Rise of the Hipster Hunters (article)

[JHC]

It pains me to say it, but the AK realty shows are mostly complete lies.

Not surprised at all. How about that grandma living alone up north of the Artic Circle? Tell me she's legit????

Some of them seem to be rather poor shots on game in the field.

[JHC]

I hate to admit it but I might be a gun hipster. I doubt it, because I don't wear skinny jeans, style is something I don't do, I drive an older car (not old old car, just a regular 2004 car).

But, I grew up in a household with a mother that marched on Washington to protest Vietnam (although her high school love and boyfriend was drafted and killed in action. So while I don't agree, I can at least understand the sentiment). I wasn't allowed to own, touch, or use guns growing up. But by george through responsible usage of paintball and airsoft; at 18 I was able to convince my mom to let me purchase and bring a gun in the house. That had a cable lock through it, locked case, and no bullets were allowed in the house. That was progress.

10 years later, she called me Saturday asking about re-taking her CWP class to get her CWP and getting a second handgun that's more concealable for carry (she went with a revolver at first because she was comfortable with it). I've left my old firearms safe (with AR's and AK's; which she approves of) at her house after moving into an apartment after marriage.

I'll be honest, we dog out Call of Duty, Battlefield, whatever video game but I hate to say it as a kid I learned about guns from video games (James bond, etc.) and the history channel. The interest was always there but I wasn't able to express it or engage in it. But by gradually changing someone's ideas and giving them no reason to justify restricting those things I was able to own things that first shot projectiles, then looked like guns, and eventually guns.

I'm an NRA member, CWP holder, and working professional. Gun owners have to expand their horizons.

I've never hunted but I plan on going hunting because I realize more and more that things have a deep cost; as a culture we are very detached from what price is paid for the things we enjoy. Such as freedom, food in a store, education, and other things. These are principles I want to pass onto my kids. They may never be hunters and I may not pickup hunting as a habit. But, it's on the radar after college to kill a deer, clean it, and process it. I may go hog hunting after graduation; we'll see.

ETA: Ironically, my Dad is a Vietnam veteran (Air Force and he didn't deploy; not that I enlisted but just to clarify the situation) and he just went along with it. That's one thing; my wife, we had the talk long before the situation ever came up on guns. I don't understand "gun guys" that stay in the closet forever about their interests. It's part of who you are and you need to express it. We have a very solid understanding about firearms and their place in our household. The only thing she's leery about is just ensuring safety once kids are a factor.

ETA 2: It was actually, play video games with guns in them, then talk about them, etc., etc. It's just time.

Ironically, my step mother's Dad was an Engineer at Colt. She absolutely will not touch any firearms; she's from CT. Her sons do have an interest though.

Gooble gooble we accept you. Nice bio.

[JHC]

Beard lube appears to be selling faster than Shill Lube. And "tactical" beard combs.

Dude, they get dried out what with modern American hygiene and all. (actually I suspect coconut oil is superior and cheap)

[Peally]

BWT that doesn't make you a hipster, skinny jeans and those stupid "ironic" thick rimmed glasses do

As a kid I got into guns through the history channel and video games (America's Army was awesome back in the day ), later adding on airsoft to the mix in high school. Graduated, got an education, bought rifles and pistols and the rest is history. At once point in my life I thought competitive shooters were all pansies shooting .22s at the olympics. Now I am one of the pansies shooting matches as much as I can. All that being said, until I took the dive myself I wasn't much of a shooter, but thank God for the nerdy childhood primers and the fact that Russia made way too many of those damn Mosins during the war.




Super off topic but the sad part is Call of Duty used to be a half realistic eye opener on what WWII was like. When it first came out you had to take a breather every 15 minutes from the sensory overload. Now those games are so fantastical it makes me shake my head. Bring back the old Ghost Recon and America's Army and Rainbow Six games. When I was in grade school Age of Empires made me love history lessons about the wars of old just because of its mini encyclopedia section and little historical storyboards before a level. Games like X-Wing got me into space exploration. I have a hard time thinking of how Grand Theft Auto 43 is supposed to get a kid engaged in anything...

[LOKNLOD]

I think one of the most important things is that we ensure these folks understand and adopt the core underlying principles of the gun culture - individual liberty, self-reliance, self-defense, empowerment of the individual. The concept that even in a so-called free country, you're never really free if your freedom only exists at the whim of others if you have no ability to project your will by force.

I think they can be receptive to these ideas, but we need to promote them carefully. One dangerous thing that comes from the "want to play with the cool toys from call of duty" culture (although it's a great foot in the door) is that play toys are expendable and easily discarded, especially in the name of "for the children..." nonsense. The "hipster" crowd is principled in their own way and many are willing to give up or do away with some conveniences in order to "do good" - which is dangerous if they are convinced they need to give up those scary toys to save lives. However if they understand and embrace the core values that drive us to love and defend the 2nd amendment so dearly, they can be powerful motivated allies.

[Corlissimo]

I have a hard time thinking of how Grand Theft Auto 43 is supposed to get a kid engaged in anything...

I don't wonder at all. I think it gets them quite engaged... it all the wrong things. As a result, it's also probably a significant reason why there are more "regular folks" obtaining concealed carry permits these days.

[rob_s]

I wonder, for those that are decrying "hipster culture", how much actual contact you have with these people? there seems to be a lot of projecting of very odd conclusions about them, based on what I'm not entirely sure. Being into music, and motorcycles, and (formerly) craft beer, I've come into contact with them quite frequently, and outside the fact that I think any male putting that much effort into a "look" is a bit suspect, I've not sensed any greater propensity towards video games, illegal drugs, misguided liberalism, or similar than anyone else that age, as it has been for eons. What I have seen, more than anything else, is a pretty strong little-l-libertarian streak as they've largely grown up in an era of big brother telling them everything they want to do is wrong or dangerous and they're sick of it. Children of the 2000s and 2010s have had a lot more government intervention in their lives than those of us from the 80s and before.

while I haven't encountered any that were into hunting, I do agree with those above that sense a greater desire to do things "right", at which point there is opportunity to influence things like wildlife maintenance and respect for the outdoors. Since many of them are trying to be their grandfathers, and reject their fathers, I think that's a strong likelihood as well.

Of course, 20 years ago, I was a 20-year-old republican with a green mohawk, so maybe I'm a little more familiar with people projecting incorrect belief systems onto young people based on their haircut.

There's a lot to make fun of about "hipsters", but as I said in my previous post, they generally seem to be pretty into "doing", and have a strong interest in "doing it right" (they're all about "authentic") than most of the people I encounter in their mid-30s.

[Chance]

Lumbersexual: A hipster that dresses like an outdoorsman. (A play off "metrosexual", not a lumberjack fetish).

Whether the roots of the lumbersexual are a cultural shift toward environmentalism, rebellion against the grind of 9-5 office jobs, or simply recognition that outdoor gear is just more comfortable, functional and durable, the Lumbersexual is on the rise.

I can hear it now....

I'm FOR gun control... and I'm a HUNTER.

Quite possibly, but I think having more people that actually use guns, in any capacity, and know they're not inherently evil is a good thing.

[BWT]

Gooble gooble we accept you. Nice bio.

It was late and I couldn't sleep.

I thought about it later on and I think it's best for me to use a smart phone to type; it keeps things more succinct.

BWT that doesn't make you a hipster, skinny jeans and those stupid "ironic" thick rimmed glasses do.

No skinny jeans / thick rimmed glasses here; I think we're on the cusp of an epidemic of impotence in teenagers because of skinny jeans.

[RevolverRob]

-Glances in the mirror-

Mohawk, plastic rimmed glasses, slim-fit designer jeans, Made in USA boots...

-Reflects on life-

Obscure job, obscure taste in home furnishings and art, generally identifies as small l libertarian, realizes preferred firearms might fit 1965 as well as 2015...

Oh my god...Am I actually an adult?!