New to Hunting

[WesHarm]

Hi,

My names Wes, since I've been browsing the forums I will begin with a joke, Im a student studying computer science, and since im not a hunter, dont have any hunting joke, and taking one off the internet seemed like cheating.

There are only 10 types of people that will understand this joke. The ones that get it, and the ones that don't.

I know its not the greatest... but its a try!

Anyways a little about me and some questions.

I think that hunting is a great way to spend some quality time outdoors, I love the outdoors, and wish I could be completely self reliant, thus I really want to learn how to hunt, and preferably cook well real game. The problem? Not only does noone I know personally hunt, everyone that I ask or talk to about it seems to be offend for me even asking. Now this just seems intrinsically wrong to me. You'll go out a buy meat that someone else killed, but somehow its inhuman to want to actually kill and butcher it yourself?

Anyways, enough ranting. I live in North Vancouver and was wondering if theres any hunters in my area. I also was wondering if you needed your PAL before you take the CORE course, and if there are any good instructors in my area for both courses.

Thanks in Advance!
Wes

(ps. This site seems to be the best most helpful and knowledgable site out there!)

[MuleyMadness]

Hi,

My names Wes, since I've been browsing the forums I will begin with a joke, Im a student studying computer science, and since im not a hunter, dont have any hunting joke, and taking one off the internet seemed like cheating.

There are only 10 types of people that will understand this joke. The ones that get it, and the ones that don't.

I know its not the greatest... but its a try!

Anyways a little about me and some questions.

I think that hunting is a great way to spend some quality time outdoors, I love the outdoors, and wish I could be completely self reliant, thus I really want to learn how to hunt, and preferably cook well real game. The problem? Not only does noone I know personally hunt, everyone that I ask or talk to about it seems to be offend for me even asking. Now this just seems intrinsically wrong to me. You'll go out a buy meat that someone else killed, but somehow its inhuman to want to actually kill and butcher it yourself?

Anyways, enough ranting. I live in North Vancouver and was wondering if theres any hunters in my area. I also was wondering if you needed your PAL before you take the CORE course, and if there are any good instructors in my area for both courses.

Thanks in Advance!
Wes

(ps. This site seems to be the best most helpful and knowledgable site out there!)

Welcome to the site Wes!

Another computer/electrical geek, as the joke testifies to, is always welcome :)

Enjoy the site and your pursuit of hunting!

[knighthunter]

Welcome, you've come to the right place as there is tons of knowledge on here. In fact if you keep an eye on the strategy post, you'll pick up some tips for sure. No matter how dumb some question seems to you, ask anyways as I'm sure someone on here has wondered the same thing.

[WesHarm]

Thanks for the replies! Still wondering, do I need to have my firearms license before i take the Core course? or does it matter which order i do it in?

[Tripitaka]

Non-definitive answer (i.e. I'm happy to be corrected):

I understand that you do not need your PAL to take the CORE but having it saves you having to sit the firearms part of the CORE course/test. If you do have it, it saves that bit of time and effort.

After all, you might be using a bow to hunt.

[835]

I would think PAL first un less you are only going to bow hunt.

You need a rifle to kill stuff, So the PAL is a requirement. As well if you take your pal and there is time between pal and core at least you can go ut to practice shooting before your core. So if i were you id go PAL then CORE.

Good luck, and if you ever have a question feel free to PM me. I'd be glad to help.

[WesHarm]

Awesome, thanks for the info, PAL then CORE sounds like the way to go for me I think, does anyone know of anywhere around North Vancouver with a range? I know theres one in Squamish, just wondering if theres anything closer, or if anyone uses the Squamish range that I could maybe meet up with sometime after I get my PAL?

[Mr. Dean]

You do not need your PAL to take the CORE.

^^^ This is correct.
But if you're willing, you can take a combined course that'll have you all 'papered up', in the same time frame as doing only the C.O.R.E.

Do it all! I say. :smile:

[WesHarm]

Oh wow! yeah a combined class sounds amazing!! Do you know of anyone near to Vancouver that offers the combined course?

[835]

Oh wow! yeah a combined class sounds amazing!! Do you know of anyone near to Vancouver that offers the combined course?


Call your local sporting goods stores, they usually have a list.

[Mr. Dean]

Oh wow! yeah a combined class sounds amazing!! Do you know of anyone near to Vancouver that offers the combined course?

Look these guys up: http://www.bcwf.bc.ca/
Snoop around the CORE pg. and you'll find a list of examiners.

[WesHarm]

awsome thanks for the link :D

[brian]

If you can't find a combined course Silvercore does an awesome job with the PAL. I would recommend having your PAL before doing the CORE (it saves a step and you don't have to do the firearms training part of the CORE without it you have to do both).

As for hunting in your area... in a short answer no. The long answer is North Van, West Van, Poco, Coquitlam all have firearms/Bow regulations that limit hunting opportunity in their city limits (which stretch quite far into the bush). North of these municipalities you have a combination of parkland and restricted access watersheds that further prohibit hunting. There is a 1km no shooting rule along the sea to sky until Squamish. 1 km puts you pretty high up there in elevation, and up top there is more provincial park that is popular with the hikers. East the closest hunting to you would be the area of Pinecone Burke provincial park that sits behind the city of Coquitlam (a decent hike in not really a day hunt opportunity) or the backside of Indian Arm (boat in). North is basically Squamish unless you want to hike high and camp. And West is only available if you have a boat.

Go pick up a free copy of lower mainland shooting guide map, it'll clear some of this up. But just to be clear parks, municipal bylaws, and the hunting regulations all have rules about where and what you can/not shoot. Make sure you cross them all off before you decide to hunt an area.

[WesHarm]

Thanks yeah I think if i did any hunting it would end up being near Pemberton area. Just need to find someone to go with as I think even with CORE and PAL I find it a terribly BAD idea to go hunting alone. Maybe i'll get lucky and find someone on here :)

[835]

Thanks yeah I think if i did any hunting it would end up being near Pemberton area. Just need to find someone to go with as I think even with CORE and PAL I find it a terribly BAD idea to go hunting alone. Maybe i'll get lucky and find someone on here :)


If you cant find anyone to take you dont let that stop you. Your quite correct someone to help you is WAY better but should not stop you.

Go to the range as much as you can, or go into the bush and shoot somewhere safe. But shoot as much as you can. At a proper target :mrgreen:
Take a folding table and chair if you go to the forrest to rest on. Build a rifle rest if you are interested i can explain via pm how mine is built.
BUT PRACTICE!!

Goin the local Fish and game club and attend the meetings, there will be people on hand there that will help you.

once you are resonably confidant with a rifle fly at it! no it isnt that easy, But you wont learn if you dont do it! And hunting alone isnt too bad, just dont get lost, dont shoot anyone and make sure you are aloud to kill what you are going to kill.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Thanks yeah I think if i did any hunting it would end up being near Pemberton area. Just need to find someone to go with as I think even with CORE and PAL I find it a terribly BAD idea to go hunting alone. Maybe i'll get lucky and find someone on here :)

Ever get over to the Island look us up great bunch of guys here always glad to see new comers its what keeps the sport alive

[kamloopshunter]

I would suggest getting your PAL now instead of in the summer because, 1) it takes quite some time for it to be processed back east and you don't wanna be left without a rifle in September 2) it gives you a chance to get to know your rifle and if handloading gives you a chance to get some really consistent cartridges.

You can challenge the CORE and PAL courses. I challenged both of them and wrote their tests. Its not a bad idea to take the courses if you want some good grounding but most of it is common sense. You can go to the library or order the books required and save some time and money.

[kamloopshunter]

i actually found the firearms safety book they use for the course online. I downloaded it and studied off of that.

[WesHarm]

my girl friend actually has the book, she took the course and suggested it was a good idea to take n e ways, but I am studying from it :D

[luckofthedraw]

welcome.

My experience.

I took the core first,in 2007. Hunted with a family member twice before having my pal. You do not need a PAL to hunt, just to OWN a riffle. Without the PAL, you can still hunt, as long as you are within sight of the registered owner of the firearm. After loving the first two hunting trips, I knew I had to own my own riffle, and took the PAL in 2009.

[WesHarm]

i dont have any family members or friends with rifles or any hunting experience :( wish i did tho! haha seems really exciting and a very awsome way to get outdoors!

[Alec]

For students needing both PAL and CORE, I recommend PAL first - all one topic, saves doing part of the CORE exam - and do CORE while you wait the 6 weeks for PAL to be processed

[bugler]

So...a computer student opting to pursue a REAL LIFE shooter game. Warms my heart!!! Welcome to the second best thing that life has to offer (the first being the love of family). You will not regret starting down this road.

[backroads]

HY WESHARM, so how are you making out with licences and such? taken any courses yet? It's tough starting out believe me! I started in the early 1980's,with afew friends who proclaimed they were avid hunters. It took 10 yrs of bad trips and a truck load of money too learn they knew sqat! about hunting. I learned alot on my own from those trips.Then i got lucky, i always made sure i talked to a lot of other hunters,and listened.It was'nt long after one took me under his wing, and taught me so many things! I also learned some hunters like too bulls@@t which is ok,goes with the territory. When you do meet some vetrn hunters listen to what they say you will learn alot. And if your at their place look around see whats on the walls,take it from there.I sure wish there was internet like HBC sites when i started. Im sure you'll get all the help you"ll need right here! Welcome,we need people like you too keep the sport alive! BR.

[BiG Boar]

Beware, hunting can be dangerously addictive! I've hunted for 3 years now and each year I only like it better. There's lots of animals to kill. You live in a place that makes the rest of the world green with envy!!!

[WesHarm]

Yeah, thanks for the tips, learning ALOT form here, im actually curently in the process of taking the CFSC and just itchin to get out this summer to scout around... prolly wont get my hunting license in time as sI am moving to Ontario for three months... but when I get back I'll be scouting and looking out for any hunters to see if I can tag along/ have a chat and learn some from them :D

[Centerfire]

Hi Wesharm,

It's nice to see a fellow North Van-ner on here. Welcome.

Take your PAL and then your CORE. It's simpler that way.

I started hunting 1 1/2 years ago and was lucky enough to work with a friend who has hunted for 15 years (actually, it was he who got me into hunting). He is a wealth of information! That being said, it is a steep learning curve and there are some things that you will have to learn for yourself by just getting out in the bush and doing it. You will also likely learn your own style of how you like to hunt.

Because we live in North Vancouver, you will find that a many people will feel that you are some sort of blood crazed sadist when you mention that you like to hunt. You have to remember that these people think of meat only as the thing that they payed $5 for at the store. They probably can't even identify which part of the animal the steak on their plate comes from. Tactfully educate these people that you are someone who wants to eliminate that gap that exists between most people and the origins of the food they eat; that you want to be responsible enough to be a part of the whole process and not have someone else do "the dirty work" for you; that you want to harvest an animal that has had a chance to have a full life out in its natural environment and has had a chance to mate and enjoy its life unlike farmed cattle that live in pens and are killed young.

Also, don't be afraid to hunt by yourself. I do it all the time. It gives me some quality time to myself when I can really focus and forget about everything else. If you are going to do that, I would really recommend a few things. First, get a good gps. I have a Garmin Csx (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=310) and it rocks. Second, buy and learn how to use a compass just in case your gps craps out on you. Third, Learn some basic first aid and survival skills. Fourth, buy and learn how to use a SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=102). It's well worth the money. These things will help you feel a little safer on your own out there.

I bagged my first black bear last spring (check out my avatar) when I was by myself up in the mountains around Squamish. It was A LOT of work not having someone there with me but that made the whole experience extra special. I did it all on my own. I took the quarters to Beltrame Meats and had them make up some pepperoni, garlic sausage, and hams. It tastes excellent especially knowing that I did it myself.

If you have any questions, Personal Message me and I will do my best to answer your questions from one noob to another.

Welcome to the world of hunting!


-Centerfire 8-)

[fearnodeer]

Was just checking online and found this hope grandma is still okay

[MillBay]

Hello fellow computer science guy, I work in an IT shop of over a 200 folks and as far as I know I am the only one that hunts (mind you I'm at the end of my career). Stick with that computer science it will pay off good for you, the only draw back is you will have to spend the rest of your career pretending your interested in every electronic gaget that comes out because thats what your fellow techy's do for a hobby.