The Hunting Thread

[EYE_Overstand]

Hunting with a gun is just cheating in my mind... With that said... At least you eat and share the meat with community etc etc ...

I'm not against the "sport" of hunting, I just would like everyone to use crossbows and not bullets

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Hunting with a gun is just cheating in my mind... With that said... At least you eat and share the meat with community etc etc ...

I'm not against the "sport" of hunting, I just would like everyone to use crossbows and not bullets

I can see where you're coming from... but it's not easy. If you live in the right area and have tons of free time to dedicate to hunting, you can make bowhunting successful.

My dad bowhunted for almost 20 years and got 1 animal. ONE.

Even rifle hunting, me and my buddy have had extraordinarily bad luck... in the three years I have been hunting with him we have yet to actually get an animal, even though we have come close several times (I got the moose with my dad).

A lot of people who don't hunt think it is easy with a rifle and you just go out and shoot whatever you want and go home... doesn't work that way.

It should also be noted that while bolts and arrows are plenty capable of killing an animal, you do have increased risk of losing the animal or wounding it without killing it... especially with a large animal like a moose.

Also, you should view this all through the proper context, I am a bowhunter as well. I just don't think restricting hunting to only bowhunting is a great idea.

[Hevishot]

Usually shoot lots of Pheasants and Partridge. Constantly doing pest control on my buddys farmland for coyotes and beavers. Love to hunt elk and whitetails. Want to get an antelope one of these years! Always put in for the Bighorn draw aswell as a Goat draw just incase it happens!

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I can see where you're coming from... but it's not easy. If you live in the right area and have tons of free time to dedicate to hunting, you can make bowhunting successful.

My dad bowhunted for almost 20 years and got 1 animal. ONE.

Even rifle hunting, me and my buddy have had extraordinarily bad luck... in the three years I have been hunting with him we have yet to actually get an animal, even though we have come close several times (I got the moose with my dad).

A lot of people who don't hunt think it is easy with a rifle and you just go out and shoot whatever you want and go home... doesn't work that way.

It should also be noted that while bolts and arrows are plenty capable of killing an animal, you do have increased risk of losing the animal or wounding it without killing it... especially with a large animal like a moose.

Also, you should view this all through the proper context, I am a bowhunter as well. I just don't think restricting hunting to only bowhunting is a great idea.

I wasn't calling for ANY restrictions, just as an outsider looking in... It seems like cheating that people can use scopes and guns that can take out "game" X amount of feet away ... If you are hunting game from 100 yards away ... Then I see the sport angle etc etc BUT if you are 5-20 yards away it seems sort of unfair and less sport.


I totally agree that you can lose game with a bow and that it can escape and be in pain etc

[pseudoreality]

I grew up in the NWT before Nunavut existed. Now I live in Yellowknife and until recently traveled to Nunavut a lot. I live char and muskox. My hunting activities are mostly limited to birds. I love hunt grouse with my dog. He does most of the work. All I have to do is pay attention when he flushes them out and shoot. He then brings them back to me.

I've always said that sustainable hunting of stable populations is more humane and environmentally responsible than industrialized farming.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

I'm heading out for my first hunt this Friday. Pretty damn pumped. We're going to try and get an Elk, but I'll be happy to fill either of our muley or white tail tags.

Great pics MJK. How do you like that Sako?? What calibre?

Also a big difference in the moose pic vs muskox pic just for terrain. Is it quite the ordeal to track the muskox and get close enough in wide open tundra like that??

I just picked up the Sako and other than sighting it in, this was the first time I used it. It's a .243 and I really like the feel and shoots really straight. I also have a Tikka 30-06 and a Savage 22-250. Both the Sako and Tikka and much nicer guns than the savage I have however the 30-06 is overkill for most of the stuff I am hunting inland.

Muskox can be tricky to approach and when the herd hears/sees you coming they take off pretty quick. I had to position myself with the sun in back of me so they had a hard time to see me coming. Shot that guy at about 225 yards.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

I wasn't calling for ANY restrictions

Oh I think there should be at least one. Bear baiting, or baiting period. Freakin unreal that it's allowed. That isn't hunting, that's an ambush and really needs to go IMO.

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Oh I think there should be at least one. Bear baiting, or baiting period. Freakin unreal that it's allowed. That isn't hunting, that's an ambush and really needs to go IMO.

i meant restrictions with guns ... i don't know anything in detail with what goes into hunting and the techniques etc.... def not enough to know what should be allowed vs not.

[Puppet Guy]

I've never hunted in my life, but lately I think that I owe it to the food chain to kill my own dinner at least once.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

i meant restrictions with guns ... i don't know anything in detail with what goes into hunting and the techniques etc.... def not enough to know what should be allowed vs not.

Oh I know....I was just getting at restrictions as far as hunting goes.

Baiting is where a "hunter" fills an oil drum sized plastic container with food to attract animals and drops it in an opening. He will then scale a near by tree and waits till something shows up.

Other than trophy hunting/poaching, I have no issues with going out on a hunt at all. I'd actually like to try it myself one day.

[Nehkara]

Baiting of almost all animals in Alberta is illegal. Bear baiting is allowed in some areas, not in others.

Either way... I definitely agree, baiting of all kinds is NOT hunting and should not be legal.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Oh I think there should be at least one. Bear baiting, or baiting period. Freakin unreal that it's allowed. That isn't hunting, that's an ambush and really needs to go IMO.

I'm sure the animals would be thrilled with this new law. How thoughtful of you to shoot me from a distance instead of tricking me and then shooting me. I'm sure you'll get a thoughtful letter from its family thanking you for being so humane in ripping a bullet in the Deer's stomach and having it die slowly instead of instantly from a shot in the head from a few feet away.

[1stLand]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

Baiting of almost all animals in Alberta is illegal. Bear baiting is allowed in some areas, not in others.

Either way... I definitely agree, baiting of all kinds is NOT hunting and should not be legal.

Agreed.

I think this thread is awesome.

I think the most challenging hunt would be going after big horn sheep or mountain goat.

Accessibility issues and hauling the kill back to the vehicle

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I'm sure the animals would be thrilled with this new law. How thoughtful of you to shoot me from a distance instead of tricking me and then shooting me. I'm sure you'll get a thoughtful letter from its family thanking you for being so humane in ripping a bullet in the Deer's stomach and having it die slowly instead of instantly from a shot in the head from a few feet away.

For the record, trying to shoot a deer in the head is a terrible idea, they aren't zombies afterall. As with anything, center of mass is the best/surest way to knock a deer down cleanly.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Hunting with a gun is just cheating in my mind... With that said... At least you eat and share the meat with community etc etc ...

I'm not against the "sport" of hunting, I just would like everyone to use crossbows and not bullets

I love when people with little to no experience draw an arbitrary line stating that using one kind of weapon is much more sporting than some other kind of weapon.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I'm sure the animals would be thrilled with this new law. How thoughtful of you to shoot me from a distance instead of tricking me and then shooting me. I'm sure you'll get a thoughtful letter from its family thanking you for being so humane in ripping a bullet in the Deer's stomach and having it die slowly instead of instantly from a shot in the head from a few feet away.

lol, what the hell??

Bait "hunter" per chance?

If you can't get a fatal shot on an animal from 100-150 yrds away, you shouldn't be hunting.

If baiters did there thing, then jumped on the animal from above and killed it with a knife, then I'd be all for bait hunting. That would be money.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

lol, what the hell??

Bait "hunter" per chance?

If you can't get a fatal shot on an animal from 100-150 yrds away, you shouldn't be hunting.

If baiters did there thing, then jumped on the animal from above and killed it with a knife, then I'd be all for bait hunting. That would be money.

Nope never hunted in my life but the hypocrisy in your post is hilarious.

for the record I don't have a problem with hunting just hypocritical hunters thinking their way of hunting is more moral than someone else's way of killing an animal.

if hunting is just for meat then give me one good reason why baiting is a bad thing?

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Nope never hunted in my life but the hypocrisy in your post is hilarious.

for the record I don't have a problem with hunting just hypocritical hunters thinking their way of hunting is more moral than someone else's way of killing an animal.

if hunting is just for meat then give me one good reason why baiting is a bad thing?

Oh lets see....
1) It's lazy and reeks of people just wanting to kill something
2) It's dangerous if done in the wrong place
3) It changes behaviour in animals as they are now getting fed
4) It attracts more than just the target animal
5) Sounds as though it's not allowed for any type of animal other than bears. As far as I know, bear meat isn't great for eating so most bear hunting is done as trophy hunting.

And I have a sneaking suspicion that if it's getting banned in areas, others tend to agree.

And lets be honest here. Most people that hunt do so for the experience of the hunt and it's NOT their primary way of feeding their family. So if you're going to hunt, hunt. Don't set up freakin ambushes.

[Delthefunky]

For the record, I don't bait any animals when I hunt, but I actually fail to see the moral issue BESIDES the fact that it would lead to unsustainable hunting.

I always compare hunting to farming when people raise a stink about killing animals. If hunting is "cheating" then what is baiting and fattening a cow or a pig, and then leading them into a slaughter house ( for that matter, loading it onto a truck to be killed ).

When you kill an animal you feel a huge rush, it's a big deal. There's a great sense of respect for that animal. How's that any different from a deer or a cow or moose or a pig? You don't get that sense of importance when your comparing prices in the meat isle. Sure shooting a deer is an "unfair" advantage, but so is gaining the trust of a cow and fattening it up and then holding a pneumatic air gun to it's head.

[MJK]

Some good conversations here guys! Whether you agree or not, it's an interesting debate although the 'ban guns just use cross bows' had me in stitches.