# Is hunting/fishing technology too advanced?



## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

I recently spoke with a friend about buying a fish finder, and even the possibility of an underwater camera. His response was that he prefers to fish without either because the technology gives him an unfair advantage. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I realize fishing is different than hunting. Personally, I think advancements in hunting technology are a two edged sword and that this topic has been covered. Specifically, improvements in firearms/archery equipment improve effectiveness at a given range and some people will push the limits (thereby wounding animals).

The question becomes, do you believe technology give us, as hunters and fishermen, an unfair advantage?


----------



## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

I believe this falls under the same thing you mentioned about the rifle and archery equipment. It's all up to the persons individual ideals and thoughts on fair chase. I personally believe that technology is a great thing but, it can be over used and relied upon. I personally would use a fish finder. That is because even with one, the fish would probably still make me look stupid. The use of one would just level the field.
I would not use a crossbow (unless physical limations made it a necessity) but would and do use a compound bow. As my skills improve I may choose to use traditional equipment. It is all in what you believe is fair for yourself and the animal.

Does technology give us an unfair advantage? In some cases I would say absolutley, but for others it is just leveling the playing field.


----------



## huntingbuddy (Sep 10, 2007)

As far as the fish finder is concerned I dont think it is unfair you still have to catch the fish, you still need to figure out what they want to eat and what not. All the fish finder does is tell you were the fish are. As technology advances and we find new ways of harvesting animals the animals themselves get smarter and learn to avoid these things. Take for example robo duck, when they first came out it was amazingly easy to kill a limit of ducks, now its only good for the first couple of days of the season before they figure out what it is. You used to be able to fool canada geese with old tires and rags now the decoys have gotten so realistic its hard for most humans to tell them apart and the geese still sometimes dont fall for them.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Duck hunting getting technical? ya think?

Can't find time to duck hunt but I can find time to wire a timing modulator in a motorized duck decoy's ass.


----------



## huntingbuddy (Sep 10, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Duck hunting getting technical? ya think?
> 
> Can't find time to duck hunt but I can find time to wire a timing modulator in a motorized duck decoy's ass.


I sold my mojo cause it was too much of a hassle for so little benefit. And I love electronic things


----------



## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Duck hunting getting technical? ya think?
> 
> Can't find time to duck hunt but I can find time to wire a timing modulator in a motorized duck decoy's ass.


Hey watch it Goob where you put that thing !!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

LOL.... nice Tim. I agree... too much hassle for not enough benefit. Technology is getting too advanced in some cases, for sure. Duckin is one thing being affected, is any sort of road hunting. Give me a break... if you're handicapped, thats ok, otherwise.... get to the mountain, park, hike, get yourself some exercise and earn it. Lazy and easy.... as often as possible... seems to be the rally cry of too many of todays hunters. Fishermen... well, I don't think technology has made it that easy. Sure, some of the baits and bite attractants might be pretty much putting you inside the fishes thought pattern, but they can still be fish and choose not to bite or have the weather throw them off or something. In hunting.... there isn't a lot that a deer, elk, duck or whatever else can do to avoid roads or waterways/dikes cut right through their area and I haven't heard of one yet that can outrun a bullet. I think to make this apples to apples, it would be like fishing with a depth charge..... that would be taking fishing technology too far.


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I think that technology is a little different in hunting than in fishing (generally speaking). In hunting, technology can help you greatly in locating and taking game. But you are the one in control - you pull the trigger/release the arrow/whatever - on the hopefully unsuspecting game animal of choice. You may fool them to come to you with calls/decoys/stealth - but you pull the trigger.

Fishing is different. You have to fool the fish into taking your bait/lure/fly/offering as either food in a hunger response, or defense response. So technology may help you locate the fish - but you still have to present your offering in a way that will bring a strike - so you can have the best technology - but if you don't present the right thing in the right way, you are just waving a stick. Which describes me quite well in many fishing situations!  But technology won't make the fish take your hook. That is up to you and even when you do everything right - you still might not catch a thing. 

(As a disclaimer here - I see waterfowl hunting more similar to fishing than big game or upland hunting in that your skill in establishing decoy spreads to get the birds to "bite" on them is much of the battle - and you may do everything right with the best decoys in the world, and still might not get anything so understand the limitations of my explanation. )


----------

