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I started a habit of using zipties to attach a compass to my rifle slings. Funny thing about compasses, they dont need batteries or to see the sky like gps's. Have a fairly large hunting fanny pack, cant seem to open any pockets without finding a compass or lighter. I make firestarters by buying garage sale candles, melting them into newspaper and lint in old cardboard egg cartons....put a couple "eggs" in your pack,,,each one creates a flame large enough to start a emergency fire. I carry a "contractors" clean up bag....good for organs....and punch holes for a raincoat in a pinch.
 
So I think I decided on buying a mossberg patriot combo in .270 with wood stock. The wood stock option does not come with a vortex scope like the synthetic, but it still looks like it comes with a decent scope.

My local Canadian tire will sell it to me for 725$ taxes in, is this reasonable? Do any of the partnered dealers offer a better price?
 
Some things from Carverk I would give a big thumbs-up on.

First is his mention of good boots. Spend on this, but then if you've spent time with a C7, then you probably already know that. I would also agree with his positive comments on the .303 British. The old girls have a lot of heart and can still be found here and there for very reasonable prices and the .303 will take anything walking in the country. I've never found ammo difficult to find, but then I've not spent much time in NS.

Virtually any round from .243 Winchester on up will reliably take deer, specifically including the older rounds like the .303, .30-30, 6.5x55, .30-06, .270 Win, 7mm and 8mm Mausers, etc. More important than a sparkly new designer round is round placement. You say deer out to 150 yards. Given that Bambi's target zone is the size of a dinner plate, you don't simply need sub-minute of angle accuracy any more than you need über-powerful rounds like the .338 or .375. Bottom line? Find a rifle that feels good when you put it to your shoulder; you'll know it when you feel it. If the bore looks good and thre trigger pull is OK, then go for it.
 
Lots of good information regarding firearms. boots, compasses, what to take, etc.

I make sure all of my clothing is roomy enough for layering and freedom of movement, and beyond all else is quiet ... whether waterproof or not.
If you're buying new boots, make sure to wear them for a few days for prolonged periods to break them in / ensure that they don't cause blisters or chaffing.

Make a list of everything you pack and take to camp and leave it at home. On return from your hunt, you can add or subtract from that list. Put the list away for next year's packing. Warm, dry & comfortable tends to lead to an enjoyable time afield. Water is often overlooked ... you need to stay hydrated out there.
 
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