Any Hunters or bushcrafters? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Any Hunters or bushcrafters?

WestBrantKid

WestBrantKid

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Are there any other riders here that hunt or do bushcraft?
For possibly controversial reasons, I decided to learn to bushcraft, as well as to hunt.
I've been watching bushcraft videos on YouTube for several years, and been slowly gathering equipment. I've also been watching tutorials on field dressing turkey, rabbit and deer. I got my hunting license a couple months ago and I've recently picked up my first firearm, a crossbow, and got it sighted in at 30 yards. I attend the non-registered and registered gun course this weekend, then next weekend I'll be taking two of my kids camping, bushcraft-style, for 4 nights. No tent or sleeping bags, just a few cloth tarps, wool blankets, supplies, and hopes that I recall what I've learned. These are skills I never had the opportunity to learn, but want my kids to learn early.
I also picked up a turkey tag hoping there are turkeys in the area that we will be camping in. We'll spend some time away from our camp with some camo-netting and a turkey call, and hope to get a meal and a souvenir.
I have no hunters in my family, and have no close friends who hunt, to go with zero experience, so I welcome any tips or advice. Mostly, good places in Southern Ontario, or how to approach and compensate a farmer/land-owner.
 
Have fun. Be careful with foraged food (especially mushrooms) and laws (conservation officers don't play around). Have you done a four day trip on your own? That's a long time for kids to be hungry if things aren't going the way you planned. You don't want them to hate the things you want them to like.

Hunting is not my thing. Afaik, crown land is fair game or permission of a landowner. I know people ask on the local facebook groups if anyone will let their family hunt. If I was a landowner and I didn't know, like and trust you, it would be a hard no. If the hunter gets hurt, the landowner is liable. It's not worth the risk sadly. As far as compensation, that makes liability even more dodgy but it is often dealt with by bartering. You give the landowner a cord of split wood for every cord you take out, you give them half the meat you harvest, etc. No set rate but a solid acknowledgement of the opportunity provided. I wouldn't have any of that in writing as a landowner.
 
WestBrantKid said:
Are there any other riders here that hunt or do bushcraft?
For possibly controversial reasons, I decided to learn to bushcraft, as well as to hunt.
I've been watching bushcraft videos on YouTube for several years, and been slowly gathering equipment. I've also been watching tutorials on field dressing turkey, rabbit and deer. I got my hunting license a couple months ago and I've recently picked up my first firearm, a crossbow, and got it sighted in at 30 yards. I attend the non-registered and registered gun course this weekend, then next weekend I'll be taking two of my kids camping, bushcraft-style, for 4 nights. No tent or sleeping bags, just a few cloth tarps, wool blankets, supplies, and hopes that I recall what I've learned. These are skills I never had the opportunity to learn, but want my kids to learn early.
I also picked up a turkey tag hoping there are turkeys in the area that we will be camping in. We'll spend some time away from our camp with some camo-netting and a turkey call, and hope to get a meal and a souvenir.
I have no hunters in my family, and have no close friends who hunt, to go with zero experience, so I welcome any tips or advice. Mostly, good places in Southern Ontario, or how to approach and compensate a farmer/land-owner.
Click to expand...
I would bring a tent as the good survival schools teach there is no reason to leave unprepared. Knowing how to build a shelter is great if disaster strikes but unacceptable and bad planning any other time.

Sent from the future
 
Depends on the age of the kids but your first shot it might be better to ease into it a bit and be a little more back country camping prepared with food, tent etc. Even more so this time of year as the temps can be a crap shoot. If it is 100% miserable it will suck and the likely hood of a second attempt goes to near 0%. It is something that can be stepped into.
 
I would forage for mushrooms but only with an expert. Too much of a chance of a very very bad outcome.

I just used my survival skills to find a chip truck that's open out here in the boonies. Mission accomplished except the poutine was too big and I can't get back on my bike just yet.

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GreyGhost said:
Have fun. Be careful with foraged food (especially mushrooms) and laws (conservation officers don't play around). Have you done a four day trip on your own? That's a long time for kids to be hungry if things aren't going the way you planned. You don't want them to hate the things you want them to like.
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I'll be staying away from mushrooms, for sure. Unless I see a puffball, they're pretty unmistakable. I found crown land 30 minutes away, so there's an easy out. We also allotted 4 days, but I was clear to the kids (9yo boy and 17yo girl) that we can leave after the first night and regroup better prepared another time. 4 days are allotted, 4 days are reserve with the schools, but it's our first trip out and we won't push ourselves. We are there to learn, not to risk our health.

Scuba Steve said:
I would bring a tent as the good survival schools teach there is no reason to leave unprepared. Knowing how to build a shelter is great if disaster strikes but unacceptable and bad planning any other time.
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I was thinking about bringing a tent, but leaving it in the car as an emergency back up. The crown land is small so the hike won't be far to retrieve it if necessary. I may take you advice and do just that.

For food, I've made a LOT of jerky, so we won't starve. Water is the question. It's very heavy to carry, so my son and I are going tonight to pre-scout the terrain, and see if it has water we can filter and boil. Our first location was crown land near Owen Sound, but we scouted it last weekend and found that it is all flooded. Completely flooded! And likely won't dry up till mid summer. Then we decided on crown land on Safari Road which we had already been hiking at the week before that, but it turns out Hamilton Township, who hate fun and freedom, banned camping, fires, and target shooting on all their crown land. I finally found some (hopefully) in Oxford County. If that doesn't pan out, then we'll be force to go much farther North and farther from home which is not ideal for our first outing. We'll be looking at Kawartha Lakes and beyond, I think. That's also closer to bear country which I'd like to avoid with my kids till I get more experience and a shotgun.

Otherwise, the kids are very excited to go, as am I.
 
WestBrantKid said:
I'll be staying away from mushrooms, for sure. Unless I see a puffball, they're pretty unmistakable. I found crown land 30 minutes away, so there's an easy out. We also allotted 4 days, but I was clear to the kids (9yo boy and 17yo girl) that we can leave after the first night and regroup better prepared another time. 4 days are allotted, 4 days are reserve with the schools, but it's our first trip out and we won't push ourselves. We are there to learn, not to risk our health.



I was thinking about bringing a tent, but leaving it in the car as an emergency back up. The crown land is small so the hike won't be far to retrieve it if necessary. I may take you advice and do just that.

For food, I've made a LOT of jerky, so we won't starve. Water is the question. It's very heavy to carry, so my son and I are going tonight to pre-scout the terrain, and see if it has water we can filter and boil. Our first location was crown land near Owen Sound, but we scouted it last weekend and found that it is all flooded. Completely flooded! And likely won't dry up till mid summer. Then we decided on crown land on Safari Road which we had already been hiking at the week before that, but it turns out Hamilton Township, who hate fun and freedom, banned camping, fires, and target shooting on all their crown land. I finally found some (hopefully) in Oxford County. If that doesn't pan out, then we'll be force to go much farther North and farther from home which is not ideal for our first outing. We'll be looking at Kawartha Lakes and beyond, I think. That's also closer to bear country which I'd like to avoid with my kids till I get more experience and a shotgun.

Otherwise, the kids are very excited to go, as am I.
Click to expand...
Bears aren't that big a deal if there are trees around. Bring rope. Everything with scent ends up hanging in space (you don't it close to a trunk, over a branch is better so there is no way to reach it without using/cutting the rope). Nothing with scent is near your sleeping area.
 
Life Straws are cheap but awkward. We have Grayls for dodgy water but a Katadyn would be better. Purification tablets work but the water tastes like ass. Grayls are easy to use for a beaker of water.
 
jc100 said:
Life Straws are cheap but awkward. We have Grayls for dodgy water but a Katadyn would be better. Purification tablets work but the water tastes like ass. Grayls are easy to use for a beaker of water.
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I use a small pump. Works well but it takes a lot of time/effort to get your entire water supply that way. A larger pump is faster but larger/heavier.
 
WestBrantKid said:
Are there any other riders here that hunt or do bushcraft?
For possibly controversial reasons, I decided to learn to bushcraft, as well as to hunt.
I've been watching bushcraft videos on YouTube for several years, and been slowly gathering equipment. I've also been watching tutorials on field dressing turkey, rabbit and deer. I got my hunting license a couple months ago and I've recently picked up my first firearm, a crossbow, and got it sighted in at 30 yards. I attend the non-registered and registered gun course this weekend, then next weekend I'll be taking two of my kids camping, bushcraft-style, for 4 nights. No tent or sleeping bags, just a few cloth tarps, wool blankets, supplies, and hopes that I recall what I've learned. These are skills I never had the opportunity to learn, but want my kids to learn early.
I also picked up a turkey tag hoping there are turkeys in the area that we will be camping in. We'll spend some time away from our camp with some camo-netting and a turkey call, and hope to get a meal and a souvenir.
I have no hunters in my family, and have no close friends who hunt, to go with zero experience, so I welcome any tips or advice. Mostly, good places in Southern Ontario, or how to approach and compensate a farmer/land-owner.
Click to expand...
when I was in school I taught survival courses to summer camp councellors.

For a few days bring your food and feel lucky if you can supplement with fish and maybe a few forest greens and berries - leeks, fiddleheads, raspberries,

Birds and rabbits are not easy game for beginners, if you want to be successful at survival, better develop an appetite for fish, squirrels, frogs and insects - those are the goto proteins for survivalists - rabbit, deer and turkeys are seasonal hunts, and even the best hunters wouldn’t depend on any of these for survival.

The breaking point for most isn’t food, or fright - it’s bugs. Sleeping in a hoochie (tarp tent) is an experience in itself.

Suggest you practice with your kids by trying survival in your back yard for a weekend. No access to house or bathrooms, only use the kit and food that you can carry in a backpack. Spent the days foraging food, water and fuel in local ravines.

If that works out, try the same at a close by provincial park.

Then bring back your experiences. You’ll also have a lot of very focussed questions.

I’m setting up our bear stand tomorrow night. All we’ll have is a bow and some arrows.

You won’t likely get this camping in your yard, here’s a visitor I got tonite… she knows Friday is garbage day and shows up regularly in my yard. What would you do in this situation?

IMG_0711.png
 
I think that’s awesome and wish you all the best. Personally I’d start with a shorter stay, and def bring something for the kids to sleep in / on so they’re comfortable and will have a positive experience.

My eldest is 7 so I’m going to try and take him camping only (we do an annual trip as a family) to have a father son bonding experience. The girls will join when they’re older.

Good luck and have fun.
 
You might want to watch some of the Alone TV series....there are some seriously good bushcrafters on there.
and some of the back stories show how they prepped for the show.
In the show, 11 people are left to fend for themselves in the Canadian wilderness - away from each other, so they are completely alone. Through the days or weeks, they try to survive with just a few basic bits of kit they take with them - an axe, a few fish hooks, a tarpaulin, and so on.4 Sept 2023
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you might have to chase where to watch it.
Of all the skills fishing and fire making were critical. Some of the shelters that were built tho were astonishing ....and they were out there on their own for up to 100 days in marginal to terrible weather. I enjoyed it.
 
I no longer hunt , it’s a personal choice for me , not opposed to it . I did spend several years as a scout leader and my group were camp focused , the guys liked Adirondack camping ( log lean-to) ,Bushcraft camping was taught by a couple senior leaders that like that sort of thing . I’m a half in sort , I think the trappers that could roll up in a plaid blanket would have been pretty happy with a good sleeping bag.
Take a first aid kit. Not because you’ll need it , because you should . Include a space blanket and bug spray . A saw is way handier than an axe ( and safer) . I think GG mentioned , no where you are when hunting , applicable laws and permits in hand . Wildlife officers are really diligent.


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Mad Mike said:
when I was in school I taught survival courses to summer camp councellors.

For a few days bring your food and feel lucky if you can supplement with fish and maybe a few forest greens and berries - leeks, fiddleheads, raspberries,

Birds and rabbits are not easy game for beginners, if you want to be successful at survival, better develop an appetite for fish, squirrels, frogs and insects - those are the goto proteins for survivalists - rabbit, deer and turkeys are seasonal hunts, and even the best hunters wouldn’t depend on any of these for survival.

The breaking point for most isn’t food, or fright - it’s bugs. Sleeping in a hoochie (tarp tent) is an experience in itself.

Suggest you practice with your kids by trying survival in your back yard for a weekend. No access to house or bathrooms, only use the kit and food that you can carry in a backpack. Spent the days foraging food, water and fuel in local ravines.

If that works out, try the same at a close by provincial park.

Then bring back your experiences. You’ll also have a lot of very focussed questions.

I’m setting up our bear stand tomorrow night. All we’ll have is a bow and some arrows.

You won’t likely get this camping in your yard, here’s a visitor I got tonite… she knows Friday is garbage day and shows up regularly in my yard. What would you do in this situation?

View attachment 67536
Click to expand...

The bears are out looking for food, this was from last Thursday on my property in Mattawa.

DSCF0273.JPG

DSCF0269.JPG
 
daught said:
Just going to put this out there

nypost.com

Dead sisters, teen boy only used YouTube to prepare for ‘off grid’ life

Rebecca Vance persuaded her sister and 13-year-old son to move to the Colorado wilderness and live “off the grid” — but the three were found dead months later. Family say they weren&#82…
nypost.com nypost.com

Don't go too hardcore on their first trip.
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Just in case this is anything more than just interest in the techniques or “can I do it if I get stranded on a desert island”. If this is for a “**** hits the fan” moment then most survivable traditional wars these days are from neighbouring countries. If it’s China or Russia you’re going to be nuked. If you’re nuked they aren’t just going to use one to tickle Toronto. The country will be fried (along with most other countries). Nuclear tainted blueberries are still not advisable to eat, no one will want your silver bullion etc etc.

For “off the grid” it would be fun to see how easy/hard it would be to live if you had a parcel of land with no utilities.

Otherwise, I really like my AC and streaming TV.
 
daught said:
^ nukes might be the worst case scenario, but Trudeau winning is a close second and we have to get ready for that.
Click to expand...

If Trudeau wins again I doubt you’ll need to drink your own purified urine. Despite the hyperbole we’re doing OK.
 
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