Wanting to learn hunting and trapping

[Hemingway]

I have spent a lot of time reading about hunting and such, but unfortunately, due to my surroundings, the opportunity to have first hand experience is limited. The Southern California culture is not exactly friendly to this and I believe it is too late for me to get my license to hunt during this Fall's season.

All this being said, I know if I am determined enough, I will be able to develop the skills and grow in experience if it is my priority.

During the summer of 2009 I will be heading up to backpack in Alaska for a while and hunting, trapping and skinning are all necessary skills I will be using up north. I still have a lot to learn.

Just thought maybe this winter during my semester break I could try to get some of this experience in preparation for Alaska. It looks like many people on this forum have a wealth of knowledge and experience in hunting, etc. I am hoping someone might be willing to take me under their wing and teach me the ropes and help me get some practical application. I wish I had the people locally to help, but that isn't the lifestyle of my area.

If anyone knows people in southern California that might be able to guide me or would be willing to take a couple days or more to teach me how to hunt and set up snares, etc this winter, it would be very much appreciated and play a pivotal contribution to my skill set as I head to Alaska this summer. I am more than happy to travel to other states to develop these skills as I will have December/January off and love road trips.

Just some thoughts, any ideas or help would be great.

[tsitenha]

Talk to Klkak, Hopeak they are from that neck of the woods and have solid based experience.

[Jericho117]

Your in a tight spot. Just practcie with your weapon on targets in the forests. Yes, nothing close to the real expierience but on days when I can't hunt I usually practice on targets. Practice stalking at your house, and start getting information and actually studying all the species of animals in Alaska. You don't need people to teach you things, im self-taught, I taught myself how to hunt and trap animals, so you could to. What type of weapon are you using, and are you primitive hunting or using GPS and advanced gear?

[Gray Wolf]

Just some thoughts, any ideas or help would be great.

If you want to learn a few things about trapping I think you should read this sticky by Beo on Traps and Trapping. Just to get an idea on the tools and concept.
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=3974

[skunkkiller]

I hope you have fun in alaska that said read and shoot practice is all self taught have a good time learning.

[Hemingway]

I was more thinking it might help in regards to preparing the meat properly after the hunt. The last thing I'd want to happen is screw up getting the meat ready because "the book told me this" and it didn't work out exactly like the pictures showed.

[crashdive123]

Somebody suggested in another thread to check and see if there is a taxidermist nearby - they may be able to help.

[Riverrat]

Also talk to a local butcher, preferably one who deals with wild game. Might be able to teach you what you are looking for. Is there a local shooting range? May be some contacts made there....

[RobertRogers]

I agree - if you are a newbie you can really errr ... butcher ... a carcass while butchering it. I suggest having a professional butcher do the work.

[Sourdough]

Move to Alaska, and get a job with a hunting guide. You'll learn stuff you'll wish you did not know.

[Jericho117]

That makes no sense

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

I used to find Books about trapping, I read one that was originaly written in the Daniel Boone days. I would look in the antique stores of Kentucy or tenn. those southern folks are big on trappin'

[DOGMAN]

... get a job with a hunting guide. You'll learn stuff you'll wish you did not know.

"That makes no sense" Jericho117

Actually, if you've ever worked in the hunting outfitting industry it makes tons of sense. After over a decade of making a good portion of my living from helping people harvest "trophy big game" animals. I can tell you there is alot of things I wish I hadn't seen, heard, learned or did. After a client spends close to $10,000 bucks on licenses, airfare, the hunt, tip, new gear etc... there expectations are rather high. It can lead even scrupulous people to do things that in hindsight they wish they hadn't. There are lots of shades of gray when it comes to defining "fair chase" hunting ethics.

[Hemingway]

Jason, what do you mean?

[Sourdough]

That makes no sense

I wish I did not know how to crash aircraft, endure 115 MPH wind in a eureka tent, have dozens of camps destroyed by brown bears, shared a tent with buttholes, deal with insubordinate, arrogant assistant guides, had blood from backing fresh meat all over my body, and no water to wash, gone into the alder thickets after wounded brown bears. shivered for weeks at -30 below zero, destroyed thousands of dollars worth of personal equipment. Packed meat for weeks on end, fed millions of mosquito's, and white socks. been stuck on a cliff to scared to go up or down. Packed two Dall Sheep off the mountain in one 200# plus load. Get up at 3:AM fix breakfast, work till 10:PM all the time sicker than a dog, (there are no sick days in the field). Be stuck in a tent with someone you don't know, who starts crying and telling you about how two weeks ago he and another guy killed someone. Having someone commit suicide, because you caught them going through clients gear looking for drugs. Be bear bited. My coffee is ready, or I could go on for pages.

[DOGMAN]

Jason, what do you mean?

Well, by shades of gray defining "Fair chase" hunting ethics, I guess I mean, there are blurry lines as to what is right and wrong. Ultimatly, right and wrong gets much more subjective, when people are deep in the wilderness and think nobody (game warden etc..) is around looking. Also, the more money clients spend- the more willing- sometimes the more demanding- they are of harvesting game at any cost. They can put pressure on guides and outfitters to bend the law.

Disclaimer: I have never done any of this stuff, I just have heard about it.

Examples-
-Shooting Game in a National Park, then dragging them back across the park boundry to field dress, and quarter them.
-Shooting game before or after shooting light.
-Setting out salt licks, and then hunting over them.
-Allowing one person to shoot the animal, and then put someone else's tag on it
-The client shoots a bull from several hundred yards, when you and he get to it, he isn't happy with its size and wanted a "real wall hanger" not a rag horn, so you leave it there- never tag it and continue hunting for a bigger bull.
-Going into a National Park or Preserve (were it is illegal to hunt) on horseback and creating an "elk drive" towards the boundry were 8 clients are waiting to slaughter the herd of Elk you push towards them. After all the bullets fly you realize your clients have killed 12 elk, and combined you only have 8 tags- so you tag the best and leave the rest.

I could go on and on...but I am getting sick just thinking about all this stuff.

[Sourdough]

Here is a gray area, Archery sports writer brings friend to hunt with rifle, while he hunts with bow. If he arrows a big brown bear badly, and "IF" I have to go into the pucker brush to Finnish it, it is disqualified from P&Y entry. And his hunt is over, he is out $15,000.- and no story to write. But I if take the other hunter in, and he shoots the arrowed bear, while I keep him covered in case of a charge. Is it improper for his friend to tag the bear...? He killed it. And if he tags it, his friend can try the get a Pope and Young Brown Bear cleanly.

Or a hunter wounds a trophy moose the last day of the season. The next day you find the moose still alive and the hunter finishes it. He "Killed" the moose out of season. Tag it, bag it. And move on to the next hunt. Or turn him in for poaching. What if it is two days later, or four days later....????

Or take Jason's example and turn it around, The hunter shoots the Bear 5 miles outside the park, but the bear dies in the park or on the line. The lines for parks are often mountain peaks, and if it is snowing hard you can't see the peaks. There are no red or white dotted lines on the ground marking boundries.

[trax]

Jason, I'm not trying to be rude towards what you do, because I believe guys like you doing what you do make the bush a safer place (cuz them guys are gonna show up anyway! so they better have a guide) but those shades of gray are a big part of why I don't do it. I have in my past life but not anymore.

There's a story I like about "shades of gray" Supposedly a true story, the playwright George Bernard Shaw was being harrassed and annoyed by a young woman in a restaurant so he turns to her and says

"madam would you sleep with me for a million dollars?"

"Why yes, Mr. Shaw," she comes back, "I believe I would"

"Well, would you sleep with me for ten dollars?"

"Sir!" she's all indignant now, "what do you think I am?"

"Madam, we've established what you are, now we're just negotiating a price"

[Sourdough]

"Madam, we've established what you are, now we're just negotiating a price"

That is why Hunting Guides are sometimes called "Hunting Whores". You have a skill, and someone pays to use it, it ain't pretty, but you get to hunt four months a year, and see country you could never afford to see. Hunting Whore, yea; there are worse jobs, If you look at it one way, anyone who does work for money is a whore. My friend call's himself a Pallet Whore, It is on his business card. The company makes pallets.

[DOGMAN]

Actually, I'd say "I'm retired" This was the first season in a long time that I am not guiding hunters- and I feel great about it. I still outfit and guide for river recreationalist and sled dog tours, but I think my days of gaining profit from killing stuff is over- unless...of course, I need the money.