buckeye

I keep reading "I wish I had the Internet when I started hunting"....

Am I the only one who is glad that I didn't?

No one in my family or anyfriends hunted (my brother started when I did). I wanted a bow as a kid from watching the Dukes of Hazzard shoot them on TV. I got a bow and then got interested in bowhunting from there.

What I am getting at is, I learned what I did by myself on trial and error. Lot's oferror's. I am however proud of every mistake that I made and learned from.It made me "better" each and every time that I madea mistakeand learned from it.

I wouldn't change it. Not achance.

GMMAT

I look at it like this.....

Let's say you get a job at a golf course as an assistant professional. Let's say......Ohhh.....Jay Haas is a member of your club you work at....and he befriends you. Now....you can whack balls all day long on the range and teach yourself. You can play round after round and self-critique.....and probably learn through trial and error.

Or...

You can take advantage of one of the best playing minds and games the sport's ever seen.....and likely straighten out the learning curve by leaps and bounds.

In MY mind....there's nothing virtuous in NOT taking advantage of everything at your disposal. In MY eyes.....that shows intelligence. I'll put my money on the intelligent hunter (insert any skill endeavor, here in place of hunting) over the guy relying on only himself to learn. Call me crazy.

NY Bowhunter

You couldn't pick someone other than Jay Haas for that analogy?

MN/Kyle

Yeah like John Daly.

GMMAT

I was trying to keep to things I know about.

buckeye

I am not saying it is wrong for one to use the internet to learn, so simmer down.....

I am just saying I learned to do things the way I wanted to, I learned from my mistakes andeven managed to kill some deer along the way.

You take a kid who knows nothing, I mean zeroabout hunting who decides he wants to be a hunter and turn him loose. You can imagine how many mistakes were made and how sweet success was once it finally started coming together. I still remember the first deer I ever saw while hunting and then scaring it off 20 seconds later.....

Those memories are very special to me, and your knock on one being proudof learning on their own accord is ridiculous.

Schultzy

Your not the only one! I for one wouldn't of been In the house long enough to turn the computer on. I'm happy as heck for learning the way I did. No better way If you ask me. Would of I been farther ahead as a hunter if I did have the Internet as a kid? Heck no, not even close. My dad and my own experiences were and still are my best learning curve.

virginiashadow

I am glad I did not. I am glad it was hard. I am glad I paid my dues so to speak.

GMMAT

Perceived I assume....as I'm calm as a cucumber.

Again, perceived....as I intended no such "knock".

You're a carpenter. Imagine learning from one fo the best.....or being left to learn everything via trial and error. Which is the more intelligent approach? What would you advise your son to do?

BTW Scott....How many whitetail hunting publications/books have you read? How many DVD's/VCR tapes have you watched over the years?

buckeye

I would advise him to not drop out of college after 3 years and buy stuff(cars, dirt bikes etc.) he couldn't afford to pay forwith out a real job.

But what you speak of is a job, not a leisure activity. I go to work because I have to. I hunt because I love to.