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Looking For Advice. New To Hunting


Paul W

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Just a little background. I hurt my back almost 20 years ago. I'm just now getting back on my feet. I started this process about 8 months ago and I just finished the hunting course and purchased my Outdoors hunting card along with a small game licence and deer tag. I need advice on how to proceed from here. I'm looking to get my migratory bird licence but no clue as to were to hunt. Same goes with the deer. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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Paul,

Welcome to the sport of deer hunting and the addiction of waterfowling.

Both can be pretty phyically demanding, (waterfowling more so than deer hunting IMO)

As far as starting out, just like fishing, you may be best to go out with a guide and learn the ropes. You can learn in one outing what would take you years of In the field experience to match. You'll learn what you need and what you don't which is priceless.

As far as deer hunting goes, you need to drive around and knock on doors to get permission. Its tough and you'll get a fair share of no's for every yes, but thats how its done.

Once you get a yes, you need to treat the place better than your own, help the guy out where you can and bring his favorite bottle at christmas.if he like venison, give him a share of the harvest. Its a relationship game and the guy is trusting you with his place. Each time you're there be sure to leave it better than you found it. Just remember the first time you screw up the place is history and you're back to knocking on doors. It will motivate you to do what I've said above.

Good luck and be careful out there.

P.s. If your deer hunting from a tree stand be sure to use a safety harnes. Like a lot of deer hunters, I've fallen out of a tree before. Trust me, with a bad back you don't want to have that experience.

Good luck.

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DON'T TRESPASS. That's my #1 advice. When you get landowner after landowner telling you NO because trespassers have worn out a hunters welcome it gets discouraging and tempting at the same time. It gets real tempting when you know you could broadhead a deer and be gone without the landowner knowing you were ever there. If there aren't any No Trespassing signs try to contact the landowner and if they don't answer and its a safe hunting location then that's cool, you tried but if there's a single No TP sign don't do it without permission. Those kind of hunters have screwed us out of so much land!

The second best advice I have is don't bother buying a tag unless you already have permission, land to hunt on and your stand has been installed for a minimum of two weeks. Its been three since I cut my shooting lanes and just bought my tag this morning. Can't wait for this bloody wind to die so I can double check my sites and hit the stand.

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Dan,

I used to bowhunt deer quite a bit and was pretty successful at it. When i was starting out i used to stay home when the wind picked up. Then I found that hunting on the windy days was actually really good, wspecially from adhoc ground blinds. I'm not sure why. Maybe its because the wind masks any noise or dilutes your scent. I'm not sure, but it worked. Obviously you have to watch the wind direction is downwind from your lanes and whatnot, it sure wasn't something that made me stay home. Try it, you might be surprised.

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I use to think that way about the wind too i would stay home lost out on a lot of hunting days because of that if you can hunt from a ground blind

get out there i know that hunting from a stand in the wind can be very hard almost impossible as your tree will be swaying back and forth not fun

but if you do hunt a windy day look hard at your surroundings for dead trees/ and branches/as these things are called widowmakers always have to

think safety first then the fun

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Paul,

Welcome to the sport of deer hunting and the addiction of waterfowling.

Both can be pretty phyically demanding, (waterfowling more so than deer hunting IMO)

As far as starting out, just like fishing, you may be best to go out with a guide and learn the ropes. You can learn in one outing what would take you years of In the field experience to match. You'll learn what you need and what you don't which is priceless.

As far as deer hunting goes, you need to drive around and knock on doors to get permission. Its tough and you'll get a fair share of no's for every yes, but thats how its done.

Once you get a yes, you need to treat the place better than your own, help the guy out where you can and bring his favorite bottle at christmas.if he like venison, give him a share of the harvest. Its a relationship game and the guy is trusting you with his place. Each time you're there be sure to leave it better than you found it. Just remember the first time you screw up the place is history and you're back to knocking on doors. It will motivate you to do what I've said above.

Good luck and be careful out there.

P.s. If your deer hunting from a tree stand be sure to use a safety harnes. Like a lot of deer hunters, I've fallen out of a tree before. Trust me, with a bad back you don't want to have that experience.

Good luck.

Thanks for the welcome. I appreciate the advice. I've been out of town and just returned so I apologise for not replying prior. I hope to start knocking on doors soon. If you don't mind I'd like to ask, do you know of a guide in the area or should I just google?

Thanks again

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DON'T TRESPASS. That's my #1 advice. When you get landowner after landowner telling you NO because trespassers have worn out a hunters welcome it gets discouraging and tempting at the same time. It gets real tempting when you know you could broadhead a deer and be gone without the landowner knowing you were ever there. If there aren't any No Trespassing signs try to contact the landowner and if they don't answer and its a safe hunting location then that's cool, you tried but if there's a single No TP sign don't do it without permission. Those kind of hunters have screwed us out of so much land!

The second best advice I have is don't bother buying a tag unless you already have permission, land to hunt on and your stand has been installed for a minimum of two weeks. Its been three since I cut my shooting lanes and just bought my tag this morning. Can't wait for this bloody wind to die so I can double check my sites and hit the stand.

Thanks for the help. I unfortunately already purchased a tag, guess I got a little excited when I was at Service Ontario. Sounds like finding land will be by far my biggest obstacle. Hopefully I'll find somewhere before he end of the season.

Thanks again.

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You can always contact the NPCA ( Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority ) For a yearly fee you can hunt some of their properties for deer, small game turkey or waterfowl. Not your first choice obviously but it will get you out hunting this fall.

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I have been searching for 2 years now no luck hopefully you do better then me. Seems every spot is taken or people do not want hunters on the land.

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I have been searching for 2 years now no luck hopefully you do better then me. Seems every spot is taken or people do not want hunters on the land.

Wow, 2 years, that's depressing. I will try and see if I have any luck.

You can always contact the NPCA ( Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority ) For a yearly fee you can hunt some of their properties for deer, small game turkey or waterfowl. Not your first choice obviously but it will get you out hunting this fall.

Do you have an idea of their fee?

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There is a fee I think it's 20 or 25 can't remember all the info is on the website it's not a bad deal. It gets packed with people thou

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It's 30 bucks this year ! Allows access to a lot of good spots if your willing to put in the leg work ! Their office is on thorold Rd welland right beside centennial high school ! There are a lot of people using these areas so be careful !

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There is a fee I think it's 20 or 25 can't remember all the info is on the website it's not a bad deal. It gets packed with people thou

Thanks for the info

It's 30 bucks this year ! Allows access to a lot of good spots if your willing to put in the leg work ! Their office is on thorold Rd welland right beside centennial high school ! There are a lot of people using these areas so be careful !

Thanks, I live in Welland so I'll drop by.

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It's 30 bucks this year ! Allows access to a lot of good spots if your willing to put in the leg work ! Their office is on thorold Rd welland right beside centennial high school ! There are a lot of people using these areas so be careful !

Also, if there are other hunters there it might be a chance to meet someone that wouldn't mind mentoring a new guy!

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