Persistence Hunting

[Irrelevant]

Cool article by Christine Peterson.

This Ultra-Runner Is on a Quest to Persistence-Hunt a Pronghorn

Running down an antelope on the open prairie is about a lot more than just winning the race against a big-game animal. Ultra-runner and bowhunter Mike Wolfe is making it his mission to persistence-hunt like our ancient ancestors.

www.outdoorlife.com

I remember reading one years ago in Outside about some dudes trying the same thing in NM. I keep thinking they need to ditch Pronghorn and try deer. In high school, long before I ever read about it, I successfully used it to get very close to a blacktail (30 yrd or so) and kill it. But I also did it going up hill in late Oct. I think by then they have winter hair and overheat easier, it was an unusually hot day, and the deer was dumb enough to keep going uphill.

 

[Bigjay73]

So much for a quick kill, chase it until it collapses sounds kinda torturous. Makes you wonder what the meat would taste like with that much acid in the blood.

 

[Bambistew]

Mmmm, I'll bet it will be tasty.

 

[rwc101]

Running after a pronghorn sounds like a pretty dumb idea. Hope he records it so I can break out the popcorn though.

 

[JMG]

He should do it on a 100 degree plus day with no water … more of a challenge. The stuff folks will do these days, just to get that 15 minutes of fame.

 

[WildWill]

Sounds like his ego is more important to him than a humane kill. He should keep his two sports separate.

 

[Elkmagnet]

More power to him!
I'll decline to eat it tho

 

[Jbotto]

Reminds me of Tracker by Gary Paulsen, a book I read as a boy. Didn’t make sense to me then either.

 

[Irrelevant]

Ego? Fame? Did you guys even read the entire article?

We have three giant threads (deer, elk, and pronghorn) that all celebrate kills of all makes and models, almost all of them involve high powered optics, firearms, or the physics wizardry of new-age compound bows. But this guy.... f this guy for doing it differently. Please, let's continue to ignore that 'we' as hunters are always talking about being active participants in nature and not just observers as support for our hobby.

 

[WildWill]

Ego? Fame? Did you guys even read the entire article?

We have three giant threads (deer, elk, and pronghorn) that all celebrate kills of all makes and models, almost all of them involve high powered optics, firearms, or the physics wizardry of new-age compound bows. But this guy.... f this guy for doing it differently. Please, let's continue to ignore that 'we' as hunters are always talking about being active participants in nature and not just observers as support for our hobby.

Most of it enough to realize it had absolutely nothing to do with learning how our ancestors hunted. Just because you can do something dosen't mean you should. There are plenty of ways for him to show his physical prowess without it ending in a animal being so exhausted it can't stand up for the kill shot.

 

[Irrelevant]

Most of it enough to realize it had absolutely nothing to do with learning how our ancestors hunted. Just because you can do something dosen't mean you should. There are plenty of ways for him to show his physical prowess without it ending in a animal being so exhausted it can't stand up for the kill shot.

But our ancestors used VX-5s, rangefinders, and creedmores? I must have missed that lecture in Anthopology.

 

[rwc101]

To each his own so long as it's legal. My ultimate goal is for the animal to suffer the absolute least while maintaining some semblance of fair chase. His method doesn't come close to obtaining that. The article failed to mention how he will properly handle the meat of an overheated pronghorn on 80 degree (or his ideal 100 degree) days when he has chased it 20 miles from the truck with no pack or kill kit mentioned.

 

[WildWill]

But our ancestors used VX-5s, rangefinders, and creedmores? I must have missed that lecture in Anthopology.

If they would've had them they certainly would have used them. If this was people using a ATV it would be a outrage. But what because he tortures himself while torturing the animal it's justified?

 

[bullbugle307]

All I know is, even if I was capable of running a pronghorn to exhaustion, I sure as hell wouldn't. Did Native Americans do it, yes. Would they have done it if they had a better option? I sincerely doubt it.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I feel like he is gonna run out of public land before anything.

 

[Bigjay73]

But our ancestors used VX-5s, rangefinders, and creedmores? I must have missed that lecture in Anthopology.

It states in the article that our ancestors did not hunt this way, not sure where the correlation is. There are still subsistence hunters on this planet, they'll use every tool in the book to put food in their bellies.

Scott Creel, a professor at Montana State University and a former ultrarunner for the U.S. national team, is one of the skeptics. While humans have run down critters like antelope, it’s unlikely that humans evolved specifically to run down prey. We, as a species, are just too slow

 

[TOGIE]

i can't possibly see a reason to get one's panties in a bunch about this

there is evidence that this is how ancestors used to hunt prairie game, also read the great book born to run by chris mcdougall. but rather shooting it with a bow perhaps they would slit it's throat or pound it with a rock.

seems like a very carnal, in touch with nature, and cool way to utilize one's skill

are we gonna worry about this guy or all the half drunk hunters shooting at running antelope from the road?

good grief

 

[appaloosa]

I think next year I am going to run a herd of elk off of a cliff.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Creel and Wolfe, ridge run OG's. Agree or disagree, this is the most Bozeman thing I've read today.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

But our ancestors used VX-5s, rangefinders, and creedmores? I must have missed that lecture in Anthopology.

We (hunters) seem to get into a dick measuring contest about method of take every 2 min, you're either shooting a boom stick, using training wells, your method of take means vegetarian in some Native American language etc etc, so color me unsurprised that people are negative about someone trying something different.

Everything is totally unethical if someone else is doing it...