New hunter is a guide/outfitter the best option?

[gashunter]

Hello I have done my CORE and I'm also practicing in the use of a bow, and rifle. The problem with CORE is that most of it was written test and learning from what the instructor told me.I feel that the very short one day class "CORE" didn't prepare me for most of the practical stuff to do with hunting. Like the instructor didn't actually bring us to hunt a bear or even show us hands on field dressing an animal. It was mostly just the instructor pointing at a book for less than 15 minutes(somehow we're suppose to know how to field dress an animal). The instructor does not even tell us what is the proper tool for field dressing the animal. Also nothing about what to do with the animal after taking the harvested parts was mentioned or maybe I forgot.

I'm not going to point out which was the CORE instructor, I'm not here to make anyone's life miserable.
I notice that looking at here on the forum of the sticky threads there are no recent workshop or hunting camp for new hunters available.



Right now what I'm thinking of doing is signing up for something like this, and in hope the guide will teach me everything I could learn about hunting


https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/13250?currency=CAD&SearchTerm=Bear

https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/14080?currency=CAD&SearchTerm=Bear

https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/8419?currency=CAD



I'm going to take a flight over to East Coast just to do this because hiring a guide/outfitter here in the West Coast is very expensive.
I'm from Vancouver

[Boner]

Sounds like you have it figured out, good luck!

[Fella]

YouTube was a good resource for me when I first started.

[dakoda62]

Taking a guided trip although helpful, will be extremely expensive, Transporter, a little less. You tube has valuable info, hours upon hours of field dressing, boning, quartering. My advice is find someone on here to mentor you, save your cash for your first hunt.

[Wild one]

Go join your local rod&gun club and meet hunters. Get involved in the hunting community and you will meet experienced hunters and build friendships that may result in invited on hunts. Even stick around here and to know people there is even a pub night done in the lower mainland

As for the CORE it is designed to make you legally capable of hunting not teach you how to hunt. Hunting is not something you learn by taking a course over a few days there is way too much involved

Personally I believe hiring a guide won’t do much for you expecially a guided hunt outside side of B.C. where conditions are not comparable

[Jordan f.]

^Wild One is dead on

Hunting takes years to get good at. I've seen more then a couple animals hit the ground, and I am still no where near "knowing it all".

Join local clubs, join organizations that align with your views (WSS, BHA, SCI, BCWF), be active on the forums (even if you don't harvest anything, post your trials and errors), use YouTube/Instagram/Podcasts.... If you love it... It'll work out.

Personally, I'd save money and pass on the guide. Put that money towards gear, gas, and days off in the bush!

[Jordan f.]

Don't be embarrassed to start small either. Go for grouse/rabbits first. Get comfortable skinning/processing them before you shoot a big buck 10kms from the truck

[Wild one]

Don't be embarrassed to start small either. Go for grouse/rabbits first. Get comfortable skinning/processing them before you shoot a big buck 10kms from the truck

What fun would that be real men jump in head first balls out and learn through the trial by fire method :lol:

But I guess some are soft and sensitive so they have to take it slow

[MichelD]

I took a young guy out hunting numerous times but we never connected while hunting together. Then he applied for an LEH doe draw and got it and went on his own. Shot the doe and to his good fortune a hunter on a quad showed up and helped him gut it and brought it to camp for him.

But he was totally prepared to take it on himself. Look at a lot of videos on Youtube. Save your money. Make friends here and elsewhere.

If you really really feel like you need lessons consider EatWild.

You don't have to go to New Brunswick!

They are local. I know several new hunters who have gone that route and been happy.


http://www.eatwild.ca/

[guest]

Dont know who you took your core through but NO core course is designed as a 1 day course........not good.
There are policies set for a reason. This sounds like a good reason for16 hr min plus exams.

Any way good luck to you.

[chele]

Besides all the good advise you have received already, I would suggest to contact a farmer or butcher and ask them if they could let you see/help them preparing a lamb/cow. Maybe give them half of what you where going to pay for the plane ticket to go to the east coast. good luck!

[monasheemountainman]

The right tool for field dressing is a knife

[Islander30]

I agree, just about anything you want to know about hunting can be "googled" or "youtubed" other than that decide what you want to start with and research some areas....I'd stay away from LEH for a season or two till your confident on you want to put in for....but its black bear season right now, so watch some videos on dressing and skinning bear, find a butcher who will make you some pepperoni, buy a tag and get out there.....you don't need a guide....if you need to you can pm me and I'll tell you where you will find some bears :razz:

edit: not sure what area you want to try, but I can certainly point you in the right direction on the Island anyways....sounds like you're willing to travel, so the Island isnt far and we've got BIG bears ! If not I know most guys aren't super secretive about bear spots, lots of them around. My first deer season I just pm'd a guy on here that I saw him and his sons were dropping blacktails left and right. He was happy to point me in a few directions and I ended up tagging out....nothing big that first season of course, but nothing like hands on to start my education..lol ! Got an elk draw the next year and man do I love looking at that big guy on my wall every day since !


.

[gashunter]

Hey everyone, thank you for all the suggestion one thing I'm uncertain about is the law when it comes to hunting. Yes the Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis tell people all the areas you can hunt in but I'm worried about screwing up. Like I don't know if I'm confident enough to do it. I don't want a conservation officer to bust my ass because of a mistake. I'm worry I could go into private land without knowing, I'm worry I could kill an animal that is an illegal kill, I'm worry I could be hunting in an area that is no shooting allowed, I'm also not confident in my driving skill in rough terrain. I never drive outside of the city.



I took a young guy out hunting numerous times but we never connected while hunting together. Then he applied for an LEH doe draw and got it and went on his own. Shot the doe and to his good fortune a hunter on a quad showed up and helped him gut it and brought it to camp for him.

But he was totally prepared to take it on himself. Look at a lot of videos on Youtube. Save your money. Make friends here and elsewhere.

If you really really feel like you need lessons consider EatWild.

You don't have to go to New Brunswick!

They are local. I know several new hunters who have gone that route and been happy.


http://www.eatwild.ca/


Hi MichelD, and also someone named Chris who pmed me


I already signed up for the Hunter Field Skills Workshop May 2019, This will be my first time doing any of their workshop/courses.
I will meet Dylan and go to the Singing Lands Ranch in about a week. The only thing I'm waiting for now is car pool information from Dylan, I'm a poor driver.
yea if I know about eatwild earlier I would had definitely done CORE with them just from looking at their site their CORE course is longer and more informative.
I hope I could learn as much as I can from them during the long weekend. Even so with this I don't feel confident from this course alone.

Is a couple of days really enough?(on the first day we would arrive in the evening apparently) I understand that part of the course they would have someone to teach us how to spot and stalk deers like without actually hunting them, But is it different for bears? because bears are what I actually want to hunt :(

[338win mag]

You need a mentor, are you hunting with a rifle? shooting alot is really going to boost your confidence, I highly suggest you shoot alot before hunting animals, whether it bow or rifle, confidence with your weapon is really important, good luck with your quest.

[gashunter]

You need a mentor, are you hunting with a rifle? shooting alot is really going to boost your confidence, I highly suggest you shoot alot before hunting animals, whether it bow or rifle, confidence with your weapon is really important, good luck with your quest.

I'm just about to hit the Archery place in an hour or so. I'm going to practice the bow/bows a lot.

[338win mag]

That would be really good to do, shoot alot, good for you, keep us posted as to your progress and dont hesitate to ask a legitimate question, which is any question you may have to build your confidence through knowledge.

[Wild one]

Since archery is the path you seem to be on get out to the 3D shoots and get to know the bow hunters in your area

Just watch out for the ones with banjos that say you have a pretty mouth lol

[Ourea]

Solution.......
Mentor
Someone that knows their sh*t

You will find one

[r106]

Like others have said you need a mentor.

I started from scratch like you about 12 years ago didnt know a thing about it before hand. I found that the core course just ensured you could ID animals and understand how to read the regulations otherwise you learn everything else on your own which i didnt find that hard.
My first big game animal was a black bear and at the time it felt like it was going to be bit overwhelming but honestly it was easy. Youtube is a great source and this site is too. Once the animal is down it just becomes a job and just start working at it. Comon sense goes a long way.. As far as your driving ability, your on your own there.

[r106]

More than likely you will shoot a grouse or rabbit first and that will boost your confidence

[Fella]

For gutting make sure you have a good sharp knife. The havalon series of knives would be good for a beginner as you can just swap blades out when they get dull. First bear I shot I only had a super dull folding knife.

[Wild one]

For gutting make sure you have a good sharp knife. The havalon series of knives would be good for a beginner as you can just swap blades out when they get dull. First bear I shot I only had a super dull folding knife.

This is good advice

Dull knife makes a job tougher and increases the odds of cutting yourself because you have less control do to applying extra force to make

I am old school and use a hand sharpened fixed blade but have seen the Havalon in action and they are handy

[MichelD]

You'll meet people there.

Maybe others who though as inexperienced as you, might be willing to take you along.

A lot of your questions will be answered there just by talking to people.



Hey everyone, thank you for all the suggestion one thing I'm uncertain about is the law when it comes to hunting. Yes the Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis tell people all the areas you can hunt in but I'm worried about screwing up. Like I don't know if I'm confident enough to do it. I don't want a conservation officer to bust my ass because of a mistake. I'm worry I could go into private land without knowing, I'm worry I could kill an animal that is an illegal kill, I'm worry I could be hunting in an area that is no shooting allowed, I'm also not confident in my driving skill in rough terrain. I never drive outside of the city.





Hi MichelD, and also someone named Chris who pmed me


I already signed up for the Hunter Field Skills Workshop May 2019, This will be my first time doing any of their workshop/courses.
I will meet Dylan and go to the Singing Lands Ranch in about a week. The only thing I'm waiting for now is car pool information from Dylan, I'm a poor driver.
yea if I know about eatwild earlier I would had definitely done CORE with them just from looking at their site their CORE course is longer and more informative.
I hope I could learn as much as I can from them during the long weekend. Even so with this I don't feel confident from this course alone.

Is a couple of days really enough?(on the first day we would arrive in the evening apparently) I understand that part of the course they would have someone to teach us how to spot and stalk deers like without actually hunting them, But is it different for bears? because bears are what I actually want to hunt :(

[MichelD]

Look at a lot of videos and written lessons like the following one.

BUT: Remember there is one thing wrong in this one from Washington because in BC you must not remove all the genitalia. You have to leave evidence of what sex the animal is, so I just leave the whole testicle penis assembly or udder if it is a doe attached to the carcass, even once it is skinned. You have to leave the tail attached too.

https://www.hunter-ed.com/washington/studyGuide/Field-Dressing-a-Deer-Detailed-Instructions/20105001_700046905/


There are a lot of videos out there, some I agree with, others not. Some split the pelvis and breast in the field. I usually have to drag an animal a distance and that just opens up more exposed meat to gather dirt you will have to discard so I don't do that. I cut a deep ring around the anus, then slit it open from right beside the genitals where the gut cavity starts up to the brisket and extract the Guts through that opening. The toughest thing is to be VERY VERY careful to NOT split the stomach with your knife as you slit the skin open. Look at some of the videos for how to make a little slit to get a couple fingers under the hide so you can guide the knife along without puncturing the stomach.

Once it is open, reaching in and cutting around the diaphragm is a bit tough to learn at first, as is reaching all the way up and cutting the windpipe and esophagus. Once that is done though, it will mostly just come out with a strong tug though there may be some cuts necessary along the backbone.

If you have cut deeply enough around the anus then the lower intestine should pull out fairly easily too, but it is slippery.

I hunt alone so I often skin out and section the animal on the ground, usually after I have dragged it close to the truck. I use clean ground, (preferably grass or heather) tarps and the skin of the animal itself as it is peeled off to keep the carcass clean. I take it apart in components and put them in home made cotton bags. The two front shoulders and legs go in one bag, the neck/chest and portion of back bone cut off where the ribs start in another bag and the lower back and hindquarters in another.

That's just me though. Others will tell you their methods.

When with companions, we usually hang the deer up by the back end and skin it suspended by the back legs, and use a big cotton bag around the whole carcass to keep bugs off.

Check your email.

[Bubbacanuck]

Hello I have done my CORE and I'm also practicing in the use of a bow, and rifle. The problem with CORE is that most of it was written test and learning from what the instructor told me.I feel that the very short one day class "CORE" didn't prepare me for most of the practical stuff to do with hunting. Like the instructor didn't actually bring us to hunt a bear or even show us hands on field dressing an animal. It was mostly just the instructor pointing at a book for less than 15 minutes(somehow we're suppose to know how to field dress an animal). The instructor does not even tell us what is the proper tool for field dressing the animal. Also nothing about what to do with the animal after taking the harvested parts was mentioned or maybe I forgot.

I'm not going to point out which was the CORE instructor, I'm not here to make anyone's life miserable.
I notice that looking at here on the forum of the sticky threads there are no recent workshop or hunting camp for new hunters available.



Right now what I'm thinking of doing is signing up for something like this, and in hope the guide will teach me everything I could learn about hunting


https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/13250?currency=CAD&SearchTerm=Bear

https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/14080?currency=CAD&SearchTerm=Bear

https://www.bookyourhunt.com/Tour/8419?currency=CAD



I'm going to take a flight over to East Coast just to do this because hiring a guide/outfitter here in the West Coast is very expensive.
I'm from Vancouver

Hey gashunter,
I completed my CORE one year ago almost to the day. I met a few great guys on this site that were willing to take me out hunting for my first trips. We (shout out to Dylan!) spent about 7 days elk hunting unsuccessfully, but it was a great experience and i learned a ton! I then spent a week hunting mulies with a family friend and some of his hunting buddies; again, we were unsuccessful but also learned a lot on that trip. I then took a few of my friends out up Harrison hunting blacktails on some weekend trips; also unsuccessful but we did get a grouse, so learned how to clean a ruffed grouse and enjoyed some meat. I then did a local trip for blacktail with another friend of a friend and I successfully harvested my first deer. I met another awesome guy (shout out to Rob) on this site willing to take me out duck hunting for my first 2 waterfowl sessions; I was able to bring a few ducks home for dinner. I just went turkey hunting by myself and was successful at harvesting a nice big gobbler. Podcasts such as meat eater, rookie hunter and Jay Scott outdoors were good resources. This site and youtube were also very helpful. You will always be learning as a hunter and some of the best fun is getting out and learning how to hunt, whether you are successful at harvesting an animal or not. I personally would start by going to the monthly HBC group meeting at Jimy Mac's pub on the first Wednesday of every month. You might meet some people there willing to go out with. Lots of great people on this site that are always willing to help. I am going for my first bear now, so fingers crossed! Best of luck! Chris

[gashunter]

I personally would start by going to the monthly HBC group meeting at Jimy Mac's pub on the first Wednesday of every month. You might meet some people there willing to go out with. Lots of great people on this site that are always willing to help. I am going for my first bear now, so fingers crossed! Best of luck! Chris

Hi Bubbacanuck,

If you don't mind me asking what is the HBC group meeting?

[Bubbacanuck]

Hi Bubbacanuck,

If you don't mind me asking what is the HBC group meeting?

To be completely honest, I believe its just a get together of local huntingBC members (this website) where locals meet monthly that are avid hunters/anglers (I went last month but didn't know which group it was in the pub lol). I will be there on June 3rd to see what's all about

[gashunter]

I just got back yesterday from the eatwild hunter workshop, it was very tough but I'm now confident in my stalk and spot skill!



me practicing spot and stalk

https://streamable.com/pvtac

https://streamable.com/um2hq

(https://streamable.com/um2hq)https://streamable.com/fkghn