Brand New To Hunting and Need Help!!

Thank you! I love that rifle. Also have a 30-06 rifle and just acquired a Leupod VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm scope. I got this scope for $250 brand new instead of the $650 plus taxes at Cabela's that you'd regularly pay. It's a decent beast for a scope that I can't use on the 99F. Thank you very much!! Regards,
Darcy
 
Hurketthunter84 said:
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
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A super +1 to this comment...there is so much benefit to finding an experienced hunter to show you the ropes. And putting a bullet into your first animal is just the beginning. Field dressing, transporting to your vehicle, getting the carcass into your vehicle, transport tips, skinning/butchering, and wild game cooking also have a TONNE of nuance where a mentor can help get you way up the learning curve by comparison to discovering it all solo.

Best of luck! You are embarking on a rich journey.

Brobee
 
You have received a lot of good advice. And the 300 Savage should be good for deer and moose. You may want to shoot the 30-30 to get use to shooting a center fire rifle. The recoil is not too difficult to handle. Where the 300 Savage it will have a bit more recoil - but not much. Also, wear some ear protection when you target shooting and this will save on your hearing and it will help you to not develop a flinch when your shooting. For beginners it can be the loud blast of a rifle that needs to be avoided. If your rifle is shooting good groups on your targets you will have more confidence when the critical time comes to take aim on a live animal. Get familiar with the area you are likely to hunt and walk the area. Have fun and enjoy your new outdoor activity.
 
I hope that new scope is not a fake. I see a lot of knock-offs on ebay.

Your Savage 99 is good for all big game. The scope will probably be set on low power most of the time.

Take your 30-30, with iron sights on the trip as a back up rifle. If the Savage gets dropped, or it is very heavy snow, the iron sights might be more appropriate.
 
I too hope your e-bay leupold is not a fake at that price. Also if it is from outside Canada, you may not receive it as you cannot import scopes (and rifles, ammo, gun partrs, etc.) from outside Canada without going through an importer and broker, from a properly licensed supplier/manufacturer, with the proper permits. Hope you do not lose your investment!
 
Hello there! Thanks for the amazing advice and guidance. I will be one of the most ethical hunters out there on any given day. One of the reasons I haven't hunted until now was for my concern for animals, having jack ass (pardon my French) hunters I've seen out near my home town being arrested or worse, not arrested, for hunting drunk, breaking the law, poaching, and all the other terrible things people can do to animals when they have power in their hands couple with stupidity in their brains. My greatest fear is a gut-shot on an animal and my father took me hunting with him (he's very ethical) and in the years I watched he never did take a shot due to not being sure he could land it. I am law enforcement and an animal activist, so for me to take the life of an animal, I must have the best possible chance in my mind to be taken down as painlessly and quickly as possible.

On a different note, I got an amazing deal on a Leupold scope that is brand new. Paid $250 for it in a clearance sale where it retails here in Alberta for $660 and up. She will be beautiful for the 99F. I think I will take the scope off that and keep it for my 22lr or save it for a future gun.

I'm a gun club member of course and shoot regularly, shoot at work when I can and have always shot with Marksman quality at work. It doesn't mean I'm a master hunter, but it does help with shooting with adrenaline and excitement in your veins. I have family members who are avid hunters whom I'll go with on some hunts to spectate and then participate when able.

Again, thanks a bunch for your advice and I'm excited to be on my way to smart and fun hunting excursions. Even if it means I sit for 7 hunts with not feasible shot. I also love to shoot with my camera.

Regards,

Darcy
 
Thanks everyone with the scope concerns. I researched the seller a TON before purchasing, spoke to eBay prior to ordering in case of issues, and have a broker to bring them in for me. If there are any problems, I'm already set up for a return, but I spoke to the seller several times and done every due diligence I can and have been shown the scope is American made and not a knock off. Of course, if something happens and it's damaged, fake or whatever, eBay already is away and I have an open ticket to have it returned if there is any issue. I appreciate everyone's concern because it was a fear of mine before hand and I spoke to a few people. The more help I can get the better from everyone!!
 
Another question for the pros and the not beginners

Hi all,

I've got another question for my hunting endeavours this year. What would you recommend as my first hunt to gain experience, have some fun, and become a better hunter? White tail deer? Fowl? I'm open to anything and of course some game are harder to get tags for than others. I have options to hunt with cousins who are die hard hunters and will be attempting for tags for all animals every season as they hunt for meat and don't buy meat at the store if they can avoid it. They love to moose hunt, hunt caribou, elk, deer of any kind, I'm not sure if they hunt antelope and how hard that is to get a tag for in Alberta, and waterfowl. Hunting birds is not my first choice, but of course I will go to watch if nothing else.

Last quick question before I sit down with the Alberta Hunting regulations. Can I attend with the hunters and watch if I don't have a license/tag for that animal? I love photography and my dad used to sit for years and watch the wildlife without shooting (he had a license), so I am also happy to watch and learn if I am allowed to.

Thanks again everybody! I have the digital copy of the Hunting Regulations (I hate digital copies, but can't find paper copies ANYWHERE) and am going to hit it cover to cover.
 
Go on any hunt you can. Any outing is a great chance to learn and practice skills read about, told/taught by someone with you, and/or learned through your own trial and error.
Do not be afraid to try things and learn from that attempt under those circumstances. No two situations are ever completely alike. And just because it worked or failed once, does not necessarily mean that it will work or fail again. There is always going to be something different. Whether it is a different day, and a different animal, in a different location, at a different time of day or season, with a different wind, etc. I think you see where I am going with this.
As with any action and experience, you will eventually learn what works most consistently for you, in that location, with a given species.
Skills acquired while hunting small game will help when hunting big game, or waterfowl, upland birds or predators.

A lot of new hunters start with deer. Usually because they are more numerous and/or local. And they are not as big, or as much work as moose or elk, and do not have the nasty ability to bite back like a bear can, if not taken cleanly. But these should not be reasons to not go on these hunts first, if given the chance. Your family and friends that are experienced hunters will be there to assist you.

And have fun! Any day in the field beats a day at work! LOL
 
If you're in Southern Alberta shoot me a PM and I can help you out on what zones to draw for if you want deer or Elk. I'm not a bird hunter but if you want to fill your tags for Deer or Elk I can point you to where you want to be and if I'm available would even take you out. This year I had 2 elk cleaned, quartered and hanging in my shed within 8 hours after going out ( I always use the gutless cleaning method now, which is the way to go). 3 deer between the 2 of us the next day. I have access to lots of land from Brooks to the Sask. border. If you get drawn for Elk you get 2 tags and between the 3 people I hunt with one of us gets drawn every year, for the past 5 or so years now anyways.
 
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Regarding your question about what to start with, I suggest upland birds. It is relatively simple to find ruffed and spruce grouse along logging roads in the provincial forest reserves. You don't have to ask permission since it is public land and grouse are yummy and easy to take care of and to cook once you shoot one. White tails are the simplest big game to hunt, just because they are numerous and accessible. Scouting ahead and asking farmers for permission is a quite important part of most Alberta whitetail hunting.
 
you mention you have had knee surgery several times
so that tells me you are not going be out busting the bush hiking 15 miles or even 2 miles every outing and taking on any rolling sharp high hills
so I suggest you get a really good ground blind, I'm going to assume a tree stand is out of the question as well
so there fore what yer saying is most of yer hunting will be a patience type of hunt or road hunting which is not legal in Alberta
as well that telsl me your 300 savage will work just fine, as well most of yer shots with the 30-30 will be within the 250 yard range,
remember the 30-30 is still a formattable fire arm I started out my hunting passion with a 30-30 and have shot and humanely killed many elk and moose out to 350 yards , there is an old saying (beware of the old man that only owns one rifle , he probably knows how to use it )
and most of those old men only ever had a 30-30 those who tell you a 30-30 isn't a big enough rifle for moose elk and black bear suffer from small #### syndrome, or small man syndrome, and have never used a 30-30, or know its capabilities
as well if you want to get into archery hunting , go to JimBows in Edmonton or Calgary , they will set you up with all the equipment needed for archery hunting
as for yer marine edition shot gun if its the stainless steel shiny model
I would actually sell it and buy a good 870 with at least a 26 or 28 inch barrel , capable of interchangeable chokes laws state a shotgun shall not have the capacity to hold more then 3 shells while hunting, and shall be plugged for that reason
a pair of binoculars is the way to go as people who use their scopes for spotting should be and can be charged when they start scoping other hunters
( this is true facts, I have been shot twice spent several months in rehab and several operations only because people didn't have a pair of binoculars and didn't properly identify what I was while walking and hunting down a cut line now I only ever wear blaze orange while rifle hunting season is open due to if they pulled the trigger their bullet wouldn't give me a second chance and once the trigger has been pulled you cant take or recall a bullet back to the chamber )
whenever I get scoped by another hunter I drop to the ground and imeadietly phone the RCMP simple as that ,they get charged with misuse of and pointing a fire arm at a human I don't give them a second chance )
as for water fowl I suggest you find or meet someone willing to take you out to see if that's what you will like
read and learn your hunting regulations as well it would do you a lot of good to get or download a copy of the wildlife act in the province you intend on hunting in, know your laws know yer do's and don'ts
get to know the area you intend to hunt, as well as the land owners, and wildlife, their habits, their trails , feeding times bedding areas, staging areas, breeding areas, watering spots, their anatomy as well ,
most of Alberta the moose are on a draw basis only, elk still have a general tag, and caribou are endangered so definitely no hunting of them, mule deer are a in quite a few areas a draw as well, pronghorn antelope are also on a draw system, black bears have a spring and fall season
(as a side note I have shot many many black bears with a 30-30 , after all if they can be killed with a bow and arrow why wouldn't they die from a well place 30-30 bullet ) just know their vitals and anatomy
waterfowl for specs and Canada geese and ducks with daily limits and species limits is
fall season,
snows and ross's geese have a spring and fall season,
other seasons are upland birds
(eg grouse sharptail, ruffed and spruce and blue grouse, pheasants , and grey partridge (Hungarian partridge or huns)
there is a lot you can learn just by reading the hunting regs as well as the wildlife act ,
you have been given a lot of great information, here by everyone
the best thing you can do for yerself now is take all the advice everyone has given you and research it
(don't take anyone's word at face value with out fact checking)
, as well as educate yerself
I hope some of what I have suggested helps
and by the way welcome to the world of hunting,
and enjoy the journey
let us all know how you have faired and made out with your adventures please
 
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FreedomIsn'tFree said:
If you're in Southern Alberta shoot me a PM and I can help you out on what zones to draw for if you want deer or Elk. I'm not a bird hunter but if you want to fill your tags for Deer or Elk I can point you to where you want to be and if I'm available would even take you out. This year I had 2 elk cleaned, quartered and hanging in my shed within 8 hours after going out ( I always use the gutless cleaning method now, which is the way to go). 3 deer between the 2 of us the next day. I have access to lots of land from Brooks to the Sask. border. If you get drawn for Elk you get 2 tags and between the 3 people I hunt with one of us gets drawn every year, for the past 5 or so years now anyways.
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Hi there and thanks for the reply! I will send a PM asap.
 
Hey there,

Thanks for the reply and wow I'm so sorry you went through 2 shooting incidents! I had a friend shot hunting and lost a lung. He was wearing orange and still was shot by some over eager half drunk idiot with a gun. As I'm law enforcement, I'm very serious about the handling of guns and their legality. Also, with the knee, yes, it's healing from it's last (hopefully) surgery, so this year I won't be pushing bush for miles. Next year the hope is I'll start to have a normally functioning knee that I can walk and hike longer distances with. I have been spending my healing time reading hunting books to get a good education on game anatomy, hunting, and fowl. I hadn't thought much about upland birds, but I will get more info on them. My dad used to take me partridge and ptarmigan hunting as a kid and I just hiked and watched, but growing up far North in Manitoba I got to see the wildlife all over my back door. And the advantage of my healing months with this final surgery is I can do lots of research and get a good hunting education before going out to hunt the first time. Thanks so much!!
 
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