Are we Killing the Future of Hunting?
I recently walked into my office and noticed a copy of a magazine sitting on my desk. It was put out by the International Hunters Education Association and it didn’t take long to figure out why it was sitting where it was. I was a little aghast at what I found inside – so much so that I felt compelled to write a letter, something I never do.
To the Editor,
I would like to congratulate the publishers of the 24th annual edition of the “Hunter’s Handbook”. What a fine publication to place in the hands of our newly minted hunters at the start of their adventures in the field. The article covering the spread on page 54-55 that caught my eye was written by an expert obviously well-schooled in ways to “beat a buck’s nose” but, for some reason remained anonymous. Anyway, Mr. Anonymous, or Mrs. as the case may be, starts off with a good intro on how keen a deer’s nose is before asking the question, “So what can we do to see more whitetail and other big game animals?” Indeed, what can we do?
This article is chock full of useful tidbits of woodsmanship like “The first step is to wash your clothing in a scent fighting detergent like Scent Killer®” and “Super-Charged® Scent Killer® Spray can be applied to your clothing and boot bottoms”. The author does a fine job of detailing each and every step in the Scent Killer® system, including the Scent Killer® Gold® with Hunt Dry® Technology that was “tested” at Rutgers University and found to be over 99% effective at stopping replicated human odor – 10 days after drying!” I’m not sure exactly what that means, but it must be good.
To wrap up this fine piece of educational material, the still anonymous author adds “By using genuine Wildlife Research Center® Products and paying attention to scent elimination and scent transfer, you will start to see more animals and get much closer to them as well… Use the Scent Killer® system and see for yourself.” Man, after reading that, I’m ready to head out into the woods to shoot my first deer. I’ll have to make sure to swing by the local sporting goods store first though. Sure don’t want to forget my Scent Killer® system.
After that refreshing piece I continue on in search of more. After all, I’m a newby and hungry for knowledge and expert guidance. A few pages further along comes the “ATVs” section. Lots of useful tips here on how to choose the right Side-by-Side (SxS) for my hunting needs. No doubt, every hunter needs a good SxS. I thumb through the remaining pages, just a few to the end in search of some guidance on how to select a good pair of boots, but there’s nothing. Guess I’ll have to figure that one out on my own. But, maybe my tennis shoes will work so long as I select the right SxS. That must be it.
Ok, I’m done… No more sarcasm. Truthfully, this “Handbook” would be comical if it weren’t being offered as educational material to new hunters in need of real guidance. The real reason that the “fool a buck’s nose” article caught my eye and inspired this letter is that it not once mentioned the wind. Now, I don’t hold anything against companies promoting their products. I get that and I use some of the products advertised in these pages. What I find disturbing is that this supposed guide is essentially telling new hunters that that can and should buy their way to success in the field.
Where are the articles on getting to know the game you’re after? What about how to understand thermals and how that wily old buck will use them to his
Clay Hayes is owner and operator at Twisted Stave Media and is dedicated to the promotion woodsmanship and wild country.
advantage? There’s sure nothing about hunting into the wind, field dressing a deer or where to even find a deer for that matter. Perhaps I’m just old fashioned but I believe our fundamental & primal attraction to hunting is rooted in solving the problems it presents. What fun is a game of chess if you can completely circumvent your opponent’s defenses? If new hunters are encouraged to forgo these problems by buying their way past them, hunting is doomed. When we no longer have to solve the problems for ourselves, it becomes work, solely utilitarian, and cheapened. Perhaps I’m oversensitive, but I can’t help but think this type of “education” is killing the future of hunting.
Sincerely,
Clay Hayes
Twisted Stave Media
Nothing ceases to amaze me with the marketing ploys of a lot these companies that think most people are idiots. They will try to sell you ocean front property in Arizona if they thought they could get away with it.
Thank you for writing a letter to the editor. Common sense always wins.
Well said!!!!! True success can not be purchased, the work is what makes it worthwhile. Nice to see others have the same views.
You are right on, Clay…aghast is a fantastic description of how I feel when I open up most contemporary hunting magazines, or when I happen to catch what the outdoor channel or sportsman channel serve up on a regular basis…”hunting” as I know and love it is something very different from what is now portrayed in the mainstream…the art of hunting/woodsmanship seems to be facing the same fate as some other beautiful & reverent things; building things to last, considering aesthetic beauty as much as function in design, making things with materials other than plastic, long-term commitment, cohesive community, & the hand-written letter, just to name a few.
Couldn’t agree more. Listen for 5 minutes to any sales staff in a Cabelas, BassPro or Gander Mountain, and you’ll wonder how those poor old Native Americans ever killed a deer without all the widgits and gadgets we have today. Ask that same sales person for a 100 count bag of right wing shield cut feathers and they’ll look at you like you’re from Mars. Thanks for the input, and keep ’em coming.
Amen, brother! I get so tired of reading articles by so-called “experts” that are nothing but one long advertisement for whatever sponsors who happen to own their soul. People seem to forget that the ultimate goal in hunting is to take the life of another living creature and that goal should not be cheapened by constantly trying to figure out a shortcut to it.
Good response Clay…and I agree. We are losing our woodsmanship and hunting skills to technology. Hence the reason that so many are not able to get within 100 yds of a deer, elk, moose, or antelope much less 20 yards like many traditional or primitive bowhunters without a guide telling them what to do and patterning the game for them. Why so many get lost a hundred yards from their truck or cabin when GPS batteries die because they dont know how to read a compass or pay attention to their surroundings. Why so many are ONLY interested in huge trophy racks like they see on television and miss the entire point of learning and hunting as a new hunter progresses from does and spikes to more mature and wary animals. Thanks for your response and will be interested to hear if they respond.
Its not just hunting. How many schools have a shop class or auto shop? Ive taught for 30 years and I could hand a saw to the biggest toughest football player and he couldn’t saw a board in half! We are making cookie cutter kids who all are very good at punching buttons
people dont understand, someone has to pay . . . writers dont work for free. . .
Well said Clay.
Wonderfully wr9tten! I carry a self bow, arrows I made, my pack on my back, and no modern camo. Keeping in touch with my primal being is the only thing that allows me to function in a modern world!Thank you for creating a rubric for the editors of the “magazine” to follow!
Tony, neither do teachers but should we allow crack dealers to fund our schools? Perhaps a little melodramatic but you get the point.
This gives me hope hunters still persist. Ignore the hype and hucksters. Walk, sit, watch, listen, and respect.
Again, well said. It seems there is no appreciation for the wilderness (something else to be conqured not adapted to) and no respect for the wildlife. There are a lot of shooters out there but precious few hunters.
I would like to know about your bow in picture. I started using my Dad’s re-curve when I was 9 or 10 the bow was way to big for me but I loved it.
All I can say Clay, is right on Bro! Outdoor Sports continue to go down a bad road, we need to continue to “break the glass and pull the alarm” on this subject, so the up-and-coming have correct options to consider. Thanks for this!
I totally agree with you. The stuff they are trying to sell as “the next greatest thing” is crazy. It is not that it is anything new. Leopold was talking about the “gadgeteer” 75 years ago. It is just so easy to get it in front of people that have more money than they know what to do with now. They think success can be bought. It seems there are too many people that are looking for antlers as quick as they can get them and then head back to the comfort of the couch. Time spent outdoors and adventure don’t seem to mean much to them. I’ll spend my time outside.
the horse has already left the gate in fact it’s just about to cross the finish line so in a perfect world it would be great if people could make a living doing what they love without the influence of corporate America. That’s not the country we live in I’m not saying I like it I’m saying that’s just the way it is.
Thank you Clay, well said! I’ve been wanting to write a letter like that for years! I DO NOT watch any of the stupid hunting shows anymore, at least 8 years ago, cancelled all mag subscriptions except one, and dream about hunting back in the 1950’s. (I’m 48 🙂 ) Don’t forget what has happened to the price/availability of a place to hunt as well, that alone could kill hunting for the future! Being in the outdoors and passing along our knowledge is all that matters. All this commercial crap, so called deer pros, and STUPID magazine ads need to go! P.S. bought a recurve Clay, going traditional in all ways!
i totally agree, i have relatives that use all that crap and think jts the only way to kill a deer, completely fooled by all this advertising, i hunt with primitive equipment sometimes and have never spent any money what so ever, yet i use my 63 lb flatbow to kill small-medium game. So i have to say i have realized the same annoying truth about modern hunting.
Not to fear! The pope and Young club is now a corporate pRtner with ozonics! So now you can forget the wind and the scent killer and practice on your 100 yes shots with your ozonics making sure the deer don’t smell you. All in the name of “fair chase” just like Glenn envisioned.
Dustin, I just looked at that contraption. Thanks for the heads up on that. I figured it was all downhill for P&Y when they decided to back off on lighted nocks.
Clay, thanks. We’ve been waiting awhile for a voice like yours to rise up to the top. It takes some guts these days to challenge the corporate sponsors, something most of our bowhunting literature and media lacks. I appreciate you rising above the partisan politics and greed in order to write, post and create films that I would show my son. This is what it is to hunt, and this is what it is to belong to something larger than yourself.
Please keep it coming. You’ve got a growing fan base, and I’ll be helping out with your crowd sourcing. Enjoy the pines.
Very well said.
Clay, you hit a home run with your letter. I find it terribly ironic that a person picks up a bow to “accept a higher challenge ” and then does everything in his/her power to minimize that challenge because they mistakenly believe that the value of the experience is measured in inches of antler…a pathetic bastardization of the reason they picked up the bow in the first place.
Thank you for writing the letter in the first place. I too get fed up with today’s publications, in fact I hardly ever pick one up. Maybe if we, like you, took the time to send them a letter we could change things.
I like this article. I will be honest I remember reading it quite some time ago. I never took the opportunity to comment. I am happy the way I grew up in northern Ontario, on a small beef farm with a father who trapped, fished and hunted. Needless to say I learnt a lot growing up from other and at times by myself. I can’t imagine trying to get into hunting if you know nobody that hunts. How do you learn? If that one person picked up one of many hunting magazines and watched a hunting show they are in trouble in my opinion. Belonging to multiple outdoor forums I often see new members join. Normally they state they are new to hunting and have no mentor. This is where I find they choose one way or the other travel. Certain ones ask questions about locations, animals and gears. Normally rather simple questions. That is simple questions that a seasoned hunter knows the answers to but to a new hunter those are not so simple questions. Often I see these seasoned hunters poking fun or ridiculing the new hunter when we should be sharing our wisdom and knowledge. The other path I see many new hunters travelling is stating do they need to spend x amount of dollars on a scope or y amount of dollar on a scope. Often sooner than not they state how expensive it is to get into hunting. That can be true if your listening too the most articles in magazines or watching the average show. What’s worse is they seem to come back onto the forum in a week or too. Disheartened and upset that they have been out a handful of times and have yet to cut a tag or see a monster animal. Please take the time to answer and help new and old hunters a like.
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