The 'New' generation and the 'Web o Net'

[5MilesBack]

I’m not talking hunting here, just talking basic science and productivity of society.

I guess. We've become so productive as a society now that no one even has to work. EVERYONE just drives around all day and clogs up the road system from morning to night, while society is being productive. I don't get it........but it has to be true, otherwise people would actually be WORKING.

 

[Murdy]

I don't know how things were out west in the 1970's and early 80's when I started hunting, but around here (Midwest), before states got smarter about management, the whitetail hunting sucked. I don't think the overall success rates were as good back then.

 

[dotman]

I can piece together fragments of comments to fit any agenda I want too if that were my intent.

....

 

[5MilesBack]

I don't know how things were out west in the 1970's and early 80's when I started hunting

It was pretty awesome. Heck, just getting to your hunting spots was a pleasure. These days I have to plan my route out, plan to leave home at 3am, and avoid certain roads and areas just to avoid traffic jams. It takes half the fun out of it before I even get there.

Even when I drove back home to hunt while in the military, I could project what time I'd get there even with a 16 hour drive........and arrive within 10-15 minutes of that time. These days, it could be 2 1/2 or even 3 hours to go 90 miles sometimes.

But as for the hunting, elk in particular.......I believe that today in general as a whole we have a much better chance of taking 300"+ bulls than at any other time.

 

[Billinsd]

I don't know how things were out west in the 1970's and early 80's when I started hunting, but around here (Midwest), before states got smarter about management, the whitetail hunting sucked. I don't think the overall success rates were as good back then.

The deer hunting was better, the elk hunting was worse in general. There was MUCH better predator control, like poisoning coyotes, which helped the deer. Before the internet it was MUCH harder for non locals to be as successful as they can be now. Locals now have more competition and non locals can be more successful. Some things have not changed, smarter, harder hunting, more efficient hunters were and still are more successful.

 

[5MilesBack]

The deer hunting was better, the elk hunting was worse in general.

My buddy and I discuss this a lot. We remember the CDOW posting elk numbers back then at around 180k elk in the state. In the more recent years they've come out with numbers as high as 300k+. Yet we always saw a lot more elk back then than these days. It wasn't uncommon to see 50+ elk a day back then, all within fairly close shooting distance.

For deer, it's a no-brainer. The 70's and 80's were the absolute high points for CO muley hunting. You could just about close your eyes and pick which 4x4 you wanted to shoot. Good deer were everywhere. We'd see 100 deer a day with does and bucks.

 

[Murdy]

Interesting, it took Wisconsin, where I grew up, a while to figure out that just shooting bucks wasn't good management. You'd see does running all over, but an 8 point buck was a rarity. More people were meat-hunting back then, so they'd shoot the first buck they saw regardless of what it was.

 

[Huntindog45]

the camo discussions crack me up more than anything. I look at the Kuiu facebook page and the 70 post discussions about which camo pattern and guys selling off their 20 piece matching sets of one camo pattern to buy the exact thing in another camo pattern and I just crack up. that is just one thing I laugh at.
I still have my grandfathers 60 year old savage 99 in 300 savage with a 4 power scope that he killed more deer and elk than most of us can dream of, while wearing blue jeans and plaid. not sure how he did it. That being said. I love gore tex. How the hell we ever lived without that... IDK. I guess we all have our "needs"

 

[Huntindog45]

The commercialization of the sport is much to blame. The TV shows and videos, which really are just infomercials have turned hunting into bass fishing/nascar. If I ever get in the woods with someone who actually talks like they do on the TV shows. "...Oooh look at the mass on this buck i killed with my super whacker xp4000...." I may shoot him myself.

 

[jorgensen.travis]

I used to be resistant to technology. I would give my kids a hard time about watching YouTube and social media. Then I thought, would I'd rather they watch TV? Now I try to keep an open mind. Comparing YouTube and social media of today to magazines, books, and TV (what I grew up on), today's form is much more open and honest. In the past, everyone (journalists and TV stars) were all bought and paid for. Just think about the nonsense on Hunting TV, or some of the stuff we've read in magazines. Now we have people on YouTube that may or may not know what they're talking about and may or may not be bought and paid for. It's up to us to decide what's useful and what's not. What works for a guy with a job and a life besides hunting may not be what works for a person who is sponsored and can devote all his time to hunting. I think the new way is much better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Molon Labe]

People can do what they want with their time and/or money.
Attacking other people for their choices is a waste of time.

This new generation may think that it is a complete waste of time posting and/or reading a general discussion forum.
While they are out hunting or scouting in their expensive new gear they purchased...

Thanks to the OP for this post though.
I am one that enjoys wasting my time reading discussions on the interwebs.

 

[FlyGuy]

I'll be 44 next month, so I guess I'm somewhere in the middle generationally. I know for a fact that gear makes a difference. If you don't think so, I'll take you out to hunt geese in Lubbock, Texas. (About the windiest place on planet earth). You bring your old camo jacket and cotton long johns, I'll wear my Sitka and let's see who kills more birds. After working up a lather putting out 300 dekes into frozen ground, then go lay perfectly still on the dirt for 5 hours in that wind... If you don't have the gear you will be back in the truck.

That's how I got to know Sitka gear. I thought it was overpriced designer camo. Until I wore it. Now, if you ask my wife she'll tell you that I own every piece of clothing Sitka makes. I also own a lot of gear from kifaru, a spotter, Swaro binos, etc. etc. I've hunted since I was 6, but I'm relatively new to elk hunting. Elk hunting is hard. Since you can't rely on luck, when you don't have experience you have to rely on gear (and Internet knowledge) to gain an edge. But once you do have experience-then using the best gear isn't as critical - but it sure is nice.

3 buddies from work were giving me a hard time the other day about how much camo I have and the "thousands of dollars" I've spent on gear. I pointed out that each of them owned a bass boat, so I'm still ahead of them by at least $50k!




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jorgensen.travis]

Part of the fun of hunting is the anticipation. Many people may only get out for one big trip a year. If people enjoy researching and shopping for gear and setting it all up to get ready for a big hunt what's wrong with that. It's fun. Let's not fool ourselves, we are all in this for fun. Playing with new gadgets or new guns and justifying it ourselves and dreaming about the next adventure is part of what it's all about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I'll be 44 next month, so I guess I'm somewhere in the middle generationally. I know for a fact that gear makes a difference. If you don't think so, I'll take you out to hunt geese in Lubbock, Texas. (About the windiest place on planet earth). You bring your old camo jacket and cotton long johns, I'll wear my Sitka and let's see who kills more birds. After working up a lather putting out 300 dekes into frozen ground, then go lay perfectly still on the dirt for 5 hours in that wind... If you don't have the gear you will be back in the truck.

That's how I got to know Sitka gear. I thought it was overpriced designer camo. Until I wore it. Now, if you ask my wife she'll tell you that I own every piece of clothing Sitka makes. I also own a lot of gear from kifaru, a spotter, Swaro binos, etc. etc. I've hunted since I was 6, but I'm relatively new to elk hunting. Elk hunting is hard. Since you can't rely on luck, when you don't have experience you have to rely on gear (and Internet knowledge) to gain an edge. But once you do have experience-then using the best gear isn't as critical - but it sure is nice.

3 buddies from work were giving me a hard time the other day about how much camo I have and the "thousands of dollars" I've spent on gear. I pointed out that each of them owned a bass boat, so I'm still ahead of them by at least $50k!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Finally someone I can completely agree with. LOL

 

[Bar]

I'll be 44 next month, so I guess I'm somewhere in the middle generationally. I know for a fact that gear makes a difference. If you don't think so, I'll take you out to hunt geese in Lubbock, Texas. (About the windiest place on planet earth). You bring your old camo jacket and cotton long johns, I'll wear my Sitka and let's see who kills more birds. After working up a lather putting out 300 dekes into frozen ground, then go lay perfectly still on the dirt for 5 hours in that wind... If you don't have the gear you will be back in the truck.

That's how I got to know Sitka gear. I thought it was overpriced designer camo. Until I wore it. Now, if you ask my wife she'll tell you that I own every piece of clothing Sitka makes. I also own a lot of gear from kifaru, a spotter, Swaro binos, etc. etc. I've hunted since I was 6, but I'm relatively new to elk hunting. Elk hunting is hard. Since you can't rely on luck, when you don't have experience you have to rely on gear (and Internet knowledge) to gain an edge. But once you do have experience-then using the best gear isn't as critical - but it sure is nice.

3 buddies from work were giving me a hard time the other day about how much camo I have and the "thousands of dollars" I've spent on gear. I pointed out that each of them owned a bass boat, so I'm still ahead of them by at least $50k!




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Old gear is not as bad as you think. We wore and still wear wool. We weren't stupid and it didn't take long to figure out cotton doesn't work. If you're happy spending thousands of dollars on camo clothing you're free to do it. However, us old timers get along now and in the old days just fine and in comfort.

I'll also tell you that red and black plaid works in all conditions. No need to change it for different times of the year, or different terrain like the camo industry hustles you into thinking. The secret is to not move when an animal is looking at you. Not what your wearing. I could wear a clown suit and still sneak up on game. A bad still hunter wearing the best camo made will get busted every time.

To be honest. I know nothing about your bird hunting. I just hunt for big game and I know for a fact that camo isn't needed.

 

[FlyGuy]

Old gear is not as bad as you think. We wore and still wear wool. We weren't stupid and it didn't take long to figure out cotton doesn't work. If you're happy spending thousands of dollars on camo clothing you're free to do it. However, us old timers get along now and in the old days just fine and in comfort.

I'll also tell you that red and black plaid works in all conditions. No need to change it for different times of the year, or different terrain like the camo industry hustles you into thinking. The secret is to not move when an animal is looking at you. Not what your wearing. I could wear a clown suit and still sneak up on game. A bad still hunter wearing the best camo made will get busted every time.

To be honest. I know nothing about your bird hunting. I just hunt for big game and I know for a fact that camo isn't needed.

I agree with you on the camo for big game and that movement is the most critical for any type of hunting. I wear a fair amount of solids for big game and I've resisted the subalpine craze (so far anyway!) for birds, different story. They see color, and there are hundreds of them all looking for you from close range before they commit. Camo pattern isn't the most critical, but I've never seen another pattern blend into the landscape as well as sitkas waterfowl does.

The real difference for me is not the pattern though, it is in the thickness of the clothing. Prior to investing in Sitka gear, the thickness of insulation used in of lower quality gear that I had to wear just to stay warm enough to hunt was outright ridiculous. You ended up looking like the Staypuff Marshmallow Man and it truly affected your accuracy by inhibiting your ability to quickly and properly shoulder your gun.







Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[KurtR]

I'll be 44 next month, so I guess I'm somewhere in the middle generationally. I know for a fact that gear makes a difference. If you don't think so, I'll take you out to hunt geese in Lubbock, Texas. (About the windiest place on planet earth). You bring your old camo jacket and cotton long johns, I'll wear my Sitka and let's see who kills more birds. After working up a lather putting out 300 dekes into frozen ground, then go lay perfectly still on the dirt for 5 hours in that wind... If you don't have the gear you will be back in the truck.

That's how I got to know Sitka gear. I thought it was overpriced designer camo. Until I wore it. Now, if you ask my wife she'll tell you that I own every piece of clothing Sitka makes. I also own a lot of gear from kifaru, a spotter, Swaro binos, etc. etc. I've hunted since I was 6, but I'm relatively new to elk hunting. Elk hunting is hard. Since you can't rely on luck, when you don't have experience you have to rely on gear (and Internet knowledge) to gain an edge. But once you do have experience-then using the best gear isn't as critical - but it sure is nice.

3 buddies from work were giving me a hard time the other day about how much camo I have and the "thousands of dollars" I've spent on gear. I pointed out that each of them owned a bass boat, so I'm still ahead of them by at least $50k!




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

That is a fact lay out in a ditch in december up here in South Dakota and you will really value good clothes. I used to look like the stay puff marshmallow man when i was younger with so many layers on and was still cold in the wind up here. It also took a half hour to take a leak.

 

[Bar]

I agree with you on the camo for big game and that movement is the most critical for any type of hunting. I wear a fair amount of solids for big game and I've resisted the subalpine craze (so far anyway!) for birds, different story. They see color, and there are hundreds of them all looking for you from close range before they commit. Camo pattern isn't the most critical, but I've never seen another pattern blend into the landscape as well as sitkas waterfowl does.

The real difference for me is not the pattern though, it is in the thickness of the clothing. Prior to investing in Sitka gear, the thickness of insulation used in of lower quality gear that I had to wear just to stay warm enough to hunt was outright ridiculous. You ended up looking like the Staypuff Marshmallow Man and it truly affected your accuracy by inhibiting your ability to quickly and properly shoulder your gun.







Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I agree that the older clothing can get a bit thick and heavy. I'm lucky in that I love the cold and i'm comfortable in it. Anything over 65 degrees is a heat wave and i'm misarable. So, I don't need to bulk up with clothing. As an example I drive a Jeep Wrangler year around with no top or doors and love it. People seem to feel a need to tell me i'm nuts, but I shrug them off as sissy's.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I agree that the older clothing can get a bit thick and heavy. I'm lucky in that I love the cold and i'm comfortable in it. Anything over 65 degrees is a heat wave and i'm misarable. So, I don't need to bulk up with clothing. As an example I drive a Jeep Wrangler year around with no top or doors and love it. People seem to feel a need to tell me i'm nuts, but I shrug them off as sissy's.

Tell ya what, come to So. Cal in the winter and do the clothing test I did with me. I will wear my Sitka and you wear your wool, we will jump into my unheated pool and start walking the hills near my home. Assuming you don't drown in your heavy wet wool, let's see how you look after 5 miles of hiking. I'll be nearly dry, I'm betting you will still weigh an extra 50lbs and be soaking wet.

Clothing is not about trends, it's about practicality. Cotton can kill a guy. I wear Sitka because it is lightweight, comfortable, layers well and won't kill me in an extreme situation. I test all my gear in the winter so I know my limits in the field. My wife thinks I'm crazy but I actually enjoy these backyard exercises. Just because something costs more doesn't mean it's not worth owning. I think you usually get what you pay for and in a sport when success or failure comes from how much you can stretch your physical limitations, there is really no reason to razz the person who buys the optimum gear. Kudos to you for finding happiness in wool, but I bet if someone gave you Sitka Gear for Christmas your wool would stay at home.

A smart car will get from point A to point B but a Jeep or 4X4 truck might be a wiser choice. You simply do your own cost-benefit analysis. JMO, I could be wrong.

 

[Bar]

You missed my point. I don't need to wear a lot of clothing, so even though i'm wearing clothing I bought in the 60's i'm comfortable. I might just be wearing a wool shirt while you have on 4 layers. I'm not a dummy and I won't let the wool get wet. If it's raining/snowing i'll slip on a thin rain jacket.

If you gave me Sitka and it was camo. No, I wouldn't wear it. I'm way too old school to wear camo.

Come to California? Why in the world would I do that?