Thread: Social influencers/bloggers/utubers and the effect they have on our sports

Hi MD,
Good essay. It's merely progress largely I think. You're right, successful hunting can be done without all the expensive, flash gear but the way the system is geared newbies cannot really be expected to realise that. But over time and with the progress of developed skills they would probably work it out themselves. The great thing about our sport these days is we can set our own levels of gear requirements. We can go with the basic but adequate necessities or conversely the highly technical level requiring substantial investment. In my view, it's all good. One level or the other doesn't make one a better hunter than the other guy, nor does it bear on how one enjoys hunting. The main thing is that guys need to get out there hunting.
Only one thing bothers me a bit which you touched on. That's the use of thermal / night vision equipment. Personally I'm not interested but don't decry those who use that technology so long as their use is within the law. I accept that it has it's place for pest control and wish use would remain for that only. Otherwise I can't help feeling how unsporting it is for simply recreational hunting. Game animals deserve to have some level of sanctity and to deny that is wrong.
Anyway, I know not all will agree and that's fine. I'm just an old guy and my thinking is probably behind these modern times.

Also, speculation, I wonder how those old days hunters, in their day, would have reacted if offered the gear, rifles, ammo available today ? My best guess is they would have thought it better than Christmas and probably couldn't have grabbed the gear quickly enough !