New Hunter - Asking for some Guidance

[PrpleWlf]

Hey Everyone;

So I'm looking to get into hunting with my BIL (neither of us have any experience or history with hunting). Specifically we are looking to get into bow hunting. We are located in the Edmonton area, and are currently researching everything we can; however we (I) have some questions.

1. I'm looking at doing the online course (I realise there is some hate for this, but it's my choice). Is the booklet actually useful and worth purchasing, or is the material in the course enough? I have completed my PAL/RPAL previously, and can say that for me the booklets were not useful - not saying they are bad, simply I gained more from the course material than the accompanying books.
2. As we are looking at getting into bow hunting, what gear is recommended? I have a basic recurve that I am going to look at, as it's the style I like - but what else is recommended? (Outside the obvious 'hey you need arrows')
3. I've noticed seasons are listed by a call-code - where do I find the definitions behind these codes? I'm trying to figure out when hunting seasons are, but there seems to be no clear answer...
4. Are there any recommendations for hunting areas around Edmonton?
5. Any other advice anyone would like to pass on?

I would you to thank everyone for their answers and help, however I do want to forewarn those coming to post "hey read the book" or "take the damn course", or "do your research"; all of these are obvious and will be done/have been done. I'm looking for answers I'm having trouble finding/won't be found in a course or research.

Thanks to all in advance, and happy days;

PrpleWlf

[blueice123]

Find someone close to you to train you guys .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[timsesink]

Those are all great questions. To be honest with you excellent answers would take hours to type up. I have bow hunted and rifle hunted around Edmonton for the last 10 years and would be more then happy to sit down with you and go through everything. Sounds like you're serious enough and have done enough research to warrant that.

Shoot me a PM if you want.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by timsesink

Those are all great questions. To be honest with you excellent answers would take hours to type up. I have bow hunted and rifle hunted around Edmonton for the last 10 years and would be more then happy to sit down with you and go through everything. Sounds like you're serious enough and have done enough research to warrant that.

Shoot me a PM if you want.

That's generous. Nice work.

[calgarychef]

If you want to hunt with the recurve get ahold of the Alberta traditions bow hunters association. There’s a website. Edmonton area has lots of members who get together often to shoot together. They’ll Help a newbie.

If neither of you has hunting experience it’s a really good idea to find a bit of a mentor. If you have someone who can give you permission to hunt their land close to where you live things will be a heck of a lot easier.

[PrpleWlf]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

If you want to hunt with the recurve get ahold of the Alberta traditions bow hunters association. There’s a website. Edmonton area has lots of members who get together often to shoot together. They’ll Help a newbie.

If neither of you has hunting experience it’s a really good idea to find a bit of a mentor. If you have someone who can give you permission to hunt their land close to where you live things will be a heck of a lot easier.

Hey calgarychef (and everyone else!);

Thank you for all your help! We'll look into the Alberta Traditions Bow Hunters Assoc.!

It's hard finding a mentor/someone nearby with land, due to our lack of knowing locals (I just moved here maybe 4 years ago, BIL just moved here in Dec), so we don't really know anyone around (top that off with being less than social people!).

You guys have been amazingly helpful so far! Thanks!

PrpleWlf

[mattthegorby]

As a fellow newbie, I found the book valuable to passing the online test for my hunter education. It follows the exam pretty closely and all of the questions about different types of grouse would have kicked my butt without it.

(edit: BTW, have not really looked at book since as it is a bit dated and can find info online)

[moore851]

I personally found the book quite useful. Get to a bow range, like jim bows and start sending arrows down range. have a look at the regs as they will answer a lot of questions regarding seasons, but they can be tough to understand at times. I am by no means an expert at all, but i have found talking to as many people as i can and watching certain reviews on your tube have helped. I try to steer away from anything that sponsored or recommended unless is recommended by someone i trust thats used it. There is a lot of gear that you can spend money on that will be great, but isn't always needed. And it's a deep rabbit hole.

[PrpleWlf]

Originally Posted by moore851

I personally found the book quite useful. Get to a bow range, like jim bows and start sending arrows down range. have a look at the regs as they will answer a lot of questions regarding seasons, but they can be tough to understand at times. I am by no means an expert at all, but i have found talking to as many people as i can and watching certain reviews on your tube have helped. I try to steer away from anything that sponsored or recommended unless is recommended by someone i trust thats used it. There is a lot of gear that you can spend money on that will be great, but isn't always needed. And it's a deep rabbit hole.

Hey moore;

Thanks for your reply! I've got some experience on ranges and such, so thankfully have an idea of what I want in a bow (was more looking for suggested brands, but obviously it's a difficult question!).

As to the gear; I'm not looking to go crazy, as I know a lot of people spend thousands on "helpful but not really necessary gear". What I'm looking for is like...anything outside of basic clothing and bow-gear that might be helpful either in tracking/staying warm would be appreciated!

Thanks;

PrpleWlf

[Jordan_BHA]

BHA and AHIEA have teamed up to do a hunter mentorship program. All ages are welcome.

Email us at:

alberta@backcountryhunters.org

[dustinjoels]

I would recommend a range finder. You don’t have to break the bank on one. $200 will get you what you need. With bow hunting, the difference between a 20 yard shot and 30 yard shot and where to aim is important and will make a big difference between success and a miss. Practice and get comfortable and confident with your ranges. Set a limit on how far you’re willing to shoot at an animal.

For regulations use the Alberta hunting regs website. In my opinion it’s pretty straight forward. Species, archery only dates, general season dates (rifle, crossbow, archery, black powder), WMU. WMU is the zone codes. Maps of the WMUs are easily found on the internet. http://www.albertaregulations.ca/hun...mu/wmu200.html As an example. Anything with a black square beside it requires a draw tag. Anything without a black square can be purchased over the counter.

As for where to hunt, pick a direction and drive out into farm and bush land. Drive around for the last two hours of daylight and try and find some animals. When you find some animals that you can get a license to hunt, identify if it’s private land or public. IHunter is a good tool for this. County maps can provide info on who owns the land. Once you identify who owns the land, go talk to them and ask for permission to hunt. REPEAT.

[PrpleWlf]

Originally Posted by dustinjoels

I would recommend a range finder. You don’t have to break the bank on one. $200 will get you what you need. With bow hunting, the difference between a 20 yard shot and 30 yard shot and where to aim is important and will make a big difference between success and a miss. Practice and get comfortable and confident with your ranges. Set a limit on how far you’re willing to shoot at an animal.

For regulations use the Alberta hunting regs website. In my opinion it’s pretty straight forward. Species, archery only dates, general season dates (rifle, crossbow, archery, black powder), WMU. WMU is the zone codes. Maps of the WMUs are easily found on the internet. http://www.albertaregulations.ca/hun...mu/wmu200.html As an example. Anything with a black square beside it requires a draw tag. Anything without a black square can be purchased over the counter.

As for where to hunt, pick a direction and drive out into farm and bush land. Drive around for the last two hours of daylight and try and find some animals. When you find some animals that you can get a license to hunt, identify if it’s private land or public. IHunter is a good tool for this. County maps can provide info on who owns the land. Once you identify who owns the land, go talk to them and ask for permission to hunt. REPEAT.

Hi dustinjoels;

Thanks for your awesome response! Definitely going to look into a range finder!

IHunter app? Is it available on android as well?

For the dates; looking at the Alberta regs website, it lists the seasons as a code, like S1-O31 for the White-tailed Deer as an example. Where do I find what these codes mean? Because to me...that doesn't mean anything, and I can't seem to find any information online.

As to the draw tags - assuming I'm hunting a White Tailed Deer (which as per the alberta regs website, does not have the black box) do I need to enter the draw and am unassured a tag, or can I simply purchase a tag and go hunt without worrying about drawing? I'm completely confused as to how the system works in this sense (I assume the course will clarify, but trying to understand it all.).

Thank you so much for all your help!

PrpleWlf

[stripes53]

The letter in the code just relates to the month. So S1-O31 just means Sept 1st to October 31st.

If the season is not marked by a black box indicating a draw, then you can just buy a general over the counter tag.

[PrpleWlf]

Originally Posted by stripes53

The letter in the code just relates to the month. So S1-O31 just means Sept 1st to October 31st.

If the season is not marked by a black box indicating a draw, then you can just buy a general over the counter tag.

Hi Stripes;

That...makes so much sense and makes me feel like an idiot!

Thank you so much!

PrpleWlf

[timsesink]

Ihunter app is available for Android. Get it now! Best couple bucks you will ever spend.

S= September
0= October, etc..

You can simply purchase tags for animals without the black box (there are some restrictions, see the tag box).

[PrpleWlf]

Originally Posted by timsesink

Ihunter app is available for Android. Get it now! Best couple bucks you will ever spend.

S= September
0= October, etc..

You can simply purchase tags for animals without the black box (there are some restrictions, see the tag box).

Hey timsesink;

You guys are amazing!

Thank you so much for all your help!

PrpleWlf

[Koschenk]

1. I found the book helpful.
2. Visit Jim Bows archery .
3. Get the iHunt Alberta app.
4. Can't help you there.

[A Sittn Duck]

Biggest piece of advice I can give you, if you're going to hunt using a bow, is to concentrate on that first. Practice practice practice, once you feel like you've practriced enough, practice some more. The type of bow, accessories/attachments, broadheads, can all be very personal opinion. Do some research but in the end use what you feel comfortable with.

Go ahead and get your hunters training out of the way. Even enter into draws for this year once they become available (I'd recommend only building priority this year, not actually entering). But if you don't put in some serious time over the course of this spring and summer, there is a decent chance you wont be ready to hunt with a bow by fall.

[PrpleWlf]

Hey everyone;

The answers have been awesome so far! However I've had another question come up, which may be answered in the course, but hoping to get some input here.

Once a kill has occurred, what does one do? I know this is one of those questions that may get eye rolls, but I'm trying to figure out process.

I'm also not talking about "make sure it's dead before approaching", but rather, "do I clean and prep on site, transport home/butcher for cleaning/prepping, or what?"

Thanks for your help;

Dustin

[A Sittn Duck]

Originally Posted by PrpleWlf

Hey everyone;

The answers have been awesome so far! However I've had another question come up, which may be answered in the course, but hoping to get some input here.

Once a kill has occurred, what does one do? I know this is one of those questions that may get eye rolls, but I'm trying to figure out process.

I'm also not talking about "make sure it's dead before approaching", but rather, "do I clean and prep on site, transport home/butcher for cleaning/prepping, or what?"

Thanks for your help;

Dustin

There are lots of very helpful youtube vids about field care of killed animals. You'll also find that a lot of hunters do things very differently. Some use a "gutless method" meaning you don't have to remove all the animals' guts out in the field but instead work around them. Some people remove the guts and thats it, they then take the carcass to a butcher to do all the work for a fee. Other people, like myself, do everything on my own. I gut, hang, skin, butcher, process sausage/jerky... everything but taxidermy lol.

It is very good that you're asking these questions, but it's also obvious from the questions you're asking that you still have a lot of personal research to do. Youtube is your friend. Search deer field care, hunting techniques, proper bow form, recurve vs compound.

Watch vidoes and build up a bit more base knowledge, and then you'll find you have more precise questions to ask.

[dustinjoels]

Originally Posted by PrpleWlf

Hey everyone;

The answers have been awesome so far! However I've had another question come up, which may be answered in the course, but hoping to get some input here.

Once a kill has occurred, what does one do? I know this is one of those questions that may get eye rolls, but I'm trying to figure out process.

I'm also not talking about "make sure it's dead before approaching", but rather, "do I clean and prep on site, transport home/butcher for cleaning/prepping, or what?"

Thanks for your help;

Dustin

Aside from the field care (gutting, skinning, butchering) read the regs in regards to tagging the animal and what needs to be done for species and sex indentification. For example a deer is tagged with the wire/paper tag attached to the tendon on the hind leg. Proof of species eg. tail. Proof of sex eg. balls or utters. The conditions for these are outlined in the regs.

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by PrpleWlf

Hey moore;

Thanks for your reply! I've got some experience on ranges and such, so thankfully have an idea of what I want in a bow (was more looking for suggested brands, but obviously it's a difficult question!).

As to the gear; I'm not looking to go crazy, as I know a lot of people spend thousands on "helpful but not really necessary gear". What I'm looking for is like...anything outside of basic clothing and bow-gear that might be helpful either in tracking/staying warm would be appreciated!

Thanks;

PrpleWlf

My first deer took me two years as I wanted a “good one” for my first bow kill.
I did it with $150.00 recurve and half a dozen arrows. You don’t need a bunch of gear to begin with. If you’re using a recurve you’ll be hunting at about 20 yards and won’t need the rangefinder.

My best tip.... seriously, find farmland with some good cover for the deer to live in. Get it as close to home as possible and hunt as often as you can get out.
Bow hunting ain’t easy, but its sweet when you connect.

[PrpleWlf]

Hey Guys;

So as per everyone's advice, I've continued along the research road (and will continue to do so!), most recently checking out some video tips on skinning and such.

My question now is; where does everyone normally do this? Is this a field thing, where you strip/skin and put it into a cooler before loading up to head home, or something you wait until you get home to do?

I saw an interesting video on how to hang and cut without removing the organs (which seemed quick and easy to me, and like something I may do; the link to the video is https://youtu.be/_-Wdwjlu9mY for those interested), and am now just trying to figure out what the procedure around this is.

Thanks everyone;

PrpleWlf

[antlercarver]

Hi If you are cutting up the meat before removing the guts, it must be done shortly after the kill. Depending where the animal was hit it may be leaking abdominal fluids into parts you want to eat.
Start in spring shooting gophers, it will begin getting your mind into a mind set that will help you hunt bigger stuff later.

[JWCalgary]

"My question now is; where does everyone normally do this? Is this a field thing, where you strip/skin and put it into a cooler before loading up to head home, or something you wait until you get home to "



Personally. I field dress the animal, skin as much as possible if i dont want the cape, get it to the truck and get it home or to the butcher. Keeping liver, heart as wanted.

If you are way in the back country you may want gut, skin and quarter (sex and species intact) and pack out to the butcher/home

The guts etc are normally left in the field unless you ate not permitted to do so for some reason.



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[SageValleyOutdoors]

I’ve bowhunted my whole life, and guided bowhunters for the past twenty years - mostly spot and stalk mule deer and elk, but whitetails and moose too. The absolute best advice i could possibly give anyone iis:
Be aware of the wind. My absolute most useful, don’t-leave-home-without-it tool is one of the simple $7 windicator bottles. Or any little squeeze bottle filled with corn starch. The weather network might tell you “wind from the south at 15km/hr”, but they won’t give you the EXACT angle of the wind, the same as the windicators do - and you can keep checking it as the day goes on. If the angle of the wind isn’t 100% correct for the stand or area you want to hunt - DO NOT GO IN. those animals rely on their noses far more than you rely on your eyesight (and as a human, our vision is really all we’ve got for survival senses). Don’t underestimate their sense of smell. Along the same line of thought - their hearing is unbelievable. Especially when you’re hunting open country mule deer. If you’re walking through dry grass, or snow, or crunchy leaves and you can hear yourself - ITS TOO LOUD. Slow down and go another way. Or wait for a sound-covering wind to rattle the trees and grass.
Camo is (mostly) overpriced crap that you really, really don’t need... if you’re doing it right, the animal won’t ever know you’re there. Don’t make sudden movements, and they often don’t notice you (as long as you’re not standing in the wide open, and they’re not alert). I’ve heard it said that when bowhunting, if you’re doing it right, you should be able to wear a tuxedo and smoke a cigar... the cigar could even help indicate wind direction.
For me, i find the clothing material to be FAR more important than the camo pattern on it. If it’s warm (or cool) enough for the conditions, and is it quiet when it rubs against itself and/or branches, grass and twigs? When shopping for hunting clothes, i often scratch it with a fingernail. If it’s loud, keep looking. I have an old paid of plain brown carhartt pants that i use in late fall. Blends in well with the dead grass, insulated and warm. Much cheaper than anything that says Sitka or under armour too.
If you’re ever going to be spotting animals at a distance and stalking them, the BEST optics you can afford are so much more important than almost anything else. But if you’re hunting in the Bush, then a $30 pair of binoculars from princess auto are probably good enough.
Join your local archery and or hunting club. There will almost always be someone in a mentorship position who is willing to take you out and show you the ropes. Having said that, once they’ve taken you out a few times, DONT think that the areas he’s shown you are yours to hunt anytime you like - unless you ask him first. There’s a certain level of ethics and manners with hunting that a lot of new guys aren’t taught - and certainly SHOULD be in the ethics part of the course. Guys put a LOT of time into scouting and maintaining relationships with landowners. It’s a huge show of trust to take someone new out to a favourite area - so make sure you ask a mentor when/if they’d mind you going back on your own, whether you plan on going alone or bringing a friend.

I’m sure there’s more that i haven’t thought of - but if there’s ANYTHING i could help you with, feel free to send me a PM. I can give you my contact info and you can text me any questions you have... i live in Airdrie, so cant offer much more than that.

[Mr.F]

for new hunter? what iis the best crown land to hunt?

[Mountainaccent]

Originally Posted by Mr.F

for new hunter? what iis the best crown land to hunt?

Look at a map find a trial pipeline cutblock and put boots on the ground

[Big Grey Wolf]

In general best crown land the further from Calgary and Edmonton the better the hunting. However when you hunt area with lots of wolves, cougar and bears they will clean out game population, so study their numbers in your proposed hunting area.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by PrpleWlf

Hey Guys;

So as per everyone's advice, I've continued along the research road (and will continue to do so!), most recently checking out some video tips on skinning and such.

My question now is; where does everyone normally do this? Is this a field thing, where you strip/skin and put it into a cooler before loading up to head home, or something you wait until you get home to do?

I saw an interesting video on how to hang and cut without removing the organs (which seemed quick and easy to me, and like something I may do; the link to the video is https://youtu.be/_-Wdwjlu9mY for those interested), and am now just trying to figure out what the procedure around this is.

Thanks everyone;

PrpleWlf

Read the regulations carefully, and pay attention to the part where you need to leave proof of sex on the carcass.