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Post by Land Between the Lakes on Sept 29, 2015 8:15:01 GMT -5
Is woodsmanship and outdoor skills slowly disappearing from hunting now days?
It seems like the "hunt" part of hunting is slowly disappearing. Most people today almost exclusively hunt directly over food plots, bait piles (depending on state), timed feeders etc. Technology has changed things also. Trail cameras do a lot or even most of the scouting, there are timed feeders etc.
All of these things certainly make hunting easier and there is nothing wrong with utilizing these things. People can hunt however they like. But do these things take away the need for woodsmanship?
Back years ago people grew up hunting by learning how to identify pinch points, natural feeding areas, natural food sources, etc So most people back then developed somewhat of a relationship with nature and they developed some great outdoors skills and woodsmanship skills. Today things are simply different. Not all but a lot, perhaps even a majority of new and young hunters are not really taught these skills. Not all but many are simply put into a stand over a food plot or bait and that's pretty much how they learn about hunting. Many of the younger hunters and new hunters today are never really taught how to find a pinch point in the forest, or how to identify different types of plants, trees, and natural food sources etc. So in my opinion they are really missing out on some great knowledge.
In my opinion understanding nature, plants, trees etc is one of the most satisfying parts of hunting. Being able to hunt a large forest or wilderness ecosystem and finding natural travel and feeding areas then taking a deer is one of the most satisfying parts of hunting. However this method of hunting really seems to be disappearing.
Have any of you noticed this trend?
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Post by dbd870 on Sept 29, 2015 8:40:31 GMT -5
Times change, technology changes no matter what subject you care to discuss - I'm not going to get bent out of shape about things like that. I'm not going to get old and crotchety yet, I hope, I don't think,....now.....  |
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 29, 2015 8:46:56 GMT -5
I know far less than I should, and hunger to learn more. I want to spend a day with a forester picking their brain to the point of I can walk a woods and know what weed that is, or what every single tree is just by the bark....definitely a lost art.
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 8:54:30 GMT -5
The tree stand is what ruined hunting.... Not cameras not scent killers not Google earth
Not coal mining...
Not baiting or foodplots even
But TREESTANDS
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 29, 2015 9:01:42 GMT -5
The tree stand is what ruined hunting.... Not cameras not scent killers not Google earth Not coal mining... Not baiting or foodplots even But TREESTANDS Even Native Americans would climb and sit in trees along game trails....dang Native Americans ruined everything  (50% joking) |
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 9:09:06 GMT -5
The tree stand is what ruined hunting.... Not cameras not scent killers not Google earth Not coal mining... Not baiting or foodplots even But TREESTANDS Even Native Americans would climb and sit in trees along game trails....dang Native Americans ruined everything (50% joking) they also smoked catalpa seeds and scalped people, far from role models...  |
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Post by swilk on Sept 29, 2015 9:09:10 GMT -5
Fixed vantage points have been used for a long, long time. My treestands are just more comfy than the ones used years ago.
There are still guys (and gals) out there that know what most trees are. what most weeds are. How to track. How to trap. How to hunt.
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Post by swilk on Sept 29, 2015 9:10:29 GMT -5
My dad was building permanent treestands in the 70's .... Im sure somewhere along the way there was a man standing in the fork of a tree back in the 1800's waiting to kill his supper.
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Post by salt on Sept 29, 2015 9:16:46 GMT -5
I would call it evolving. Things change. It's part of life. Does it make me less of an outdoorsman than the generation before me? I would say it just makes me different.
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Post by hornzilla on Sept 29, 2015 9:17:27 GMT -5
The tree stand is what ruined hunting.... Not cameras not scent killers not Google earth Not coal mining... Not baiting or foodplots even But TREESTANDS Please explain? |
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 9:18:59 GMT -5
Fixed vantage points have been used for a long, long time. My treestands are just more comfy than the ones used years ago. There are still guys (and gals) out there that know what most trees are. what most weeds are. How to track. How to trap. How to hunt. are sure they are more comfy? I spent some time as a youth up in some pretty comfy permanent stands from yesteryear. I'm sure those ones your dad was building in the 70's were more comfortable than these metal ones of today |
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 9:25:29 GMT -5
The tree stand is what ruined hunting.... Not cameras not scent killers not Google earth Not coal mining... Not baiting or foodplots even But TREESTANDS Please explain? (I'm not really opposed to them and I've used them) But... Being in a tree stand your movement is concealed the deer are less likely to see you if you are on the ground you have to be motionless. If you are spotting and stalking you have to be ever more cautious about which route you are taking to get you closest to your prey. But my point is If it weren't for treestands we couldn't sit in a tree stand overlooking "bait" as the op says so instead of blaming the baiting blame the tree stand liberals do it all the time |
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Post by freedomhunter on Sept 29, 2015 9:27:15 GMT -5
I started out hunting in Hoosier National in a tree I could climb and sit in a crook. Not very comfortable, but my mentor (uncle) pretty much taught the school of hard knocks. I still like to stalk or just make a ground blind. Crossbows killed woodsmanship, lol
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Post by swilk on Sept 29, 2015 9:27:31 GMT -5
Suspension seats .... very easy on the old rear and back.
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 9:29:24 GMT -5
I started out hunting in Hoosier National in a tree I could climb and sit in a crook. Not very comfortable, but my mentor (uncle) pretty much taught the school of hard knocks. I still like to stalk or just make a ground blind. Crossbows killed woodsmanship, lol I think he understands my treestand point same as his crossbow argument |
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Post by nfalls116 on Sept 29, 2015 9:31:13 GMT -5
Suspension seats .... very easy on the old rear and back. touché |
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 29, 2015 9:33:34 GMT -5
(I'm not really opposed to them and I've used them) But... Being in a tree stand your movement is concealed the deer are less likely to see you if you are on the ground you have to be motionless. If you are spotting and stalking you have to be ever more cautious about which route you are taking to get you closest to your prey. But my point is If it weren't for treestands we couldn't sit in a tree stand overlooking "bait" as the op says so instead of blaming the baiting blame the tree stand liberals do it all the time The baiting thing is illegal here so at least in Indiana forum not sure that part is valid Oh wait...I know many guys that still bait illegally and have been caught...and some that will probably continue to do so till they are (yes I turn them in). |
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Post by drs on Sept 29, 2015 9:39:42 GMT -5
Is woodsmanship and outdoor skills slowly disappearing from hunting now days? It seems like the "hunt" part of hunting is slowly disappearing. Most people today almost exclusively hunt directly over food plots, bait piles (depending on state), timed feeders etc. Technology has changed things also. Trail cameras do a lot or even most of the scouting, there are timed feeders etc. All of these things certainly make hunting easier and there is nothing wrong with utilizing these things. People can hunt however they like. But do these things take away the need for woodsmanship? Back years ago people grew up hunting by learning how to identify pinch points, natural feeding areas, natural food sources, etc So most people back then developed somewhat of a relationship with nature and they developed some great outdoors skills and woodsmanship skills. Today things are simply different. Not all but a lot, perhaps even a majority of new and young hunters are not really taught these skills. Not all but many are simply put into a stand over a food plot or bait and that's pretty much how they learn about hunting. Many of the younger hunters and new hunters today are never really taught how to find a pinch point in the forest, or how to identify different types of plants, trees, and natural food sources etc. So in my opinion they are really missing out on some great knowledge. In my opinion understanding nature, plants, trees etc is one of the most satisfying parts of hunting. Being able to hunt a large forest or wilderness ecosystem and finding natural travel and feeding areas then taking a deer is one of the most satisfying parts of hunting. However this method of hunting really seems to be disappearing. Have any of you noticed this trend? YEP!! I've also noticed this too. Modern technology along with better equipment, has had an impact on woodsmanship. As for younger people, it seems they rather spend time playing a "hunting game" on the computer than actually getting out in the great outdoors to hunt or even fish. |
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Sept 29, 2015 10:31:42 GMT -5
Personally, I think a lot of the arguments against bait, crossbows and technology in general is a bit hypocritical. It's all a matter of which advantage they are going to side with, approve or condemn.
If one is against baiting, but happens to hunt a field that they are privileged to by inheriting, buying, leasing or just friendly permission is in no way baiting to them. It is still hunting an unnatural food source. It appears to be an attitude of elitism, "You have to have a farm (or what I have) to do it and if you don't, you can't put out a $200 food plot or $400 worth of corn." It's just seems hypocritical to me. A compound bow, but not a crossbow just seems hypocritical. Why a compound at all??? Why not a just a long bow, or just a spear for that matter. Who gets to draw the line and when did God give them that right???
To the Indians, the white man hunting with guns was probably not considered "real hunting". Now, it's what type of gun, but some guns are okay ...says who??? or this kind of pointy stick and not another one. ...moccasins, but not Mucks ...animal hide wrap, but not insulated bibs ...scent or no scent ...on and on and on, because we are stupid humans and just can't help ourselves. We have to fight, condemn, feel superior in some way to someone. Man, are we stupid or what?
In my opinion, unless one stocks an animal with a long bow or pointy stick, they're not really hunting. One way or another they are just waiting for something to come by. So what???! We hunt for the thrill of the kill and food. As long as it's legal, ENJOY THE THRILL!
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 29, 2015 10:42:20 GMT -5
Lot of truth spoken Jon. I don't have a problem with baiting in a grand sense, but the issue with baiting is the hunter controls when and how the deer can eat the bait typically...it is not available in the dead of night even for some. Guys bait consistently at a certain time and deer learn they gotta get to it before dark or it is gone...or some baiting devices only feed during daytime hours...a food plot no matter how small cannot be controlled the same way baiting can and doesn't have the higher chance of saliva exchange bait piles due, which if biologists are telling us the truth (big IF anymore) is what can cause an uptick in disease.
Me personally I think they need to either ban baiting altogether or allow it altogether. This legal except 10 days prior stuff is just bogus, I guarantee you TONS of people still do it. And the fact Mineral falls into the same category is just lunacy in my opinion...but again I say all or nothing one way or the other on brought in bait placed by humans and not something which grows based on rain and light.
AS for the your weapon of choice comments I fully agree. I used to get wrapped up in the argument over such things but quickly realized some folks are just idiots and others just like causing rifts. I personally see a difference in crossbows and vertical bows, in that everything about them to me feels like a gun; you hold it like a gun, you squeeze a trigger like a gun, it shoots a bolt not a bullet is all....however it has been passed and added for all to use, so I support any and all that utilize one legally.
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(50% joking)
