taking hunting lessons

[dino]

I was just wondering if such lessons exist, there are lessons for every thing else but Ive never heard of anyone teaching people how to hunt.

[LupieHunter]

We (region 2) have been putting on a new hunter bootcamp for the last 2 years in September. Basically it's a weekend of hunting courses/lessons. You can contact Dale Vidulich (fowl language on here) for more info.

[Drillbit]

Most of it is passed down within families.

Sometimes people are lucky to meet other people that show them.

I've never seen courses either.


I have seen tracking courses and wilderness survival courses, & orientation though.

[Lastcar]

http://www.eatwild.ca/event/hunter-field-skills-workshop-may/

[HarryToolips]

lol hey Dino, Leme know when you open up lessens on how to hunt early season 4 point Muleys, I'll sign up..

[MichelD]

I know a couple young guys who have signed up to that Eatwild group. In fact, two are Facebook friends.

Eatwild had an "LEH party" tonight. $10.00 entrance fee to get together and learn how LEH works and how to fill out the cards.

There is a certain generation of young, well educated young people who are used to classes and formal instruction who prefer this method of learning.

I have a young pal I've taken out a few times, and he got an LEH draw a few years ago and went and shot the deer himself.

One of his best friends has gone the Eatwild route.

So yeah, you can take lessons.

Here are a few lines from one of the student blogs:


"The purpose of this submission to the EatWild Blog is really to convey that last point: hunting is not the exclusive or predominant domain of any single demographic or stereotype. It’s certainly not just big dudes who look like lumberjacks. Since I completed the CORE course, I’ve met other lawyers, private equity and wealth management guys, school teachers and medical professionals with a dedicated interest in respecting food and where it comes from, understanding nature and experiencing adventure."

[blu-nsr]

My experience was initially passed from my father when I was young, then built upon over the years by getting out there and figuring out what NOT to do! If people show a genuine interest I am more than happy to offer advise or take them out so they can get a feel for it. Figure I could charge for that eh???? ��

[Wild one]

The truth of the matter is how can you put on a truly effective hunting course?

You can teach basic field dressing, tracking, camp set up and a break down a simple list of commonly used gear but there is so much more to it.

There is so many different styles of hunting and each species involves a different approach. In my opinion the only ways to learn is go out and experience it and a mentor/mentors guiding you through your time in the field makes a huge difference. Hunting is something that takes years of learning and often you never stop learning new things.

Now if you want to just teach people to roll around on FSR with an ATV/truck that is easy. Teach them to spot game, dress their kill, and a few tricks on how to get it too the truck/ATV boom your done.

If you were putting on a species specific or style specific course I could see this more productive. Something like a moose hunting course teaching calling, habitat, retrieval methods ext would be effective. Or even a course on back country hunting, still hunting, stalking ext.

In my opinion there are too many branches of hunting to run an effective general hunting course.

[brian]

You can teach basic field dressing, tracking, camp set up and a break down a simple list of commonly used gear but there is so much more to it.

There is a lot you can teach especially in off season. Bring people out, teach them how to read sign, teach them what bedding habitat looks like and where you are likely to and not likely to find the animals, teach them life cycle and habits, teach them food preferences, reading game trails, etc etc etc. Basically teach them what to look for and where. Then you could cover some basic hunting techniques like how you still hunt, setting up ground blinds/ambush points (location, location, location), making sure you are in a position to be ready for the shot. Then you can teach them by regaling them with stories of failures and give them an idea of what not to do. There is tons of stuff you can teach in a hands on course.

[Fisher-Dude]

I was just wondering if such lessons exist, there are lessons for every thing else but Ive never heard of anyone teaching people how to hunt.

You should just go follow Dana around! ;)

[GoatGuy]

You should just go follow Dana around! ;)

Fisher-dude's hunting lessons.

Research

1) Location of tim hortons
2) Location of diesel
3) Location of long forest service loop roads

I understand the speed of the road hunt is critical to success. It takes a lifetime to get it 'down'.

[Moose63]

U-Tube.....

[fuzzybiscuit]

Don't forget quad in the back...it makes the Duramax ride sooo smooth...no spillin' the Timmies...

[GoatGuy]

Don't forget quad in the back...it makes the Duramax ride sooo smooth...no spillin' the Timmies...

That is correct, quad for ballast and game retrieval if it makes it off the road. Too cold outside to use the quad.
Hahahaha!

[Fisher-Dude]

Ahh, Goathopper, when you can snatch the pebble from my hand, you may leave. You're a good student, but still new to the game.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGblsNXkJog

[GoatGuy]

Ahh, Goathopper, when you can snatch the pebble from my hand, you may leave. You're a good student, but still new to the game.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGblsNXkJog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmI_bW0Nwwc

[Fisher-Dude]

Don't lose the words of wisdom in your long-haired music, Goathopper.

[boxhitch]

There is tons of stuff you can teach in a hands on course.agreed and some of those basics are what some people find so daunting . Lots of queries on HBC about how to hand a critter once it is dead.
After the basics one can choose the where and how for the situation.

road hammer ...perfect

[nicktrehearne]

I know there is a few programs and courses offered in Alberta...

[Sofa King]

it still doesnt beat actually getting out there and walking around.
i would think getting out and scouting in the off-season would be more enjoyable.
learn an area and how the animals are using it.
and alot funner than sitting in a chair and being told things.

[dino]

it still doesnt beat actually getting out there and walking around.
i would think getting out and scouting in the off-season would be more enjoyable.
learn an area and how the animals are using it.
and alot funner than sitting in a chair and being told things.

Thats what I mean though, a new hunter could take a course in the field in actual conditions with a self proclaimed expert and learn some very valuable info that would take years to learn otherwise. I think some new hunters just give up after a certain amount of time with no success.
I think that there are more people than you think would sign up for a course that taught all the tricks of the trade targeting the species chosen. Nothing beats experience in the field but experience along with factual information is very valuable.

[dino]

You should just go follow Dana around! ;)

You need to take a day off FD, you could give a woodpecker a headache.

[adriaticum]

I think dino is doing field research here.
I don't know dino, might be a good business.

[MichelD]

I have my own cynicism about people formally teaching hunting, but for some of the urbanites and "100 mile diet" hipsters who want to get into it, , it is a decent entry point I guess. I think that Eatwild charges plenty for their services, so it's not the kind of working class pursuit that most of us grew up with. They teach field kills, shooting, butchering and provide the CORE course too.

I think some of the new entrants have higher than realistic expectations though.

I have a friend who is a lawyer. A fellow lawyer expressed an interest in taking up hunting last year and got all his paperwork together so my buddy took him out. They spent nearly a week up in the Merritt area and got skunked. The new guy was shocked. He figured you just drove into the bush, that the deer were everywhere, you just picked one and shot it.

It just came naturally with me, I was tagging along with my dad from the age of 10 and had seen it all done before and helped, so when I got my first deer on the ground at 17 in 1970, I didn't have a 2nd thought about what to do or how to gut it. I'm always learning. Don't know much about moose. I lived onthe Island for a long time and didn't have a truck for the longest time. I've since been on a few successful moose trips and as many failed ones, three successful V.I. elk hunts and one skunk trip. I wouldn't have a clue how to hunt elk in the Kootenays though. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Maybe there's a course I can take.

[Sofa King]

Thats what I mean though, a new hunter could take a course in the field in actual conditions with a self proclaimed expert and learn some very valuable info that would take years to learn otherwise. I think some new hunters just give up after a certain amount of time with no success.
I think that there are more people than you think would sign up for a course that taught all the tricks of the trade targeting the species chosen. Nothing beats experience in the field but experience along with factual information is very valuable.
good point.
i just find it silly that someone would pay money, but, just shows that people will pay for anything.
only possible problem would be with the instructor.
one would hope they would be a knowledgeable and responsible hunter.
it would be terrible to find some take advantage of something like this and be out teaching unethical and bad practices.

[Sofa King]

it would be nice to see a course ease them into it like most of us were growing up with it.
start with small game and birds, then move up from there.
and being out in the woods they would just naturally learn about the outdoors and the animals that live there.

[ajr5406]

Ive taken a few Eat Wild courses and they are great.

Not coming from a hunting background or family, I have found a few people in my extended friends/distant relative circle and have made contact and asked if I can buy them a coffee and pick their brains for an hour. In each case they have been more than helpful getting me up to date on what I need and how to prep and how to get started. They have also offered to take me out on a couple of hunts. Its been invaluable and cant wait to hunting season to get out there.

I really hope that I can be in a position one day (hopefully in the not too distant future) where I can mentor new hunters. Nothing beats experience in the field, but time spent asking questions of experienced hunters is very important.

[proguide66]

3 years later and 3 months to go.... launching late July. I wrangled up a team of people who specialised in each species for at least 25 yrs each... We'r sharing it all , no hero's no BS , no celebs who weren't hugged enough as a child. Probably get taken to court by some BS product's but we'r ready for them to ! lol Its the first place of its kind and doesn't depend on ANY brand or sponsors. Its going to help everyone at all levels.
http://howtohunt.com/

[dino]

3 years later and 3 months to go.... launching late July. I wrangled up a team of people who specialised in each species for at least 25 yrs each... We'r sharing it all , no hero's no BS , no celebs who weren't hugged enough as a child. Probably get taken to court by some BS product's but we'r ready for them to ! lol Its the first place of its kind and doesn't depend on ANY brand or sponsors. Its going to help everyone at all levels.
http://howtohunt.com/

Obviously you get it and understand that there are many of us out there that see the potential. I hope your a huge success.

[dino]

I think dino is doing field research here.
I don't know dino, might be a good business.

No field research here, I had a question about an idea that I think alot of hunters have had.
If I was young and fresh knowing what I know now, I would have paid the money for some lessons. Living in Van or any other metropolice has its dissadvantages. nnnnnn

[elch jager]

Seems there are a few unlikely city folk interested in getting a bit closer to their protein...
http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/ethical+killing+urban+hunters+looking+sustainable+ ethical+ways/8237288/story.html

[MichelD]

Seems there are a few unlikely city folk interested in getting a bit closer to their protein...
http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/ethical+killing+urban+hunters+looking+sustainable+ ethical+ways/8237288/story.html

I loaned a rifle to my young buddy who is friends with the brother and sister mentioned in the story for a trip they made to Princeton a couple years ago.

[wideopenthrottle]

The truth of the matter is how can you put on a truly effective hunting course?

You can teach basic field dressing, tracking, camp set up and a break down a simple list of commonly used gear but there is so much more to it.

There is so many different styles of hunting and each species involves a different approach. In my opinion the only ways to learn is go out and experience it and a mentor/mentors guiding you through your time in the field makes a huge difference. Hunting is something that takes years of learning and often you never stop learning new things.

Now if you want to just teach people to roll around on FSR with an ATV/truck that is easy. Teach them to spot game, dress their kill, and a few tricks on how to get it too the truck/ATV boom your done.

If you were putting on a species specific or style specific course I could see this more productive. Something like a moose hunting course teaching calling, habitat, retrieval methods ext would be effective. Or even a course on back country hunting, still hunting, stalking ext.

In my opinion there are too many branches of hunting to run an effective general hunting course.

I have often said there 4 stages to becoming proficient at any task:
1. Research ....read the book, watch the video
2. Watching a mentor...asking questions/receiving instructions as it happens "why are you doing that?"
3. Doing for a mentor...hands on leading the task but asking questions /receiving instructions as it happens
4. Being a mentor....teaching someone else- explaining /answering their questions

[czechsanchez]

http://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Guide-Hunting-Butchering-Cooking/dp/081299406X

If you're newish to hunting, i'd recommend this book, I've only been hunting for around 3 years, being mentored by old-timers who were lucky enough to have learnt as kids. This book has been a wealth of information.

Every single fellow hunter i've shown it to has asked me to order them a copy. For 18 dollars, you cant really go wrong.

[elch jager]

I loaned a rifle to my young buddy who is friends with the brother and sister mentioned in the story for a trip they made to Princeton a couple years ago.

I think that is pretty cool.

This season, I am taking out a friend who has gotten increasingly outdoorsy since moving from Kitsilano to Hope 6 years ago. I'll be mentoring him in a general sense, but learning along the way as well since all my experience has been for Moose in Ontario and we were not successful in the Moose LEH. I have managed to influence him, teach firearm handling and encouraged him to take the CORE and PAL courses. Now he has also taken the RPAL and become an avid gun nut with at least a dozen firearms acquired. Next step is to take him into the field and get some experience. I don't know which one of us is more excited.

[J_T]

Whether you are a bowhunter or a rifle hunter, for some good lessons in hunting, styles of hunting, what to have with you, how to call, gut, skin, cape, pack, survival, first aid take a look at the International Bowhunter Education Program (IBEP). We've run it here in the Kootenay and those who take part in it, find additional enjoyment in the hunt as well as new skills.

[lostmind]

I come from a non outdoorsy family. I've been camping as often as I could get out for the past 12 years or so. Do a fair amount of fishing and know a few guys who fish. But I only know of 1 person who hunted and he doesn't hunt anymore due to a work injury...

I could have simply bought the book and challenged the test and being a fairly book smart kinda guy, I probably would have passed quite easily.

However, I took the eatwild core course. I found it quite useful. I found the instructors had a great focus on ethics, which I thought was important.

The first hand experiences of the instructors were a great addition to the actual course material too.

After the course, I signed up for the hunter field skills camp that's coming up in a couple weeks.

I have already watched plenty of youtube videos and all that but... I think the experience of following around a bunch of hunting "veterans" will offer more than a video can. I can ask questions for one... :)

Also, hopefully I'll meet a few people and maybe find someone I can trust to go hunting with.

[Foxton Gundogs]

I was just wondering if such lessons exist, there are lessons for every thing else but Ive never heard of anyone teaching people how to hunt.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?120576-New-Hunter-Bootcamp!