Some of you may have noticed I've been cleaning out my gear boxes and dumping stuff that gets little use. I grew up in a lower income family and we hunted with some of the most basic stuff. I found these binos in my box. They took me way back. I was stoked as a teenager to get these. Looking through them now, horrible doesn't begin to describe them, but they served their purpose for me. Now I have more gear than I could ever use, but at the core of it I had just as much fun, if not more then when things were simpler.
Humble beginnings
- Thread starter grouse
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Bucklowery
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imyourhuckleberry
Well-Known Member
Humble beginnings like you is how I started. I believe that it is one of the many reasons I keep my shooting as simple as possible without relying on the available science and technology to make you a more precise and accurate shooter. I love shooting without all the technology, for me it is justification that it is my skills that allow me to shoot well.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Exactly why I take my Savage 110C .270 out for a hunt now and then. I bought it when I was 18 in 1968. Took over a year to save up for it at $149! Rebarreled but when I sit there on watch and look at the character marks on walnut stock, I can remember how most were done. Lots of memories in your first rifle, optics, gear that are part of your "growth" in our sport.
I agree 100%, It used to be fun
Yep...i have a set of 10x30 bruntons I bought 30 years ago..carry those in pouch on mtn bike$250.....
10x50 Redfield with excellent glass..$300 30 years ago..rubber eyepieces gone..still clear as can be....
moved up to Leupolds....6x small glasses for timber...10-17 swithpowers are my main glass now....$1200..dont need a spotting scope...
Most all rifles now wear Leupold scopes....soon even the 22 will have the 6-18vx3 on it.....
Just makes you more leary about dropping anything 'accidentally'...
Makes it nice to be able to 'see' things......as old beat up eyes never get better.....
10x50 Redfield with excellent glass..$300 30 years ago..rubber eyepieces gone..still clear as can be....
moved up to Leupolds....6x small glasses for timber...10-17 swithpowers are my main glass now....$1200..dont need a spotting scope...
Most all rifles now wear Leupold scopes....soon even the 22 will have the 6-18vx3 on it.....
Just makes you more leary about dropping anything 'accidentally'...
Makes it nice to be able to 'see' things......as old beat up eyes never get better.....
dmj
Well-Known Member
My wife and I constantly talk about this. Didn't have very good stuff as kids and when we got married guess we didn't expect much. But we had a lot of fun over the years. Hunting, fishing, camping, backpacking. Now we are fortunate enough to have better stuff (not that we are rich) but we have upgraded significantly compared to what we use to have. But the bottom line is, we always had the most important things (each other, kids, family, family, family) to have fun and make all our outings enjoyable. Be safe everyone and have an enjoyable holidays.
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
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- Jan 5, 2004
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Money doesn't buy fun does it! I used to be able to slay deer with a 12lb M1917 in 30-06 and $8 a box core lokt's! ….with a 4x Weaver!
Now I have custom rifles, fancy optics and a decent pack….fun is about the same. Fun is all about the chase and hunting with family.
Now I have custom rifles, fancy optics and a decent pack….fun is about the same. Fun is all about the chase and hunting with family.
JJMoody
Well-Known Member
Blasphemy!!! Anathema!!! —-I wasn't really poor growing up, my parents were- they just drug my ask(sp?) along with em! Biggest buck to date was the first, with an old, used 1923 model '94 30-30. Was grandpas, now it's mine. Customs, optics that measure every finite bit of BS… we're spoiled beyond capability. Don't know if it's actually made anything better.
I remember my poorest years as an adult being some of my happiest.
Grew up dumpster diving. As the last of six growing up, the hand-me-downs were often in worse shape than stuff I would trash pick. Wife shakes her head at me, but I still do it. My kids watched me rebuild a 1860's Victorian that had been condemned, with most of the gear from construction junk shops and stuff from dumpsters, repurposed.
Have a pair of those 'nocs, made by Vivitar, that were given to me. They still work very well, and easily 1/4 the weight of my Vortex unit. They're what I still take hunting.
The joy I receive hunting in God's country is priceless. No special gear on me.
Grew up dumpster diving. As the last of six growing up, the hand-me-downs were often in worse shape than stuff I would trash pick. Wife shakes her head at me, but I still do it. My kids watched me rebuild a 1860's Victorian that had been condemned, with most of the gear from construction junk shops and stuff from dumpsters, repurposed.
Have a pair of those 'nocs, made by Vivitar, that were given to me. They still work very well, and easily 1/4 the weight of my Vortex unit. They're what I still take hunting.
The joy I receive hunting in God's country is priceless. No special gear on me.
Amen
