Forum Advise mongers

[wolftalonID]

Just a rant here, and my opinion of observation at best.

Is it just me?.....Tell me others have seen this trend and notice the complications that result?

Ok....so a forum member seeks advice. They are on the fence about a new product. Maybe they are struggling with a particular hunting method and need to polish the skills. Maybe they read too many magazines and get caught up in the advertisements and the hype. Either way you paint it they come...and come they do everday!!!!!

So we who know or have life experience give....we give without remorse or worry. We give because we know we too have had similar questions and have found working results. We also know that in giving, that others will also give and have similar or differentiating results to share. This is what sparks great conversation and enlightenment. In fact..... in most "advise" threads, the resulting posts are of much more knowledge to myself than the initial question may have sparked me to think about. Sometimes I dont know so I dont answer and enjoy reading the results of those that do, or pretend to know...either way the result is a great discussion.

For the sake of making us a statistic and just because I dont feel like doing the research, lets just say 87.5872% of the above referenced "advise" seeking posts result in......wait for it.....wait for it..... ARGUING!!!!

The original poster comes back arguing their position!!!!! WAIT HOLD THE PRESSES!!!!!!! Did I just say a position?!!!!! Yes friends I did. A position is taken when one fully understands the subject by either research, experience, or both!!! A position is derived from is it not?....so....it made me wonder.....

Why come and ask if you already know? It seems that those that do come to ask and only so in order to find someone else that already agrees with the position the asker has pre post of thread taken......yet they argue when the general knowledge and experience speak otherwise.

Most of the posters not just in this forum, but in any forum that follow this tend to be the younger ones. I admire them for taking the time to request the knowledge of the elders in the field of interest....it boggles my mind however when they ask, listen, and defend an argument stance opposite the advise given....

End Rant......

Feel free to expand this argument....and if you disagree, I will......never mind lol.....

 

[BKC]

Wolftalon, Yes I see alittle bit of that trend but let me qualify it. I am not on facebook or any other social networking site except this one. I was a new forum member not so long ago and maybe I was guilty of this in my first post and maybe some posts since then. When I was young, Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet so I didn't get a chance to embarrass myself in front the world wide web. I can see that there are some young posters and I can see that there are some posters who are just inexperinced at hunting. We were all at least one of those at one time. Some of the younger posters ( and very common in the youth of this country) read something or have a person tell them something ( teachers ) and they take it as gospel. I think this is getting worse with the internet because wrong info. is everywhere. I think that a person learns to open his mind only after some time ( some never open their mind). Inexperinced hunters are just that and I guess you can't blame them for that. The experience will come with time, hopefully. I just had my first foal and I think the vet got sick of my calls because I'm sure I asked dumb questions, so I guess I can see where it can happen.

But as long as this thread is about ranting, Here is my pet peeve. A new member that floods the forum with original post after post and the threads don't seem to go anywhere and don't have many responses. Some get to be senior members real quick!

That is my .02 cents worth!

 

[Muleys 24/7]

Interesting, I never thought about it like that, your thinking go's deeper than just reading a post real quick.

Often everyone dose not agree on a particular subject.....and thats fine. I like to read everyones point and make my own decision from there.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

I think that is a lot of dots and exclamation points in your original post, WolftalonID.

Are you trying to start a fight or something?

 

[BigSurArcher]

Hey take it easy on us younger guys! Just kidding... I see what you mean, although it's never seemed to get under my skin too much.

 

[hvfd21walker]

Cant we all just get along?

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Well said Wolftalon.

BKC I sooooo agree with your last paragraph!

BB put up your dukes!

 

[Drhorsepower]

I'm with you bkc on last paragraph, another thing I usually glance over and not read is a guy asking for info and his post count is 1 with other threads targeted at the area he is looking for. They always end in,"I'm not asking for gps coordinates or honey holes, just a place to start"

This is still the best forum on the web, I believe we do a great job at self regulating and keeping this a positive environment. This forum also holds a broad range of hunting styles, age, experience, knowledge, and personalities. With that we have to accept our differences and and not let something get under our skin. As long as we follow the rules, all will be good!


Si vis pacem para bellum

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Interesting posts. Thought provoking too. I am 70 now and have been big game hunting since I was 12. My boots have traveled lots of miles and I'd like to think I've learned something during this time. I hunt different and have different objectives than when I was young. I really don't have a problem giving advice to someone who asks. Advice, opinions and a#&holes are somewhat alike...everyone has at least one, sometimes more. I am only a gun hunter so a lot of what I have to say only represents that kind of background. One thing I've learned in all these years is that with all this electronic communication, word travels like the speed of light!!! When I used to offshore fish for tuna & marlin in California & Mexico, when a good bite started, everyone knew about it almost immediately. You couldn't keep from spilling the beans and brag a little. Hunting is a lot like this too. But there are some things I just keep to myself now. A good example is a good friend who hunts the California desert for Mulies, he has a few spots he has discovered over the years and won't even tell his best friends where they are. (I posted his picture in the Calif portion with a desert mulie with his face blacked out so no one could recognize him).

There lots of thing we have learned about our passion that can (and should) be shared. My prefered equipment & why, guns & reloads and lots of general information that some of the new (or younger) members don't have. They can use it or not, their choice. But lots of thing don't get out there (at least from me) on some of my favorite spots and a few other things that just have to be learned the hard way.

I should not have answered this post...to damn long winded!

 

[RUTTIN]

I wonder too, if some people want a second opinion on something that they all ready know, only to find out they don't like the answers they get. And instead of letting it go, they have to answer back, causing a debate.

 

[Fink]

Just remember: It's only the internet.

As far as the sharing of secret hunting spots is concerned.. I used to duck hunt a place here in Missouri that was awesome.. A few thousand acres of marsh, limited hunting pressure, lots of ducks. Some dude in the Kansas City paper wrote a monster article about it, and over the next few seasons, the pressure started building. Today, the place is but a shell of its former self. Theres roads and parking lots every few feet, and you have to stand in a line and draw a number to see if you get to hunt. All because some people couldnt keep some info to themselves.
I'm all for sharing info with people, but to announce it to the world seems a little bit ridiculous to me.

Considering the asking for advice portion of the topic: There are quite a few experts in several fields on this forum, from optics wiz-bangs, to ballistics experts.. I personally have learned a ton in the short time I've been here. Anyone that would argue with someone after requesting their input isn't too terribly bright.

 

[wapiti66]

this forum, and others like it are a great way to learn "some" things, however believing everything you read online is foolish. Im with muleys 24/7, I like to read all the responses and hear out all arguments to form my own opinion. Im stuck between the older and younger generations on this, I use the web as ONE source of information, but for my age (27) Im probably behind the times and keep it more simple than most. I think some things can be taught, but the most important lessons have to be learned the hard way, and in hunting that's about putting in time and miles. I think it's wise to use this forum as a resource to sharpen hunting skills, and enjoy conversation amongst other hunters. It never hurts to ask for direction or advice when you are trying to learn a new area, and it's also acceptable not to reply, even if you know.

 

[BobT]

I'm pretty new here and don't post a whole lot (I don't think) but I read a bunch. I try really hard to remain civil and open minded and generally I'm able to. I see some things that I don't agree with but normally try to understand the other persons perspective and or experience may be different than mine. I joined this forum because although I've been hunting for nearly 50 years I don't have a clue about western hunting and this seems to be the place to find out. If I feel like I have something to offer then I will post it, if not I try to keep my yap shut. There are some members whose posts I like to read simply for entertainment if nothing else and I look for their posts daily. There are as many different ideas about hunting as there are hunters and while I may or may not agree with a particular style or type of hunting I don't have a problem with it as long as it is legal and doesn't infringe on someone else.

I consider myself to be a live and let live type and I go out of my way not to offend other folks and to be considerate of everyone's feelings. If asked for an opinion I will typically offer it unless I think it will "fan the flames" of some ongoing controversy. I think for the most part most of the members here are level headed and like minded and after the same things. That said there are those who obviously are so opinionated that they believe any deviation from their way of doing things is completely wrong and intolerable (one member in particular comes to mind here and by his own admission is no youngster). When this guy pops up and inserts his self righteous opinion I find it really hard to keep from saying "who yanked your chain".

I deal with young people second guessing me on an almost daily basis and I think it comes from the "everybody is a winner" mentality that seems to be so prevalent these days. Last night at work I was telling a fellow about my first time crossing the equator and made the remark that it was unusually cold at 55 degrees when a 20 year old kid popped up and told me that was not unusual at all and in fact I was probably nowhere near the equator and had not really crossed it because it wasn't really where most people thought in the first place. Here is a brat that has never been farther south than Missouri telling me about the equator. This young lad is going to school to be a teacher so what do you think he will be teaching? I've never thought much about the age of posters as a whole but I find myself wondering sometimes.

I was taught to respect my elders as I'm sure many of you were too but I don't think that is very common these days. At times I think a majority of the youth of today are being raised to think only of themselves, a pack of spoiled brats I call the "me generation". I'm not saying that all of them are bad, simply that they don't know any better so they argue when they feel like they know what they are talking about.

I'll try really hard not to argue with the advisor when I ask for advice

How many posts do I need to be a senior member?

Bob

 

[BKC]

How many posts do I need to be a senior member?

Bob

If you have been hunting for almost 50 years, you already are a senior member! I got my AARP card a few years back and I guess that made me a senior member in society! Your almost there, 23 more posts.

 

[wolftalonID]

Thanks guys for all the replies!!!!!!!! (!! These two are for you BB lol) !
Im no youngster these days...depending on who I talk to I guess. I will be 37 shortly. Lived a lifetime and then some, yet still have many in front of me to go. Advise I have to offer, yet I know there is tons more I have yet to ask as I grow older.
The replies were worth the time it took to post. Made for a few laughs too. lol

Semper Fi