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Technology and hunting

Submitted by Zimo on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 8:21am.

Hunting season's under way and Roger and I always get into these discussions on fair chase and technology.

He blogged about it a few days ago.

Is it fair to use a full-blown elk decoy for elk hunting? Well, duck hunters use decoys.

I've gone back to using my double-barrelled shotgun for bird hunting and duck hunting. Sometimes it's frustrating because you don't have that third shot. It's even more frustrating when your hunting partner has a semi-automatic shotgun. But one advantage is that I can get off two shots pretty quickly.

I do think we're getting too many gadgets for hunting and fishing and it will affect game populations. There's so much stuff from digital scouting cameras to battery operated duck decoys. I really think it puts a lot of pressure on game populations, especially with the number of hunters going out and the loss of hunting grounds to development and private interests.

Heck, have you seen some of the so-called muzzleloaders, some with scopes? They probably shoot more accurately than my 30.30 with open sights.

I prefer to use the 30.30 for deer hunting and always get laughs from other hunters using scoped, flatter-shooting rifles. I know the limitations of my lever action and hunt to those limitations. I enjoy that.

Should there be a special primitive hunting season for 30.30s? There are special muzzleloader hunts.

Anyway, Roger and I will always be talking about hunting and technology - everything from ultra bipods to walkie-talkies to portable blinds.

Remember the simpler days of hunting?

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This can go either way

Submitted by macabra11 on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 1:36pm.

On one hand, if you want to talk about "Fair Chase" you could say that using a gun is not "Fair Chase". Before the world had firearms (and what a sad time that was) people used bows. Before that, humans had rocks and spears. Those early humans hunted for food - to survive. Today, we hunt for recreation and entertainment, not because we "have to put meat on the table". So if Roger wants to really be pro "fair chase", then give that man a sling and a hefty rock. Hunting should be enjoyable while at the same time respecting the land and your kill. So if using a GPS, red dot scope, or highly concentrated elk pee hoochie mama formula, makes you enjoy the experience more, then more power to you. As long as you make a quick, safe (I can't emphasize this enough), ethical kill - then I think you should be able to buy as many gadgets as you want.

Yep. I'm going to ask that ol' bear first before I strangle him.

Submitted by foreignoregonian on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 12:36am.

Right neighborly I s'pose.

FYI

Submitted by IdahoLT1 on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 2:11pm.

a red dot scope is going to make it more difficult for a hunter to take down his prey. A red dot usually has no magnification and rarely has 2x magnification, compared to the standard 3-9x scopes.

And using a rifle is far more humane than any other method. Alot of times, an arrow wont cause enough trauma to the inside and the deer will run until it bleeds out, which can take a couple minutes. It might also lead to the hunter not being able to find his prey. A rifle(depending on the caliber) will make it more likely for the animal to drop right in its tracks once its hit. The animal will suffer less, if it feels anything at all, and makes it alot easier for the hunter to retrieve his prey.

There are still people who hunt for survival. Granted they are few and far between but not 150 years ago, firearms were used in and around this whole country for survival.

Gizmo's

Submitted by YPmule on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 3:14pm.

Well the new sleeping bags are a lot lighter and smaller, but I still like my old heavy bed roll. I do appreciate the new fangled roll up cots, nicer then sleeping on the ground and easier to put up then the old canvas army cots. I like my little light weight titanium wood stove - weighs only 8 pounds, but its not as nice to cook on as the 50 pound stove. The new propane lights and stoves are a lot easier (and safer) then the old white gas models. I still prefer a big old wall tent to the new little nylon ones, I like to be able to stand up and if its bad weather, cook inside. I like the new water filters, and lighter hiking boots. I still like silk, cotton and wool over the new fabrics. There are a lot of improvements just for the harsh weather camping aspect of hunting that goes along with the gizmo's to bag game with.

I was thinking of Patrick McManus's "Fine and Pleasant Misery"....

Been reading a little Pat lately?

Submitted by political_junkie on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 3:35pm.

I just read "How I go this way" this sumer. Laughed until I cried several times. First thing I thought of when that grouse took off at my feet was a Pat McManus line.

We have all of Pat's books

Submitted by YPmule on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 1:50pm.

During power outages, I read his short stories out loud to my smarter half.

If you have not gotten it already, I highly recommend his newer book "The Bear in the Attic" - its a real "ROFLMAO"

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