Tips and hints?

Major Sights

Major Sights

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Westlock, AB
Just picked up my small game, thought I would try my hand at some partridge, while I wait for the deer season to start.

I normally hunt just north of Stoney Lake, I just picked up 2 shotguns (1 tactical for clay fun, and an HP9 with a turkey barrel for my bird fun), both are 12 gauge, I use Winchester Universal 2 3/4" 8shot. I just purchased a stock comb shell holder to hold an extra few rounds (3bird shot, and 2 slugs was my thinking), as I went for a walk today I saw several bear tracks and "sign" along the main path. Felt good knowing I had something there, just in case SHTF.

Then I thought of the legality of having the slugs with me. Can I? Or would I be accused of "poaching" seeing as there is no open season for something that would need a slug? Is "bear defense" enough to be carrying a couple slugs when I am wandering the woods alone?


Also any hints or tips on grouse or partridge hunting are always welcome. :D
 
If you actually had to shoot a black bear in self defence a load of birdshot would do the trick at a couple of steps distance. If you got into a sticky situation with a black bear while carrying a shotgun loaded with bird shot, don't you think it would be silly to unload and then ask the bear to stand still while you load a more "suitable" shell?
I have killed cattle at a range of two steps with 4's and 6's, no reason that a bear would be any harder to kill if necessary. People over think bear defence.
 
Beer Ogre said:
No, you can't carry slugs or buckshot unless you have some kind of big game license (at least in Ontario anyway).
Click to expand...

So If I purchase a deer tag or Black bear tag (more then likely the bear tag, as I have no fear of being attacked by a deer), even though the season is not open I am covered by law, in theory?

@ Longwalker-

My plan was to shoot the 2 birdshot first (I only load 2 in the gun normally), load a slug, and be prepared. (been practicing rapid loading drills on my skeet range)




Any Birding tips/hints?
 
I live in a more remote rural location, so your mileage may vary.

One of my favourite ways to hunt partidge is to find old roads (no longer passable by trucks) or old quad trails and walk them, or take a quad if so inclined.

I find walking you see much more than if you were driving, and it also gives you a chance to hear them. Rustling leaves under there footsteps and the signature peep-peep-peep they do when they are nervous makes it easy to locate them.

The other advantage with walking is it helps get me in better shape moose and deer hunting. Also helps get me aclimated with the bush again and looking for movement and such.

Not sure if this is what you were looking for but I hope it helps.
 
Beer Ogre said:
No, you can't carry slugs or buckshot unless you have some kind of big game license (at least in Ontario anyway).
Click to expand...

It's hard for us in the west to fathom such regulations.
In BC we can carry any type of non-restricted firearm, with any type of ammunition, anyplace on any crown land, or on any back trails or logging roads, anywhere on crown land, except parks. And BC is mostly crown land.
One summer day the wife and I were unloading our quad from our truck on a logging road to go up an old trail. Three guys were there in a pickup. When they saw me put my shortened up Lee Enfield on the quad, one fellow said, "What are you hunting?"
I said, "We're not hunting anything, just making sure nothing is hunting us."
 
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