Let's talk about hunting

[Tron_fdc]

Figured I would start a new thread to discuss it.

I'm considering getting into deer hunting, either rifle or bow (not sure yet). I used to hunt with my dad 20 years ago in Kananaskis, but it's been a looooong time since I shot anything. I've been getting my head around shooting bambi again by using the argument that it's better than deer overpopulation, and a humane kill is probably a better death than what they face in the wild (eaten alive by a predator). Plus I like the taste of wild game.

Any experienced hunters out there with any input on bow vs rifle? What kind of cost am I looking at to start up? Is there somewhere close to the city that is a good place to hunt? What about lessons? Is that a good place to start?

Also, where is a good place to get your meat butchered? Will butchers even do it??

Let's try not to take this into an argument here too. I'm looking for info on it, not a debate on vegan vs meat, etc etc.

[Regulator75]

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Not really behind the idea killing for fun, and wish you would shoot an animal with a camera instead of a weapon.

However, if you are going to hunt I have much more respect for someone who can pull it off with a bow versus a rifle.

That's all I got.

[TSXCman]

If you don't have it, get your gun license, then hunting license. Look up a course for both, very knowledgable people will give you a lesson or refresher on how to be responsible, legal, and careful with however you choose to hunt. So yes, start with lessons and ask these same questions to your instructor.

for locations, it would be a good idea to buddy up with an active hunter now, whether it is family or friends. They will have current ideas on crown land or allowable spots to hunt.

Be safe, take a meaningful shot that will kill in one shot, and don't waste your meat. Don't see any problem in restarting this activity in your life.

[Tron_fdc]

I'm not really killing for fun, I'm doing it for food. Being raised on a ranch it's pretty obvious to me that wild game has a lot more health benefits than store bought beef. I love beef, but for my own health reasons I can't eat it (or have to restrict it pretty heavily).

Any recommendations on lessons?

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

Not really behind the idea killing for fun, and wish you would shoot an animal with a camera instead of a weapon.

However, if you are going to hunt I have much more respect for someone who can pull it off with a bow versus a rifle.

That's all I got.

I'm not a hunter so I can be way out to lunch, but shouldn't it be more humane to kill something with a rifle rather than a bow? I'm assuming rifles allow for a cleaner and faster kill.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I'm not a hunter so I can be way out to lunch, but shouldn't it be more humane to kill something with a rifle rather than a bow? I'm assuming rifles allow for a cleaner and faster kill.

Not necessarily. It all comes down to where you hit the animal. A clean double lung or heart shot will kill an animal in close to the same timeframe with either method.

The difference comes with the degree of precision required. The cucussion from a rifle bullet does a fair amount of damage going through and can impact the organs if you just bairly miss them. An arrow will only cut what it goes through. This means that your kill zone is marginally bigger for a rifle.

[Buff]

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Let's try not to take this into an argument here too. I'm looking for info on it, not a debate on vegan vs meat, etc etc.

That's probably not the way this is going to go . . . . .

Cowperson

[Bill Bumface]

I couldn't stare down Bambi and pull the trigger, but I will gladly eat the slices of Bambi my friends offer to my. That deer has had a much better life than the feedlot cow I would have eaten instead. For butchering check out Rocky's Sausage Haus. http://www.dassausagehaus.ca/ Or if you just like awesome non-deer sausages and cold cuts, still go to Rocky's Sausage Haus.

[pseudoreality]

In my opinion, an animal in the wild has a way higher quality of life than one on a farm. So if you're okay people eating meat, you shouldn't have a problem with someone harvesting an animal from the wild. The key is making you have a sustainable population.

I've never hunted with bow. I think a rifle is easier and where I live there's no early bow season. So its just easier to use a rifle. Its not about making it a hard sport, its about getting healthy food in an environmental friendly fashion.

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[RubberDuck]

I have been seriously thinking about getting into it as well for a couple reasons.

I don't have much faith in the quality of our food coming from the heavily industialized food industry. Also, ethically, it's getting harder to overlook the awful conditions and horrible lives that animals raised in the industrial system have to live. I would feel much better about eating something that has lived wild and free it's whole life rather than something that has been kept in a small filthy pen it's entire existance.

I really think that if you are going to eat meat but let someone else do the dirty work for you, you have no grounds to criticize hunters or hunting.

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

In my opinion, an animal in the wild has a way higher quality of life than one on a farm. So if you're okay people eating meat, you shouldn't have a problem with someone harvesting an animal from the wild. The key is making you have a sustainable population.

I've never hunted with bow. I think a rifle is easier and where I live there's no early bow season. So its just easier to use a rifle. Its not about making it a hard sport, its about getting healthy food in an environmental friendly fashion.


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[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Figured I would start a new thread to discuss it.

I'm considering getting into deer hunting, either rifle or bow (not sure yet). I used to hunt with my dad 20 years ago in Kananaskis, but it's been a looooong time since I shot anything. I've been getting my head around shooting bambi again by using the argument that it's better than deer overpopulation, and a humane kill is probably a better death than what they face in the wild (eaten alive by a predator). Plus I like the taste of wild game.

Any experienced hunters out there with any input on bow vs rifle? What kind of cost am I looking at to start up? Is there somewhere close to the city that is a good place to hunt? What about lessons? Is that a good place to start?

Also, where is a good place to get your meat butchered? Will butchers even do it??

Let's try not to take this into an argument here too. I'm looking for info on it, not a debate on vegan vs meat, etc etc.

I'll add my 2 nickles:

Bow vs Rifle: I've never used a bow, but I would say when you're starting out, if you don't want to have to track a half injured deer all day, you're better off to start with a rifle, as it's a lot less likley you'll be doing that. Once you've got your skill/confidence, up you just might want to switch.
Also, it really depends on where you go, trees, prairie, etc.

Cost? It can get expensive if you want it to, but it doesn't have to be if you stick to what you REALLY NEED. You don't need full camo gear, and you don't need the best of everything. You're pretty outdoorsy, so you've probably got everything you'll need except the gun, and maybe a good knife. You can get some good guns cheap, but you're probably looking at $700 or so for a "Starter" rifle.

Classes? Yup, take them both, the PAL one, and the Hunter's Ed. Just google them and you'll find them pretty easy.

As for where to take a deer to get butchered (it's something you can do yourself, depending on how much time I have, I've either done it myself or taken it to a couple places). Calgary meats on Edmonton Trail is good, as is, as Hulkrogan suggested, Rocky's. Rocky's makes some awesome sausage, so that's where I go these days.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I'm moving back to Montana in June. Looking very forward to hunting season and healthier eating and living.

[Huntingwhale]

Use your bare hands. Nothing would prove your manliness to me more then if you destroyed an animal larger then you with your hands.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by fotze

Finally! How long have you been harping about wanting to do that? Too long!

Probably as long as we've been posting here!

Have been gone since New Year's Eve 1996!

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Use your bare hands. Nothing would prove your manliness to me more then if you destroyed an animal larger then you with your hands.

I know those of you who have never been exposed to an outdoors lifestyle find this all ridiculous, but it really has nothing to do with proving your manliness. Nothing at all.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

I'll add my 2 nickles:

As for where to take a deer to get butchered (it's something you can do yourself, depending on how much time I have, I've either done it myself or taken it to a couple places). Calgary meats on Edmonton Trail is good, as is, as Hulkrogan suggested, Rocky's. Rocky's makes some awesome sausage, so that's where I go these days.

OK, so I looked at Rocky's and it's interesting. Do you have to gut and skin the deer before taking it in? I've done it a few times in my youth, and it's not a huge deal but I know what kind of mess it creates. I also don't think my fiance would appreciate me skinning game in the garage. It seems far to convenient to shoot a deer and then just drive it in to them and drop it off.

I love deer jerky and deer sausage, you don't know if they blend the sausage with pork?

[CaptainCrunch]

Jeez Tron, I would totally buy some Jerky or deer sausage off of you if you do this and have some to spare.