Is technology hurting the hunting industry?

[belly-deep]

I have seen him spook plenty of antelope at 150 yards while he tries to get his rangefinder on them, then extends the legs of his bipod, then adjust the turrets on his scope, then looks back at me and asks where the animal is.....

I've got a friend like that. He thinks he needs a bi-pod to shoot 100 yards.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

1_Pointer, I cannot argue with you. This discussion probably sounded exactly the same around some campfire 50 years ago when people started mounting Weaver K-4s on their rifles and started shooting at deer and elk 300 yds away.

That being said, everyone needs to figure out what their effective range is before they head out into the field, and I would argue that unless you have actually fired your rifle at a target at 1000yds and can put your rounds in an area the size of the vitals of the big game animal you intend to shoot (which is pretty tough to do), you have no business doing it in the field. If you have done all this, more power to you.

Then we have gun companies that put ideas in people heads, like it is no big deal to hit 12" plates at 1200yds. When in reality, I am sure pro shooter doped the gun based on altitude, range, wind (probably with readings at the target and halfway there), maybe even barometric pressure, and then validated all the data by shooting a couple of rounds before handing the gun to the Companies CEO. See link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp8Q0NKKKeE

 

[devon deer]

I have seen him spook plenty of antelope at 150 yards while he tries to get his rangefinder on them, then extends the legs of his bipod, then adjust the turrets on his scope, then looks back at me and asks where the animal is.....

Yep i have experienced that, i got a guy to within 50 yards of a red stag in woodland, out comes his rangefinder (i whisper 'shoot' in his ear) up come his sticks, pulls to extend the legs (more urgently this time, 'SHOOT') then he starts clicking his scope, deer looks right at us, i cannot contain myself SHOOT THE BLOODY DEER QUICK! too late it goes into thicket and crashes out of sight,grrr.
I have also looked at the youtube clip you posted, i dont think he actually hits the target, i think the bullet hits low, stones from the bullet impact hit it,what do you think?
Cheers
Richard

 

[noharleyyet]

There is more to technology than just the ability to make long shots and the ethics/lack of ethics associated with it.

Each person hunts for their own reasons, and, the role technology/gadgets/crap plays in a hunt is unique to each person.

I used to wait for every Cabelas catalog to show up so I could buy something, hell, I even got that big fake-leather master catalog some years. Now, I haven't ordered shit from Cabelas in many years, and, I don't buy much "technology", unless you consider the great gear from Mystery Ranch to be "technology".

My own personal awakening was one morning while getting ready to go elk hunting realising how many friggin' lanyards I had wrapped around my neck. I figured I would likely be found hung from a tree by my GPS, 2-Way Radio, Range Finder, Binoculars and who knows what ever else was vital to my hunt.

I started getting rid of a bunch of the stuff around my neck and haven't missed any of it.

I do hunt with a guy who lives in a big city, urban environment and I think he buys all this crap from CAbelas, Midway, etc... as some sort of year-round connection to hunting since he really can't get out to the mountains, sending his credit card to Sydney, Nebraska meets that need for him. I laugh at all the crap he brings that has no value to improving his hunt.

I have seen him spook plenty of antelope at 150 yards while he tries to get his rangefinder on them, then extends the legs of his bipod, then adjust the turrets on his scope, then looks back at me and asks where the animal is.....

...don't forget the sat phone w/solar charger, barrel de-resonator, cough silencer, and flatulence barriered clothing.

 

[Craig S.]

First, State & Federal law is the law.

Second, personal ethics & abilities VARY from one hunter to the next! I question a lot of things, but I know some may question my thoughts as well. I don't do a lot of long range stuff or use trail cameras much. I just don't. I know a lot of guys that do both. I know guys that use radios as well. None of these BREAK the law where I live. How do you control it? Should you control it? What's right, what's wrong? Where is the line?

Personally, I also know a lot of Average Joe Hunters that should NOT shoot past 100 yards, but they do! Seen & heard of a lot of gut shot animals because of these type of situations. So, I have a hard time saying it is unethical for a 900 yard shot, if the guy does his homework & it's a steady calm situation. Again, I think a 100 yard OFF hand shot by a guy that bought a rifle two weeks before the hunt is more unethical... Same goes for a 90 Yard shot with a bow from a guy like Randy Ulmer vs a 40 yard shot from a first time bowhunter.

We all make mistakes in the woods & in life. I believe questioning your own ethics & being accountable for your own actions is the ONLY answer. I provided a video link below where I DID not have a range finder & my wife was the hunter. This was her first archery elk hunt. She was only pulling 48 pounds & shooting a 300ish grain arrow. This is a 390 bull at 55 yards! We let it walk & it was NOT easy! Lots of guys said they would have shot him & I would have, but it wasn't me with the bow.

390 Bull Wallows at 55 Yards!

Bottom line is practice, educate yourself, know your own abilities & don't get caught up in the HYPE!

 

[putm2sleep]

Yes it is, and does.