Wannabe Nova Scotian Hunter!

SeamusMac

SeamusMac

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Hunting is a totally new concept to me but since having heard so many people talk about delicious game I thought I might try it myself...

Firstly, I'd like to try for pheasant and ruffed grouse, which I can hunt beginning October 1st, very exciting.

Secondly, I'd like to go after some rabbit, which I can begin hunting one month later on November 1st.

The last game item that interests me is quail. I have been told that wild Bobwhite's are reasonably common in NS but I can't say as I have ever seen them myself. The Department of Natural Resources website only makes one mention of quails...

"A base licence is required to shoot pheasants or quail on a
licenced pheasant shooting preserve."

If quails do roam free in NS, when can I hunt them?

I'm thinking a O/U 12g. would be suitable for hunting all of these game items?
 
unless you are really partial to overunders, I would suggest a pump action. pretty versatile and cheaper than an O/U
I usually hunt for grouse and rabbit with a .22lr because I like the challenge. to each their own
 
SeamusMac said:
If quails do roam free in NS, when can I hunt them??
Click to expand...

I grew up in NS and never ever seen a quail here, however, I routinely see mourning doves, and these are a relatively "new" species here. My best guess is, perhaps in the Annapolis Valley area.
SeamusMac said:
I'm thinking a O/U 12g. would be suitable for hunting all of these game items?
Click to expand...

One could even easily go one step or two further down, and use a nice lighter to carry, O/U 20 bore for these birds. As long as one keeps the option of a 3 inch chamber for pheasants at longer ranges IMHO.....

Then again, it's all a matter of persoanl preferance. For a few years a Baikal 12 bore SXS was my favorite so.......
A more important question here is, within the legal boundaries, use what you like and does it for you.
 
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The 28 gauge is a great upland shotgun.A SXS and O/U are fine choices for the 28 gauge.I also like the Franchi 48 AL 28 gauge autoloader,it is light(5 1/2 pounds),has low recoil,and is dependable.
 
SeamusMac said:
The last game item that interests me is quail. I have been told that wild Bobwhite's are reasonably common in NS but I can't say as I have ever seen them myself. The Department of Natural Resources website only makes one mention of quails...

"A base licence is required to shoot pheasants or quail on a
licenced pheasant shooting preserve."

If quails do roam free in NS, when can I hunt them?

I'm thinking a O/U 12g. would be suitable for hunting all of these game items?
Click to expand...

The bobwhite in Nova Scotia are ones that have been released or that have escaped from game preserves.Most do not make it through the winter as it is too cold for them.A number of years ago I use to see a couple of broods on my way to work in the morning.These were birds that had nested from birds that people had released.To my knowledge no one shot any of them as most people were hoping they might grow into a huntable population of bobwhite.Some made it through a winter but not the second winter.

There was one behind my house for one summer.It made it through a winter and the next summer.After that I did not see it.Since that time I have seen no bobwhite.

I would think that along the edges of some hunting preserves in the Valley that stock them some bobwhite may escape to be semi wild but I doubt they make it through a winter.
 
It is illegal to shoot game birds in NS with a rifle. And a .22 for rabbits can only be used at the tail end of the rabbit season, after deer season closes. Our bunny season does run to last day of February, so lots of time.

Quail are an offshoot of dog training and escapees from bird fanciers. I don't believe anyone stocks them for preserves, that is limited to chukars and pheasants. We have had them stick around our farm in the Annapolis Valley for a few years, but all it takes is one good cold snap with heavy snow or ice and they're toast. We shoot them whenever we come across them while pheasant hunting. They are tough to hit when a half dozen at once gets up in front of your face while you're struggling through the brambles! Good eating too.

The actual position of DNR is that they are exotic or non game species on our list and can be shot at anytime if you come across them.

Steve
 
stick to snaring rabbits in NS...i've snared/shot in both NB and NS...NS rabbits are a lot smaller for some reason and you'll ruin most with an off shot. there's a little more leeway with the larger NB rabbit. besides, snaring is a better test of your "true" outdoorsmans' skill!
 
Clayduster said:
And a .22 for rabbits can only be used at the tail end of the rabbit season, after deer season closes.
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Clayduster ,I believe that was changed a few years ago.You can now hunt rabbits(snowshoe hare) with a .22 from the day the season opens.For the first two weeks of the rabbit season you cannot hunt them with a dog.

I usually carry my 28 gauge till the end of the partridge(ruffed grouse) season then use a .22 for rabbit hunting if there are a lot of rabbits.If rabbits are scarce I continue to use the 28 gauge.


Clayduster,what is the latest on hungarian partridge?There use to be a lot of them in the Valley but the season was closed in I remember back in the 1980's.

Back in the 1970's the then Dept.of Lands and Forests tried introducing ptarmigan to an island off Cape Breton with the hopes they would increase and spread to mainland Cape Breton.The birds did increase somewhat for a time on the island .They then decreased and at last report there were none left on the island.
 
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I hunt pheasant, woodcock, rabbit, ruffed grouse in NS with a 12 gauge in Nova Scotia. This works if you have a good selection of chokes. I use a pair of skeet choke tubes in grouse/woodcock covers, where shots are close. With #7.5 shot I have never had too much damage to the birds. I also use these chokes for rabbits, because of the closeness of the shots most of the time. I change up to either IC/Mod or Mod/IM for pheasant hunting, depending on what part of the season and what kind of cover I'm hunting. If you are getting into bird hunting in Nova Scotia I'd suggest exploring your options for waterfowl too - lots of opportunities for ducks and geese all around the province that you'd be nuts to overlook. If you get a 12 gauge you'll be set for these as well, as long as it's chambered at least 3", 3.5" is good for some situations. If you're just getting into it you can get an pump like the Remington 870 for a very reasonable price and it will allow you to do all of these things.
-DW
 
I'm hunting now five years in NS. I use a light 16 ga pump 37 Ithaca. You are going to appreciate the lighter weight as you hunt very often in rough terrain!! I also prefer the extra safety by using a pump! I recently slipped on a rock after shooting a rabbit. A pump is the only shotgun that cannot discharge right after the first shot went through the barrel even with safety off! Some prefer a 22 for rabbits. A friend has a Savage 410/22 combi with is pretty perfect for small game hunting in NS.

Ruffed grouse is extremely hard to hunt if you shoot them on the wing! Spruce grouse (fools hen) is protected anyways. No bullets on birds!!
Pheasants are often too close to buildings and roads.
You need to find a place in the Valley by asking a farmer. Sometimes the places where land meets the ocean are good.

Ducks and Geese are scarce. The season is too short. We need a spring hunt here in NS. You need a dog! Hunting ducks without a dog is pain in the a**.

Overall hunting in NS is ruled by biologists and conservation officers. The management is not in favor of the hunting community at all. But that's what we have to deal with - enjoy hunting in NS.
 
I think I'm sold on the 26" Remington 870 with a selection of chokes. Pheasant is the 1 game item that I want to get the most, after trying it for the first time I was convinced I had to have it again asap. Too bad its $30 for a frozen bird at the supermarket!
Rabbit is also delicious, and at nearly $20 for one I think that in a single hunting season the shotgun will probably pay for itself.

What are the limitation on shotgun capacity during the different season for different game? I can't find any mention of it in the online handbook but if there is a 5 round rifle limit I'm sure there must be a shotgun limit.
 
Seamus, äähem...

What is the usual mag limit for centrefire longarms?? Right! 5

A shotgun is centrefire!

... but on migratory birds? Right! 2+1

Rabbit pie is nice!:D

What corner of NS?
 
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Hmmm I suppose I'll have to get a selection of magazine tube plugs for the different applications, or maybe make some out of wooden dowels? It's good to know that I can have 5+1 for hunting what I want the most.

I'm in the HRM, but I plan to do most of my hunting in the Annapolis Valley area.
 
A challenger appears!

The Mossberg 535 ATS

Interchangeable barrels, can swap the 28" for a shorter "thick brush" barrel as well as interchangeable chokes, different game without changing barrels. Handles 2.75" to 3.5" shells. And it's less then $300 before taxes brand spankin' new.

Maybe I was too quick to overlook the Mossy options...

The Maverick line up is very tempting for about $100 less, but the being limited to 3" shells seems difficult to swallow. Buying the combo Maverick would allow for the use of 2.75" shells but for a mere $40 more a person could have the 535 ATS which does both of those lengths as well as 3.5" for geese...

Its hard to decide what to spend a paycheck on when you're a poor student haha.
 
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With an 870, while hunting non-migratory wildlife in Nova Scotia, there is no magazine capacity limit.

Semi-automatic centrefire firearms are limited by both the Firearms Act and wildlife regulations to a magazine capacity of 5.

Migratory bird hunters are limited by wildlife regulations to a magazine capacity of 2.

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