ever feel a little guilty?

[Craig Van Arsdale]

It doesn't worry me much really. I mean if guys would stop posting the pics with obvious landmarks in them or trailhead names ect. We would be much better off.

I think backpack hunting with a bow is not something everyone has the dedication to really master therefore a lot of these guys are going to quit early. It reminds me a lot about the stock market, 95% of people that come into the market with a few thousand dollars, dollar signs in there eyes and dreams of getting rich quick are simply liquidity for the 5%ers. Very few ppl will ever make money trading the market because it takes a massive amount of time and dedication to learn and perfect as does backcountry hunting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Justin Crossley]

I would like to point out that littlebuf never said he didn't want to help newbies. I have seen him help people many times with hunting and gear advice. I don't believe this thread is about not wanting to help people.

I think littlebuf is talking more about the fact that a lot of guys wouldn't really even think about hunting the high hunt if it wasn't for forums like this.

 

[Justin Crossley]

anyways while i understand what you're saying i personally wouldn't worry about sites like these bringing in the masses to the backcountry---the gps and google earth(or any internet satellite images) have brought and will bring more numbers than anything else

These sites are where people hear about using google earth for scouting.

 

[littlebuf]

justins always got my back, right on brother ! and no I am not against helping people. my philosophy in fact is I will teach anybody that wants to learn, and that's with anything in life, ive produced some damn fine carpenters because I could see the dedication and willingness to learn something. hell ive given guys spots via pm on a few sites to try and get them on deer. what the post is about and im glad to see most of the responses leaning towards the heart of it is the climate of the internet hunting sites and there affect on what was once the exception not the norm. lots of good discussion here

 

[Shrek]

What's funny about me is I had never heard of all these shows and personalities into backcountry hunting. I haven't had a TV in years and cable in decades. I didn't have regular internet service either. I just became frustrated with the hunting I was doing and decided to reinvent the way I hunted. I had read old articles in magazines about elk hunting when I was a kid and always dreamed I would go one day. I knew I couldn't afford to pay for outfitted hunts so I hit upon the idea of backpacking and hunting on my feet. I started going to sites to research the hows on my smartphone and started a thread on another site about my plans. Ended up getting referred here and bam! Everything I needed in one place. I'm under no illusions that I'm in good enough shape and I'm counting on sucking wind and struggling. I've been hurt for the last month and have been unable to do any training. Going to give myself another two weeks to heal before I get back to training. To the point , if I can survive I will be back year after year until I'm competent and reliably successful. The only thing that will keep me from going is if my back gives out completely or some other crippling injury. I just happened into the current hunting fad by complete accident. Everything I have ever fished for or hunted for I've had to do on my own. My semi tree hugging parents actively discouraged me and I had fight to fish and hunt. Hunting in particular was not encouraged. So if you see me huffing and puffing and stopping every 20 yards to rest as I head up some halfway easy grade in your neck of the woods know that I'm a fanboy of my own making and not a follower.

 

[jmez]

The fanboys spend their time on websites like these talking about back country hunting. It is far too much work and takes too much dedication to be a fanboy affair. Even if they give it a go they won't be in it for the long haul. All they do is crowd up the trailheads. The truly hard core guys won't have to worry much about Rokslide inspired crowds.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Well Shit, maybe we should shut this place down

I do think this place puts more people into the back country. But anyway we can get more hunter interested(especially young hunters), I am all for it! We are a dying breed.

Couple years ago I hiked about 7 miles into the back country bow hunting. I was setting up camp when this guy walked up, he asked me how I had gotten all the way back here. When I told him I walked in, he looked me up and down looked at my gear and said, no really! Back country Fat kids unite!

 

[thru-hunter]

Just another fat guy churning out 40-50 hour work weeks at a desk job. I suppose I'm to stupid to know that I can't hike up and down mountains without a 20 hour a week training regime. I usually get there too, just gotta leave a little earlier...

 

[Hunt'nFish]

I hear you. But I'm sure we work a lot harder than most getting there.
Hey someone said it above.... it's it's all mental toughness.
That said, I seriously need to loose some weight.
What I'd give to be 30 & 200lbs again.
Hunt'nFish

 

[AndyB]

With all due respect to the original poster, maybe its not guilt you feel but a little selfishness, (which we are all guilty of) as others have posted, hunters are a dying breed all over, even in your great nation. The guys who you see who have 'no place back in there' may never go again once they realise how hard it really is, or, they may stick with it, become quite proficient and pass on the passion. Hunting needs hunters and if sites like this inspire someone to get off the couch and join in and contribute to the tradition and industry, all the better imho. Thank your lucky stars you 'can' hunt in those wild remote places. Regards, Andy.

 

[littlebuf]

where you from andy?

 

[gelton]

The term "fan boy" is relative. For instance, I killed my first whitetail deer at 11 yrs old with a .30-30 and my first deer with a bow at 12 - that was 25 yrs ago. However I am new to western hunting, have a kifaru duplex timberline and wear kryptek - does that make me a fan boy?

I started solo hunting waterfowl on public land at 14 yrs old and have filled truck beds full of snow geese. I can take you 200 miles round trip through the marsh in a boat at night without a spotlight. I have found that walking five miles though knee deep mud is just as hard as hiking ten miles into the backcountry. But I am new to western hunting - am I a fan boy?

I can fill ice chests full of largemouth bass, crappie, speckled trout and redfish but I am new to western hunting. In my first backcountry hunt I hiked more than 50 miles in 6 days and I can't wait to do it again.

The point being - fanboy is a relative term. While some might consider us fanboys in the element of western hunting we would probably consider you fanboys in our outdoor elements. Bottom line - anyone who enjoys the culture of the outdoors and firearms should be welcome with open arms into any forum that offers quality information like this one

Also - many people like me who found this forum did so searching for "the best pack" or Aron Snyder reviews...they had already made a conscious decision to hunt the backcountry, it's not as if this forum is the deciding factor of wether or not someone is going to hunt the backcountry, it's only an aid once the decision had already been made.

 

[AndyB]

Littlebuf, I live in Wales UK.

 

[Vandal 44]

I think it's about being selfish and that's ok with me, because I feel we are all selfish I know I am. I also believe that forums like this may contribute to some of the crowding in the back country, with that said I think the biggest culprit are guy like Cameron Hanes they glamorize the back country life style. I started hunting the back country before I even heard of Cameron Hanes and magazines like Easton's Journal. Then you get people on forums that start spouting off about gear and if you don't use this and that type of bow, rifle, pack, tent, clothing system, you wont be able to kill an animal. I think most people will try the back country hunting once, they will spend hundreds of dollars on gear and then never go back because its to difficult. That's fine with me that's when I get the good deals. Being in physical shape is important to the success in the back country, however the most important thing in my opinion is a person mindset the ability to preserver, the mental toughness this comes into play about day 3 or 4 when its hot, you haven't seen an animal and your body is in pain. I am 44 years old not in the best shape but better than most, I cant get up the mountain as fast as I used to, but I feel my metal toughness keeps me going. People may thing the back country is glamorous and it is until she punches you in the mouth.

 

[tstowater]

I thought about this thread last night and was ready to put up another post, but Vandal beat me to it. Well said Vandal. Nothing to add here. The access to information from all the sources today is amazing and creates desire to do the same thing. Kinda reminds me of the "Be like Mike" days.

 

[Sunspot]

Just don't say anything negative about shit made in China or you'll get a taste of fan-boys that work for XYZ company. lol

-Some need only the best due to the extremes of their hunt.
-Some are simply junkies and chase the carrot.
-Some it is their job.
-Some have more money than brains.
-Some don't know what the hell they want so they follow footsteps.
-Some are simply brand pumpers in disguise.

It is what it is so carry-on and have fun. A forum is only as good as its moderators/owners and this one is top-notch. I'd be more concerned about the explosion of outfitters locking up private lands, abuse of landowner tags, designated wilderness zones strategically zoned around Joe Biginfluence's multi-million dollar ranch and spotting scopes on every vantage point in prime trophy units. Everyday we get closer to being a European Pay Per Hunt.

 

[sk1]

These sites are where people hear about using google earth for scouting.

most of todays generation is computer literate, even if it's not google earth most know how to look up satellite imagery on yahoo or google....im sure the number of people that first hear of google earth here isn't that large. if you dont know how to do any of this you've been living under a rock..also probably brings more first time out of state hunters to the west that wouldnt have had enough vacation time to scout.

that combined with a handheld gps not needing to do your own navigation and that means more confident people going into the backcountry that wouldn't have before.

 

[Sunspot]

most of todays generation is computer literate, even if it's not google earth most know how to look up satellite imagery on yahoo or google....im sure the number of people that first hear of google earth here isn't that large. if you dont know how to do any of this you've been living under a rock..also probably brings more first time out of state hunters to the west that wouldnt have had enough vacation time to scout.

that combined with a handheld gps not needing to do your own navigation and that means more confident people going into the backcountry that wouldn't have before.

You are right the GPS has unlocked the backcountry.

 

[no limits]

I've been called a lot of names, out of stater,nonresident,high roller,poser and now fanboy. Man I'm starting to get a complex here! I guess I'm all of those,definitely will be a nonresident elk hunter and I suppose I'm a high roller I bought all the latest and greatest,I should look damn good out their. But I'm not new to hunting. I've hunted most of my life, not always big game birds,rabbit,quail and done some trapping also. But my passion is bow hunting. I love hunting whitetail with a bow,can't get enough! Now my kids are grown and I'm ready to go after elk. I'm fat,old and bald,have to say not much going for me as far as being young and in shape. But I still have a relentless burning desire for bow hunting and ready for new memories. So if you see some old fat guy that is nicely dressed in Kryptek camo and has a Kifaru pack with all the latest and greatest gear in it laying face first halfway up the mountian in your stomping ground,pay me no attention I'm just pursuing my passion for bow hunting. I apologize to you more experienced elk hunters in advance if I ruin your hunt.

 

[littlebuf]

I like your style no limits, if I come across you like that ill carry you in a little further