Are we to blame for the decline in hunting as well?

[rookie wildcat]

I live in Cold Lake, and presently I see alot of road hunters in the past couple of years.
This reminds me of how crazy/congested it was in areas of NE Ontario, such as the Petawawa National Forestry. Now it's not that bad here, but it's on it's way to that level of stupidity.
I still have tons of room to hunt, but up here, oil exploration is a two edged sword. Survey trails make for handy hunting areas, that is until a cherry spot is cleared for a pumping station or wellhead.
Then it's off to different areas all over again.

Cold Lake as well and when I first came here from 25yrs of hunting in NS and knowing ALL the spots around, I had a heck of a time getting started. And hunting is a little different here, more open, calling and rattling technique was different, etc...
Most people simply said, just drive around, a deer will walk out in front of you. NO ONE was willing to tell me about good spots or take me up to their camp, etc. The second year I found ONE person who gave me some advice about where to go.
After several years of hunting by myself with my sons and learning the area, I began to pick up advice from others. And now I have covered most of a 100km circle and know of numerous spots to hunt deer and moose. Still have to travel further for elk, though.
One man, on being posted out last year took me to his favourite spot, gave me the spot and the stand, wished me good luck, walked down the hill to another spot and my wife shot a very nice buck 20 mins later, from his stand!
It seems that people here want to see your dedication and ability before helping out.
I take out one hunter a year. Permissions are strict. Skills are built at the range and on the gopher fields. If they have no time before the season, they don't get to go during the season. Young man I am with this year starts Saturday shooting gophers. Spent numerous evenings at the range and in the basement building safety and knowledge. I have NOT encouraged reloading, various and sundry bits of info, simply the basics. Eye to rear sight, eye to front sight, eye to target, eye to front sight, breathe, squeeze.

Doing well so far, we shall see on Saturday how he actually reacts to killing a live animal.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Some guys hate the commercialization of hunting...I personally love it. I love it, because my 12 year old loves some of the new, action packed, high tempo hunting shows that are on the market. He enjoys the action, the excitement, the music...Its stimulating to the younger market, and that is exactly what hunting needs.

Unfortunately hunting isn't action packed , filled with music , high tempo hobby.

It might be okay to watch for a youngster but when they get in the field it is a different environment.It is cold, windy, wet, quiet, and not always that action packed.This could be a big let down for some of the young new hunters.

Gotta get back to what hunting is, and sitting in front of the TV watching 20 minutes of commercials in a 30 minute show sure don't hone the hunting skills.

 

[teenahlake]

We had my brothers FIL, out to the camp this past season. The last time he hunted was when he lived in Rhodesia. He was amazed, that we actually had to go look for the animals, rather than just pick the best one out of the herd.

 

[rookie wildcat]

Unfortunately hunting isn't action packed , filled with music , high tempo hobby.

It might be okay to watch for a youngster but when they get in the field it is a different environment.It is cold, windy, wet, quiet, and not always that action packed.This could be a big let down for some of the young new hunters.

Gotta get back to what hunting is, and sitting in front of the TV watching 20 minutes of commercials in a 30 minute show sure don't hone the hunting skills.

It is so bad, that most young people are texting and surfing while on stand.
Figeting in a treee stand and making so much noise in a ground blind because they are restless they scare the animals away.
And by youngster, I mean 20yr olds.

 

[Brutus]

It is so bad, that most young people are texting and surfing while on stand.
Figeting in a treee stand and making so much noise in a ground blind because they are restless they scare the animals away.
And by youngster, I mean 20yr olds.

It's not just the younger generation friends. I was recently in Calgary/Bragg Creek, and I lost count the number of drivers on thier cell phones.
Even in Bragg Creek one older gentleman with a road repair crew was the traffic guard and he looked pretty busy texting rather than paying attention to his job. This was on a gravel road with regular flow of traffic to a parking lot.

 

[Otokiak]

Here' a challenge to every "established" hunter on this board. Take a beginner hunting this fall. You'll be glad you did, and I guarantee that the beginner will never forget it.

I try every year to take somebody out either in winter via snowmobile for tuktu(caribou) or in summer by ATV or boat for tuktu(caribou), seals and whales. I live in a whole other world then my southern Canucks mind you. Cheers,

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA

p.s. up here if you have a rifle, we're happy to bring you along ... doesn't matter what it is usually ... if it's not good enough for the job, we usually just hand you ours ...

 

[track]

In Ontario we need less hunters not more it's hard to find land to hunt.

If that is the case, then why don't you or others find a little piggy bank, save your pennies and organize yourself accordingly and hunt in Manitoba or Saskatchewan where the hunting land is unlimited with numerous amounts of game. If I lived in Ontario or Quebec I would save annually to hunt in the best place in North America for whitetails. There are many people from Ontario and Quebec who venture to the western provinces annually and hunt.

I guess it all depends on how passionate you are about hunting. It has to come from the deep part of your heart and gut, not from your head,therefore; shake your junk and get busy!

 

[CompBoy]

Ah yes but when your living on tight budget there isn't money there. I can't even afford a trip to Northern Ontario maybe when the kids finally move out might have a chance. That and my wife needs me to drive her to work and we only have one car so going away for two weeks isn't happening. As much as I'd personally love to just go away for some hunting time I have a family to look after here. I have $20 a week for hunting and shooting or $1040 a year that's all the budget I can get without cutting else where and right now I'm not working so I have $0 a week.

Best price I see is $360 for a flight then renting a car can't take the bus any more with guns and can't take the only car we have since we live in a small town.

 

[rookie wildcat]

Ah yes but when your living on tight budget there isn't money there. I can't even afford a trip to Northern Ontario maybe when the kids finally move out might have a chance. That and my wife needs me to drive her to work and we only have one car so going away for two weeks isn't happening. As much as I'd personally love to just go away for some hunting time I have a family to look after here. I have $20 a week for hunting and shooting or $1040 a year that's all the budget I can get without cutting else where and right now I'm not working so I have $0 a week.

Best price I see is $360 for a flight then renting a car can't take the bus any more with guns and can't take the only car we have since we live in a small town.

You get to Edmonton and I'll pick you up and host you for a week during season. Easiest hunting you can do. Guaranteed to get a whittail the second day out. Then you would need to clean it up and butcher/wrap it. Freeze it and get it out by the end of the week. All doable, just can't hang it as long as I like. Your call...I'm here and hunting anyway...

 

[CompBoy]

I'd love to do that seriously a flight out to Edmonton would be sooo nice. I can think of at least two people I'd like to meet out there. More for that matter, doubtful this year loosing ones job hits the savings a little even if stuff is set up for one income extras right now are a no go.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

I'd also take you up on that offer , unfortunately your deer are a bit on the small side.

You get to Edmonton and I'll pick you up and host you for a week during season. Easiest hunting you can do. Guaranteed to get a whittail the second day out. Then you would need to clean it up and butcher/wrap it. Freeze it and get it out by the end of the week. All doable, just can't hang it as long as I like. Your call...I'm here and hunting anyway...

 

[CompBoy]

Heh,your already in Sask you don't need a place to hunt just walk to the end of your street I mean Prince Albert has what 500 people. That's a large community in Sask.

 

[leadhead36]

i started hunting 2 years ago and just went out. see only one doe and that was it, and caught a few zzz up in a tree...lol i did start out with a .303 nice gun but now i just decided to get a 30-06 price was good. so in the next couple of days gonna line it up and see where it hits. but as for hunting yes i would like to get a deer but if i dont it is the fact that im disconcerning myself from daily life and all the hustle and bustle and just relax.

 

[H4831]

Heh,your already in Sask you don't need a place to hunt just walk to the end of your street I mean Prince Albert has what 500 people. That's a large community in Sask.

Ben will get you for this!
Prince Albert probably had a larger population than that in 1900.

 

[track]

Ah yes but when your living on tight budget there isn't money there. I can't even afford a trip to Northern Ontario maybe when the kids finally move out might have a chance. That and my wife needs me to drive her to work and we only have one car so going away for two weeks isn't happening. As much as I'd personally love to just go away for some hunting time I have a family to look after here. I have $20 a week for hunting and shooting or $1040 a year that's all the budget I can get without cutting else where and right now I'm not working so I have $0 a week.

Best price I see is $360 for a flight then renting a car can't take the bus any more with guns and can't take the only car we have since we live in a small town.

Needless to say you do have your priorities in order.......family first. Always take care of the kids and spouse in more than one way. I as well took care of business with a new wife, job and two children prior to going gung ho chasing after the hunting adventures. Once your nest has a stronger foundation the time and money will appear. It is also a good idea to build up a few brownie points.
In the mean time at least get out a little bit, it will be better than nothing.
All the best of luck!!!

 

[rookie wildcat]

I'd also take you up on that offer , unfortunately your deer are a bit on the small side.

Really? We share the same lake, and I live on the border. I don't think the deer are any larger 1 km east of where I hunt in Cherry Grove. Even though rats are not allowed in AB, some SK Whitetails do cross the border and, guess what? We have to turn in heads when we hunt on the border due to CWD being so widespread in SK. I'd think you'd WANT to come over...just for the clean venison...

 

[CompBoy]

Ben will get you for this!
Prince Albert probably had a larger population than that in 1900.

I picked the size as a joke When I moved to Manitoba about 12 years ago before moving back to Ontario 6 years ago. I moved from a city of 500,000 to a community of 500 it was a shock for my wife and kids to say the least. I left the city on a Thursday arrived on a Sunday. Started in a 7500 Hog barn on Monday loading out 250 Lbs pigs on to a truck headed for slaughter. Same day began getting in my first batch of 21 day old pigs. Hell of a culture shock for some citidot. But it got us to where we are today.

 

[H4831]

I picked the size as a joke When I moved to Manitoba about 12 years ago before moving back to Ontario 6 years ago. I moved from a city of 500,000 to a community of 500 it was a shock for my wife and kids to say the least. I left the city on a Thursday arrived on a Sunday. Started in a 7500 Hog barn on Monday loading out 250 Lbs pigs on to a truck headed for slaughter. Same day began getting in my first batch of 21 day old pigs. Hell of a culture shock for some citidot. But it got us to where we are today.

We need humor on here once in a while. I figured you would know about Prince Albert.
However, I see now why there is such fat bacon in the stores--"loading out 250 pound pigs--"
I have a farm background and years ago the ideal weight of hogs to make good pork was just over 200 pounds. 220 was about tops, or they got a price reduction.

 

[CompBoy]

Three barn system 2500 head to a barn each person had been assigned a barn and my barn hadn't had a person in charge of it for the whole batch so things kinda got away from them. My manger liked between 230 to 240 when I started so perhaps conditions have changed or my memory is faulty that was almost 10 years ago now. I only did that for 2 years the other 4-5? years of my hog experience was in multipliers and nucleus herds. Completed an apprenticeship in hogs as well. Part of the reason I wasn't working in the nursery grow/finish end any more according to my bosses.

All I know was those suckers where big, until I saw my first sow for a city boy seeing your first 6th parity sow is an experience I will never forget So is the first time one pees in your rubber boot while your trying to get a load out. It's like God planned that she would be just the right height to fill your boot.