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

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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.