No Fun At All

No, it wouldn't be fun if you had enough gadgets to make it foolproof, but we're not there yet. Like I said, I don't use a lot of gadgets, but I read about them in my magazines. Here are a few that immediately come to mind:

GPS - It won't help you spot game, but it can help you when you're trying to go back to a place that was previously good. This is most useful on a big lake when you're fishing far from shore and trying to find a hot spot that you know is out there somewhere. On land, a GPS is most useful to keep you from getting lost, which can be down right dangerous in rough country like mountains or the desert. If you get injured and can't make it back on your own, it can be used to tell the rescue people your exact location, assuming you also have a cell phone so you can call them in the first place. I understand the newest smart phones have a GPS built right into them, which means you have one less piece of equipment to carry.

Maps are still used, although a lot of guys find them online and print them out for themselves nowadays. Google Earth is used to plan trips. It won't tell you where the game animals are, but it shows the terrain features where they are likely to be found. It also gives you an idea of what kind of country you will be walking through so you know what kind of clothes and gear you will need.

Trail Cameras - They have motion detectors that will cause the camera to snap as picture when something walks by. This lets you know if it's a likely spot to set up your blind when the season opens. They even have cameras now that will transmit the pictures to your home computer so you don't have to go tramping around leaving your scent all over the place while checking your cameras.

Scent - They have scents that will cover your own scent, and/or make you smell like a fox, a skunk, or a doe in heat. If your hypothetical wife won't let you in the house smelling like a fox, a skunk, or a doe in heat, you can pour some scent on a rag and hang it in a nearby tree instead of pouring it all over yourself. There is not universal agreement about the effectiveness of these scents, but some hunters won't leave home without them. The only one I have ever tried was an apple scent that you spray on your clothing. I didn't see any deer that year, but my hunting clothes smelled better than they usually do by end of the season.

Sonar devices have gotten really popular over the years but, like I said, I don't see the need for one where I fish. I think they can be useful on big water, though. They will show you the contours of the lake bottom as well as the location and depth of fish. They don't make the fish bite but, once you know where the fish are, you can keep trying different baits until one of them works. On a sonar chart, the fish just show up as little blips, but they also have video cameras now that you can lower down to the fish and see exactly what they're doing. These are being used with good effect on the TV hunting and fishing shows, but I don't know how popular they are yet with the regular fishermen.

Calls - They have calls you can blow for all kinds of animals but, if you don't do it right, you could drive them away instead of attracting them. Electronic callers used to be banned in many states but, according to my magazines, they're being allowed more and more. I don't know about Michigan. The newest models have software in them like computers. You can punch in any kind of animal call, not only any species, but specific things like "sub-dominant male coyote seeks female companionship, but don't tell the top dog about it".