Lewis and Clark took one of those pirate type " eyeglass" scopes on their Journey. Also had a fancy air gun, that they used to impress the Native Americans with. You could even say that their Kentucky long rifles (with true rifleing) were modern.
Probably the people of the day considered them gadgets.

I do agree that there are a lot of " gadgets" out there that hunters don' t need and that these hunting shows do their part to sell' um. I won' t retract my statement about optics. For the most part optics are a " you get what you pay for item" . I can judge distance fairly well out to 200 yds or so, but not much beyond that especially with no " poles" around. Never even carried a bi-pod or shooting sticks before this hunt----ending up not needing them.

I am by no means a " yuppie" . I do not live in the " East" . I live in Indiana farm country which in some ways is more rural than a lot of areas " out West" . The only knot I know how to tie is for my shoes though, well maybe a slip not.

People from the Rocky Mtn states should not take for granted their access to " public land" which in the Midwest is rare, and when you find it the acres are small and the hunters are numerous.