New Hunter in Ottawa Region

Hi Everyone,

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I am looking for someone I can bounce questions off of, or potentially teach me a few things about public land hunting in the Ottawa region.

I'm fully licensed and getting ready to go on my first bow & second gun hunt this fall, if anyone has a bit of time I'd appreciate it.

I have some information I can share for bowhunting.
Gear
1. Range finder: Your bow needs to be absolutely dialed in at specific ranges and you need to know your ranges where you hunt.
2. Treestand: not an absolute must but a big advantage. Gives you more shooting lanes, a bigger chance of seeing the deer first, better scent control, and better blood trails. I recommend an Aluminum summit self-climber if you use a crossbow or rifle.
3. Scent control: don't buy into all these scent killers and scent cover nonsense. They don't work. You are constantly producing scent no matter what you do. Only thing you can do is be down wind.
4. Clothing. Dress appropriately for the weather. Dress light on the way in and bundle up before you sit. Merino wool baselayers are best but synthetic works too. Do not wear cotton ever. Realtree provides some awesome super affordable options and it's all I buy.
5. Camo: don't get super obsessed with camo. Deer have terrible depth and colour perception. But they see shapes, blue colours, and movement very well. Having a back drop and camo that breaks your outline and SLOW movements is your friend.

Finding a spot to hunt on crown bush.
1. Find a crown bush and look at it closely with satellite. Evergreen bushes will generally be easier to walk through. Take note of rivers/creeks, and clearings.
2. Go there and scout. Find funnel points and converging trails. Follow a deer trail and find a more active spot or an area where two deer trails meet. That's a spot to hunt. Another easy way is look for water, such as creeks/rivers. Deer will only cross at specific spots. This gives you a funnel point to hunt. So hunt converging trails and creek crossings.

Hunting those spots

1. Make sure you set up shooting lanes and your spot 20 yards from the trail to give you a broadside shot. Make sure it is clear from ANY debris, the tiniest branch or grass can cause you to miss.
2. Time to hunt: Evenings are generally better to hunt. Low wind days with a atmospheric pressure of 102kpa+ seem to be good for some reason. But don't discount days with bad weather. Mid november is the best time of season to hunt deer and is peak rut.
3. Before you hunt check your wind, make sure the wind is not blowing at your back. When the deer is infront of you and is moving don't be afraid to make a sound to make it stop as long as you are ready to shoot.

I am also a new hunter from the Ottawa area, i will be watching this thread! Hopefully you get some good responses

There is a fair number of members from the Ottawa area. In the past, we have gotten together for breakfast to meet in person. If we do this again, you could consider joining us.
In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions. As I am sure you have found out though, most people don't want to give out too much info on hunting locations on a public forum to people they don't know.
Something you could consider for locating public land is getting a subscription to ihunter Ontario. A payed subscription to the Crown land layer is well worth it, in my opinion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rf2

There is a fair number of members from the Ottawa area. In the past, we have gotten together for breakfast to meet in person. If we do this again, you could consider joining us.
In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions. As I am sure you have found out though, most people don't want to give out too much info on hunting locations on a public forum to people they don't know.
Something you could consider for locating public land is getting a subscription to ihunter Ontario. A payed subscription to the Crown land layer is well worth it, in my opinion.

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As RF2 stated. We often do a Eastern ON breakfast. I'm in Constance Bay, and pretty much hunt a lot of the areas to the West and North.

Again as RF2 and Bluebulldog has stated; and we will probably try to get another breakfast going by sometime in Oct. I'm personally swamped for Sept.

If you want to bounce some questions to me send me a PM and I will contact you.

A little off topic but good to see you guys got together and did a brekfest. I know during the pandemic alot of you guys were dying to get together.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Where about in Ottawa Are you ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MihajloSimsic

I have some information I can share for bowhunting.
Gear
1. Range finder: Your bow needs to be absolutely dialed in at specific ranges and you need to know your ranges where you hunt.
2. Treestand: not an absolute must but a big advantage. Gives you more shooting lanes, a bigger chance of seeing the deer first, better scent control, and better blood trails. I recommend an Aluminum summit self-climber if you use a crossbow or rifle.
3. Scent control: don't buy into all these scent killers and scent cover nonsense. They don't work. You are constantly producing scent no matter what you do. Only thing you can do is be down wind.
4. Clothing. Dress appropriately for the weather. Dress light on the way in and bundle up before you sit. Merino wool baselayers are best but synthetic works too. Do not wear cotton ever. Realtree provides some awesome super affordable options and it's all I buy.
5. Camo: don't get super obsessed with camo. Deer have terrible depth and colour perception. But they see shapes, blue colours, and movement very well. Having a back drop and camo that breaks your outline and SLOW movements is your friend.

Finding a spot to hunt on crown bush.
1. Find a crown bush and look at it closely with satellite. Evergreen bushes will generally be easier to walk through. Take note of rivers/creeks, and clearings.
2. Go there and scout. Find funnel points and converging trails. Follow a deer trail and find a more active spot or an area where two deer trails meet. That's a spot to hunt. Another easy way is look for water, such as creeks/rivers. Deer will only cross at specific spots. This gives you a funnel point to hunt. So hunt converging trails and creek crossings.

Hunting those spots

1. Make sure you set up shooting lanes and your spot 20 yards from the trail to give you a broadside shot. Make sure it is clear from ANY debris, the tiniest branch or grass can cause you to miss.
2. Time to hunt: Evenings are generally better to hunt. Low wind days with a atmospheric pressure of 102kpa+ seem to be good for some reason. But don't discount days with bad weather. Mid november is the best time of season to hunt deer and is peak rut.
3. Before you hunt check your wind, make sure the wind is not blowing at your back. When the deer is infront of you and is moving don't be afraid to make a sound to make it stop as long as you are ready to shoot.

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Thanks for the advice (especially about the trails and creeks), I really appreciate it!

Thanks for the heads up about the breakfast, if it ends up happening, I will definitely try to make it.

Also, I get it not wanting to share hunting spots and all, I am mostly looking for just a rough boundary on where it is legal even legal to hunt in the western rural parts of the city.

Thanks for your help!