Most unnecessary gadget??

31 August 2002, 02:49

I saw this question on a Swedish hunting forum, and thought that I should pass the question to you! What, in your opinion, is the most unnecessary or overrated gadget you ever brought with you hunting (or refused to buy at all)? [Smile]

31 August 2002, 02:59

King Baboon

I think boots with incorporated electric heating system shall be pretty useless.

31 August 2002, 03:43

GeorgeS

Mil-dot reticles on scopes used on hunting rifles.

George

31 August 2002, 03:54

<338Lapua>

I know a lot of people will disagree, but my GPS. I have yet to find a use for the one I have.

Jim

31 August 2002, 03:59

Elk Country

The Barnes X, Nosler Partion or the Win Failsafe. Way overhyped and overpriced. Never have seen the need for them when my regular bullets have worked so well when I place them in right spot. The results are the same weather your bullets cost $.15 or $1.
Go ahead and rip me for saying this...I can take the heat, but it's still the truth.
Elk Country

31 August 2002, 04:03

Stonecreek

Muzzle brakes and see-through scope mounts are probably tied for uselessness and counter-productivity.

31 August 2002, 04:19

Grizzly Albert

I vote with Stonecreek!

31 August 2002, 04:53

Saeed

Game finder!

A friend gave me one, and then we realized it is supposed to detect the heat of the animal.

Imagine trying to use it in Africa!

31 August 2002, 04:57

Pecos41

Game Finder? [Big Grin]

I think Saeed wins this hands down.

31 August 2002, 04:57

Slingster

What about carry straps with bullet loops on them, and scope rings with backup iron sights on top.

31 August 2002, 05:55

<allen day>

I vote against Stonecreek.........

The most overrated item I've ever used for hunting is Goretex rainwear. It's good for the occasional light shower, but that's about it!

AD

31 August 2002, 06:39

N E 450 No2

Allan may have something here, once you use waxed cotton, Barbour, Filson, etc you will never go back to goretex again. See-through scope mounts seem a good second place though.

31 August 2002, 06:53

Stonecreek

Then how about Gore-tex lined see-though scope mounts? Such mounts with a built-in "game finder" might be a real winner.

31 August 2002, 06:59

Aquavit

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
Game finder!

A friend gave me one, and then we realized it is supposed to detect the heat of the animal.

Imagine trying to use it in Africa!

Saeed,

A friend of mine was looking at one of these gadgets to buy. he convinced the clerk to go with him to the parking lot to try it. It failed to pick up the engine heat of his car and the street lights on a 50 degree night! It seems that they are useless here too.

I agree with you, it is a useless gadget.

31 August 2002, 07:03

POP

Refused to buy/bring along......

A Remington 710!

31 August 2002, 07:05

jeffeosso

Second Runner UP under 9# DGR rifles

First Runner Up laser range finding scopes....

and the winner IS
ANY scope with less than 4" of eye relief!!!
jeffe

31 August 2002, 07:08

Canuck

I agree with the gamefinder suggestion. Partly because they apparently don't work well (useless), and partly because of the obvious temptation for people to use them to find live game instead of the intended retrieval of dead or wounded game.

Canuck

31 August 2002, 07:20

JohnTheGreek

Elk Country,

I would agree with you except with regard to the Barnes-X bullet in Africa. That is whole different ball game from North America. The animals are just plain tougher and you need to be able to take shots that will penetrate to the vitals from angles that you might no prefer.

If you try a "texas heart shot" on a Zebra with a lesser bullet you will watch your Zebra and about $700 in trophy fees trot off into the bush never to be seen again. With an X-bullet, however, you will get major damage to the vitals and maybe even an exit wound.

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

31 August 2002, 07:54

<quickdraw>

See through mounts are definitely the most worthless hunting gear ever.

31 August 2002, 08:11

<Vek>

I happened across an individual while elk hunting west of Yakima here in WA state. We were in a broken area, about 1.5 miles away from roads. You could walk south, east, and north and hit a road in an hour. Plus, it was a blue-bell day with unlimited visibility, and there was a VERY distinctive landmark nearby. Anyway, this fellow had drawn a branch-antlered bull permit, and had seen three good animals around about where we crossed paths. He got close enough to shoot one, and his a-bolt in 7mm didn't go off. You needed to jiggle the little bolt block at the back of the bolt to make it go off.

He had the following gear with him, all clipped to belts and webbing:
1. laser rangefinder
2. 2-way radio
3. big binoculars
4. big knife
5. leatherman
6. cell phone
7. cute ammo bandolier w/ 10 rounds

He was wearing scentblocker long underwear, in some trendy camo pattern, top and bottom. No jacket. Cooold in the mornings, but ~55 at the time, so not biggie.

If he would have shot one there, it was a 1.5-2 mile hike up terrible terrain to a road ~1000 vertical feet above. He didn't look up to the task, if you know what I mean.

Bottom line? Some of his gear was okay, I guess. Failure to fire on a 6x6 in the state of Washington is unforgiveable. Claimed he knew his rifle out to 500 yards (stock browning a-bolt that failed to fire). Somehow, I didn't believe him...

31 August 2002, 08:12

bobby van der Putten

80% of all shooting accessories are unnecessary, if you have to carry them all day, I came to this conclusion after my first day hunting in the mountains, on the second day my rucksack was 6 pounds lighter...

31 August 2002, 08:18

<gregbullet>

The whole "deer hunting" aisle at Wal Mart

31 August 2002, 08:47

<JOHAN>

Saeed yours are very good

I suggest the self focusing rifle scopes with automatic rangefinding. I saw one of these at a gun show in USA. I guess you can connect it to a game finder and a self fireing rifle [Big Grin]

Great hunting trip or what. Just hold the rifle the rest is taken care of [Eek!]

If anything goes wrong you can blaim the technical stuff.

I agree, much of the stuff they tries to sell to us is plain crap with little or NO use for [Big Grin]

Cheers
/ JOHAN

[ 08-30-2002, 23:49: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

31 August 2002, 09:04

<mikeh416Rigby>

Back in my younger and dumber days I booked a bargain hunt and never checked references. As Paul Harvey says,"and now you know the rest of the story". [Embarrassed]

31 August 2002, 09:36

Reed

I'm tempted to say cell phone but I will have to go with...drum roll please...

a pager!

Reed

31 August 2002, 10:09

Marterius

Wow, have this thread exploded in a few hours or what? Fun! I did just realise that I have not submitted my own view on the topic...

I guess I will vote for that full size deer decoy I saw in Cabela's catalogue! [Razz]

But perhaps some deer hunter here will prove me wrong? [Eek!]

Regards,

31 August 2002, 10:56

waxman

Another vote for the see-through scope mounts.

31 August 2002, 11:01

<Don Martin29>

On a couple of stands that are near the road it's easy to carry a lot of stuff in a knapsack. Of all the things I pack in there the thermos of soup is the most valuable! The least used thing is redundant stuff like matches when I don't light a fire but I can't help it I like lots of stuff.

Once I missed three shots on a deer in the pouring rain because I could not see anything thru the 2X LER scope on my slug gun. If I had see thru mounts I would have got it as it was very close. I agree that see thru mounts are almost funny and I would not be seen with them.

31 August 2002, 11:19

#1 Game Finder.
#2 See through mounts
#3 GPS, I sold mine on E-Bay after trying to use it a few times.

Besides my rifle, I carry ammo, poncho, water, lunch or a snack, compass, flashlight, knife, matches, and a bit of rope. If I'm going for several days, I still carry the same stuff, with the rest being at the spike camp.

I've been out after dark with a PH in Africa and in Canada, and every time I've been the only one with water and a flashlight with some dangerous downhill trekking ahead of us.

31 August 2002, 11:35

<Gerry>

A small item but which I found distracting under field conditions - flip up scope covers.

31 August 2002, 12:56

Brad

Camoflage

31 August 2002, 13:04

WPN

Anything that doesn't work, or wasn't needed in the first place.

31 August 2002, 14:11

<allen day>

Brad and Wayne:

You gentlemen are ahead of your time!

Even so, I agree with both of you 100%.........

AD

[ 08-31-2002, 05:11: Message edited by: allen day ]

31 August 2002, 16:00

<monty>

I agree with Brad, camouflage in my experience is completely unnecessary.

31 August 2002, 16:37

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by JohnTheGreek:
If you try a "texas heart shot" on a Zebra with a lesser bullet you will watch your Zebra and about $700 in trophy fees trot off into the bush never to be seen again.

okay, <flame on> when did a low shoulder shot (which IS a Texas heart shot) become a HAM shot, as some of you infer? I have YET to have a hunting companion try to hit the heart from behind, in texas. <flame off>
Ya know, it shows, sometimes, when someone THINKS a thing aint a thing. If I remember correctly, it was PO Ackley describing the low shoulder, and IN the heart, rather then the eastern LUNG shot, and calling it a Texas heart shot, about 30 years ago. It seems that you other folks (grin.. read, have deer big enough to hit) had been neck, butt, spine, and just plain gut shooting your critters. UNTIL you read/saw/heard how they do it on the King ranch...<flame off>
Then again, if you TRY to hit most Texas Deer, you are pretty much left with a low shot.. because that have incredibly low body weight.

The only thing a Texan shoots in the ass is a poacher or a trespasser

jeffe

31 August 2002, 20:28

<hunting1>

The Cough Suppressor!!!!!!!!!!! [Big Grin]

01 September 2002, 03:14

stubblejumper

see through mounts
scentblocker clothing

01 September 2002, 03:59

<Don Martin29>

A compass was made that you inletted into your stock somewhere. So back in the 50's they were popular and I had to have one! Imagine sporterizing a rifle and finshing a stock and then making a hole in it! I don't think I ever used it either.