Considering Hunting

BIGREDD said:
Yeah I know it... just using the word to make a point. My point is that Hunting is an expensive sport even when doing it on a budget. Hunting to save money by shooting enough meat to offset the cost is very unlikely. Especially by someone new to the game.
You should take up hunting for many reasons... meat is only one of them.:)
Click to expand...

True that BIGREDD, true that.
 
I've been a meat hunter for many years. Certainly the first years were far from cost effective. As the years roll on, and you eliminate the one time costs, it gets better. So do your hunting skills.
Not as good as buying from the store mind you, but better.
Wild meat is generally better for you, and the taste is very hard to beat IMO.
Add self caught fish, and I eat very little else now. Expensive? yes, a bit, but well worth it IMO.
Hunting is FAR more than the meat, or the kill.
 
Personally, I think that you need to get that "hunting for meat" thing outta your head. Find a good ethical hunter to tag along with, let him or her show you the ropes, enjoy and then the meat will come as a bonus. Basically, a good mentor is a must. :)
 
BIGREDD said:
Yeah I know it... just using the word to make a point. My point is that Hunting is an expensive sport even when doing it on a budget. Hunting to save money by shooting enough meat to offset the cost is very unlikely. Especially by someone new to the game.
You should take up hunting for many reasons... meat is only one of them.:)
Click to expand...


Yeah. Looking at the cost of equipment:meat ratio it is a good way to lose alot of money and fast.

Generally you need gas, food, gun, huntable clothes, a call perhaps, decent boots, ammo... it adds up fast.

That said the meat is good... but its definately something else that makes hunting so fun.
 
the_big_mike said:
Yeah. Looking at the cost of equipment:meat ratio it is a good way to lose alot of money and fast.

Generally you need gas, food, gun, huntable clothes, a call perhaps, decent boots, ammo... it adds up fast.

That said the meat is good... but its definately something else that makes hunting so fun.
Click to expand...

While the above is true for the dedicated hunter, you really can, if you have a place to hunt close enough just walk out there with your rifle, and your tag, and bag a deer. You won't be as successful as a properly equiped hunter, not even by half, but it can be done.
Like in humans, there are stupid deer. Deer that don't seem to realize what they are supposed to do. Those, you can shoot.
 
H Wally, you don't have hunter training or firearms licensing stuff yet, right?

Since you are just starting out I would suggest a .270, .308 or .30-06. The reason is ammo availability; you will be able to buy bullets for any of these calibers anywhere that bullets are sold.

I would also recommend going to the Exchange of Hunting & Sporting Arms, to look for a used rifle. There are some great buys on there anytime you look. Prices are negotiable for the most part.
 
gitrdun said:
Personally, I think that you need to get that "hunting for meat" thing outta your head. Find a good ethical hunter to tag along with, let him or her show you the ropes, enjoy and then the meat will come as a bonus. Basically, a good mentor is a must. :)
Click to expand...
true thats how bad habits are picked up:eek: putting too much presssure on yourself to fill a tag.meat like a monster set of horns or antlers is a bonus:dancingbanana: going home with nothing is nothing to be ashamed of.it only showsthat you are indeed a true hunter
 
Hunting as a cost saving is much like fighting for peace, it just never seems to work. With that said my family has been raised on all forms of wild game and I love it. In my opinion hunting should never be about killing as it so much more than that. It should be about the experience, the fellowship, the enjoyment of nature, the adventure, the work, and if very lucky the reward of fine tablefare. I have countless times passed up deer and moose because I knew if I shot my season was over, not to mention the work began. Most wildgame is more costly per pound than buying at local grocery store or seeing you local farmer, it is however generally better for you and like anything you do for yourself extremely gratifying.
I strongly encourage you to take up hunting but not for cost saving but rather for all the good things that accompany it.
 
The last time I bought beef steak was somewhere around 1980. We ran out of moose burger last summer and had to buy some beef burger to tide me over 'til October. That's the only beef I have bought (other then McDonalds) in that time. The bull moose I shot last fall has the freezer looking good.

A couple weeks ago we were going to BBQ and there was no meat thawed so I checked on the beef steak down at Superstore. OMFG I could not believe the price for one steak! :eek:

I promptly went home and thawed a couple of moose steaks...

If you are thrifty, there is a lot of money that can be saved. It depends entirely on how much you end up spending on gear.
 
Comparing with drinking, smoking pot, partying and other kinda greenpeace crap, hunting is cheaper. Spending time in bush mainly for getting away from city life, wearing expensive camo, riding fancy quads and dirt bikes, and trying not to be a tree hugger is only for those who have disposable income, if that means hunting is only for rich a$$.

You rifles are good enough for anything in BC. If my SKS can kill a bear, why can't your 303 and MN? You don't need fancy hunting clothes and boots. Most animals can't even see colors. They detect movements and scent instead. If you have chance to tag along with someone going across the boarder, go get a pair of decent boots for less than a hundred bucks. US dollar is cheap now! You don't need expensive knife to skin your game, go to Costco to spend 20 dollars for a pack of five folding tool knives. They're more than sharp enough to skin anything. Check out your local Walmart, you'll find a lot deals. Remember, hunting isn't only for rich a$$!
 
If my SKS can kill a bear, why can't your 303 and MN?
Click to expand...

Yes... well, lets maybe not get into that right now :rolleyes:

the 303 on the other hand is plenty of gun. If it's a lee enfeild, you can put a non-penetrating scope mount on it very quickly and cost effectively with no gunsmithing - a scope is a very nice thing to have on the island when you're chasing blacktail. Won't hurt for bear either. You need no more gun than that - millions of canadian hunters started out with a 303 as their first gun, and we've taken a few deer with ours in the last few years still.

If you have a no. 3 or 4, the hornady light mag 303 ammo will give you true 300 yard reach easy on deer if your gun shoots 'em accurate enough. That's plenty and then some.

You can hunt with very little gear - especially on the island where it's rarely that cold. Go with the basics and do it a little 'old school and you'll be fine for costs.

Learning to cut your own meat is also a great way to save costs. Then it gets REALLY cheap. You can bag a nice bear, cut it yourself and wind up with 100 - 150 lbs of meat for the cost of your tags and gas - call it under 100 bucks depending where you hunt and if you split costs with anyone. At a buck a lb for nice roasts, steaks and burger, that's pretty good :)

Most of the time hunters aren't trying to save a lot of money. It's more like a cheap 'vacation', because you get some meat to offset the cost of your trip. But you can hunt for food and if done right it's cheaper than buying it at the store.
 
Foxer said:
the 303 on the other hand is plenty of gun. If it's a lee enfeild, you can put a non-penetrating scope mount on it very quickly and cost effectively with no gunsmithing - a scope is a very nice thing to have on the island when you're chasing blacktail. Won't hurt for bear either.
Click to expand...

I actually happen to have a bubba'd No 1 mk III that's been drilled and tapped for a weaver scope:) Who'da thought I'd ever seriously use it.:rolleyes:


If you have a no. 3 or 4, the hornady light mag 303 ammo will give you true 300 yard reach easy on deer if your gun shoots 'em accurate enough. That's plenty and then some.
Click to expand...

What about igman - that useable?


You can hunt with very little gear - especially on the island where it's rarely that cold. Go with the basics and do it a little 'old school and you'll be fine for costs.
Click to expand...

I already hike, a lot, so my gear costs should be pretty minimal.


Learning to cut your own meat is also a great way to save costs. Then it gets REALLY cheap. You can bag a nice bear, cut it yourself and wind up with 100 - 150 lbs of meat for the cost of your tags and gas - call it under 100 bucks depending where you hunt and if you split costs with anyone. At a buck a lb for nice roasts, steaks and burger, that's pretty good :)
Click to expand...

I intend to drag my dad out and have him prove he was taught how to slaughter animals at agricultural school. Then I intend to get covered in deer attempting to learn how myself...


Most of the time hunters aren't trying to save a lot of money. It's more like a cheap 'vacation', because you get some meat to offset the cost of your trip. But you can hunt for food and if done right it's cheaper than buying it at the store.
Click to expand...

Hopefully that'll prove true. Also, I do actually value the chance to get out and do something more than just hike in the woods. More the point I was trying to make was that I am doing it for food mainly, however I realise I will get an experience from it like no other as well. If there's anyone on Vancouver Island or in Vancouver who's planning a short trip and would like to exchange teaching the ropes for some good ole meat carrying power, let me know! It's the only way I'll get to go on a hunt this season.
Click to expand...
 
I actually happen to have a bubba'd No 1 mk III that's been drilled and tapped for a weaver scope Who'da thought I'd ever seriously use it.
Click to expand...

Well - me for starters :) It's a great cartridge and a great gun. Sure, it doesn't have the flash of a super-mega-ultra-wide-super -short-low-fat-omni-lethal-wizzum, but it hits hard and kills things dead. Even moose and elk.
What about igman - that useable?
Click to expand...

Dunno - never used it. That's ammo is it? I'd stick with hornady or winchester :)


I already hike, a lot, so my gear costs should be pretty minimal.
Click to expand...

Yeap. basically, a decent knife and some game recovery gear, and it sounds like you're pretty close to good to go :)


I intend to drag my dad out and have him prove he was taught how to slaughter animals at agricultural school. Then I intend to get covered in deer attempting to learn how myself...
Click to expand...

Well pm me, i have an interesting short video on that stuff that shows some simple tricks. I'll forget to send it to you, so remind me later.
 
IMHO the best hunting knife I have seen so far is a lamb knife from a butcher supply place...also get one with a bright orange handle so you won't loose it in the woods. Also get a sharpening steel from the same source.

And while using it don't forget that you are made out of meat also.
 
Last edited:
For knives, the last owner of our cabin left the mk1 version of this, never sharpened or used.
http://www.elbe. no/95/984/805115_NYHET_2006.jpg It's about 8 or 9 inches long, would that be decent?

Also, for hauling equiptment, I assume that's a tarp and ropes?
 
Last edited:
as for knives you want a knife for skinning and a different knife for butchering. Believe it or not the 7$ folding razor blade knives from Canadian tire are excellent for skinning. Remeber you don't want to go to deep and the hide of a deer will dull your blade worse than you can imagine. When your blade gets dull you just snap in a new one and keep going. Also it doesn't hurt as much when you get back to the truck and discover you left your knife on top of the gut pile. Good luck
 
For a first hunting knife I would suggest a Victorinox Hunter.

www.victorinox.ch/index.cfm?site=victorinox.ch&page=186&lang=E

The gutting blade is nice and easy to use as the point is rounded. Perfect for a beginner.

The saw and other tools are useful around camp too.

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