Newbie with acouple of questions

[Josethesiningfish]

Hi guys!

So my grandpa was a hunter and I have been wanting to pick up the tradition in the family. I remember as a child I used to love to eat venison better than beef and I am beginning to believe that venison is much healthier than beef. I really do not know where to start or what to do. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I have been wanting to start with small things and work myself up to deer. As I mentioned in the title I am a Newbie.

I would like to start with an Air Riffle capable of shooting squirrels and Grouse.

cheers

Jo

[BuckEye]

Do you have your PAL.
if you do, you can start with an air rifle over 495 ft per second. Ether way the Diana or Gamo name brands are popular air rifles. Squirrels sure, grouse may get you in trouble without a hunting license.

[scoutlt1]

Read as many threads on here that have nothing to do with politics or hockey, go join your local fish and game club, take your CORE and get your PAL, ask as many questions as you can, read the hunting regs, then read them again, practice with whatever you are shooting so that you can make an "ethical" kill....and find someone, or more than one person that will take you hunting to show you the "ropes".
Soak in as much information as you can.
Hunting for most of us on here is the best way to spend our time.
Welcome.

[keoke]

Your story sounds a lot like mine. Hunting skipped a generation in my family too. This website was a great place to start and youtube was a huge help on how to videos. I would suggest getting a 22lr as it would be much more versatile than a pellet gun. Shoot lots of targets and get completely comfortable/confident with your rifle. The first animals in my bag were ducks, grouse, and rabbits. My first big game animal was a bear, I learned a lot on that hunt about bullet construction and shot placement. Since I have only one hunting partner I do a lot of solo hunting. If you are planning on solo hunting I would strongly suggest buying a SPOT gps locator, for piece of mind for you and your loved ones. Get out in the bush and take it all in.

[Josethesiningfish]

Thank you all for your wise advise I will try to get in contact with a Fish and Game club and begin the process to acquire CORE and PAL.
Koeke,
is that a .22 caliber long rifle? could you please elaborate on what you meant by "versatile"

again, Thank you guys.

Jo

[brian]

Getting started is tough, especially if you don't have a mentor to show you the ropes (and a few choice areas to hunt).
#1 get the paper work out of the way. If you don't have your PAL (firearms license) get it first. Then take your CORE to get your hunter number. If you don't have your PAL when you take your CORE, you'll need to do an extra bit to demonstrate safe firearms handling skills. This will not license you to carry a firearm and will be redundant when you take your PAL.

#2 Practice with your firearms (I'd suggest starting with a 22LR, if you go the air rifle direction then make sure it is capable of cleanly killing small game).

#3 Read everything you can about hunting and read EVERYTHING you can about the species you want to hunt.

#4 This is the hard part... go out in the woods and look for the game you want to hunt. Get out as often as you can and learn how to read the land. Come back with questions, ask them here then go out again and learn some more. Learn as much as you can about a promising area. Eventually you will start connecting the dots. My uncle often says hunting is like a puzzle where you have to go out and find the pieces.

[keoke]

Thank you all for your wise advise I will try to get in contact with a Fish and Game club and begin the process to acquire CORE and PAL.
Koeke,
is that a .22 caliber long rifle? could you please elaborate on what you meant by "versatile"

again, Thank you guys.

Jo

With a .22lr you can change it up a bit with ammo choices. You can get slow sub sonic ammo which is quiet (800ish fps) won't spook animals as much. Or you can go for some more oomph with some cci velocitors (1450 fps).

[Jelvis]

What age are you? Jose. Where on the planet do you live? You are a member since 2009?
Jel .. Sounds like your quite young? .. An age would help in determining an appropriate answer.
If you don't mind.

[Josethesiningfish]

Yes, sorry I did not introduced myself.

Yeah I kind of fell off the world there for a couple of years, University took all my time. I am 26 years old live in West Vancouver, yet I am not a city boy. The reason why I want to become a hunter is because I find it ethical to go out an find what I eat. Also I have happy memories from my childhood in Mexico when grandpa used to go hunting for bucks, pheasants and quails.

[Josethesiningfish]

Ok, I'm Sold! I think I like the idea of versatility. :-D

[Josethesiningfish]

Where could I get my PAL? and then where could I get my CORE?

Also thank for your advise.

Jo

[Ioneth]

http://homestudy.ihea.com/

I used this site to learn before challenging the exams. I also borrowed the pal book and purchased the core book.

To find a tester just google or call some hunting/gun stores in your area they should be able to help

[pg83]

Silvercore hava good instructors and all the different weapons for you to handle and become comfortable with in a safe environment. You can do your Restricted, Non-Restricted, and CORE in a matter of days through them.
http://www.silvercore.ca/

I know there used to be at least one guy in North Vancouver(Don Walzak 604-987-2016). I think he has to do his training in Squamish now though I could be mistaken.

[brian]

If you don't have a firearms background, then I would do the course. It is good to get hands on experience with all the deactivated guns before you go out and use the real thing. Silvercore does a good course, I got a lot out of it when I did mine with them. The course you are looking for is the CFSC/CRFSC (basically non-restricted and restricted rolled into one. As a hunter you don't need the restricted but there is so much overlap that it doesn't hurt to do them at the same time.)

http://www.silvercore.ca/courses/canadian-firearms-safety-course-slash-canadian-restricted-firearms-safety-course

They also offer a CORE course, but I didn't do mine with them. I didn't get as much out of doing the core course. You can easily get the manual and a copy of the hunting synopsis (free at gun stores for the paper copy, online http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/ (scroll down to the 2012-2014 hunting and trapping regulation synopsis complete))

Core information http://www.bcwf.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=187

If you want to do the course you can call to gun stores and find out when someone is running a course around town. You basically need to pass the CORE exam to get a hunter number which you need to be able to get hunting licenses. All the initial red tape is the worst.

[Josethesiningfish]

Ok will do

[WaderGator]

Start with the CORE and PAL. I think bird hunting is a good starting point. Pick up a 12 gauge and you're off to the races. Don't waste your time with pellet guns

[hunter1947]

Go get your pal first then ,find someone that will take you out that has been into hunting for many of years the older person you find the better they will have lots of experience in the hunting field.