You're only as good.....

OKRattler

Well-known member
As the equipment you use. I've heard a buddy of mine say this numerous times. He has rifles I can only hope to have someday,topped with some of the best glass money can buy and shoots pricey ammo. And a call with every bell and whistle a person could want on one. Which is all fine and good,I'm glad he has all of that. But I can't tell that it's put an enormous amount of fur in the truck. No more than your average Joe.

I shoot a run of the mill rifle,topped with decent glass and shoot affordable ammunition if it shoots good. I run hand calls or a "lower end" call and I do a decent job getting stuff killed. Not great,not horrible but I'll say average. The difference between him and me is if I kill coyotes he chalks it up to luck. He attributes his success to the tools he has to get it done. They're good so in his mind he's good. In my mind he's got expensive things that do the same thing moderately priced things do just as well.

To a point I understand the need for using the latest and greatest. For long range applications,yes no doubt. But in the grand scheme of things I think knowing the equipment you use and the animals you're hunting is far more important.

Whether you agree or disagree I'd like to hear your opinion on the subject. Should be interesting to see what everyone's 2 cents is on this.
 
I am living proof that knowing the game is most important.
For a guy in a wheelchair to hunt alone and often from the drivers seat in all weather and still get good numbers, It isn't the new hat.
I like good quality equipment as much as the next guy and have lucked into some of it.
Knowing what should happen next and being able to close the deal is what counts.
I have to get more chances to make up for shortcomings and learn from that.
 
You can have the best rifle and scope and ammo in the world, if you cant shoot it decent what good is it. You also have to know something about the game your hunting and the lay of the land.
 
Before all of those things were made, people were still killing varmints and predators.

I have decently expensive glass on my rifles and feel this is where the money should be invested...well those, and good lights. The rest is all subjective. I strictly use hand calls so a $500 e-caller does nothing for me.
 
I have to agree. I'm not even into expensive glass, I don't think I've ever paid more than $300 for a scope and I can honestly say I've never not been able to take a head of game because I didn't have enough scope. I'm old I grew up hunting before scopes were a common on rifles. We learned to get close to game before shooting, from 1956 to 68 I hunted deer with a bow(elevated stands and bait were illegal), it wasn't until 1969 that I killed my first deer with a rifle. As a kid I kept the larder filled with rabbits in the winter using a baseball bat or my bow when there wasn't snow on the ground.

When I see someone talk about a 600 yard shot on game I wonder why they didn't sneak up to 200 yards. Coyote calling, I hunt all over the west, in 2018 I hunted in WA, NM, CO, UT and NV I hunt country that you usually can't see a coyote 200 yards away, I like to call them in close. I don't have to twist turrets, rarely change power on a scope, all I need in a scope is relatively clear glass, wide FOV and a reticle that I can see in heavy cover. You don't need expensive to get that.

Same with rifles, my hunting rifles are accurate most will shoot under 1" at 100 yards and I don't need any better for my kind of hunting. I do all my own gunsmithing, I usually shoot Savage because I don't own a lathe.

I get along just fine with inexpensive gear, I do have some rifles that seem expensive but have acquired them over a span of years and have been bought because they appeal to me not because they are exceptionally accurate or would harvest game further away.

Getting out hunting is more important than having expensive equipment. If you have your choice between staying home to be able to purchase a $3000 dollar rifle or buying a reliable rifle for $300, buy the $300 one and spend the $2700 on hunting trips.
 
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I use to golf a lot and I'd see this theory play out with tons of golfers. Always thinking the answer to a better game was the latest and greatest costly new driver or putter or irons or golf balls or infomercial swing-aid gimmick, etc, etc, etc. Of course that item never worked - but the next one might!
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Same thing in hunting I think is true of golf. If the equipment is at least minimally functional, then 90% or more of the success will be the skill of the person. Skill to know where to go, when to go, how to approach, how to set up, how to call, etc. Only at the very highest level would the equipment make much of a difference, and most people aren't skilled enough to have that matter. I'd put my money on Tiger Woods with a set of 20 year old clubs vs some weekend warrior with the latest high-tech set. Same bet would apply with seasoned predator hunters with worn out old gear vs newbies with the latest Foxpro and tailored camo clothing.
 
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IF you don't know how to use it, then it doesn't matter how good, or how crappy it is. IF you know how to use, and it's not just a hobby, but a lively hood, business or profession, most tend to lean towards high end gear, because in the end it'll pay, OR it edges out that product of a lesser quality.

You give me a "Digital" NV weapon sight, then you give me a MKIII, one's 8K more, [beeep] straight your only as good as what it is.
 
Originally Posted By: skinneyIF you don't know how to use it, then it doesn't matter how good, or how crappy it is. IF you know how to use, and it's not just a hobby, but a lively hood, business or profession, most tend to lean towards high end gear, because in the end it'll pay, OR it edges out that product of a lesser quality.

You give me a "Digital" NV weapon sight, then you give me a MKIII, one's 8K more, [beeep] straight your only as good as what it is.


I agree. I've done my fair share of huntin at night in Texas with thermal and lights both. The quality of night vision or thermal varies. I can see where the higher end stuff would make a noticeable difference. It's one of those deals where if you can't see it you can't kill it.

Having said that I'm not one of those guys that thinks if you go shine a light in a high rack that you'll be any less successful than you will if you're in total darkness scanning and shooting with thermal or night vision. I know guys that only use lights and connect on a lot of critters.
 
My father hooked me on coyote hunting over 45 years ago, my first coyote gun was a Ruger 10- 22, that my cousin gave me before he went to Nam. We were a solid middle class family, so the high end stuff did not happen, although I felt like we were well off. We hunted with what we had, I believe my pops used an 06' for many years, then picked up a 222 later on, I clearly remember him using his M1, that he had brought home from WW11 for a few years as well. I used his hand me down...lol. We used wood hand calls and shot hundreds of coyotes over the years. I now shoot a nice rifle with good glass(Tikka/Vortex), have a Fox Pro, and a Lucky Duck Revolution, and a bunch of old and new hand calls. I am a firm believer that experience far outweighs technology. I hunt coyotes from middle of October to mid March, and my goal for the year is 40. I guess my point of this rambling is that the experience I gained all those years with my pops, is the reason I am somewhat successful today. I seldom hunt with others, besides my son, and many of them that I do take out have the best of the best, sadly you can't (buy in) to this sport.....
 
I am with AWS on this. There are a lot of "Cabelas" and "Foxpro" predator hunters out there. Nothing against Foxpro as I have one. However, coyote hunting today is not as "easy" as it used to be. But that is just a sign of the times and the evolution of hunting. Too many coyotes being educated by amateurs, which we all were at one time. If I buy the latest camo and buy the most expensive caller and equipment I will be as good as the guys on the videos that call one in on every stand. As far as I am concerned Foxpro and the video makers did not improve coyote hunting. Just like any other outdoor activity the more people involved the less the quality of the experience. Plus, we live in the "look at me" and "look what I can do" generation. I was taught that if you wanted to keep the hunting good to keep my mouth shut. Oh, for the good ol' days. I am glad as I am as old as I am.
 
Originally Posted By: Z Plus, we live in the "look at me" and "look what I can do" generation. I was taught that if you wanted to keep the hunting good to keep my mouth shut. Oh, for the good ol' days. I am glad as I am as old as I am.

100% spot on. I wonder if Shockey says the same thing.
 
I don't think I've ever been concerned about TV shows educating coyotes. I've watched a lot of coyote hunters pass great spots just because they can't see a coyote coming a quarter mile away. Keep teaching them coyotes are an open country critter.

 
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What I find funny is my buddy has scopes with turrets on them and he still uses hold over and Kentucky windage to make a shot that's a little further out. Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of having those?
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I can do the same thing with a $250 scope. I don't have turrets on my scopes because I ain't gonna have time to mess with all that when I'm calling. Not only that but I don't have any idea how to use those. So I dang sure ain't gonna have them on my scope just so I can pretend that I do.Lol

I'm a simple coyote hunter. That doesn't mean that I don't take it as seriously as the next guy. I take few things into the field and prefer to have fur close enough that I can put crosshairs on and squeeze the trigger without ever having a need for a scope that costs me an arm and a leg.
 
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Originally Posted By: OKRattlerWhat I find funny is my buddy has scopes with turrets on them and he still uses hold over and Kentucky windage to make a shot that's a little further out. Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of having those?
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I can see your thoughts on this. But most optics that have a FFP option don't have the option of no turrets. If your buddy utilizes hold over a lot, then it's a benefit for him to not have his reticle value change on each magnification setting. That's something I'm willing to pay for. I'm not going to laugh at or act confused at a fellas choice for a high end optic that's just as or more capable of my 300.00 choice, especially if he knows how to use it.
 
Originally Posted By: skinneyOriginally Posted By: OKRattlerWhat I find funny is my buddy has scopes with turrets on them and he still uses hold over and Kentucky windage to make a shot that's a little further out. Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of having those?
crazy.gif



I can see your thoughts on this. But most optics that have a FFP option don't have the option of no turrets. If your buddy utilizes hold over a lot, then it's a benefit for him to not have his reticle value change on each magnification setting. That's something I'm willing to pay for. I'm not going to laugh at or act confused at a fellas choice for a high end optic that's just as or more capable of my 300.00 choice, especially if he knows how to use it.

I wouldn't either. If he knew how to use it. I guess my way of thinking is if you have the capability and the means to make accurate long range shots why not utilize that and make it a part of how you hunt? It you don't and you're just using it like you would any other scope it seems like a waste. I'm glad for anyone that's buying the best. But if you're not getting the best out of it to make you better I don't really see the point.
 
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