RedAllison ,
I' m 43 , have 4 kids and 4 grandkids , and a dickie do also . Us" old fogeys" may have to explain what a dickey do is to the younger members ...
And no , I don' t wear any of the items you mentioned other than an Army MOPP suit and insulated boots . Insulated boots aren' t new tech , they' ve been around for thousands of years , and I' ll concede on the MOPP suit . I did , in fact , look for some sheepskin lined mocs earlier , the softer soles would be a real bonus when the leaves turn " extra crispy" . My comment only addressed what I feel is a growing reliance on tech tools to replace basic hunting skills . My state bans thermal tracking devices , recorded deer calls , and baiting for just that reason . And I agree with them . I agree that hearing protection is a must with firearms , but what' s wrong with nice low tech ear plugs once the quarry is coming in ? $150 is sort of steep for one ear plug .

While my smokepole is an inline , it still loads from the front . I chose an inline because it' s more reliable than a sidelock . I' ve recently taken up the recurve bow , but wouldn' t exclude the possibility of using a compound since both are bows . I also own and will be using a crossbow this year during our late archery season . The crossbow predates firearms by over 1,500 years , so it couldn' t be considered new either . I' ll have the option of sights or the red dot it came with , but will go with the sights .

If the term " technological gimmicks" is what caused you to respond , then I am somewhat confused as to why it annoyed you . My grandfather hunted deer with a single shot 12 ga. loaded with OO, dressed in red and black plaid coat with brown pants , and took his limit nearly every year . He was one of the best hunters that I' ve ever met to this day . He despised " Hollis Allen' s Arrow Launching Device" when it first debuted , and prophesied that it would be the death of traditional archery . For the uninitiated , the device in question was what we now call a compound bow . Was he wrong ? I think so , look at the number of bow hunters in the woods these days .

I' ve sometimes been catigated for my stand on crossbows , yet I look at the Cabela' s catalog and I see scopes , red dots , and other toys for compounds that the catigators jumped on me for since my tool has the ability to mount the same items . Are they wrong ? I would tend to think that they are simply prejudiced toward a tool they don' t personally use .

I spent a long time becoming a hunter , and tried at all times to learn the way of the woods . I do no better or worse than those in the next woodlot , and carry far less gear since I rely on my senses to guide me . I only reccomended this way to Have 2 Hunt as a way of improving his skills as a hunter , I think you would agree that is more important than toys . We have a responsibility as the senior hunters to help the juniors become the best hunter that they can be . Otherwise we run the risk of failing both them and the sport we all love .