Interesting thread.
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Any “old school” hunters around?
- Thread starter Wooly Bugger
- Start date
The only things I see nowadays that I think show a decline in basic hunting skills over the decades are the tendencies to rely heavily on magic gimmicks and products, the tendency to try to attract the deer to the spot you want to hunt instead of scouting and finding deer sign and learning their natural patterns; and so many folks not knowing basic stuff like how to skin or cut up their own deer. Other than that, it's all details and individual preferences.
Could u do some how to videos for us on here. Like start with the scouting. The kill. Getting it out. Then skin & cut it up. Cooking would not hurt either.
Thanks k
XIronheadX
PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
I hunt behind an old school- does that count? It is tuff- when the homeroom bell rings it usually scatters the deer and I don't see anything after that
Thats funny. lol. Best experience I had was on a new piece we leased. I was sitting there in total silence looking down a road bed thru some hardwoods one evening. A guy comes over a loudspeaker that sounded like it was about 20 ft away.."okay ladies and gentlemen"..They were having a dang rodeo on the property next to us about 250 yards away. Silence to chaos in about 1 second. PA system was cranked.
Yes it is. The days of the old are gone. Back when we would go show off a 3 point at our local gathering spots.
I’m glad I grew up country farm boy. Hard work & hard play time. Fishing & hunting back then was work to.
And we worked hard.
transfixer
Senior Member
Much of this is me, all the stuff I put my body through when I was younger caught up to me in recent years, because of bad knees I can no longer walk for miles, and hunting in 18degree weather no longer interests me, lol, coldest I ever hunted in was 10 degrees, I thought I was being tough ,, lol, the deer wouldn't even move in that kind of weather, they were smarter than I was!
I get enjoyment just from being in the outdoors now, whether I shoot one or not depends on if I need meat in the freezer, I got more enjoyment from helping a young man get his first deer a few years ago than I have from killing one myself in a long time. I just want to pass on the things I've learned to a youngster the way my dad passed what he knew on to me. I like to think I'm older and wiser now than I was in my younger days, well, at least wiser most of the time ! lol
p.s I had forgotten about those warmers that used the little sticks !
XIronheadX
PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
Yes it is. The days of the old are gone. Back when we would go show off a 3 point at our local gathering spots.
I’m glad I grew up country farm boy. Hard work & hard play time. Fishing & hunting back then was work to.
And we worked hard.
It is different this day and time. People are born in the city or the country. I actually was raised inside of I-285. Parents were of the old school ways in the country. We had rabbit dogs in a neighborhood. lol. I remember my first deer. Dad would take me deer hunting, but cared nothing for it. Probably all the money he lost trying out rabbit dogs he'd never see again, that ran deer. I shot my first deer at 14 I think. I could skin a rabbit, but wasn't too sure about that deer. My mother took the knife away from me and gutted it. Back in '78 or so. Lol true story.
XIronheadX
PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
Lol. Until you've got home and had red areas burned into your stomach from putting one down your shirt, you haven't lived. I still have one somewhere I saw not long ago.
Jeff C.
Chief Grass Master
Everything changed when "HUNTING" became what is now called a "SPORT".
Similar to "Fishing".
Similar to "Fishing".
I'd say it changed when people saw the $$$$ associated with it (which happens a whole, whole lot). Then they figured out they could call it a "sport" and start selling gadgets, geegaws, clothes, guns, etc. etc. etc. and marketing it all those to people and then it was just a part of straight up capitalism. More and more people in the country, more demand for hunting land, leases went up, land went up, more and more "stuff" to market to hunters to buy because hunters were buying all the gadgets and stuff, etc.
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Jack Ryan
Senior Member
Hey, watch that kid.
Jack Ryan
Senior Member
I can agree with that.
Camo is just a fashion statement when you are essentially sitting in a blacked out plastic out house all day over a heater and calling it hunting. Hoping something walks by before the guide comes by to give ya a ride back to the lodge.
Jack Ryan
Senior Member
I still use those.
In fact I had my warmer that runs on lighter fluid out last night using it on my aching neck and back while I watched TV.
Those are ALL awesome.
XIronheadX
PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
One thing I'll never acquire in life is a guide. If I'm not doing it myself, I'm not doing it.
XIronheadX
PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
Do they still make the fuel sticks? I can remember lighting them up on the gas stove before I'd go hunt. And you just made me remember the fluid ones. Forgot about them. I saw they got ones now you charge up with the phone charger and it charges your phone. haha
Rich Kaminski
Senior Member
You can say I'm am old time hunter
I have too many guns to list, I have 3 compound bows, I have an in-line Blackpowder rifle and I love to stalk hunt, althugh I do use climbing stands, ladder stands and ground blinds if I am hunting designated areas on a hunting club (must follow the rules). I also have a camper at my hunting club and two tents for over night camping beyond 2 hours from my home. I tried attractants and only found two to consistently work. I can locate deer any day by stalk hunting. I can also look at a place and determine if it is an area that bear will frequent. I have a more difficult time hunting hogs as they are more unpredictable and have a better sense of smell.
I have too many guns to list, I have 3 compound bows, I have an in-line Blackpowder rifle and I love to stalk hunt, althugh I do use climbing stands, ladder stands and ground blinds if I am hunting designated areas on a hunting club (must follow the rules). I also have a camper at my hunting club and two tents for over night camping beyond 2 hours from my home. I tried attractants and only found two to consistently work. I can locate deer any day by stalk hunting. I can also look at a place and determine if it is an area that bear will frequent. I have a more difficult time hunting hogs as they are more unpredictable and have a better sense of smell.
Buckstop
Senior Member
Yep, the way the world is going, the “art” of sitting on the ground in a yellow sweatshirt, smoking a cigerrete and shooting a deer may soon be lost. Sad.
Most folks hunt for there own enjoyment. Ever occur to you that they may actually enjoy hunting with they’re crossbows, inlines and treestands every bit as much as someone did 60yrs ago sitting on the ground in a plaid coat with an old sporterized springfield with iron sites?
Most folks hunt for there own enjoyment. Ever occur to you that they may actually enjoy hunting with they’re crossbows, inlines and treestands every bit as much as someone did 60yrs ago sitting on the ground in a plaid coat with an old sporterized springfield with iron sites?
oldfella1962
Senior Member
IMO at the end the end of the day hunting (specifically deer hunting) is really all about what you, the hunter, get out of hunting. Do you want to kill bigger deer? More deer? Hunt in the most challenging way possible? There's really something for everyone these days. You have to be true to yourself & your beliefs.
At 55 years old I like keeping things as simple (and safe!) as possible. I honestly believe that it's more fun and natural to increase your skill set (mental & physical) rather than get the newest technological aid.
Using crossbows? Of course you'll kill more deer assuming you already see plenty of deer up close - it's a mathematical certainty. I was dead set on getting one but I don't have bad shoulders. So I would feel like I'm copping out/cheating if I don't stick with traditional archery. I know I have just as much skill and ability as anyone - if not then I need to focus on being a better hunter and plugging any holes in my game. Also I just don't like the idea of having a "ready to fire" weapon. Murphy's Law would nail me.
Feeding deer? Sorry, I'm not a zoo keeper. Deer can find their own food, and it's up to me to find it too. So I'll crack the books, get some boots on the ground and figure it out.
Tree stands? I don't like shooting that steep angle. Heavier bones and the "sweet spot" for a double lung gets smaller as the angle increases. Deer shot from high up in tree stands using heavy draw weight compound bows often travel further than deer shot from the ground with a low poundage recurve or longbow.
Thermacell? Don't leave home without it! So yes I use some modern technology, but not so much that I feel like I'm a slave to it. I don't have a GPS - I use maps, many hand-drawn with notes and pictures relevant to hunting.
At 55 years old I like keeping things as simple (and safe!) as possible. I honestly believe that it's more fun and natural to increase your skill set (mental & physical) rather than get the newest technological aid.
Using crossbows? Of course you'll kill more deer assuming you already see plenty of deer up close - it's a mathematical certainty. I was dead set on getting one but I don't have bad shoulders. So I would feel like I'm copping out/cheating if I don't stick with traditional archery. I know I have just as much skill and ability as anyone - if not then I need to focus on being a better hunter and plugging any holes in my game. Also I just don't like the idea of having a "ready to fire" weapon. Murphy's Law would nail me.
Feeding deer? Sorry, I'm not a zoo keeper. Deer can find their own food, and it's up to me to find it too. So I'll crack the books, get some boots on the ground and figure it out.
Tree stands? I don't like shooting that steep angle. Heavier bones and the "sweet spot" for a double lung gets smaller as the angle increases. Deer shot from high up in tree stands using heavy draw weight compound bows often travel further than deer shot from the ground with a low poundage recurve or longbow.
Thermacell? Don't leave home without it! So yes I use some modern technology, but not so much that I feel like I'm a slave to it. I don't have a GPS - I use maps, many hand-drawn with notes and pictures relevant to hunting.
I'm old school as they come but these days at 66 years old I'm all about hunting smarter, not harder.
dixiecutter
Eye Devour ReeB
I hate the Bruins.
