I wanna get into hunting in the New Year!

[ilario11]

Merry Christmas all!!!

 

So, I've decided that this will be the year that i will get into hunting...

 

I went to BPS on Monday and I picked up a form for hunting courses. $300 for the full course (hunting and fire arm possesion).

 

Has anyone gone throught the course there? Is it a good program? It'll be held at the end of Jan or Feb (Fri-Sun, 20 total hours)

 

As for game I'd like to target, I want to start with small game like rabbit, quail, grouse, etc... My brother in law says that a 20 guage would work well... my father says that even a 12 would be good and could be used for deer is I ever want to get into that..

 

I want to start off cheap and light since I'm not sure how much I'll like it! I think I will since I love eating wild game...and I love the outdoors..

 

ANyhow, any recommendations on a shotgun? Brand, etc...or any other advice for someone just getting into it...

 

Thanks in advance...

 

PP

[Fang]

congrats on your choice, its a wonderful experience something a lot of people don't get.

 

The course is mainly focused on saftey aspects of gun handling. You'll go through most of the basic firearm types and actions and the safe handling for each. Review of hunting regs and some game identification.

 

In terms of a good starter gun here's where opinions rule. I'd say if you were to buy 1 gun and make it work for deer (buckshot and/or slug) as well as upland game and waterfowl the 12 gauge is a good choice all round. For me though I prefer a 16 or 20 gauge. If you can find a combo 12 gauge that comes with a rifled slug barrel even better.

 

Watch Shooters choice web site for used guns. They have a nice Browning Auto 5 and a Remington 870 express combo and supposed to have a big boxing week sale.

[John Bacon]

I am in a similar situation. I would also like to get into hunting.

 

I would lean more toward the 12 gauge. You can legally hunt any game in Ontario with a 12 gauge. So you don't have to buy more firearms if you decide to go after new species.

[Sinker]

You can get a 12 gauge remington 870 Express combo for under $500 pretty much anywhere. That's the smooth barrel, and rifled barrel with iron sights.

 

Pretty good price for a very reliable gun.

 

Once/if you get into it, you'll want a different gun for each type of hunting.

 

Sinker

[danc]

A 12 gauge is a good gun for water fowl. But I think that it's a little too big for upland birds and a little too small for Deer. Sure, it's possible to bag both with a 12 gauge, but I don't think that's it the right tool for either job. I use a 20 gauge for Grouse and the odd Rabbit. I don't hunt Deer so I can't offer an opinion on what type of rifle you should be looking at for that purpose. But I am a very experienced Grouse hunter and I highly recommend a 20 gauge for that purpose. I've been using a Mossberg 20 gauge pump for the past 30+ years.

[ilario11]

A 12 gauge is a good gun for water fowl. But I think that it's a little too big for upland birds and a little too small for Deer. Sure, it's possible to bag both with a 12 gauge, but I don't think that's it the right tool for either job. I use a 20 gauge for Grouse and the odd Rabbit. I don't hunt Deer so I can't offer an opinion on what type of rifle you should be looking at for that purpose. But I am a very experienced Grouse hunter and I highly recommend a 20 gauge for that purpose. I've been using a Mossberg 20 gauge pump for the past 30+ years.

 

 

Dan I'd love to get your opinion on grouse hunting as this is what i'd really like to target...love the taste..

 

thanks guys...

 

btw, my bro-in-law suggested the Mossberg!

[Northhunter]

Good luck!

 

You can't go wrong with a 12. Not only will it take anything in the province, but it is the most widely used gauge - shells, parts, etc. are cheaper and more common as a result. A 20 would work too, but isn't as well suited for waterfowl (if that's something you might want to get into).

 

I'm not a fan of the Express, but the price is a good deal. A Remington will do the job, but if you're looking for quality look for a Browning BPS, and go used to keep the price down. They are definitely well built.

 

Don't worry about being under-gunned for big game with a 12ga. With slugs you're good to 100 yards on deer and black bears. A lot of the guides/outfitters in grizzly country have a 12 strapped to their back loaded with slugs or buckshot for when they really need it - there's a lot of stopping power there.

[Big Cliff]

I've been hunting for close to 50 years and I've owned a variety of guns and hunted almost anything that you can eat. The best all round gun I have ever used is my Remington 870 Express magnum (although I do have several other guns that I like to use depending on what I am hunting and this year really enjoyed hunting with my crossbow).

 

It's been wet, dirty, banged around but has never failed me. 3" 00 Buck magnum for deer, I've shot plenty and never lost one yet but then I pick my shots. 2 3/4" 7 1/2 shot for upland game and birds, #4 for ducks and goose (20 gauge or even a .410 when you have some experience) is a real good choice for grouse and rabbits. I'd get a year or two under your belt before you try them though. There is no worse feeling than wounding something and having it suffer or get away to die later.

 

Talk to some of the local gun shops or give Sam at Carra a call, he might be able to hook you up with a good used gun for a reasonable price. Hunting is a lot like fishing, start with the basics and build to suit your personal prefferences. If there is a gun club close to you then get out and see them, try to get in a couple of rounds in on their trap range, it will really help to hone your wing shooting skills, it does take some practice to be able to take a bird on the wing, it isn't quite as easy as point and shoot LOL.

 

Lastly, try to get some time in with an experienced hunter rather than just going off on your own, again, there is a lot to learn about survival in the bush, like how not to get lost or what to do if you do (it's not hard to get turned around when you've been concentrating on finding game and there is no sun) done it once or twice myself. Seen some guys have panic attacks when they realized they weren't going in the direction they thought they were going.

 

Good luck and enjoy your new experience.

[Cookslav]

The Remington 870 is what I use.

 

The diversity of usage is what sold me.

The rifled barrel will fire a 3" sabbot that will knock down a moose, deer, or bear very quickly, plus the velocity and mass of a 3" sabbot is ideal when hunting dense brush

(but then again some would argue buck shot in the smooth barrel is better)

Your effective range is obviously limited with a shot gun, but then again as a new hunter you'll find out in your course/class, your unlikely to be taking any shots over 100 yards very often if at all depending on were you hunt in Ontario.

One draw back to the the 870 I can tell you about....the sabbot barrel kicks like a mule, but its very effective.

the barrel is also quite short making travel easy, and cuts the weight down.

 

Then on the other side of the coin, you have the ability to fire dove shot from your smooth barrel for upland birds, or scale up for waterfowl, rabbit and Turkey etc...

The draw backs I can tell you about are pretty minimal....it a slightly heavier barrel then most smaller gauge firearms.

Really to me the difference between tha 20 and a 12 gauge is the ability to up size.

The fire power you need/choose to use is all in what size/weight shells you purchase.

When Firing a 3" sabbot compared to 2" dove shot you can feel first hand the diversity the 870 give you...its VERY different LOL!

 

But like its been said the remington 870 is awesome if its the only gun your going to own for a while, because it won't limit your hunting at all.

Buts its all personal oppinion...

Personaly I would say for the average huter 3 guns will do....

Somthing with range for open shots on big game like a 30-30 or 30-06(optional scope) If your covering an open ravine etc...

12 gauge shotgun for larger game in dense brush, and a 20 gauge for smaller game, and birds of all types

Thats my recomendation.

[Tacklebuster]

I have been hunting for over 30 years. Shot my first grouse when I was 10 (still remember it like it just happened)got my license when I was 15, and started with a 12 guage. You can't go wrong with a 12 guage for any size game in Ont. You can even shoot bear and moose within 100 yrds., especially with the new slugs, and they are acurate. For smaller game such as grouse, you use smaller shot, and depending on your distance you can either aim right at the head or just above or in front to minimize or eliminate any meat damage. I think its bar none the most versatile of all guns. I have a Browning semi-auto, which is a nice gun and I like it. However I now have several other guns and as such have preferences. If I were to buy another gun for myself, it would be a 20 guage which would be strictly used for grouse. The main reason for this is that its lighter and easier to carry. Many times I have taken my brother in-laws 12 guage single shot instead of my own rifle for grouse hunting. The reason again is that its lighter, and I like the simplicity of it (being only a single shot) which is also a safety factor. If my son were to get his license, that would be the first rifle I would get him for that very reason. This is an extremely versatile gun, it handles 2 3/4" and 3" shells. Due to its simplicity, versatility, reliability, inherant saftey features, and last but not least price, IMO its with out a doubt the best choice of first rifle for first time hunters.

[fishinfool]

As a lot of people are suggesting, I highly recommend the Remington 870 Express Mag.

I have owned this gun for a long time now and it has never let me down, it is rugged and can be used for pretty much anything.

I was told when I bought mine that the action on the 870 Express is the same as the higher end Remingtons and it is an awesome action, never had any trouble with it.

I use mine for Duck and Deer only but thats because I found that it was a little too heavy for Partridge on the wing.

I now use a 22 with a peep sight for Partridge, when they flush, I just watch where they land and stalk them to within 20 or 30 yds and pop...

Anyway good luck and here is a good site for some info on the Remington 870

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms...guns/model_870/

 

 

Stan

[Corey]

I use my 870 for most things... I call it 'Old Faithful'. I bought it used from someone who passed on a few years ago and he had used it for over 20 years. It came with a slug barrel, and I bought a 28" barrel with threaded chokes for waterfowl and such.

 

You can get used 870's for cheap cheap... I know there's a Wingmaster in immaculate shape for sale by one of the members of my club... I think he wants like 300 for it or something.

 

If you are going to shoot slugs, make sure you have the cylinder choke available for the barrel. For birds you are looking at a Modified choke for most and Full or Super Full choke for Turkey's. With small enough shot, you can pop small game like rabbits and upland birds, but if you are too close you may just mince them on the spot.

 

In the future you may look at a rifle for bigger game like moose or bear, or as some people say a smaller shottie for small game. A 12g is definately the way to go for a good all-round gun.

 

cd.

[snagmaster]

870 express ! i got mine when i was 16 and 11 years later its still by go to gun ! ... no problems !

[Northhunter]

Be weary of used 870 Express models. Many people own them and have no complaints (as is apparent in this thread) but there are a lot of lemons out there, too.

The Express is the same design as the Wingmaster, but the "econo" version if you can call it that. If you come across an older Wingmaster for a good price (or a BPS as I mentioned earlier), snatch it up if you like it and everything checks out. We have one that's 35 years+. Never seen a gunsmith and all original parts.

 

I shoot an 11-87 Premier. It's pretty well just a hunting gun (no sporting clays or anything) but it still has 5-6000 rounds through it. I would buy another one in a heartbeat, but I would go for an older model (something made prior to 2000) to replace the current one. They don't make'em like they used to.

[ricoboxing]

i decided to get into hunting last year. none of my friends or family hunt, so i had to learn on my own (through books, internet and just getting out there). I was gonna just do small game hunting, but last year I started waterfowling, and now I'm hooked. My first gun was a .22 LR for plinking and small game. then I bought some used SXS 12 gauge that I started waterfowling with. Then finally I got my 870 Express.

 

It's sorta like fishing, you can never have enough equipment.