How to start hunting?

Mike_R23A

Mike_R23A

Regular
Rating - 100%
10   0   0
Okay, I've wanted to start hunting for a long time but never have. I don't come from a family that hunts, so I have no idea how to start. Could some of you who are long-time hunters please point me in the right direction?

I live in the Ottawa area, so I'm thinking deer would be the best option to begin with, I know I'll need to take a hunting course and get permits, but what else, where to go, how to hunt, what to bring... kind of a "hunting for idiots" guide.

I look forward to your suggestions,
Cheers,
Mike
 
I am also interested in this thread as only friends I know hunt. I would think you just got for your PAL, hunting license and then you go out into a bush and hunt. I am going on a moose hunt this upcoming season and thats by North Bay and near a hunting camp so I have it kind of easier then lets say you. I think you just need to find some people who hunt and it will make things a little easier
 
I also do not come from a hunting family.
i havnt started yet, but hope to this fall.
i think that starting out on small game would be a better choice than deer. espesialy if you dont know how to skin and dress it.
the best thing to do would be to find a freind who hunts and get them to take you out so you can watch and see how its done.
 
Deer is a decent-sized step for a beginner.

Moose is a HUGE step for a beginner!

I started out hunting by kicking the brush for bunnies in the Fall and picking off groundhogs in the Spring. My Grandfather was a hunter and taught me how to shoot and let me tag along when he went out 'plinking'.

After your course is finished and you're all set to go, start scouting out crown or public land that's around your area. Start dropping in on landowners in the region as well and inquire about hunting opportunities on their land in exchange for volunteering to do chores or help them out in any way you can. I have access to three farms for the Fall via this method and another four by word of mouth and meeting other landowners who come to visit while I'm on another landowner's property.

I didn't start hunting waterfowl until two years ago, but it's also a good start for a beginner. Shotguns aren't that expensive...mind you...all the other toys you'll end up buying if you become an avid waterfowl hunter will add up and empty your bank account.

Keep in mind, the archery season for deer is much longer and has more opportunities than the rifle season. Also, two of the landowners I have permission from allow only archery on their property. Some landowners don't want rifles, or shotguns for that matter, on their land.

The best thing, of course, is to try and seek out like-minded people in your area.

Best of luck...
 
Get your hunters safety your pal,if you don't already have.
Get a rifle with quality optics adequate for the game and terrain your hunting.
You don't need to spend a mint on a rifle/optics.The savage package gun is an awesome deal to get you started.But a milsuplus rifle or a 30-30 would also do well on deer size game.
Get a decent GPS they are handy to have out in the field.Practice using it in terrain you are familiar with at first till you get the hang of using it.
Get yourself the proper hunting clothes,decent boots,knife,ammo practice shooting alot.Find a friend who hunts and see if you can join them on a hunt.
Watch,listen and ask alot of questions because you will never stop learning.
Don't forget to purchase the proper game tags,and as you become more involved you will find your accessory list will continue to grow.
Hope some of this information helps.Good Luck and enjoy many great days out in the field.:)
 
lots of good advice here.....learn to be a good shot while you are taking the courses to get your paper work......and always ask here if your confused on something......hoping to see you in the field some day
 
Moose is a HUGE step for a beginner!
Click to expand...
You got that right! With only one deer kill behind me, my first "on my own" kill was a mature bull moose :eek: My younger nephew was along when we stumbled upon that bull :rolleyes: Somehow we managed to get the bull "quartered" and the whole works including the head & antlers, stuffed into my 1973 Toyota Corolla 2 door :D Was a hell of a sight when we rolled into our little town with my poor little car all squatted down and sh!t :eek: Still, we did pretty dang good for a couple of teenage boys with no prior field experience with moose :cool: We took top bragging rights in town that year :D My advice is to hook up with a Rod & Gun club in your area and get a few hunts under your belt before venturing out on your own.
 
Thanks guys, lots of great replies.

I already have my PAL and I shoot quite a bit (military), but never for game. So I take the hunting course, apply for a deer license (are these hard to get in eastern Ontario??), find some crown land and hope the game gods smile on me.

How do most people get the deer out of the bush? Wheelbarrow, cut it up in place, drag the whole thing?? Also, do most take it to a butcher to be prepared into cuts? I'm sure these questions must sound ridiculous to someone who's been doing it their whole life but to an outsider they're not obvious... :D
 
We field dress the deer tie a rope around its neck and drag it out.Don't do this if you want to save the cape for a head mount.Most areas I hunt we can drive a vehicle in far enough that the drag isn't very far.As for butchering we do our own.Unless you have an idea of what you are doing I advise you to take it to a butcher and let them debone cut and wrap it for you.Around here they do it for $30-$40 a deer.It will save you some fusteration as well as making a bloody mess out of the animal.If you can watch them do it that might help also there are books/videos on that topic.You have a few months to do alot of researching,scouting for land ect. so absorb as much information as you can so you can take the knowledge out into the field with you.
 
Join the club, Mike_R23A. I've hunted with my dad in BC for years but never lived here, or gon after whitetail (and certainly never with a Honda Civic as the only vehicle available to me).
Are you in SW ontario? I'm in KW and the only non-private land I'm coming across are provincial parks up by Owen Sound...
Anybody else feel free to speak up with sources for maps or info that shows Crown Land.
 
I've looked for a map that shows crown land for camping and hunting but with no luck so far. I'll have to chat up the hunters at EOHC to get the line on local hunting areas...

MS - I'm in Ottawa, I have a VW Jetta so I might have to drag a buddy and his SUV with me... but if BC Bigbore can get a moose in a Corrola maybe I don't need to... :D

7mm, thanks for the advice, I'll try to find a butcher, otherwise I'll just end up looking like an extra from a horror movie with a bunch of ruined meat. What kind of yield is typical for an average sized whitetail??
 
I was in your position a couple of years ago, it's a tough sport to get into. Advice is easy to come by, except for where to go. People don't like to get too specific about thier favorite spots. So unless you are lucky enough to have a friend who'll take you with him on a trip, it's trial and error. I'm still trying to find a favorite spot. But the nice thing about BC is that there are deer and bear everywhere. It's mostly a matter of getting to places where there aren't any other hunters.

The only maps that I know of that show ALL private land are the topo maps that the government puts out. Most of the mapbooks I see show city limits and such. The problem with the topo maps that I've bought are that they don't cover a big area. They cover more then enough land to hunt in, but not enough to do some general scouting and basic research. And at $12 each, you don't want to buy them just for a quick look to see if it's a good area or not.

Mike, you've picked a good time to start scouting though, you've got the whole summer to camp on the weekends and explore the province. Where to hunt is probably the toughest part of getting into hunting.

You'll need to know how to field dress an animal, there are guides on the internet, and books.

You'll need everything you would normally need for camping. Don't put too much emphasis on which gun to get, with practice, you can kill a deer with iron sights with an Enfield or an SKS up to 100 yards or so. Binos are arguably the most important tool that a hunter has. You'll need a good, sharp knife, a bone saw, and a sharpner. Get quality boots that are a weight appropriate for the temperature. Same with outerwear. Everything else is "nice to have". You can get some calls and scents, a GPS (Garmin Rino,) and lots of other stuff, as you can afford it.

If you've got the money (and I didn't when I started) you could go on a guided hunt. It won't teach you exactly where to hunt, but it will teach you plenty of other things.
 
mike r23a i live in west ottawa and do a decent amount of hunting solo seeing as noone ever wants to g owith me lol i usualy go up towards renfrew pembroke area for early season rifle and then to marlboruogh for later season i have the maps which show crown land and what not as well i can give you a few ideas for items you might want to aquire for your kit
PM me sometime and we can talk a bit more if you like also if your military you'd know where connought range is well it takes me about 3 minutes to drive to there from my house if you ever wanna stop by anyway like i said pm me
i forgot to mention as far as gear goes alot depends on the type of hunting you will be doing IE day trips or week trips treestand,stalking, ground blind etc
as for butchering i do my own unless it is a big task or something i dont have time to do then i take it to my wifes uncle he does it for a case of beer for me lol

for your hunter safety course this is the person who did mine i found she was great and very patinet with me lol i beleive there is 2 coming up through her

Wenda Cochran
Almonte
613-256-2409

up coming course
COURSE INFORMATION

Date: May 19, 2006
Course Type: One Stop Program
Location: Almonte
Instructor: Wenda Cochran
Course Details:


$135.00 plus books and exams. Free bore lite to each student.

Contact Information:
Name: Wenda Cochran Phone: 613-2562409

COURSE INFORMATION

Date: May 26, 2006
Course Type: One Stop Program
Location: Arnprior
Instructor: Wenda Cochran
Course Details:


$135.00 plus books and exams. Free bore lite to each sutdent.

Contact Information:
 
Last edited:
Well I don't think it's too hard to start. Just finding a good place seems to be the hard part. I can't drive for 5 hours each way to where I am going to be hunting just to look around and see where the animals are. I know around my house there are tons but there is only a shotgun, m/l and bow season in my wmu so I am not interested in hunting there.

I have bought all the basic hunting gear except for clothes, boots and binoculars. I have a few friends who go on a moose hunt every year up at their private camp near North Bay. I also know one old guy who hunts but he is a bit of a cranky old guy who complains about everything and I am not sure if I would want ot be listening to him for a weekend.

I just hope, that wereever I got hunting. I am lucky enough to be in the right area. There is tons of crown land above me but I just don't know where the animals are :(
 
cereal83 said:
Well I don't think it's too hard to start. Just finding a good place seems to be the hard part. I can't drive for 5 hours each way to where I am going to be hunting just to look around and see where the animals are. I know around my house there are tons but there is only a shotgun, m/l and bow season in my wmu so I am not interested in hunting there.

I have bought all the basic hunting gear except for clothes, boots and binoculars. I have a few friends who go on a moose hunt every year up at their private camp near North Bay. I also know one old guy who hunts but he is a bit of a cranky old guy who complains about everything and I am not sure if I would want ot be listening to him for a weekend.

I just hope, that wereever I got hunting. I am lucky enough to be in the right area. There is tons of crown land above me but I just don't know where the animals are :(
Click to expand...

Hey Cornflakes ... don't be too quick to dismiss the shotgun areas for deer hunting... or varmint and small game either.
You are far more likely to be successful and learn more about hunting in a short period of time in an area that has a high deer numbers and is quickly accessible to your home.
If you are not interested in hunting with a shotgun, bow or muzzle loader you are denying yourself some of the best hunting opportunities.;)
 
Somehow we managed to get the bull "quartered" and the whole works including the head & antlers, stuffed into my 1973 Toyota Corolla 2 door
Click to expand...

good lord :)

Moose is a helluvalot of animal.

Its' tough to give you any real solid advice for people from another province. There's a heck of a lot of difference in methods and areas, and what makes perfect sense here would be of no value there. For example - nobody really hunts big game with a shotgun here, but there it seems to be effective. Different world. Running shots are also rare here and are frowned upon, not so much there.

I guess i'm pointing this out to remind you that while a lot of advice you read on the web may be good - it may also be very area-dependant. The best advice is going to come from guys in ontario.

And the verry best is probably 'mow bigreds' lawn for the summer' :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom