Thread: Going ‘old school’

Originally Posted by inozz

does anybody remember the Gong Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMzi7tfXvSM

Lol. That was before my time. You had some strange as f*ck television back then.


But staying on topic - I agree that every method of taking game has its own benefits, and keeping things varied is a good way of developing fresh insight. It's not so much to do with the 'what', but rather the 'how'. Where bush hunting may polish a hunter's instincts and reflexes, longer range shooting may allow you to spend more time observing undisturbed animal's movements. If you were to then pair the knowledge you gained from both methods - wouldn't that make you a more well-rounded hunter?

There are some very talented hunters out there who cut their teeth bush stalking, learning the fundamentals etc, and later progressed onto longer range shooting/hunting. Yes, the distance at which the game is taken may be exaggerated somewhat, but to shoot a trophy animal on public land (intentionally, rather than by luck) still commands knowledge of animal behaviour in addition to much time spent planning, and time on the range. Is it easier to shoot a monster stag you've been following and studying for years at 800 yards v.s stalking in on a hind in the bush with an open sighted rifle? It's apples and oranges.

I think if someone is hungry to challenge themselves and derive as much as they can from every minute spent in the field, no matter their choice of tool(s), they'll come out having grown as an individual/hunter.

That said - I think there's a lot of merit in keeping things simple. Isn't that the primary motivation for most of us when we head out into the wilds? To get away from all the modern conveniences that imprison us on a near daily basis? Complicating things in the field should be well reasoned (i.e you want to shoot at longer distances), and not be spurred by the expectation that it'll lead to more success...as the gear manufacturers would like us to believe.