Game Preserves and Hunting Guides
Getting into hunting can be daunting, especially if you don’t have anyone in your life to show you the ropes. You need access to land, firearms, and a whole host of skills like finding game trails, tracking game, and gutting. Going hunting on your own sometimes feels like jumping head first off a diving board!
Fear not! It gets easier.
A Good Way To Ease In
Game preserves that operate year-round can help you ease into hunting. They tend to have small game like upland bird (pheasant, partridge, grouse etc.) which are a great starting beginner hunting, and they solve many challenges surrounding hunting on crown or public land, namely are you sure you’re legal and are you sure there’s game there?
With a game preserve, you know there’s game nearby, and that the land is accessible. You can even hire a guide (sometimes they are included in the ticket price) who will show you the ropes and be a valuable resource for learning the skills.
Generally all you need is a shotgun, your firearms license, and a hunting license. You can book a morning or afternoon hunt. Once you show up you’ll get a quick brief and off to the hunt you go. If you’ve opted for the guide and dog route, the guide directs the dog which will go out ahead and “flush” birds for you. This keeps it exciting!
Big Game Guides
If you’re eager for a big game hunt, you’ll have to wait for the fall, but you can prepare by finding a guide.
A guide will have access to multiple properties and prepare by scouting and baiting game ahead of time so your hunt can be eventful.
A good guide will know his or her property like the back of their hand, knowing the game trails. This allows them to set up bait piles and modify habits to move the game to more ideal chokepoints for you to have a clear shot. They’ll also show you the ropes and give you tips about the game, finding trails, and scouting.
Start Early
Either a game preserve or a guided hunt is a great way to dip your toes; Especially when you don’t have access to a chunk of land to hunt on. But start building these relationships early, because the best guides book up quickly.
Going Your Own Way?
Living in the city and finding a space to hunt is one of the most challenging things to do. Getting access to land and then spending enough time on it to pattern and study the animals that live there is the key to a successful hunt.
The thing you want to learn how to do is to understand where animals live and how they move. Understanding biology will make you a better hunter. Spending as much time outdoors as you can doesn’t hurt either.
You can use the crown map atlas and parks websites to figure out if you are allowed to hunt. Call the local OPP division to make sure your target location is legal, they’re usually happy to help.
The best way to become a great hunter is to buy a nice plot of land, build a cabin, hike, and explore day in day out until you become what we fondly call “a mountain person”. But, this isn’t a realistic goal for everyone, and lots of people hunt without immersing themselves in the lifestyle year-round!
As with all things hunting, preparation and patience go a long way. Buy a gun, join a range, and spend the time practicing. Build skills and learn about the game species you want to hunt. Enjoy!
Illustration of hunting scene (dogs ready to hounddown) from Sporting Sketches (1817-1818) by Henry Alken (1784-1851). Original from The New York Public Library.
