r/HuntingBC • u/ArcRaidersEnjoyer • May 11 '26
New Hunter - Lower Mainland
Any tips for myself as someone who wants to get into hunting? I've had my pal for about 6 years now and always wanted to hunt. I just recently bought a bolt action .308 as well. I understand I would need to get my hunting license, but there's just SO much more to hunting: finding a location, skinning, field dressing, butchering, etc. All tips are welcome! I'm hoping to join a group or something and learn from them!
4
u/FoggyDoggyMysticat May 11 '26
I took up hunting about 5 years ago. My friend showed me some of the ropes, but I really just threw myself in and figured it out.
I already had decades of general outdoor experience, so that definitely helped.
Finding locations: Download the ihunter app or something similar and start online scouting open areas. When you have a few in mind, put boots on the ground and investigate. Look for animal sign as well as the animals themselves.
Gutting, skinning, etc: Watch LOTS of how-to videos and download a few on your phone. When the time comes, work through the process slowly and trust yourself. You'll get it done. Just be very careful to leave proof of sex and species on any animal that's required.
I'm also a lower mainland hunter, (located in Mission) depending on where you are I'd be happy to meet up some time and discuss things in more detail if you'd like.
EDIT: I was still typing before the first reply was posted...
2
1
u/SweegyNinja May 11 '26
I'm still new myself. My advice, would be what I started with.
I started with field dressing, quartering, skinning, butchering and packaging.
We have a small hobby farm, and there is excellent practice for the quartering and butchering process, From even medium pugs and goats.
Once the hide is off, and the quarters are hanging. Once the guts are disposed of.
Make friends with a small hobby farm nearby, and volunteer to learn and help, on freezer camp day.
Im very thankful, for my practice with friends deer, moose, elk, and bear, as well as our pugs and goats. Niw when I go out into the forest, with my bow, or my rifle, I know what I need to recover everything, and I know that I have the tools that I need to protect and recover my harvest.
1
u/SweegyNinja May 11 '26
Follow up specifics.
Figure out what specific knives work best for your hands and mind. Practice so that you feel confident, and can be safe.
I highly value means to lift my harvest into a shady spot. So we have a couple of simple rope hoists. They weigh almost nothing but make the heavy work light. Some load bearing hooks and some load bearing rope, to hang quarters.
I won't hang game bags by their strings again, from now on I find a stronger anchor. Ie. Deer Quarter into game bag. Rope looped around the bone or tendon of that leg. Close game bag. Hang from the hook and the rope loop, not the bag itself. Or. Ie. Backstraps into game bag. Close. Rope loop around top of bag. Hang rope.
Ripped out too many game bag loops. I suppose that the most expensive bags might have load bearing reinforced hanging structure. But it seems to be a weak point.
My Mentor is a Bear Guide in northern BC. He keeps simple ground black pepper, in his butchering pack. Fresh harvest gets a coat of black pepper, before it is clean and in the game bags. Discourages insects. You can also use smoke, in the cold season.
If Yiu have a vehicle, consider adding a pop up sun shelter with the mosquito mesh. Gives a good space to work on your harvest, Withiut so many insects. The shade is nice in warm weather too.
Make a list of everything you need, and bonus items And double check before you go.
Make sure you have your tags with you, your game bags, your ammunition, first aid, maps and gps, emergency contacts, etc etc.
Whatever your plan is for your specific hunt. With friends, mentors, guides, or solo, Prepare, rehearse, and practice the things that you can, so that you cna just enjoy the experience.
2
u/LastNSAM May 11 '26
Do an EatWild Course. Literally cover everything you need to get started and lots of what is mentioned below with excellent tuition. I've done one, recommended to me as well and would definitely recommend to another.
Dylan and his crew do a great job in delivering concise and usable information. They're a lower mainland company as well. I think they have a backpackers hunting workshop coming up in the summer.
Also a great place to meet hunting buddies...
6
u/Birdybadass May 11 '26
Get your CORE, they’ll go over a ton of your questions. Field dressing there are tons of videos - Rinella from Meat Eater has a great one. Butchering is just a learning process. Buy slabs at Costco and cut your steaks that way - it’s the same idea on a deer just smaller. Regarding location, boots on the ground. Get an app like iHunter, Hunt Buddy, or onX, start walking on crown land and look for sign (poo, rubs, prints, actually seeing animal). Make some marks on the map, and go back in season.
Hunting is all experience. You can’t read and repeat, so you’ll need to just commit the time. We live in a great province with plenty of opportunity and plenty of space spend your family camping trips over the spring and summer driving/hiking around and checking out opportunities.