Professional Hunters, do you support them?

[Ggreen]

The Chris Brackett footage is starting to trend. Video Here. I can't recall exactly, but I believe another pro was busted in Indiana last season as well. These "hunters" seem to be nothing more than branded trigger pullers. They show up to a farm, get told where to sit, and shoot the biggest thing that walks by. I have no problem with buying a guided trip to hunt, but most of us will be buying 3 or 4 in a lifetime, not filling 10 tags in 10 different states over the course of 2 months. Professional entertainment hunters have plenty of motivation to break the law for the sake of their show.


I enjoy watching the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman's Channel, on range nights. Their hunting shows can get a little to wild for me, they seem to promote traveling the country and filling as many tags as you can and that just seems unsportsmanlike to me. Like running the score up in a little league baseball game. The other side of the coin is the waste that televised trophy hunting creates, there seem to be a growing number of landowners coming forward complaining that the animals aren't dressed before the meat spoils for the sake of getting the "glory shots." With so many shelters that are in need of meat no deer should go wasted.

I know that all of these hunting shows are just long form infomercials. They are marketing to the alpha male/female types who want to see a struggle, a kill, and the pose while being told what gadgets are required to hunt a deer (that have been successfully hunted since before documented history and long before $100 scent free fart blocking underwear). These shows are selling a lifestyle as well high adrenaline high adventure with very little emphasis on conservation. Go find big antler, kill big antler while showing brand on hat. Like Nascar, but killing instead of driving.

 

[Leadeye]

It's TV, they're out there to sell a product.

 

[phylodog]

As one of those "hunters", I agree with much of what you posted. There is more about it I don't like than what I do. That said I do enjoy the challenge and the sponsorships are nice, saves me a lot of money (I get very little for free, mostly discounts). The big difference between what I do and what a lot of others do is I'm not trying to make a living hunting. I'm getting small reimbursements for doing something I'd be doing anyway. As with most things, there's a wide variety in the industry as well as those involved.

 

[Sniper 79]

Totally agree with the O.P. it's out of control. Almost comical to watch.

I went as far as canceling my tv service provider. Got out of hunting for the most part. It's turned into a business.

Totally right on all the crazy expensive whiz bang gadgets. My friends dad whacks deer sitting in a crotch of a tree smoking cigarettes wearing jeans and a flannel. Shoots an old recurve and aluminum arrows. Hilarious!

 

[yetti462]

Be honest, how many of you bought the cough silencer b/c you saw it on a hunting show? LOL

I like to watch the shows, mainly to watch the deer mannerisms. I like how the tv hunters talk about how hard they hunted a deer 3 days into the hunt on a place they didn't scout and were told what time the deer comes through and where to sit.

I like seeing a buck, learning his habits and actually hunting him, if it takes till late archery to kill, all the better. They mean so much more when you put in the time.

 

[Willie]

Ugly, isn't it?

 

[T.Lex]

Wait.

I kinda skipped forward, but the shot at the second antlered deer, at about 3:13... that was shooting at its ass from a pretty good distance, right? (And it didn't have a donkey.) And it was still alive after the shot.

Has INGO discussed that shot? I don't think I'd take that shot. MAYBE if it was < 50 yds, totally still (like that one was) with a slug or largish round.

I am aware of the physiology that makes that shot a possible kill shot. But, as taken in the vid, I'd tell the guy not to take it. And if he did, with the result in the vid, I'd be disappointed in him.

 

[halfmileharry]

I've paid for a guide in Canada for big bears.
I'm told which tree to sit in and when the bears are running their route.
Those guides put in a lot of time to pattern the bears.
I don't have a problem paying someone to help me out with the scouting. I don't live in Canada and don't get the opportunity to do the leg work.
I used to use a guide service in Colorado for muleys, antelope, and elk. We were taken to a camp in the wild and turned loose. You needed to know your stuff.
I grew up with wild hogs on our property. I hate those nasty buggers. Glad there's those that consider them trophy game. Take 'em any way you can.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Be honest, how many of you bought the cough silencer b/c you saw it on a hunting show? LOL

Im a fan on he grunt tube that brings them right in as soon as he's done calling. "HERE HE COMES"


or when they were trying to sell the snort wheeze. Deer standing almost in bow range and he snorts at him to close the distance. Rrriiiigght.

 

[sportsman223]

1000.00 $ worth of equipment, don't make up for .10 worth of wisdom or woodsmanship

 

[Bradsknives]

I tell "new" hunters to ignore 95% of what they have seen watching TV hunting shows. The TV hunting personalities usually have people in the area that have done the scouting and homework for them before they even get there, and they can spend weeks on stand just to get that 5 minutes of footage that you see. Usually it's never as easy as you see on TV. Also, remember they are trying to sell product for the sponsors that sponsor them.

 

[Ggreen]

I tell "new" hunters to ignore 95% of what they have seen watching TV hunting shows. The TV hunting personalities usually have people in the area that have done the scouting and homework for them before they even get there, and they can spend weeks on stand just to get that 5 minutes of footage that you see. Usually it's never as easy as you see on TV. Also, remember they are trying to sell product for the sponsors that sponsor them.

The shows have turned into murder porn infomercials. When we used to get the vhs tapes or watch Saturday morning TNN, they would show stalk to kill. Now they show guys goofing off driving across the country getting to the outfitter posting up in a shoot box then the kill. Show the gear, kill the deer, sell the lifestyle. IDK maybe i'm getting old, but I think it is a major moment whenever I pull the trigger on a deer even more so when I approach him laying in his last moments or just moments after. I do not feel the same depth when hunting hogs or coyotes, but there is something to a deer. A lot of these shows seem to be trying to remove the emotional connection or for lack of a better word, dehumanizing the kill. There is a major disconnect in someone's head who will kill a deer with a tag, and follow up a few seconds later to kill another without a tag for the sake of a camera shot.


I wish they would go to a host / in field hunter model for the shows. One host going around the country slaughtering big game is a major put off, but one host introducing clips of multiple hunters in different states/areas showcasing their individual hunts seems more sportsmanlike, not to mention much more realistic. But we live in the days of reality tv stars and viewers feel a need to be connected to larger than life characters for them to emulate.

 

[Leadeye]

While I don't hunt outside my own land, I wouldn't have any problem paying a guide to help me hunt unfamiliar game in a strange area. I've read a lot of interesting books about big game hunting in Africa during the early years of the last century, but that's as close to it as I will ever be.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

I tell "new" hunters to ignore 95% of what they have seen watching TV hunting shows. The TV hunting personalities usually have people in the area that have done the scouting and homework for them before they even get there, and they can spend weeks on stand just to get that 5 minutes of footage that you see. Usually it's never as easy as you see on TV. Also, remember they are trying to sell product for the sponsors that sponsor them.

One of the biggest threats to the vision and purpose of hunting is whether the new Hunter will learn from a video or from his father/grandfather/etc.. I have seen my share of tv hunting and can not recall ever seeing someone teach or explain sportsmanship.
One of the biggest reasons I hate public hunting is the arrogance and lack of respect for other hunters.

I wonder how many hunters out there ever go to the landowners they have permission from and do work for them instead of just showing up for "their" 2-3 months of hunting. How many go back in the summer to do something for that permission.

 

[Ggreen]

One of the biggest threats to the vision and purpose of hunting is whether the new Hunter will learn from a video or from his father/grandfather/etc.. I have seen my share of tv hunting and can not recall ever seeing someone teach or explain sportsmanship.
One of the biggest reasons I hate public hunting is the arrogance and lack of respect for other hunters.

I wonder how many hunters out there ever go to the landowners they have permission from and do work for them instead of just showing up for "their" 2-3 months of hunting. How many go back in the summer to do something for that permission.

I work and have a growing family. I always share the bounty of my hunt, usually a couple rolls of summer sausage, with the landowners who let me hunt tho. I've been asked by one to come back after deer season and hunt coyotes for him in return. I didn't end up hunting there, but paying the landowner back can be done other than labor. I have been sending Christmas cards to a big landowner in my county who has a waiting list for permission lol. It's important to let the property owners know that you're appreciative, especially if you want to be invited back.

 

[Ggreen]

While I don't hunt outside my own land, I wouldn't have any problem paying a guide to help me hunt unfamiliar game in a strange area. I've read a lot of interesting books about big game hunting in Africa during the early years of the last century, but that's as close to it as I will ever be.

I have zero problems with buying a guided hunt. I have problems with the way the shows go about it by following the host through 10+ states filling tags in a single year. They had a reality show last year of teams of deer hunters traveling across the country to kill deer in multiple states as fast as possible, this isn't conservation it is death sport.

 

[phylodog]

The shows have turned into murder porn infomercials.

Not all of them. Our show has a variety of hunters who hunt one or two states and the hunts are almost exclusively on land owned by the hunters, the hunter’s family or leased by the hunters. Unless someone is independently wealthy, dependence on sponsors to help foot the expenses of buying airtime is a necessary evil.

 

[Ggreen]

Not all of them. Our show has a variety of hunters who hunt one or two states and the hunts are almost exclusively on land owned by the hunters, the hunter’s family or leased by the hunters. Unless someone is independently wealthy, dependence on sponsors to help foot the expenses of buying airtime is a necessary evil.

I see. I guess the primetime shows have put me off to the entire genre. It's just an observation I've made over the last two years of having a high enough cable bill to get the outdoor channels lol. There is a definite trend away from individual documented hunts and leaning towards finding the uberhunter.

 

[phylodog]

I see. I guess the primetime shows have put me off to the entire genre. It's just an observation I've made over the last two years of having a high enough cable bill to get the outdoor channels lol. There is a definite trend away from individual documented hunts and leaning towards finding the uberhunter.

I don't disagree. You've got to get away from the prime time shows to get away from the 100% commercial stuff.

 

[jagee]

I dont know that I've ever watched a hunting show aside from a few clips/highlights very rarely.