Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What newer technology has helped your hunting the most?

Just looking for some input here, has a newer scope that helped you see later, warmer clothing or something else made an improvement in your hunting lately?

Laser rangefinder

Not really for us in the last 10 years or so that I can think of.

The things I like are good glass, and thats been around a long time. And good bullets. Those have too, but the advent of Barnes I really love.

A rangefinder and a wind speed meter are tops too.

But we've not bought anythign "new" that I can think of in quite some time.

gunpowder.

Whisper biscuit arrow rest and fiber optic sights when they first came out.

I went from painted tip pins and a shark fin style rest. thought I died and went to heaven.

Hunting the high country in the Pacific Northwest in the rainforest with it's rain and fog, the GPS is a great help making it out without drama.

Laser rangefinder helps, but isn't necessary.

LED flashlites are awesome.

The land ownership chip for the GPS is probably the single most valuable "new" tool for me.

Cell phone..."Come help me drag this this out."

Computer + internet has allowed me to access a wider variety of toys from around the world at very doable prices.

Laser range finder, for me.

Shooting across deep draws to the oppisite ridge, it is a real comfort to know positively whether the distance is 350 yds or 450 yds.

I like to pick a perch and laser surrounding landmarks, then wait for game to walk in front of a boulder or tree which has been recently ranged.

Low light coating and hydrophobic coating in scopes. I guess the range finder help a couple times.

I am with Idaho Shooter and the GPS!

warmer clothing for sure. i went from hand me down woolriches and rubber boots to 80's military issue to goretex and thinsulate.

Smokeless powder.

Arial photos and topo maps . I can look up and area and know it before I even get there. Sometimes I can even see deer trails in the marsh grass for areal photos.
\

Shepherd scopes

Boots. Comfortable boots that are actually warm and waterproof at the same time.

Drones

self contained cartridge.

Game cameras/GPS, range finder

Power windows.

Long range technology.

Recorded files on SD card or phone and wireless bluetooth speakers to play predator calls with. Works like a charm. I can change the call, time it, or send it to another speaker even all from my phone from a vantage point where critters aren't focused on. I even made one track chasin' a bud's chickens around in his hen house.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Winch with a half mile cable........

Landowner maps in the GPS.




Travis

I would not be able to hunt the 3,600 acre swamp that I do without my Thermacell and I'd be very hesitant to explore new areas of it without the satellite maps on my iPhone.

I've had a bug suit and 100% deer for a long time, and they are no match for the mosquitos in this place when it is above 60 degrees. I've also gotten so turned around in the dark walking to my stand that I've gone 10 minutes back the wrong direction. Not to mention when the water level changes it is a completely different place.

Retractable keychain.

I like being able to delete my emails ... great technology!

Not a technology, but lightweight backpacking gear.

The Little Buddy Heater.

Yellow uberlanches!

THERMOCELL! There must not be to many southern hunters here. It's the only thing I don't leave without and always have a spare.

HAHA

Man the ad companies must love you. Scope coatings are your #1 pick? What about the cough silencer? Or the butt-out? Barrel deresonator?

YUP! I have about 20 Thermacell devices and they work exactly as advertised. In fact, I'm so afraid they will stop making them that I have about 100 of the larger refill packs.

NOTHING works more efficiently to ward off skeeters and for the most part all other no see'ums and deer flies.

I've seen one of those bad boys clear a pool top of about 2000 skeeters in 10 minutes.

They work!!

As for what I could use in the way of good old fashioned hunting!!

More good LUCK!!

Locking/unlocking front hubs.

Electricity. It makes casting a lot easier, shooting cheaper and provides for alloy blends suitable for burning black powder.

Free porn.

Now that's funny.

Garmin Rinos.

Yep.

GPS app on cell phone.
Goretex and imitations.
Synthetic fabrics.
Compound bow with sights.
LED lights is up there, and good rechargeable batteries.
Baby wipes.
Disposable lighters.

I've had two Rino's quit on me so far. I went w/o gps, camera, and land ownership this year I was so bent out of shape at Garmin. How the Rino's holding up for you?

Baby Wipes

Yep..

After last years successful elk hunt, the Kimber Montana 270 Win and the Barnes 140 gr TSX. I now have a pile of rifles I need to sell.

We could market 'Baboon ass' baby wipes... make millions..

One hundred percent agreement!

I gave up on the Rino's, I use the Oregon with the land owner chip. Then a separate radio!

GPS and all of the free maps/images available on the web. During some of my desktop scouting efforts this year, I could actually see pronghorn scattered in some of the areas I considered.

With the geo-referencing, I can get or guide others to within mere yards of the intended locations.

No doubt....

I agree, but specifically, led headlamps. Hands free low-power consumption light that points where you look and isn't cumbersome.

Other than that my gear isn't cutting edge unless you count some lightweight, quiet and breathable rain gear. I still use a compass instead of a GPS although I'll probably get one at some point.

And on the camping end of it, I still use white gas stoves.

This internet with forums such as this along with photographs of what we did from the new digital cameras.

I have learned and enjoyed hunting stories along with buying products and information most from the 'net'.

iPhone

Coleman Biowipes are good. Biodegrade in 21 days.

Temperature tolerant smokeless powder.

GPS units.

Good lined boots.

Text messaging your hunting buddy. Especially my deaf as FUGG combat arms buddy. Used to have to scream into the phone to let him know deer where moving towards him.

Shoes.......

It's been discussed for years but no one has invented it yet...a technique for removing 5 years from my old carcass.

Laser rangefinder and Scope. Gps maps.

Land owner GPS chip and carbon fiber nunchucks.

Bob

+1 for Thermacell

Pocket knife

Easy-- invention of the automobile

Goretex

Light boots

Trail cameras - kind of

Heavy shot

Fiber type glowing sights on bows

Better glass on scopes

Ear protection for shooting

Digital powder scales

Power case trimmers

Hands down the Thermacell is the greatest aid to hunting in my lifetime.


Mike

carry around 3 million candle power spot light!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahhah

This

I don't have any 'newer technology'. All my stuff is old school.

I have some nice lightweight warm clothes and boots. AAA LED flashlight that throws a beam and weighs damn near nothing. GPS give me confidence, and good for tracking.

In Florida & you don't have a Thermacell ?


Mike

Not exactly new, but you've heard of cheerleaders right?

Fracking, in the oil fields of West Texas.

I would be willing to offer up to $100 for your ratty old wood and blue 7x57

The Ackeley Improved version of the .223

I have a thermacell and haven't had the luck with it that others have. Maybe Alaska mosquitoes have an immunity to modern technology because they used my thermacell to fornicate on.

Our last couple of trips to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida my wife and I were surprised by the lack of mosquitoes. We couldn't believe how mosquito free the area was for being swampland. Maybe we're just used to Alaska sized mosquito invasions.

Clothing and footwear. Warmer, drier, lighter.

Google Earth. Topos are nice but don't differentiate between hardwoods, conifers, etc...

Surprised I haven't seen "Infra Red" yet.

You reach a point when the cheerleaders' mothers look pretty good...and sometime a grandmother can get a 2d or 3d look, too.

I just heard about a battery powered handheld cordless winch. I am think hard about getting one, cause as I get older, dragging deer out the swamp is tough!!

I don't find them all that effective. I use a small pump bottle of Deep Woods Off.

Hot hands

+1

Thermacell, LRF, and text messaging, in that order. I climbed in a riverfront box blind the other afternoon when the temperature was in the 80's and there must have been 40 skeeters in there, just waiting in the dark. Had to put on my jacket and hat just to make it for 10 minutes while the Thermacell warmed up.

Google earth without a doubt for me.

Retractable keychain. The night before the hunt i attach one end to the rifles sling and i tape the other end to a box of same cal. ammo.

waterproof boots that work

That would be illegal in most states....

They work a bit in AK. But certainly not perfect.

I just fill the mag box full of ammo the night before.. LOL.

I've found a really comfortable climbing treestand to be a great boon to deer hunting for me. It allows me to be more still, and stay longer. This means seeing more deer, and them not seeing me.

Muck Boots

Garmin Alpha.....wouldn't want to take the GSPs out without one.

I'm 58. I started late in hunting. Newer technologies to me are things that were not available prior to say 1980.

10) Poly-Pro Underwear. I fought the first 10 seasons in cotton thermal and wool union suits.
9) Modern Compound bows. I spent my first 10 bow seasons with a Martin Cougar Magnum. Yikes!
8) ATV's. They chase all the deer onto my property.
7) Insulated waterproof boots
6) Cell Phone -- I never have to worry about being unable to call for help.
5) Compact FRS Walkie Talkies
4) The LED flashlight. I started with a 6V lantern.
3) Rifle Scope technology-- I have never spent all that much on a scope. However, comparing a $30 scope from the mid-80's to a $65 Bushnell Banner of today is miraculous.
2) The all-metal buddy ladder stand.
1) The Internet.

When I look at what the Internet has done to my hunting experience, it's incredible.

1) Weather reports and radar right in the stand
2) Hunting Licenses online
3) Telecheck results at my fingertip
4) Topo maps and Google Earth
5) Amazon, Grafs, Midway, Sportsmans Guide
6) Electronic books to read in the stand, most of them free
7) Reloading data online
8) Telepresence: I've repaired servers and fixed phone systems from the deer blind.
9) My weblog.
10) The 24Hour Campfire

Let me just say this about the latter. Y'all don't know how much the 'Campfire has meant to me. I was a real DIY'er when it came to hunting. No one else around me hunted. I spent the first 20 years trying to learn from magazines and books. I had some decent successes before 2001, but I still had my head filled with mush on a lot of things. Between the old shooters.com and here, I have really felt I found my mentors and my companions.

It's one thing to hunt and shoot. However, it's another thing entirely to have folks to share it with. My sons are coming online now as mature men and mature hunters and shooters, so I will have real corporeal companions going forward, but you all made a lonely pursuit a lot less lonely over the years.

If the average hunter today had to go back to the old days, he'd be helpless. Hell, put a bologna sandwich, a thermos of coffee in the back of your old woolrich coat, a few extra shells and HUNT, for God's sake. (I'll allow you a simple compass if you need any high tech stuff)

We get those "average" hunters every once in a while.

I had a guy from work come out for squirrel hunting with his son. He wore a tactical vest and a pistol in a leg holster. He and the wife and the kid got lost.

A few years ago I saw a strange light in the back pasture, well after dark on the Rifle Opener. After an hour or so, the light showed up at our fire-- an insurance executive and his wife about 6 miles from their car. They'd been wandering for a couple of hours. The battery on the smartphone or GPS or whatever had died.

Sometimes folks party too much the night before and put the wrong booletts in da gun. Reading cal. on box is easier than on the cartridge.