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There are four basic parts to this course and may involve inter-island travel and camping. It will be a group activity with a max of 6 apprentices per session. There is some flexibility within the calendar of missions.

 

 

1. Equipment, techniques and practice at SAS facility

2. Hunting experience in the field on Mayne Island and SSI

3. Processing the harvest, generally on SSI

4. Ongoing hunting trip availabilities on the Southern Gulf Islands

 

 

 

Equipment and techniques

 

The first two sessions are held at the jade farm and set up as general education and preparation for the hunting trip at the end. Here we will ready ourselves for the adventure to come. Getting started on the best foot is always the best step for success. It is a very big decision to make as bow hunting requires a lot of dedication and responsibility. Learn the ropes from a host of hunting professionals. A wide variety of essential information is shared and discussion encouraged.

 

Understanding your equipment – We can identify any modifications needed to make your equipment meet regulation standards and best results for accuracy.

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Arrow designing and tuning - Hunting arrows are heavier and designed differently than target arrows. For best results they should be properly tuned to your bow. There are a couple of bowyers here at the club that can help modify or even make a set of custom arrows for you, should you need. They offer fair prices for sets of 6 and separate workshops to assist you make your own personalized arrows.

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Time on the practice range - A lot of time will be spent on the target range for practice, tuning equipment, estimating distances, setting up for the shot, discussions and questions

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Where to land your arrow - Learn about the anatomy of deer and how to locate the heart and vital organs in your sight view. 3D Deer targets will be used as part of the training to help simulate the real occasion. The participants will understand the differences between shooting uphill, downhill, cross slope and oblique target angles.

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Gear selection - What to wear, tool necessities, safety plan and efficiency.

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Safety, best practices and Regulations - Learn the requirements needed to start bow hunting.

 

 

Experience in the field

 

On the first hunt you will follow and learn from your guide. Learning the nuances of hunting will help tremendously with your confidence, as being in the field is totally different from practicing on the range. There are guides available for the various different disciplines of bow hunting, whether you are learning with a compound, traditional or crossbow.

 

Other learning objectives

Learn from your guide’s experience by asking questions

Map reading and basic orienteering

How to choose a drop zone

Tracking, wildlife and camouflage

Staying calm and quite

Field dressing the animal

 

 

 

Processing and butchering

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Following a successful group hunting trip we will all learn how to best process the animal. This is a part were we all help and share in the rewards. We will be instructed by our very experienced butcher.

The meat will be divided equally amongst the group.

 

Other learning objectives

Knives and specialty tools used for butchering

Anatomy

Steps and preparations

Portions

How to save

How to cook principles

 

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Upon finishing this program you will have solid knowledge of the fundamentals of bow hunting. The program is designed to give new archers the confidence and competence to begin their own adventure of sustainable wildlife management.

 

Tanning hides, leatherwork, antler carving, bow and arrow making are separate custom workshops

 

 

Ongoing bow hunting availabilities

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HUNTING SEASONS

 

Fallow deer - Mayne Island - Hunting permitted ALL YEAR

 

Black Tail – British Columbia - Hunting permitted SEPTEMBER to DECEMBER 10

 

We are able to hunt Fallow deer on Mayne Island all year long because they are an invasive species. We have been given special permission for some encouraging friends to hunt on their private land. There is approximately 120 acres of land for us to access on the map already on the map. These land owners are in support of this educational training program as long as we are respectful and courteous on their land. We will deliver them some meat packages through the year for their generosity. We need to leave their place better than we found it, so while on their property, so we should be thinking to help out where ever we can.

With this attitude we can gradually grow the number of other land packages where deer hunting is allowed. We have to prove to the non-hunting community that this is a safe and trustworthy solution. In return they will give us thousands more acres to access as hunting lands.

 

If you have a Hunting License and previous experience and would like to be a Hunting guide for this apprenticeship program opportunity that would be great and easily arranged through the Society.  Some trips there will be participants to guide and show, other times not.