Tips for a (total) newbie hunting with an Enfield

hemingway

hemingway

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Hi guys,

I'm looking to make this year my first year hunting, set up to take CORE within a month or two, and hoping to be out for bear season this spring and blacktails in the fall.

I'll be using my enfield, no fancy equipment, GPSes, or quads or anything, just warm clothes, boots, a rifle and a truck (and maybe a trail map ;P).

Looking for any advice, etiquette, anything at all. I know next to nothing about the art of tracking, adjusting for distance beyond 100m on a 303 british, harvesting live game, cleaning, etc (we all start somewhere!) so any input is appreciated, especially 'built-in' knowledge that you might take for granted from your experience, but that someone coming in new might not have at their disposal. If it helps, I live on Van Isle in BC. Good spots, spots to avoid, etc?

Thanks in advance and happy hunting.
 
As somebody new who has started also, I have learned to get the following stuff that is good..

-boots
-hat
-Knife and maybe some game shears
-Latex or nitrile gloves (they seem to make it less slippery so you have less risk of cutting yourself)

Talk to all the guys on the forum. I have yet to talk to one hunter who wasnt very helpful in offering basic advice and tips. I find most I have talked to really want to help new people get into the sport.

Have fun. Otherwise whats the point.
 
Make sure you know your rifle and how it behaves.

Also, track down an experienced hunter to take you out until you at least get your first animal. They can show you how to track, stock, and clean game.

Aso, when it comes time for the shot, relax, don't let the excitement get to you. Yes, you will be excited, yes you will be jittery, but relax and focus on the shot. I was a little excited (really excited, shaking and breathing hard) when I took my first deer this year, and as a result it was not as clean As I would have liked. But, I learned form it, and a month later, when My second deer came up, it was a nice, clean, quick kill.
 
I have never even hunted on Vancouver Island, so maybe I shouldn't even post.
Poking around through the bush looking for game is about the most exciting way to hunt there is.
Your outer clothing should be of a type of cloth that won't scratch on brush. Wool is ideal. You should have soft soled shoes, they are much quieter to walk in than hard soled boots. You want to go quiet and above all else, SLOW. Do a LOT more standing, watching and listening, than walking. If blacktail are like their cousins the mule deer, they like to be "on the edge." Edges of clear cuts, bluffs etc.
Pay attention to wind, always working your way into the wind, even the very slightest of breezes, so the deer won't smell you.
Any sporting bullet in your 303 will be suitable. You'll be told to get light bullets, likely 150 grain, but 180 will kill them just as dead.
Just sight your rifle in. If you can hit a four litre jug at 100 yards, or much better, a one litre container, under hunting conditions, you are good to go. If you can guess what 100 yards is, shoot right at the deer's chest up to that distance. If it happens to be beyond that distance, just let it go, or try to get closer, unless you shoot much better than I am suggesting.
The cheapest 303 British sporting ammunition you can find will be good. Just get a box and sight it in.
Pay no attention to some people who may tell you to get several brands, or types, and see which one your rifle "likes."
Either get a good book on looking after game when it is shot, or get personal lessons from some hunter with experience.
 
get yerself a box of federal 180 gr .303 , don't use igman LOL it's got terrible performance in my experience.

I have killed more game with my 303 than any other rifle in my collection and have used federal powershok 180 gr .303, 90% of the time.
I set my scope zero at 150 meters and then i shoot at 50 and see where i hit, making a mental note of how high from zero so i can adjust on close up shots. then i shoot at 100, 200 and 300 and agin making mental notes..... or write it down until it's committed to memory. This way with a 150 meter zero, I can adjust at any range from 50 meters to 300. It's not such a flat shooting caliber as many big game choices, but the 303 is a very effective and low cost way to put game on the table.

if yer stuck for bear season, come up to the cariboo, I'll be hunting hard for the right bear from opening day till june and there is enough to go around ;)
 
Don't go for the biggest one you see, or else you'll never be able to top it next year!

this is my 1st deer.. 10 years ago now.... wow typing that made me feel old...
75715_463412694522_510474522_5261605_6781537_n.jpg


this one was about 5 or 6 years ago, a little better i'd say lol
150830_463412664522_510474522_5261603_5963914_n.jpg
 
but here is what i keep in my hunting gear

-a skinning knife
-honing steel
-bone saw
-latex gloves
-paper towel
-yellow nylon rope(cheap and doesn't leave fibers all over the place)
-ziplock bags (for liver heart tongue any other organs you want to keep)
-large tarp (so your truck bed doesn't get quite as bloody)
-bottles of water to wash up with so your truck doesn't get covered in blood
-A CAMERA!!!! I don't know how many deer i've gotten and have forgotten to get a picture of.


as for ettiqite..... laws are different for each province, but this rule will never steer you wrong. ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION. if it's not crown land ask for permission before hunting on it. others will tell you legally you may not need to, but it's not always abotu what's legal, it's about what's right. Ask permission and 9 times out of 10 you'll get a yes, and the local farmer that live in the eara are invaluable for spotting deer. they'll let you knwo where they are and will be glad to have you shoot them for teh most part.

if you have any other questions feel free to PM me anything at all nothing is stupid. I'm not an expert but i've been successful every year so i must be doing something right!

oh and if you are EVER unsure of your shot, don't take it. if it's too far, or it's too close, or you are unsure of what's behind the target, or can't see the target clearly... don't take the shot. I've never had a deer go more than about 3 steps and i'm very proud of that.
 
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It sounds like you have little experience with your firearm. Have you bought at least 60 rounds of the ammo you plan pon using to hunt, taken the rigle to a range and seen where it shoots with that ammo? It is hard to say much more withoput knowinbg exactly what your LE is set up like: factory issue (with that the rifles - assuming it hasn't been fiddled with- were designed to shoot military weight ammunition and the sights were intended to regulate with the bayonet in place), or sporterized ( in which case the sights regulate based on whatever sight design you have on the firearm.
 
i'll use this thread as an excuse to post some pics of a couple of my harvested by an enfield bucks ;)
00220022.jpg

same deer
IMG_2188.jpg


shot this one in the ear and his antlers kinda came loose and close together hehehe :D
pembertonoct9th-11th032.jpg


and one more :D
100_0947.jpg



sorry, no pics of bears heheeheh...... check back with me around mid may :D
 
If you haven't done so already, join a range and practice, practice, and practice some more, until you know your rifle as an extension of yourself.

It's already been mentioned about knowing where your shots hit at different ranges. But also practice until you can do things like shoulder, flick the safety, find the trigger and squeeze off the shot, and work the action by muscle memory.

If "buck fever" (or "bear fever", as the case may be) tries to get a hold of you, being able to use your rifle automatically like that can go a long way in to helping you avoid missing the shot or worse, making a bad one.

Those are my thoughts anyway.
 
I am also a "bare bones" hunter...no electronics, no game cams, just me and my rifle/bow depending on the season.

The best advice I can give you is to get out and shoot and various distances to see how your rifle acts. Join a range or head out to crown land and set up some targets.

Get yourself a mentor...you will meet pleanty of people at the range that will be willing to take you out and show you the ropes.

Dont get dissapointed!! It took me 3 years to take my first deer...but I learned a lot in that 3 years! You may not fill your freezer, but the knowledge you will gain is by far worth the cost of the tag that you wont fill.

Good luck to you, and have fun!!
 
Hmmm... - A good compass (with declination) and a piece of rope come to mind. If you havent spent a lot of time in the woods, some matches and a bottle of water may be needed.
 
A good compass is always a good idea, you can get turned around fast and not know where you are, specially after keeping youre head down while tracking for a while.

No real need for declination adjustment, that just complicates things. as long as you know where north and south are, youll find youre truck alright:)

You might need a new rifle in the near future though... cause the 303 has so many other creative uses, and comes in handy for chores like tire jack,.. paddling (with empty chamber), a wedge for splitting wood, tent pole, or even radio antenna when in the hills.....:D

Just kidding of coarse... its the greatest rifle ever invented.:D

Good quality boots are a must and also a down filled vest...is very important.:cool:
 
I use a Brit .303 for deerhunting. Besides being a bit heavy it is an exceptional rifle. There's a reason millions were made, and have probably accounted for harvesting more game in Canada than any other firearm. That being said my advice is to take it to the range, or back forty, and practice with it. Fine tune your range practice with hunting loads. Confidence in your rifle, and shooting, is the most important aspect of hunting. You can use all the bait, fancy kit, game cams and other crap but if you aren't confident in your rifle, or cant hit the broad side of a barn, forget it. Out here in eastern Ontario I zero the rifle for approximately 100m point of aim, point of impact. I wouldn't attempt too long of a shot, especially against a bear, because your going to have to track it if you hit it. Get a good, sharp knife, a small pair of binos, and go with someone with experience. Then, if you or they get a bear or deer, make sure you field dress it yourself. I'm certainly no expert but I found some good tips on field dressing watching video on the interweb. Good luck.
 
properly sight in. A .303Br should be sighted in so that the front sight is at the 6 o'clock position of your target. The bullet should be allowed to fall into the centre of the target.
 
my pack and contents

a day pack with hydration, slim profile and easy adjustments..... my choice and 5 years later i'm still happy ;) , Camelback Stryker day pack
inside is:
small first aid kit which also includes water tablets, power bar, powdered eloctrolytes (like gatorade), silver emergency blanket, fire starter sticks, pen launcher and flares, 3 new bic liters and 2 small boxes waterproof matches and a pen and scissors.
100ft white nylon cord (canadian tire camping section) ** essential in my pack
nitrile gloves (10 pair)
rain jacket
50 ft 3/8 cotton rope
6 large ziploc bags
4ft x 6ft blaze orange tarp (rolls up into a small ziploc)
batteries, sunglasses, binoculars , boresnake and scope wipes.
scent spray.
hydration bladder holds 2 liters
light snacks that do not make noise opening them ;)

on my duty belt, with shoulder straps, which stays on at all times, i have:
buck alpha folder stainless
Krommer's Alaskan Guide Skinning axe (super short)
ez lap , stick type knife sharpener
20 rounds of ammo in a "side kick" attached to the belt.
M14 type mag pouch with 50ft nylon cord, surveyors tape, game calls, doe juice, GPS, FR radio, spare skinning blade, simple compass.
high power led flash light
spare rifle magazine

I think that's it
 
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