I've watched this thread for the past couple of days...I've read each reply with interest...I'm not sure why I am even bothering to respond I can't add much more to the discussion...but a few thoughts have occured back in the cob-webbed crevasses of my small brain...I'll give my answer up front so some of you won't have to read any further, no, things are currently not to sophisticated in our beloved sport of bowhunting.
From reading the preceeding posts it would seem that I am way out of my league in my bowhunting endeavors. What other conclusion can I come to except that I suck as a bowhunter. Not counting elk hunting, scouting, hanging stands, practicing, testing, checking out as many new gadgets that I can get my greedy little hands on, I spent a portion of about 80 days last season, hunting whitetails from a tree stand at various locations around this great country of ours.
Let's see, I have a laser rangefinder, a camcorder, a number of compound bows, a "state-of-the-art" drop away rest, Tritium pin sight, carbon arrows, almost every different kind of broadhead you can imagine...both fixed and expandable, a humpteen dozen deer calls of all shapes and sizes, different steps to get up a tree...everything from ladders to screw in steps, tree stands galore (always think the next one I buy might be the best ever!
). I try to outfit myself with the lastest in clothing also. Scentloc liner, More camo combinations than I can wear in a season. Insulated coats and bibs for the cold weather, non-insulated stuff for the warm weather. All kinds of boots and then all kinds of storage bins to try and keep all these things scent free when not in use. I could continue with this barrage of gadgets and gear but I think you have had enough.
I remember when carbon suits first came out the manufacturer made a remark to a friend of mine something to the effect that He was afraid DNR agencies across the country would bring legislation against his product because deer could no longer smell the hunter, giving him an unfair advantage. (This was before the "new improved product"
. Guess what, it didn't happen. In fact although I'm sure it makes a difference, I have a hard time seeing much of a distinction in the reaction of game with or without the suit when I have done my part with scent control.
I heard the same comment from a manufacturer of a certain ground blind years ago. He made it sound like the blind would almost attract deer.....NOT. It was so hard to set up in fact we quit using it.
I read once where a game warden made the comment that with the new Gamefinder, it would give the hunter an unfair advantage because he would know where "every rabbit in the woods was." Sorry...NOT! I have talked face to face with the inventor on two different occasions and have yet to see anyone use it effectively in the field.
That being said, there have been occasions where I have located a bedded buck. I know his location, and I know the terrain, but I still have no chance to get an arrow to him. Either the wind is wrong, no cover, or the approach to him is not conducive to a silent stalk. Unless they invented something that made me silent and invisible, I had no chance. Don't get me wrong, I will still make an attempt(gadgets and all), but it is no contest.
(Does this MB contribute to the sophistication? The sharing of information is certainly a big advantage for us hunters!)
Simply put, for all these sophisticated, new fangled gadgets, that I have, I harvest a miniscule amount of deer. Granted, I look for a particular animal, nevertheless, from what I am reading, even with all the help I get from modern technology I am way behind the times! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
P.S. I wish someone would invent something to help me carry all these sophistications to my treestand! <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>