The hunting thread

[Shnabdabber]

I missed out on my draws this year but am gonna grab a general white tail tag. Been mostly hunting predators over the years but finally decided to try for a deer.

Went out with a couple buddies who were bow hunting last weekend for a stalk along. Seems like a great challenge but bows are not really my cup of tea.

So where ya going? What are you going after? Whatcha using?

[Nehkara]

My main haunts are 318, 324, 326, 414, and 412. I hunt whitetails every year.

Every year in the fall we take a week-long trip to the area north of Hinton to hunt with my uncle. That is where we usually take our draws for animals like elk and moose. I got my first moose up there last year! Units we hunt up there are 340-346.

I got drawn for antlerless elk in 346 so that's what I'll be after this year.

I hunt with a Savage .243 and a Savage 30-06.

[Timbo]

My draws this year are 166 for Doe and Buck Mule deer.
I hunt primarily with a Weatherby 30-06 and occasionally with my Marlin 45-70 guide gun.

[Shnabdabber]

Nice, I've been along on hunts with my Grandpa (years ago) and have been out with my Dad and brother for deer hunts, but never harvested one myself. Not really sure what to expect as its a larger animal, compared to what I'm used to culling. I absolutely LOVE hunting yotes though, so much fun to call in and drop.

And you cant go wrong with a savage! I'll be trying for mine this year with a mod 10 in 308. How do you like the .243? I've never shot one before, but the ballistic chart looks impressive for them, fast little cartridge.

Another thing I'm wondering about is I handload, but not for hunting. I'm shooting a 168gr bthp over 44gr of 4064, my book is telling me I have around 2650 fps or so (dont have a chrony to check with) which whatever but I'm concerned about using that projectile for deer. I have loaded up some 180gr spitzers but of course my poa and poi will shift. Just a little worried about cutting a deer apart with the bthps.

[Nehkara]

If anyone's interested, here are a few pictures from last fall when I got my first moose:

Spoiler!

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by Timbo

My draws this year are 166 for Doe and Buck Mule deer.
I hunt primarily with a Weatherby 30-06 and occasionally with my Marlin 45-70 guide gun.

My brother has a marlin in 45-70 that he likes to load hot with I think 400-ish grain boo-lits? My shoulder hurts just thinking about it! Very fun rifle though.

[Nehkara]

I love my .243. It's a great gun. It doesn't have much recoil, shoots fast and flat, and it is perfect for deer. I got a 30-06 so I could hunt moose and elk.

My dad actually borrows my .243 whenever he goes deer hunting now.

[Shnabdabber]

NSFW!

I check out the dartman and neighbor vids to get revved for coyote season. In the first vid the neighbor uses a .243, I believe he uses a .300wm now. Can't believe how far he pushed his .243. The second vid they got the yote at 1860 yards, insane!

[killer_carlson]

first moose?

How many moose did you take last year? How much do you eat?

bird hunter myself. Family tradition to go on Thanksgiving weekend. Debating whether to forego my license this year and instead put the money towards taking my daughter out with me instead. I'd be shooting with a camera instead of a 12 gauge.

[TSXCman]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

first moose?

How many moose did you take last year? How much do you eat?

bird hunter myself. Family tradition to go on Thanksgiving weekend. Debating whether to forego my license this year and instead put the money towards taking my daughter out with me instead. I'd be shooting with a camera instead of a 12 gauge.

First moose sounds like first ever...

Shot my first moose last year. Working in an office so far during this season... My brothers are bow hunting in peace river area now.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

first moose?

How many moose did you take last year? How much do you eat?

bird hunter myself. Family tradition to go on Thanksgiving weekend. Debating whether to forego my license this year and instead put the money towards taking my daughter out with me instead. I'd be shooting with a camera instead of a 12 gauge.

The area where we hunt moose it takes 6 years to get drawn for an antlered moose tag. It was my first moose ever.

(Actually eating a jalapeno and cheddar moose sausage right now from that moose... )

[killer_carlson]

oh.... that makes WAAAAAAAAAAY more sense.

I thought you took two moose last year and was thinking you're either a trophy hunter only after the mount, or you are feeding 30 kids and 5 wives.



I really want to have some land licensed so I can release some pheasants on it, but when I was out there a couple weeks ago, there are so many coyotes that I don't think any released birds would last a morning. It sucks because the area used to be chalk full of Sharptail, Roughies, Hungarians and (a few) pheasants. But in the last 10 years there are virtually none. Coyote population has exploded though. Oil and Gas development ruined a few really good back roads which were always good for finding them as well.

[FLAMESRULE]

We all got drawn up in 521 near Debolt for anterless elk. Heading up there with 3 buddies in November to try our luck. Never hunted there, but one buddy has an uncle with a cabin up there that says its pretty good. Also looking at doing an elk hunt in 212 for primitive weapon.

Will head out birding sometime in October.

[DOOM]

Just curious, are there any advantages to bow hunting over hunting with a rifle? Or is just preference?

[JJolg]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Just curious, are there any advantages to bow hunting over hunting with a rifle? Or is just preference?

Opportunity would be the biggest reason i would say. You tend to get more access on private land, seasons start earlier and depending on your animal sometimes the peak rut may only be during bow season. You also have opportunity to hunt some animals with a bow that if you did so with a rifle would require you to draw a tag for that area.

[stazzy33]

A buddy from work got a few of us into hunting last year. We go out west of Sundre to try and find roughies. Didn't have much luck when we went yesterday though, saw only 2 the whole day and they ran off before we got a chance to get the gun ready.

[foshizzle11]

Hunter kills bear with GoPro-mounted spear in Alberta, sparking backlash

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/hunter-...lash-1.3030044

I wasn't sure where to put this but I wanted to share. I am not a fan of baiting animals for hunting and I find this especially sickening to watch. I hope they ban this completely. The bear is suffering and this type of practice shouldn't exist. Sure hunt for meat and kill animals as quickly as possible, I have no issues with that, but the government seems to be taking steps to get rid of this sort of thing.

[Tacopuck]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

Hunter kills bear with GoPro-mounted spear in Alberta, sparking backlash

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/hunter-...lash-1.3030044

I wasn't sure where to put this but I wanted to share. I am not a fan of baiting animals for hunting and I find this especially sickening to watch. I hope they ban this completely. The bear is suffering and this type of practice shouldn't exist. Sure hunt for meat and kill animals as quickly as possible, I have no issues with that, but the government seems to be taking steps to get rid of this sort of thing.

If this guy was tracking the bear and didnt bait it I wouldnt have a real problem with it as being able to track a bear and hunt it down with a spear is fairly impressive. I would say that its more 'fair' to the animal for giving it the chance to live based on how difficult it would be to do so compared to using a rifle (also terrifying trying to track a bear with only a spear).

But baiting animals takes the sport out of hunting. Also his reaction was a little over the top, instead of trying to track the bear immediately.

[TSXCman]

Originally Posted by Tacopuck

If this guy was tracking the bear and didnt bait it I wouldnt have a real problem with it as being able to track a bear and hunt it down with a spear is fairly impressive. I would say that its more 'fair' to the animal for giving it the chance to live based on how difficult it would be to do so compared to using a rifle (also terrifying trying to track a bear with only a spear).

But baiting animals takes the sport out of hunting. Also his reaction was a little over the top, instead of trying to track the bear immediately.

What a clown... it doesn't look like a confirmed kill shot and he just turns his back and celebrates to the camera for vane reasons. I expect spear #2 to be at his side and see some hustle.

I've seen my brother dive at an elk with his hunting knife and open its throat open, since when we got there it wasn't dead from the rifle. Immediate action is required when taking a life...

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Tacopuck

If this guy was tracking the bear and didnt bait it I wouldnt have a real problem with it

Unfortunately he was. Was about to give him mad props for hunting with a spear but the bait bin is clearly visible in the video and video says he was bait hunting

I'd love to learn to hunt, just a pesky issue with massive guilt trip over killing an animal, can't do it. I think knowing how to properly butcher an animal would be very good skill to have.