A few days ago

[boneaddict]

16 years to be exact to just about this exact moment in time, I killed my Washington Moose.    Boy how things have changed with OIL hunts.   Someone invented the internet I guess.  At that time I had to study and learn about a species.  I read books and magazines about hunts to gleen as much information as I could.   I then watched VHS videos  and taught myself how to call.    My scouting missions were used to learn the country.  I then scoured over maps.  You know those large paper things you spread out over the table.   I figured it all out myself.   There was no connecting, or honeyholes or databases.     It was indeed a hunt of a lifetime.  I wonder how much forums like this and the internet has changed these hunts.    I'm sure animals adjust to the information hiway.   

[boneaddict]

Pre digital as well , let alone YOUTUBE

[92xj]

You mean to tell me you did everything yourself and didn't ask someone to hand you something?

Awesome bull and perspective.

[Naches Sportsman]

What's a VHS tape? What's a book?

Heck, lots of people I come across on this forum alone can't even tell me how to read a map

I agree things have changed and no doubt the animals have started making adjustments.

[elkrack]

Nice bull! An actual DIY!

[Katmai Guy]

Beautiful Bull!  Try teaching your kids to use a compass after they are used to your GPS. 

[CedarPants]

Great bull Bone!

Good post too - it made me stop and remember to get my kids away from the electronics and out in the woods more where the real learning happens.

[quadrafire]

I was just having a similar conversation the other day, about how we used to navigate by paper maps.

Beautiful Bull. What unit?

[Ridgeratt]

Beautiful Bull!  Try teaching your kids to use a compass after they are used to your GPS. 

And when the batteries run out what good is the GPS? I forgot most are still making posts on a social media forum. Sending a constant stream of updates.

[Jonathan_S]

Sweet bull, bet it was fun 

A few humble brags from the peanut gallery 

[LongBomb]

My dad taught me map reading and compass navigation when i first started hunting. I thought it was kinda irrelevant at the time. He told me to always carry a map of the area and a compass when heading out even though he bought me a gps and taught me how to use it. It wasn't until i got my driver license and went out on my own that i realized the value of what he taught me. Cant wait till my 1yr old son gets old enough to start teaching him!

[boneaddict]

It was the Selkirk.    It was the first time I tried a gps and the last.   I’m sure they have come a long ways, but the compass stays in my pack.  No they aren’t infallible, but old school enough for me.    I spent a night out there because of that damn gps not being able to acquire a signal because of the overhead canopy.  I pushed too late before getting back because I was in the midst of discovering my bull, relied on the gps instead of my wits.  The things you learn and the experience gained. 

[2MANY]

I'll take the 5th here and avoid the ban-hammer.

[KFhunter]

I really like my phone GPS, busting through unknown areas I'll pull up satellite view, and topo view and its very accurate.   

I was able to stay on a flat with a very thin finger instead of going through a bog or up over a steep ridge.  As for no GPS due to canopy it's not a problem because the GPS is on when I leave the truck and I'm not trying to acquire satellites through a thick canopy because they're already acquired.

With the phone on airplane mode, it'll last for days and days.


Also in the Selkirk, so no constant social media updating 

[boneaddict]

Remembering it all, memories flooding in.  That’s what keeps us going.   At this time 16 years ago I was trying to figure out how to gut one of these things by myself.   Walking up to a moose is something to behold. 

[KFhunter]

Remembering it all, memories flooding in.  That’s what keeps us going.   At this time 16 years ago I was trying to figure out how to gut one of these things by myself.   Walking up to a moose is something to behold.

can't wait until it's my turn.  Planning an AK trip since my odds of a WA moose are so abysmal.

[boneaddict]

Thats a whole other experience to behold.   

My Washington hunt gave me a taste of a far north hunt.   Unfamiliar country (the NE corner is a bit different than the rest of eastern washington),  the first morning of my hunt I was out there early waiting for daylight, a pack of wolves started howling and the northern lights were putting off a wonderful light show.  It was very surreal. 


bare in mind, this was before washington had wolves.    though my moose might have disagreed.  His hindquarters on one leg was injured or scarred up from where a wolf no doubt tried to hamstring him or bring him down from behind.  A decade or more later, they finally called it the Diamond pack.

[bigmacc]

Boy oh boy bone its truly a wonder how any of us spotted, killed, dragged, field dressed or bagged our game animals back then with the equipment we were using let alone find our way in and out of the woods . You conjured up some of my old memories with your post, days of putting mink oil on my old leather boots that weighed a ton just to keep at least some of the moisture out, wearing no camo, navigating by maps, compass, sun, stars and moon. Using dads old 30-30 or grandpas 270 or maybe my uncles old Springfield, all with those fancy 4 power Redfield scopes on them. One of my grandpas friends was a WW2 vet( sniper) and back in the 50,s and 60,s I and others were in awe of him dropping bucks from 300 yards out and truly amazed at his shots of 400 all with his Springfield and the mighty 4 power Weaver scope . Borrowing a pair of Sears 10-40 binos to do some serious glassin, hunting with an orange crusher, a Hickory shirt, a Blackbear wool coat and a pair of Levis all over a nice set of long underwear purchased for $8.99 at Jerry,s Surplus or K Mart. We may have gotten "turned around" a few times, got wet and froze our rear ends off quite often but speaking for myself I,ve never been lost, all without cell phones, satellite phones and GPS, just studying and knowing the lay of the land you were hunting and using common sense. You know what, we still killed lots of game, had lots of fun and created memories that a lot of the youngsters are just amazed by with all the technology thats at their fingertips now days with more comming...Great post bone , it triggered some great memories and conversation.

[Jonathan_S]

  @bigmacc

and back then the old-timers were probably joking about you guys with the fancy equipment too 

[pianoman9701]

Nice bull Doug. Looks like one of your kids sitting on it, though!

[bigmacc]

@bigmacc

and back then the old-timers were probably joking about you guys with the fancy equipment too 

  , I,m sure they did ...........by the way bone, great bull , So many old memories came up after you posted I forgot to tell ya

[coachcw]

Your my hero !

[KFhunter]

Nice bull Doug. Looks like one of your kids sitting on it, though!

Oh man I remember those HW days...don't bring that back!

[jackelope]

My Goat hunt was, without a doubt, my hunt of a lifetime. It’ll be extremely tough to top that adventure. I still have my Paper maps I marked up. Still have my tag i notched.  Still have all the crazy memories. and to think that was only 1 year ago...

[grundy53]

Even with all of the new technology I will say. They are still freaking heavy

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Bob33]

Nearly 20 years ago but I still remember it vividly.

[outdooraddict]

I am trying my hardest to keep some old school ways (although being 32 years old, old school isnt very long ago for me), I made it my new years resolution last year to not desire "better",  will a swarovski bino kill me a bigger deer? will sitka gear get me the best buck?  I am trying (and it is very hard) to be grateful for what i do have, and not desire to have the best and newest.  I am not conviced that it will get me a "bigger/better" animal.  My favorite pics on this forum are when someone posts any harvest, and they have a red and black flannel and jeans or some old school army camo pants. I am so excited for idaho this year, we are having a "hunting camp" again, in a wall tent and although i will be using my "new" atv, i will be riding my 1984 three wheeler, ill probably look like a circus bear riding a trike.  ill probably have dust and bug covered teeth from the ride cause ill be smiling the whole time.  i also want to take a palouse buck this year with the ole model 94 open site 32 special, just like my first deer when i was 10.

[Magnum_Willys]

This was just a few days ago in Western Montana.  No moose (yet) but good times, great country with buddies is what its all about. They are back after it this weekend - good luck!

[Rainier10]

Three years ago or so I shot the deer in my avatar.  Just as I was finishing boning it out and getting ready to head out heavy I got a text that my buddies kid, 17 years old, had shot a deer.  We were trying to figure out how to get to him and give him a hand.  They texted back that they were good and were heading down the hill with the deer.  We waited for them and sure enough they had killed a great deer and got it field dressed on their own.  I told them how impressed I was and they said it was no big deal, "we pulled up a youtube video of how to field dress a deer and just followed along".  That wasn't an option with the first deer I got.  I had to remember back to what I had seen done by my father in law on a deer years before and just fumble through the process, what a mess that was.

The times have changed with technology for sure.  I am not going to say whether it is better or worse, it is just different.

Great bull Bone, thanks for reminding me how it all began and how far we have come.

[boneaddict]

Was that in Washington Bob?  Canlt believe I asked that question, I hate that question . Anyways just thinking man, thats got to be close to the first year going to points or the draw system if it was.

[boneaddict]

i also want to take a palouse buck this year with the ole model 94 open site 32 special, just like my first deer when i was 10.

That would be fantastic

[Bob33]

Was that in Washington Bob?  Canlt believe I asked that question, I hate that question . Anyways just thinking man, thats got to be close to the first year going to points or the draw system if it was.

49 Degrees North. What a fun experience that was.

[boneaddict]

Early moose hunting in Washington.  That’s awesome!

[blindluck]

I think the point system started 22-23 years ago because that how many points I have for moose.

[Wingin it]

That is a heck of a bull!