Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Generally accepted truths about hunting, ballistics, gear etc. 1980 vs 2021

I'll join in for what it's worth.

I started actually shooting and hunting a bit beyond 1980. I did not have all THAT much exposure to it prior to that. However, I think I can mention a few things.

Stanmmster is right on clothing. I started off turkey hunting in surplus jungle boots, and an M65 jacket. Mil surplus was considered good gear. I added a commando sweater for warmth. Cotton thermal underwear and cotton "thermal" socks. My first deer kit was similar.

Firearms: Back then, Ohio was a shotgun-only state. You used a 12 GA and slugs out of a smooth bore. There were a few guys using Hastings rifled barrels by the mid-80's. But I don't remember them when I started. In Kentucky, most guys used a 30-30 on deer. One shot/One Kill was somebody's wet dream. You emptied your magazine at 'em. I was rather surprised when my first deer went down on the first shot.

That's one of the biggest things I've noticed over the years-- the number of shots has gone down even though the number of deer taken has gone up.

Back when I started, the whole thing was about building the herds/flocks. Ohio had just 5 counties where you could hunt turkeys. It was a 3 hour drive to get there from Cincinnati. Deer were in abundance in the eastern half of the state. You could hunt deer over by Cincinnati, but there were not many taken. In Kentucky, they allowed 2 bucks. Overall harvest back then was about half of what it is now. When I started, you had to work to see your game. It was a win just to hear a turkey gobble. Now? I have both deer and turkey staring in the bedroom window.