Thats he way it is with any game you kill. It's all fun going hunting till you actually kill something then the real work begins.

Everyone should take a read on

Nessmuk's Woodcraft and Camping

Google it or to to Project Gutenberg. 30 days in the woods was old hat a century ago.

Bill

That's a good idea... if you are skilled with a bow. But if you've never used a bow before (like me) then you'll probably have the same amount of luck that you would throwing a rock.

As for making your own arrows... that's a whole other skill. Anyone can widdle a stick, but to make a proper arrow is something else entirely.

If you’re planning on making arrows better not have a compound bow. Compound makers tell you not to use wood arrows because they will split the arrows. When I was 20 I tried it and it did split the arrow and part of the arrow ran under the skin of my left arm but it could have been much worse.

In all the time I have spent in the woods I have seen a bear only a handful of times, and a Cougar only once (very brief). Moose in the rut are more of a danger here, as they will gladly stomp you if you get too close, but even that is very, very rare. My biggest concern often comes from one of the smallest creatures we often encounter in the woods. Bees and wasps. Seems that there is a huge increase in the amount of these here in Alberta. They are absolutely EVERYWHERE. I've been in the woods hunting with all my fancy gear thinking that my 12ga 3 inch solid copper slugs would protect me from most any type of animal, and then stumbled upon a hidden wasp nest only to find myself running and screaming like a little girl and flapping my arms like a bird trying to get away from the relentless little B@#T%&dS. I am a fairly good shot, but not good enough to take out 100 angry bees or wasps on the run with a shotgun. I hear about more people dying in the woods because they get swarmed, or even due to allergic reaction etc. I consider this a far bigger threat to my survival in the forest than animal attack. Does any one here have tips on avoiding Bee/wasp/hornet attack ??

a horny Moose or a calving Elk is way more dangerous than the average bear...and you see those things way more often. This spring I was camping in Jasper and we had calving Elk walking right through the campground at all hours like they owned the place...the authorities considered it to be quite dangerous.

ROFL

It's not available via project guttenberg but I did find an interesting site called www.nessmuking.com about Nessmuk.

Seems like ultralight hiking was invented not by modern nuts but by the native Americans. Nessmuk traveled with a 28 lb pack...including his canoe!!!

I happened across a very large Moose not long ago while deer hunting(unfortunately no tag for Moose) He lowered his head, grunted a lot, and made it very clear that I had best step off in a hurry. I took my trusty old .30-06 and gave him his space and that was that. I respect them but never have really felt threatened by a Moose. (yet) I've heard tell of hunters being chased quite some distance by Moose, but have actually never heard tell of any one being killed by one.(although I am certain it has happened)This summer I was cutting fire wood, and being very careful to check each tree before felling for nests. About a half hour of peaceful cutting went by and then I heard the buzzing sound that would make even the toughest SOB crap his pants. I must have fell a tree on a nest in the ground. Once I realized that I was being enclosed in a cloud of angry death I dropped my saw and covered the 100 yard distance to my truck in about 3 strides. I managed to do an impressive superman dive UNDER my truck and then managed to get into the truck on the opposite side. The wasps chased me most of that distance, although I did not dare turn around to look. Of all the wildlife that will kill someone in the woods, these guyS must be somewhere at the top of the list.

Don't forget about snakes. Right in my own backyard I almost stepped on a copperhead. Didn't even see it until I was standing right next to it. Don't know why it didn't decide to strike. I just got lucky.