think we are looking for traditional connicals that are based on originals on this thread not just connicals in general in case some folks were confused about that distinction, and radios,watches, insulin,and many items are carried that have no effect on the hunt, they give no advantage over the primitive PRB/original style connicals, or original aperture sights as do the modern versions,
That got me thinkin (dangerous business :shocked2: ). I got thinking about my own kit and what do I carry or use that is modern and that give me an advantage over the mountain man of old?
So, first on the list is the automobile, of course. But when you examine that in terms of an advantage and put it in a comparative context, there is no advantage. We modern sport hunters are restricted by time. The mountain man of old woke up in the middle of hunting (food gathering) country each and every day of the year. My getting there by auto for my short hunt is not really an advantage.
How about my clothing? Not much advantage there. I wear pretty basic and non-modern clothing. No gore tex etc. Just layers of wool and cotton. The hat? Not much advantage there. In fact, If I wear a blaze orange baseball style cap it is a disadvantage compared to the headgear of old. But.... gotta fess up on the foot gear :redface:. I don't roam the Rockies (and that is usually a litereal description) with any type of trad foot gear. I wear a high quality waterproof boot which is for sure an advantage over a handmade moc.
My back pack is not an advatage over a possibles bag or haversack other than it is a bit more stable to walk with. OTOH, I probably walk more in a day than most mountain men did. They did not often go off on long treks without their horses unless they had been stolen by hostiles (that sorta brings us back to the boots, too).
The stuff in the pack gives little advantage either. Matches are a big advantage and conveniance, but, OTOH, are usually used only in camp and ride in the pack only in case of emergency (which has never arisen over many years hunting in the rockies). I carry a compass but rarely use it and even when I have used it, it was more for entertainment than need (little things amuse little minds
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I carry water in my pack in a, gasp, plastic bottle. Not much gained there over any other water carrying device of olden times. My knives are in my pack and are pretty much what was carried back in the day. A skinner and a butcher knife. Rope? They didn't carry a chunk of nylon or cotton rope back then but whatever they carried was no less useful.
The one thing in my pack that is a huge advantage is that roll of TP
When it comes to hunting gear, it's just a plains style cap gun stuffed with a round ball. Extra shooting supplies in a shooting bag and powder in the horn.
My food supply is a big advantage though. I have everything I need to eat and drink for the duration of the hunt, whereas the men of the mountains had to find their fare daily or eat jerky.
As far as getting game goes, the advantage goes to the mountain man. With only several thousand trappers in the rockies, they did not have the competition or intereference from other hunters to contend with.