For the record, I do NOT believe that deer hunting is a place to start. Birds and rabbits is a much more reasonable place to start your progression into hunting. Even though deer hunting is not the place to start, if deer hunting is going to be a part of your hunting, you must take that fact into account from the start of your gun purchases. For example, if you intend to ever hunt deer with your shotgun, get a good pump gun that has the ability to switch barrels for both slugs and shot shells. Do NOT get an over/under if it will ever be used to hunt deer. The pump gun with a slug barrel will be far more accurate than you will ever be able to achieve with any double barrel shotgun. You could even mount a scope. But if the shotgun is a bird/rabbit only gun, and will never be used for big game, then an over/under may well be the perfect shotgun. But to be smart with your money, you need to understand what you will eventually be doing with the gun, and buy something suitable for that purpose.
New hunter asking for advice on good quality minimal rig
- Thread starter guncurious
- Start date
i like wher this is goin
get that mind outta the gutter hahaha
but seriously, when my wife met me.... guns freaked her out due to being a teenager living thru the hell that was Sarajevo during the Bosnian war. A few years later she got her Hunting license and last year her RPAL. When she took her hunting course she convinced 4 other girls to go with her. Thier husbands still bring me gifts hehehe
When she took her RPAL course, she took 7 girls with her and they all passed.
So sometimes getting the wife out around women who can share thier experiences is enough to bring a gal around. Women are strange and wonderful creatures but they flock together so this can be used to an advatage if you can get her to hang out with some gun friendly females.
rifleman762
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I agree with the pump action shotgun fans. Many places in BC with high deer populations (farmland near towns with plenty of food for the deer) are shotgun-only, anyways, so a Remington 870 would be an ideal first gun for you. The barrels switch in seconds to go from a 28" bird barrel with interchangeable choke tubes to a fully rifled slug barrel with a cantilever scope mount. My father shot a deer at 170 yards with Remington Accutip slugs in a fully rifled, scoped 870.
You should also get a bolt action 22 for rifle shooting practice. Savage has decently accurate, low priced models. Then if you get serious about deer hunting, get a bolt action 308 rifle, as well. 12 ga pump, 22 LR, and 308 Win bolt action is the smallest practical hunting gun collection. 99% of us on this site have far more than that but we are gun nutz.
You should also get a bolt action 22 for rifle shooting practice. Savage has decently accurate, low priced models. Then if you get serious about deer hunting, get a bolt action 308 rifle, as well. 12 ga pump, 22 LR, and 308 Win bolt action is the smallest practical hunting gun collection. 99% of us on this site have far more than that but we are gun nutz
.barry1974w
Regular
- Location
- Central B.C.
They’re out of production, but H&R did a break open three barrel combo for a while, they came with a rim fire, rifle, and shotgun barrel. I’ve never had one, but I’ve had (have) two barrel sets and I’m reasonably happy with them. You might be able to find a used set if you keep your eyes open(if you’re desperate for a two barrel combo shoot me a PM ). Rossi does a three barrel set also, but I have no idea about their build quality, accuracy etc as I’ve never owned or shot one.
). Rossi does a three barrel set also, but I have no idea about their build quality, accuracy etc as I’ve never owned or shot one.I always appreciate your advice, Michel, but I have to point out that there are plenty of areas in BC where limiting out on snowshoe hares during the day is quite doable. No dogs required.
However, I would not choose a shotgun for this type of hunting. My gun of choice for filling bags with snowshoe hares is a .22 WMR.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I don’t think you’re wrong in saying most people hunt grouse or if they’re already out hunting deer etc, there are people like myself though that will target them specifically.
I love hunting grouse, it’s the most fun for me. I love rolling around the back roads and fsr’s exploring new areas or hiking old trails and shooting grouse, it’s always exciting. I wish we had some more open areas where hunting over dogs would be suitable, I’m just getting onto snowshoe hare and I can see it becoming like grouse for me. I’m going to try and get into cross country skiing next winter to get me out more and keep active as well as look for hares, I wish our grouse bag limits matched our hare limits. There’s been a few times I’ve bagged out and could’ve kept going, grouse populations in my area have been stellar the last 2-3 years.
cant_rope_the_wind01
CGN Regular
- Location
- West central Alberta
you didn't mention what part of BC you are from
but that will have a lot to do with what and how you can locally hunt within lets say 1 1/2 hrs from yer doorstep
don't know the size of yer apartment sized freezer
but if you have a 10 or 15 cubic ft apt sized freezer
and it isn't packed full of ice cream and stuff like that
then a 200 pound mule deer buck cut and wrapped will nicely fit along with frozen veggies and a Cpl bucket of ice cream and a Cpl frozen blueberry pies and a full chicken and turkey (to which if you ever get a wild turkey while hunting , you will never buy a store bought turkey again)
I have got the impression you are set on an over under shotgun
look into a stoeger condor supreme
but personally
I would look into a Mossberg pump combo
comes with three barrels one is a slug barrel designed strictly for slugs with open sights
the other barrel is 28 inch long smooth bore comes with choke tubes designed for waterfowl and upland birds like grouse and pheasants
the other barrel is designed for turkey hunting from a blind,
I believe BC has a turkey season (not sure about that though)
with buying that combo you end up a 3 in one type gun
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/123765/mossberg-500-pump-shotgun-combo
have fun enjoy the journey
Fair enough. If you live in an area where it's possible and affordable it would be fun. Living in the LM as I do, a hunting expedition is a major expedition so I concentrate on larger game. And truth be told ...I'm probably revealing my own prejudice here; since my wife has informed me that she doesn't like grouse anyway, I don't even bring a .22 or 410 along any more.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I generally only hunt them from early to mid winter. In the fall, I am focused on other things, and taking hares opportunistically on the side of the FSRs (like grouse) doesn't happen very often. They bugger off pretty quickly. Later in the season, towards spring, their flavour tends to get pretty strong. Snowshoe hares have a tendency to be pretty "gamey", and not necessarily in a good way. When this becomes overpowering (spring) it can be a bit too much for myself and my family. Your mileage may vary.
My technique is to simply snowshoe slowly through a known good area, stopping often, and "hunting with my eyes." Getting good at spotting them is a matter of knowing their habits and knowing where to focus your attention in the landscape around you. Looking around while picturing an image of a snowshoe hare in your mind really works. Eventually you just get good at it. I've taken some people out to one of my honey holes and within minutes stopped and said "OK, which one do you want?" They look at me like I am crazy, and then I point out the 2 hares within shooting distance and they are like "Ooooohhh... I see them now."
Even in good habitat, with lots of sign, there are good days and bad days. Some days they just hunker down and it seems like they have vanished into thin air. Other days start off that way, and then at noon or mid-afternoon they are all of a sudden all over the damn place. The "solunar" (hunt/fish) forecast is often pretty damned accurate for hares.
Its a really enjoyable hunt, I find. Even on the slow days, it sure is nice just to be out there - and nobody (I mean nobody) is ever out there, for miles and miles around.
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barry1974w
Regular
- Location
- Central B.C.
if you are serious about hunting, you will need at least 4 firearm.
a shot gun
a rimfire
a small caliber rifle
a large caliber rifle
who knows... you may be one of those shoot a rabbit, see the blood and run away type. in that case you can stick with one firearm.
a shot gun
a rimfire
a small caliber rifle
a large caliber rifle
who knows... you may be one of those shoot a rabbit, see the blood and run away type. in that case you can stick with one firearm.
john-brennan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island B.C.
This is what I would do. ^^^^^
If he doesn't plan on hunting Bison (and since Grizz are now off limits) I'd say he doesn't need two centre fire rifles. A good rifle chambered in one of the common cartridges with bores between .277" and .284" is versatile enough to do everything from coyote to moose/elk.
