Hunting Blog

There’s plenty of planning that goes into any hunting trek - but if you’re going to hunt across the border, there are more and more regulations you’ll need to keep up-to-date with to avoid trouble. Be sure you apply for the permits you’ll need well in advance - experts recommend you start this process three months in advance.

Permits range from those you need to carry firearms across the border to those you’ll need to bring your trophies home - and that’s in addition to the tags you have to apply for to hunt in the first place. Thankfully, most of us don’t have much to worry about when it comes to actually crossing the border - you’ll do well to carry your passport and it’s imperative that you’ve applied for and received the requisite permits and tags before you travel.

Coming home, you’ll need to ensure you’ve followed the regulations for packing meat, trophies and other hunt proceeds or your hard-won goods may be confiscated by officials at the border. Bear in mind rules apply on both sides of the border, and it is important to understand them all. So do your research, apply for permits early and abide by the regulations - and enjoy your hunt!

Gun Dog Magazine

Your Dog's First Season Gun Dog Magazine When can you safely begin hunting your dog with other dogs? Cap recommends that you wait until after you've hunted your dog alone often enough to be able to …

Source:Your Dog's First Season - Gun Dog Magazine

When you’re hunting, particularly in an area you’re not familiar with, it’s important to stick to territory you’re allowed to hunt on. Everyone has lined up a shot and caught the glint of a thin wire fence through the scope at one point in their hunting life. But the a great catch can turn into a miserable day quite quickly if you misjudge things

Sometimes it’s not a big deal, the fence is just a marker for the rancher whose land you’re hunting on - other times, it’s a property division. The trouble with property dividers is you don’t know whose land is on the other side.

Taking game without permission from someone else’s land can cause you trouble - but if the other land is across a county or state line you could find yourself in real hot water. Avoiding trouble is a matter of knowing the land you’re hunting - scout it in advance and know the boundary. Another top tip for avoiding problems is to remember the number one rule of hunting: never take a shot unless you know what lies beyond it!

The duck is one of North America’s most commonly hunted species. Our most common duck breeds are the mallard, teal, gadwall and widgeon. Other ducks often hunted across the continent include the northern shoveler, the wood duck, the bufflehead, the ringneck and the bluebill.

The mallard is, according to scientists, the daddy of them all. His striking coloring and distinctive style makes him a favorite for trophy seekers as well. Mallards are omnivorous, eating everything from grains and insects to aquatic plants depending on what’s available. They make their homes near ponds, lakes and marshes as well as in ditches and urban water features.

Whatever the duck, it’s behavior is bound to be similar. So, the best advice is to practice your calling techniques, dust off your decoys and find the best blind location you can. Be patient, think safe and take care of your bird dog while you’re waiting - the rewards are there for the taking.

Quail is arguably the most popular bird hunted in North America. There are many reasons for this, but the fact remains that any good hunt requires adequate preparation. Consider the following tips when planning your first (or next) quail hunting event:
1. Don’t go it alone - quail hunting is easier with colleagues, and hunting on your own can be dangerous
2. Choose ammo wisely - too big a shot for your bird and it’ll be blown to pieces
3. Reload quickly - quail travel together, so if you’ve got one there are bound to be more on the scene
4. Watch the weather - prior planning prevents poor performance, particularly where hunting and weather intersect.
5. Take supplies - water and food for yourself and your dogs can make your day more enjoyable.
6. Hunt early - not only early in the day, but early in the season. Some hunters disagree, but the birds are easier to come by early on in most areas
7. Bring your dog - a well-trained hunting dog is a great asset to any birding venture
8. Be bold (and patient) - quail hunting takes time, and often you’ll have to get right on top of the birds before they’ll take flight
9. Dress appropriately - stay safe and be sensible, wear the bright orange jacket other hunters will recognize
10. Be sneaky - quail aren’t stupid, so after the first couple weeks of the season, they’ll be on to your game. Avoid slamming doors, don’t over-use your calls and take care in shouting dog commands to avoid spooking the covey.

Though any catch is a good catch, seasoned hunters know that some animals are better trophy candidates than others. Regardless of your chances of being listed in the annals of time as a great elk or deer hunter, it’s nice to know you can do a rough score of your animal in the field. So pack a steel tape measurer and a note pad to work out your own rough score.

Measure the inside spread of the main beams at it’s widest point. Measure the length of each main beam from the burr to the tip. Measure the length of each point more than one inch long from the top of the main beam to it’s tip. Measure the circumference of the main beam between the burr and the first point, then proceed to measure between the first and second, second and third and so on until you’ve measured the circumference of all segments.

Finally, add the measurements together to obtain a rough gross score for your rack. There are deductions for asymmetrical presentation, and a non-typical rack is harder to score. However, the Boone and Crockett club offer a great online scorecard you can fill in or download for use in the field.

The purpose of a decoy is to draw your chosen prey a little closer, allowing you a better chance at the best possible shot. Decoys can be used to attract most kinds of birds, as well as deer and even elk.

The effective deployment of your decoy is the biggest contributor to its success. Placing it in the wrong place could mean it is overlooked or serves as a clue to birds and other animals that something is a little off. So position your decoy wisely.

Having said that, putting the wrong decoy in the right place is just a different recipe for disaster. You should try and keep your decoys in top shape - retouching paint and repairing damaged areas whenever possible. Also, to enhance the effect of your decoy, consider adding motion for a more life-like appearance. Or, do a little research and see if it’s worth adding a scent lure to the decoy.

You put a lot of thought into the weapon you choose to hunt with, and take care not to forget anything you might need at camp. An area many hunters overlook is the most important of all - their survival kit. Of course, a survival kit isn’t the first thing most hunters think they need for their trek into the wilderness. But most of us don’t set off for a hunt planning to get lost or injured along the way.

A survival kit should be compact - no larger than a fanny pack. The smaller it is, the more likely you are to keep it with you all the time. Your survival kit should include the following items:
- a space blanket, two if you can manage to fit them in
- at least one day’s supply of food
- a pack of waterproof matches
- 20ft of nylon rope or parachute cord
- a suitable knife and sharpening stone
- two 8oz juice boxes
- a packet of water purification tablets
- a compact first aid kit including a gauze roll, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes and aspirin

This is the bare minimum when considering your survival needs. With these items, odds are you can make it for a couple of days in the outdoors with little worry.

Just as choosing the right weapon, ammunition and hunting plot make a huge difference to your success in the field, picking the right hunting companions is also key. We’re not saying you should only hunt with seasoned woodsmen, but considering the survival skills of the rest of your party is important.

Establish your camp with hunters who have similar interests - that way you’ve got something to talk about when you’re resting or in the advent of weather forcing you to stay at camp rather than pursue game for a day. Similarly, don’t hunt with friends that can’t get along with one another - if your brother and your best workmate don’t see eye to eye, consider leaving one of them behind or taking two separate trips or you might find yourself refereeing the week away.

Finally, hunt with people who can make a positive contribution to your camp. Choose your camp mates wisely - make sure there’s more than one person who can start a fire, perform first aid and offer physical support to others in the group if required.

There are plenty of birds out there for hunting - and they don’t all live on the water. The upland birds of North America come in all shapes and sizes - each presenting their own unique challenges and rewards. Popular upland game birds are listed here:

Pheasant - though originally native to China, the pheasant is nicely settled throughout most of North America, preferring to live near ample supplies of grain and insects.

Chukar - similar to the gray partridge, and hailing from the middle east the chukar is most commonly found in the western USA

Grouse - the ruffled grouse is usually found in Canada, though known to inhabit the northeast and northwest US, it grows up to 18ins in length and weighs around a pound and a half. The spruce grouse is found mostly in Canada, growing to about 18ins long and weighing between one and two pounds. The sage grouse is found in the north western states, growing to three feet long and weighing in at eight pounds. The sharp-tail is similar to prairie chickens, growing around a foot and a half long and weighing about two pounds, they eat a varied diet of grains, grasses and berries throughout the year

Quail - there are a number of quail subspecies on the continent. The majority of these weigh no more than 10oz fully grown and can reach around a foot in length. They prefer life in open grasslands with some trees and an ample water supply

Woodcock - the woodcock is distinguished by it’s long bill, designed for feeding on ground insects. They live in the eastern half of the US and rarely weigh in over 10oz.
Partridge - again, a number of subspecies live throughout the US and Canada. Partridge prefer grains for food and will weigh in at up to two pounds.

Doves - last but not least, doves are popular across the continent. A number of species pervade, but it’s the mourning dove that gets the most attention across the US and into Mexico. They are slight birds, with an average weight of just five ounces.