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Hunting knowledge, at the press of a button

It’s tough for me to explain to people why I write. Why I feel the need, the calling to share hunting and fishing stories with others. It often comes as a belief that with each story comes a learning experience to gleaned from its depths. Those learning experiences undoubtedly make us better hunters. That is why I do what I do, but somewhere along the line, I found that reading, listening and watching all have their place and time.

It’s no secret that some hunters and fishermen are just plain lucky. Some are naturally gifted with killer instincts, while others aren’t so lucky. There can be a huge learning curve for those who don’t naturally ingest a wealth of hunting knowledge, and I’m somewhat reluctant to say this out loud, but the internet can be your best friend.

Once at the forefront of almost all educational outdoor pieces, written accounts of hunts and fishing adventures have now taken a backseat to the next generation of digital media. Although I firmly support outdoors journalism and it’s continued usefulness in the field, I also understand that there are many things that cannot be addressed nor explained in a simple newspaper article. Reading definitely still has a place in my heart, but I cannot ignore a beneficial resource for learning when I see one.

When it comes to explaining the most minor details of a hunt, it’s hard to compete with a good audio/video segment. From demonstrations on rigging your lures and tying flies, to analysis of the vocalizations of deer, turkey and elk, there are step by step instructions for almost anything hunting and fishing related at the tip of your fingers. If you’re willing to learn, the resources are there, and they are seemingly endless.

For instance, a very popular outdoor TV show, Major League Bow Hunter, was one of my favorites to watch for a period of time. I learned nearly nothing from the actual video of the hunt itself, but gained a ton of knowledge in the aftermath. After each successful hunt, the crew would use maps and graphics to explain what they believed to be the keys to their success. Stand location, wind direction, hardwoods, food sources, lunar cycles, and previous encounters with that particular deer, all listed intentionally with strict attention to detail. These are the things I cannot begin to go into great depth with when confined to an article of this style.

Just like anything in life, and on the internet, it will be up to you to decipher the poor and misleading information from the good stuff that will lead to success. Always remember, that what works for some, might not work for you, but one fateful day, it might just be useful to you.

So surf the web and learn, learn and learn some more. Hunting season is just around the corner.

Hunt hard, hunt safe and shoot straight, friends.

¯¯¯

John Knouse writes about the outdoors for The Sentinel.

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