Is the new generation of hunters lazy?

[koger]

I was in a local pro shop the other day, everyone was complaining, and gripiing about how  hard a season it has been, and I agreed. Too many acorns, hot weather, huge number of does, deer just not moving. I had harvested a doe and 9 pt, 2 turkeys, wife a spike, lots of hunters had seen little, shot nothing with wheelie bows or firearms. The wife had went hunting 24 times, and I had went 34 to get 3 shots at deer for the two of us combined, but we connected on all three. Another trad buddy had went 53 times to get a shot on a buck, and connected, nearly a twin to mine. Last few years I averaged 8-11 hunts to get a shot, wife also about the same according to the journals I keep. I continued to listen to the conversation, and asked how many times they had went hunting so far. Between 8-12 times, total for the season was what I heard, again and again! I couldnt beleive it, and this was about 20 guys. Most of these guys were in there mid 20's to mid 30's, I am knocking on 50! And we have a ton of deer, compared to when I was hunting, first  killed deer in the late 70's. I guess we as a hunting race are evolving to a if it is too hard, I cant be bothered to do it. None of these guys were trad hunters either, most were Matthews or PSE guru's. I remember hunting all season, seeing 6 deer, killing a small 3pt and being fired up! I cant help but think  alot of this is a result of our great tv hunting shows, high fives, and "I smoked Him" attitude. I just couldnt say much, felt exasperated, when one of the smart mouths says, "Koger is just lucky, must have some easy honey hole to hunt". I had to bite my tongue, but told them, "If you guys would get off the couch, and into the woods half as much as I have, with a bad back, prosthetic brace on my leg, and rebult shoulder,you might make some luck of your own, and you wont do that watchin Buckmasters, or Lee and Tiffany. If being succesful was easy,everyone would do it." I just needed to vent guys, any of you have similar experiences?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Not necessarily lazy and not necessarily the new generation.

The new Generation does what they are taught!  

I tend to believe the new generation has not been taught to think for themselves and have not had much instruction therefore they replicate what they see on tv.

BTW I would fit into the category of the new generation.

I ran into an "old fart" last night who looked down on me for shooting a doe. He said "I only shoots bucks" matter of factually.  When I told him I have passed on 8 spike bucks this year he looked at me like I was crazy.

[Bjorn]

Old farts like us have been complaining about lazy youths ever since there have been old farts and youths. Aristotle even wrote about that in his day! LOL!

[PEARL DRUMS]

Bjorn you nailed it!

[HUNT 24/7]

I can't really speak for anyone else, but I'm 33 & go at it hard. Not for deer but for waterfowl in the fall, crows in winter & bears in the spring & summer.
 I do think kids today are just lazy in general though, not just in hunting.

[Red4arm]

Born got it, been the same for centuries, we were the lazy youth a few decades ago. They will come around, just give some time to ripen.

[ChuckC]

This sounds like the start of a pleasant thread.
ChuckC

[Jeff Roark]

Sam,

Its been the opposite for me actually. For the time I have spent in the woods(think how many times you've called the house here and I was either gone or just got back)I have seen very little but I have had some shot opportunities.

What kills me more than anything is that I put in so much effort just to get a shot and then all the "gun season hunters" just drive up and there the damn thing stands in the wide open for them to shoot. Then they all go back and talk about what great hunters they are, while I am still in the woods making like a tree and seeing nothing! I wish they had to actually earn their kill with just a little effort.

But you know what? I wouldn't trade my time and experience that I am being rewarded with for every one of their kills. Like today, I actually managed to call in a hen but she busted me before I could blink an eye. But, I learned that I could actually manage to call one in. I'm starting to pick up on little subtle things in the woods that I would've have missed before. I have also noticed that my sense of smell has even improved since living in the woods this past month.

This morning I drew on a beautiful little doe and held right on the spot while she just stood there watching me and I simply couldn't kill her. I was easing along the ridge and I walked right up on her and she just stood there. I could have taken her but it just wasn't right for me. It just didn't seen fair chase and I wouldn't have been satisfied with myself if I would have shot her.

gee I have mumbled on from one thing to another.

[koger]

Guys I am talking about the people locally, a lot of hunters get into it, and 3 years later out of it, too busy playing X Box on line with buddies. There are some great guys the same age I mentioned that have a passion for hunting, and hunt hard. But these guys were caught up in talking about this show and that, and the latest equipment that would seal the deal. You have to learn that the euipment does not a shooter make, with anything, and you get the reward out of anything, relative to the effort you put into it. And Jeff, hope you didnt take offense buddy, but you have transformed into a true trad hunter this fall, your post says it all for me. I was talking about the local guys that I see regularly, just wondering if anyone else felt the sam.e

[BradLantz]

automatic feeders and camtrackers have really changed things, but the #1 negative thing IMO?

ATV's

I can list dozens of negatives about them - very very few positives. The worst thing about them is people ride instead of walk - bad, bad, bad

[BCWV]

I do agree that it seems that each generation   complains about the youth. But I do think that we, as a people, want things to be easier, not just hunting but in everything we do.
 I'm amazed at the younger people that I've worked and work with. Very few have any desire to accomplish much and become offended when asked to do the job they where hired for.
 But it seems that I remember the old hands saying something like this when I was young too!

[wildgame]

im 26 years old and spend between 60-90 days in the woods a year hunting,not including scouting and trapping!i work 60-70 hour weeks in the summer to be able to hunt this much in the fall and spring. i do agree with our generation being a little lazy!(thinking of a few friends lol) i have friends every year saying that i just have luck,i agree i do have luck but as koger says you have to get off the couch and go to the woods and make your own luck. it might not be a giant, but if the deer i shot got my heart pumping and it got to my nerves then that is the measure of my trophys!!! i do not put nobody down for what they shot or how they hunt unless i have a confrence like kroger did,then thats where me and him is a little different but maybe im still young and hot headed! im sorry but this subject is one that i talk alot about.  

[shaanar]

How is this post trad bow hunting related?  I don't usually ever post on here but just come to read and learn.  I don't see how this post benefits anyone.

[Bjorn]

Hello shaanar, perhaps if you go back and read the first post you will see the context and join in?

[Ragnarok Forge]

I am still fairly young at 42 do I hunt lazy Bjorn?  I think it depends on the person not the age.

[ron w]

I remember 40 some odd years ago one of my Mentors said " you kids today don't have what takes to be good hunters" some things never change but just come back around!

[stevewills]

ya its not the age its the person..im 34 and hunt my butt off.i could be like my neighbors and bait and poach and such,but the path i have chosen doesnt allow me to be lazy.

[Bjorn]

Hi Clay you are in kind of a tweener age; too old to be a youth......and having hunted with you I know you are the opposite of lazy, I guess that would be 'industrious'.
I hope to have the honor to hunt with you again soon my friend.
How is the shoulder and arm doing from that nasty fall?

[Mike Vines]

I work at a Public University, and I can honestly say that the youth of today are more self centered than I have seen in the last 20 years.  It has been a slow, but steady, progression, but it I don't see it getting better any time soon.  The youth, 25 and under, for the most part (from what I see) want instant results.  They all have their noses burried in their phones or laptops.  Very few of them know how to hold a conversation, and the ones who do also listen to talk radio.  Just about everyone of them can tell you what Paris Hilton or Justin Beber just did because of Facebook or Twitter, but if you ask them why are we in a war right now, and they will say "What war?"

I really hate to think this is our future, and they are also the ones who are going to make the decisions on what effect my kids and even myself in the future.  I don't want to go as far a calling them brainwashed, but I don't know what other word to call it.  Just look at the last election to see what I'm saying.  Everyone jumped on the bandwagon, because the mainstream media told them that is what they needed to do.

I could go on for a while, but I'm going to stop for the safety of my blood pressure.

Now don't get me wrong, there are some very intelligent and selfless people out there, but I just wish there were a whole lot more of them.

[koger]

Lowell you are exactly right, and as hunters and we age, we are naturally not as gungho, as when we are younger. But every year, we as hunters of all age, are dwindling numbers, the numbers of tags sold in each state tell the tales, hunters are on the decline, period. And I agree that technology helps, along with learning your game and  its habits, hunt smarter not harder. I have been very succesful as a hunter, but have earned every big game animal I have taken, hunting on small strips of property, public property, and respecting other folks while having trestands destroyed and stolen from me myself. I guess I just got too worked up, should have said more, but didnt trust myself. Wildgame,several of the local Mennonite community do the same thing you do, and are extrodinary hunters, have a lot of them into trad hunting now.