Too much tech, too little savy
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Beautiful Western Montana
Posts: 2,308
Too much tech, too little savy
I am truly amazed at how the wonderful sport of bowhunting has changed. Cruising thru the post here, I see a ton of techno-drivell. While I enjoy the sport, the truth is I find dead animals every fall. I wonder if bow speeds, sights etc. are being used to as a substitute for solid hunting skills? One would think that technological advancements would be manifested with less wounding and lost critters, why does this not seem to be the case? As elk season approaches here in Montana, I can hardly wait to get up in the high country, yet I can hardly tolerate finding another dead bull one of my fellow bowhunters failed to recover.
#3
RE: Too much tech, too little savy
Ditto, I love shooting my bow. And just as in anything it is fun to have all the doo dads to play with.
But nothing can beat good hard practice and ethical shots while out hunting. These new fangled sights and what not does not make a longer shot ok. It may be fun in practice, but that is where the crazy shots should stay. If people didn't take these shots you would see a lot less unrecoverd animals!!!
But nothing can beat good hard practice and ethical shots while out hunting. These new fangled sights and what not does not make a longer shot ok. It may be fun in practice, but that is where the crazy shots should stay. If people didn't take these shots you would see a lot less unrecoverd animals!!!
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: Too much tech, too little savy
The inequality between the hunters and the hunted should not be allowed to become excessive."
Jose Ortega y Gasset, Spanish philosopher and hunter.
Our tools for the pursuit of wildlife improve faster than we do, and sportsmanship is a voluntary limitation in the use of these armaments. ... Voluntary adherence to an ethical code elevates the self-respect of the sportsman, but it should not be forgotten that voluntary disregard of the code degenerates and depraves him
No dig intended at the techno geeks who play with all the new stuff as a hobby but, YES, I feel far too many nimrods use technology as a substitute for hunting skills. Way too many of those absolutely do not understand the technology they head out with. They want to buy the technology that will give them the best chance of making a kill without having to invest too much of their precious time and effort into the process. When that technology fails them, they're lost. Seems far too often, it's the wildlife that pay for those failures.
#6
RE: Too much tech, too little savy
For me all the techno stuff has made me better. Not because of "it" because it has got me shooting more. I have practiced more this past spring and summer then I ever have. Some of that is because of wanting to keep trying new "cool" toys. I have increase my range to over 50 yards at targets but will keep hunting shots to no more then 30. In past years I could not go much over 30 at targets and 20 at deer. So to me the techno stuff itself was not the answer but playing with it made me better.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: Too much tech, too little savy
For some the love of hunting led them to archery, they are either looking for more of a challenge, or want to increase thier hunting season. Different mind sets for each type.
For other, the love of archery turned into a desire to hunt. It's like a natural progression of sorts. I swore I would not hunt when I got my bow. I wanted a target bow, pretty colors, chrome, the whole bit. I was talked out of it by the shop owner on the basis that it would be easier to re-sell if I didn't like archery. Well the very next year I was in a stand for the first at full draw on a nice 7 point. Go figure?
But the truth of the matter is I love archery, I'm hooked. The drive to release arrows is much stronger in me than the drive to take game. The hardest part about bow hunting for me is sitting in the tree just looking at my bow hang there. Thinking I could be shooting it.
Some people are just different and have different goals and objectives. I do agree with you in a sense though. Some put too much faith in toys and tuning and not enough in learning to shoot well, or knowing thier game better. Deer hunting takes to very difficult skills and combines them together into one. One doesnt' do you much good without the other.
Paul
For other, the love of archery turned into a desire to hunt. It's like a natural progression of sorts. I swore I would not hunt when I got my bow. I wanted a target bow, pretty colors, chrome, the whole bit. I was talked out of it by the shop owner on the basis that it would be easier to re-sell if I didn't like archery. Well the very next year I was in a stand for the first at full draw on a nice 7 point. Go figure?
But the truth of the matter is I love archery, I'm hooked. The drive to release arrows is much stronger in me than the drive to take game. The hardest part about bow hunting for me is sitting in the tree just looking at my bow hang there. Thinking I could be shooting it.
Some people are just different and have different goals and objectives. I do agree with you in a sense though. Some put too much faith in toys and tuning and not enough in learning to shoot well, or knowing thier game better. Deer hunting takes to very difficult skills and combines them together into one. One doesnt' do you much good without the other.
Paul
#10
RE: Too much tech, too little savy
I agree with Wihunter! With my new fall away rest and new sight I have shot more arrows this summer than the past 4 summers combined!! Its like I can't stop shootin! I love it. Hey to each his own!!!!! Remember your ethics!