Weapon or technology restrictions?

[huntin24/7]

I’m not sure how states can keep giving out the same opportunity that hunters crave so much without some sort of weapon restrictions(for all weapons). It’s either going to come to less opportunity or more primitive weapons opportunity at some point if this western hunting craze continues.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I never thought about capping rangefinder strength but I like that idea A LOT.

Some states here in the south are changing laws around turkey decoys from no fanning on public land to as strong as no decoys at all. I personally am all for making it more difficult.

 

[bigsky2]

I’m not sure how states can keep giving out the same opportunity that hunters crave so much without some sort of weapon restrictions(for all weapons). It’s either going to come to less opportunity or more primitive weapons opportunity at some point if this western hunting craze continues.

Or maybe even worse- nothing changes and we gradually get used to less animals and lower quality of experience.

 

[huntin24/7]

Or maybe even worse- nothing changes and we gradually get used to less animals and lower quality of experience.

I try not to think about that option, but you make a good point.

 

[texwest44]

I just got a wild idea that is sure to ruffle some feathers: earned upgrades. Think of it like creating technology tiers that a hunter could advance through, after meeting certain requirements like volunteering on wildlife or habitat projects or participating in youth mentor hunts or something like that. And no pay to play options, some kind of hands-on activity is required.

As an example:

Tier 1, no additional requirements other than purchase of standard licenses, privileges include: legal firearm of choice or recurve/compound bow, scope with maximum magnification of 9x, binoculars/spotting gear with maximum magnification of 12x, phone GPS, flashlight/headlamps. Pursuit, hunt, and retrieval must be on foot or horseback.

Tier 2, after having done a small amount of volunteering or program participation, new privileges unlocked: Rangefinders to 500 yards, rifle scope up to 12x magnification, bionoculars/spotting gear up to 24x magnification, use of 1 non-transmitting trail camera.

Tier 3, after having done a medium amount of volunteering or program participation, new privileges unlocked: Rangefinders to 1000 yards, unlimited magnification for scopes and binoculars/spotting gear, use of vehicle/ATV/SxS for game retrieval, and up to 3 non-transmitting trail cameras.

Tier 4, after having done a large amount of volunteering or program participation, new privileges unlocked: Crossbows, unlimited rangefinders, thermal optics, smart optics, transmitting trail cameras allowed, use of vehicle/ATV/SxS to travel in hunting area, and day-before-hunt use of a drone, plus some bonus LE draw points.

Obviously some fine tuning could be done here and there, but the idea is that if someone wants to put in hundreds of hours of habitat/wildlife restoration or work on other kinds of improvement projects, then they can use all their fancy gear. And I think I'd be less grumpy about trail cams on public land if I knew that person put in two full summers of mule deer habitat improvement work.

 

[antlerradar]

Or maybe even worse- nothing changes and we gradually get used to less animals and lower quality of experience.

Don't worry, as long a you can pay for a quality private land hunt everything will be just fine.
How long until we are told to just pay more if you want a better experience, replaces tie those shoelaces tighter.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Don't worry, as long a you can pay for a quality private land hunt everything will be just fine.
How long until we are told to just pay more if you want a better experience, replaces tie those shoelaces tighter.

Bingo

 

[DFS]

Don't worry, as long a you can pay for a quality private land hunt everything will be just fine.
How long until we are told to just pay more if you want a better experience, replaces tie those shoelaces tighter.

I’ve already been told to gain access to private if I’m not happy with the quality of hunt on public land.

 

[Nick87]

Or maybe even worse- nothing changes and we gradually get used to less animals and lower quality of experience.

Already there in a lot of places. I've had people tell me I was just spoiled with populations in the 90's and early 2000's. Nothing like setting the bar low.

 

[Buffs35]

Don't worry, as long a you can pay for a quality private land hunt everything will be just fine.
How long until we are told to just pay more if you want a better experience, replaces tie those shoelaces tighter.

That will be a lot easier once all of our public lands are sold to political cronies. Gotta pay the toll to play with the big boys.

 

[brockel]

Curious, how much people like to hunt or just shoot stuff.

Depends on the day

 

[Nick87]

Depends on the day

Depends on the critter too.

 

[Keep on]

How much more wildlife would be wounded/maimed with loss of scopes or rangefinders for example? Don't have to look very hard on YouTube to find lots of hunters who can barely hit an animal at 100-200 yards with a scope. Open sights aren't going to stop them from taking the same shots at 1.5 year old bucks, probably producing a higher level of wounding without recovery.

 

[brockel]

Sure would you hunt with open sights?

I’d have to buy a rifle with open sights or use my 22s. Any major manufacturers making many open sight rifles anymore?

 

[brockel]

I would support something, but I'm not sure what that would be. Definitely no scopes on muzzleloaders. But what about mapping software like OnX, Gohunt, etc. I'm not a very good long range rifleman, but before using maps with images of the terrain I blew way more stalks on animals and was way more cautious around property boundaries. I can remember one of Randy's early episodes of a mule deer hunt in Montana that was (I think) pre OnX. They didn't shoot a monster deer because they weren't sure of the boundary. Turned out the deer was on public. I gotta imagine that is having some sort of impact.

This to me has had the biggest impact in my area.

Well along with YouTube I guess

 

[Nick87]

How much more wildlife would be wounded/maimed with loss of scopes or rangefinders for example? Don't have to look very hard on YouTube to find lots of hunters who can barely hit an animal at 100-200 yards with a scope. Open sights aren't going to stop them from taking the same shots at 1.5 year old bucks, probably producing a higher level of wounding without recovery.

I don't know that'd be any different people push there ability regardless what that ability is. Last year was the first year shooting open sights in a long time. Went into it thinking 200 yards no sweat. I was humbled pretty quickly.

 

[brockel]

Maybe videoing on private land only?

 

[Nick87]

Maybe videoing on private land only?

How about nowhere. You want a spectator sport, watch football.

 

[Buffs35]

How much more wildlife would be wounded/maimed with loss of scopes or rangefinders for example? Don't have to look very hard on YouTube to find lots of hunters who can barely hit an animal at 100-200 yards with a scope. Open sights aren't going to stop them from taking the same shots at 1.5 year old bucks, probably producing a higher level of wounding without recovery.

Most hunters that wound with a rifle and scope at 200 yards won't get close enough with a recurve or muzzy with a peep sight, so I'm not worried.

 

[hank4elk]

I hunt for food. Am happy with my old 30-06.
I had unlimited killing,not for food.