OK, more on purpose: Squirrel, rabbit, duck, pheasant and turkey are all options for us. Possibly deer somewhere down the road.

We haven't landed on a budget yet. We want to get an idea of options first. I'm on mat leave and hubby just got laid off last week so we're kind of on hold. We still have a lot of work to do before we buy something, so we're not in a rush and can keep putting our pennies away until we get all that done and figure out what we want.

Best to look up your province's fish-and-game regs for each of these species.

Squirrel and snowshoe hare are probably for the taking at any time, and a .22 is the tool.

Duck, pheasant, and turkey are probably seasonal, and (my best guess) a scattergun is required. Steel shot over water, which ups the cost.

Deer is also seasonal, but there can be many seasons. In some places up here, there is a much wider season for bow and shotgun hunting for whitetail, especially in the zone immediately outside the suburbs; they are so successful that the only other option is for people to thin the herd using their bumpers/windshields.

Doug has pretty much hit the nail on the head. Bigger the game, the bigger the gun needed. You might want to narrow the "purpose" a bit to something like "survival hunting" or "recreational hunting" or even both. Although there may be some debate, here in the east, most folks tend to look at the .22 as a near ideal "survival hunting" rifle. This still is a good starter rifle to learn and master before you invest in a larger weapon. Here in Maryland, deer are mostly taken with shotgun (12 ga) and Bow -- rifles are getting more an more rare for deer because of the range of the rounds and the proximity to "civilization", thus creating fewer area where rifle are permitted, so the advice to know what is permissible in your area is key.

Bottom line, IMO, the best is to start small and inexpensive, i.e. a .22.

You can't beat a 12 gauge pump for versatility and reliability. There are many different loads out there to increase your options, including signal flares (rare). A basic 22 is highly useful and perfect for younger folks.

If you get something in the shot shell, centerfire category, you might want to consider handloading ammo. Using less extravagant equipment, it is very cheap, a fascinating pastime in its own right, and you can increase the range and versatility (there's that word, again) of your weapon.

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I agree,Ruger 10/22 is my fav hands down,accurate,reliable and infinite upgrades and parts available.

But on the 410 I will break with the crowd and say its a good gun.Its perfect for training and small people,you can step up later to 12 gauge if you decide you like shotties.

You dont mention defense but 410 has a lot of fans for that too,its smaller everything makes it suitable to all size of users I hear too,yet remains a formidable weapon,never say never,bad things happen..... (Dont own one,know Fans of gun who do)

I think your choices are perfect for beginners.For training children,again PERFECT choices in my not so knowledgeable opinion.

Other thing is join a rifle range and you will find all kind of experts who will HAPPILY school you,and at least here our range rats LOVE women shooters,they will have you shooting their guns (Boy is that fun!),which means you will get to see every possible gun and what fits YOU to a tee,range membership is a very good thing.

Mrs now knows what she would like going forward,especially true with handguns as they have to fit right,etc,as you know.

But do consider legislation and stay up to date,if you see a certain gun or something may be banned your way you might not want to own that weapon and then face hurdles to ownership.

Mrs and her 10/22....






Liked it waaay too much,so time for upgrades....watch out you mutant ninja zombie golf balls,Mrs has your number! EDIT-And Easter Bunny eggs adds Mrs




When you get into more shooting,archery is great fun,I know enough to get you started with a crossbow but oddly enough they are pretty expensive to get going with decent equipment,More than starting with guns....Mrs darn proud of that grouping,to hear her version its was 900 yards in a hurricane,LOL! (ok,I exaggerate....a little...)



After you buy all the things you need you are just better off buying the kit in the beginning IMO

http://www.amazon.com/Excalibur-Vixen-Cr...ywords=vixin+II



Excalibur Vixen II Crossbow Varizone Package
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Producing arrow speeds in excess of 285 FPS, the 150 pound Vixen II is a high performance crossbow manufactured specifically to fulfill the needs of smaller framed hunters, but with no compromise of quality or durability. The short, light draw and reduced length of pull make it the perfect choice for youth, ladies, or hunters of lesser stature Comes decorated in "Realtree HardwoodsTM" camouflage using the "Kolorfusion" process for amazing contrast and detail, is drilled and tapped to receive our scope and quiver mounts, and features quick detach sling studs. The velocity is 285 FPS, with a draw weight of 150 lbs. Velocity: 285 FPS, Draw Weight: 150 lbs. The package Includes, Vari-Zone Multi-Range Scope 2-4 x 32mm, Scope Mount, Scope Rings, 4-Arrow Quiver, Quiver Bracket, 4 Firebolt Carbon Arrows, 4 Field Points and Rope Cocking Aid.

This item is not for sale in some specific zip codes

when considering "subsistence hunting" my first pick is the 10/22 loaded with subsonics.

in non-sporting survival senario when only hunting small game (and when the cost/weight of ammo is weighed against the dressed weight of the game is included), i don't see the need for a shotgun (SG), because birds can be taken on the ground with a 22lr. (yes, this is non-sporting and illegal in most cases. i'm talking emergency survival only).

OTOH, if the consideration includes sporting uses, then both 10/22 and SG are useful tools.

for a simple safe inexpensive SG, i like the Stoeger side-by-side double-barrel Coach Gun in 12ga, which sell here for around $300

and while a 12ga sounds too powerful for kids, light loads are readily available that don't kick hard, yet allow the kids to grow into using more powerful loads as the need arises.

I've considered this myself, but at this time I just don't have the resources (especially the time) to go down this path right now. That said, I have looked into it a bit, especially the costs involved, and realistically the firearm isn't really the biggest cost; I figure a non-restricted course alone costs more than a basic .22. Range costs are also a big factor unless you have easy access (or the time) to use crown land.

That said, looking around at a couple Canadian online retailers, the .22 / .410 combination that I could find (Savage Model 42) runs around $470. I've been watching "Out of the Wild: Alaska" recently so I think its kinda cool & see the appeal.

To follow the advice of others here, which seem to make a lot of sense, you could get a single-shot shot gun & a semi-automatic .22 for around $350 (H&R Pardner in 12 ga., 20 ga. or .410 & a Marlin 795), for example. For more fun, you could go the 10/22 route, but they are more expensive (starting around the $250 mark), but you can get high-capacity magazines for them (there are no restrictions on rimfire magazines in Canada). Take down models also seem cool, so that might be another consideration.

To get into deer, I'd personally think hard about adding a centrefire rifle and would want to budget at least $400 - $600 for a decent entry level model.

I have no clue what the used market is like, I haven't looked into that. But I kinda assume that the lower the cost new, the lower the cost used, but I know that doesn't always hold true for all things.

All that said, keep in mind this is coming from someone who has only read the advice of others around the internet and isn't yet moving beyond the curiosity stage of research.

I am going to go against the grain here and recommend AGAINST a 10/22. I'm not saying it's a bad rifle. It's just that it is no better than any other lower end semi-auto .22, yet it costs much more. The 10/22 shines when it comes to being customizeable, but for regular shooting concerns - accuracy, resistance to jams/feed errors, etc. - it is no better than, say, a Marlin 795 or a Mossberg Plinkster but it costs twice as much as either of those. And yes, I do have all three of these mentioned .22's so I can speak from experience. Again, there is nothing wrong with a 10/22, but unless you plan to customize your rifle, I see no need to pay double the cost of other rifles for a 10/22.

On another front, I would not recommend a semi-auto .22 for hunting anyway. You are limited in what ammo they will find acceptable to cycle their actions. I would go for a bolt, lever, pump, or single shot for hunting. With the non-semi choices you can shoot supersonic ammo, subsonic ammo, hypersonic ammo, powderless ammo... You are not going to have all those choices available to you with a semi. Pricewise, for basic/standard models, a single shot will be your cheapest, followed by bolt, lever, then pump in that order. I have all these action types, and my favorite, by far, is the lever (a Henry H001T Frontier Model octagon barrel specifically). Followed by the bolt and single shot tied. Followed by the semi-autos. I don't know where the pump will fit in, because I haven't had it long enough to have formed an opinion yet. The action is a little tight, and the forend has sharply angled edges that make it a little uncomfortable to pump. But once I do an action job on it that opinion may change massively. Sanding/smoothing the forend and refinishing that should help a lot too.

Denis... the Savage 24 C (Camper model) is IMHO a better choice.. it is .22lr/20ga... there is a larger variety of shot shell loadings for 20ga, and the slug is an option against dangerous predators... it is a take down model... try to find one on the used market, and the older wooden stocked ones have a better following than the current polymer ones...I let mine get away a long time ago...

a .410 is an experts shotgun if you are shooting aerial birds... 1/2 to 3/4oz of shot produces a very thin shot string