Do You have a Favorite Hunting Show?

[j-bird]

The financial support and product placement is one thing - its the "use this and you too will harvest deer like this" - "buy this and you can be just like me" that makes you want to puke! 99% of it is TOTAL crap. The deer don't care what camo pattern you have, or which bow you shoot, or who makes your treestand.

Back when I did watch them it was simple - 99% of it was a well orchastrated lie! The "hunter" simply made the shot - somebody else did all the real work. I am not into that. Not saying they are all that way or that they still are, but that was what turned me off in general.

You want to see how most of us do it - it's a year round effort and only once in a while does it end in a harvest, and even more rarely does it end with a huge buck being harvested. No artificial emmotions, no product pimping, no "image" to sell, no outfitters or high fences. Alot of hard work, true hunters, knowledge of the land and the deer, and alot of patience, and if we're fortunate a little luck! Not much of a thriller - but it's real!

 

[sandbur]

I no longer watch any hunting shows. I do not like the image and impressions they are leaving on our young hunters. Too much emphasis on large antlers and being a celebrity.

the last show I really liked was Shockey. His mountain hunts in Asia were very impressive and had traditions, ,and terrain that I will never see.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

BINGO, j-bird! My wife was flipping thru channels yesterday and landed on the outdoor channel. I don't know which show, she only kept it on for about 20 seconds. Big buck walking up to a big pile of corn. Hunter in aerial hotel 100 yds. away. Wife said " who couldn't do THAT? " They don't even try to hide the corn / bait anymore on those shows. 'Nuff said.

By the way - how many of you remember " the American Sportsman " with Curt Gowdy?

 

[shawnv]

There are lots of people posting videos on youtube that are just as enjoyable to watch for those looking for the "average hunter".

 

[bwoods11]

The financial support and product placement is one thing - its the "use this and you too will harvest deer like this" - "buy this and you can be just like me" that makes you want to puke! 99% of it is TOTAL crap. The deer don't care what camo pattern you have, or which bow you shoot, or who makes your treestand.

Back when I did watch them it was simple - 99% of it was a well orchastrated lie! The "hunter" simply made the shot - somebody else did all the real work. I am not into that. Not saying they are all that way or that they still are, but that was what turned me off in general.

You want to see how most of us do it - it's a year round effort and only once in a while does it end in a harvest, and even more rarely does it end with a huge buck being harvested. No artificial emmotions, no product pimping, no "image" to sell, no outfitters or high fences. Alot of hard work, true hunters, knowledge of the land and the deer, and alot of patience, and if we're fortunate a little luck! Not much of a thriller - but it's real!

I agree. If they say use this and blah blah blah. Ozonics comes to mind.

JB-take a look at Midwest Whitetail online. You can forward through commercials at the start. Some great information that would apply to you as a landowner in the Midwest! I learn a lot from that show.

 

[Jason]

midwest whitetail - far and away my favorite. they have a lot more content on their web site.
growing deer.tv - always good. although, the spring is all about turkeys when i would like to see more about plots and habitat for deer. i nag them in the comments calling them growing turkey.tv :)
management advantage - good but don't produce much content.
deer and deer hunting
the crush - purely entertainment. i know many of you despise lee and tiffany. i like watching them, i mean her.
whitetail properties - used to be one of my favorites. i'm to the point where they're now one of my least favorites. one recent quote from their 'whitetail state of the union' (what a joke). was from gabe addair about predators. he said, something to the effect of 'let the predators have their share, then i don't have to shoot as many'. the guy is so out of touch it's not even funny.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Solo Hunter, Meat Eater, Fresh Tracks, Midwest Whitetail (Online), Growing Deer (Online), Uncharted are all ones I enjoy more than the other. I find myself watching less and less of those that feature the hunter/entertainer type or those who are simply putting on a show for the camera.

Oh x2 on the solo hunter. I like that one!

 

[Riggsgwp->]

There's a reason these shows push products. MONEY! Drury's get $250,000 from each sponsor. I found this out from a friend who knows all the guys with Ani-Logic. Thats a lot of coin.

 

[EOB]

For the most part I am ok with the product support. That is just business. More and more though it seems like all the hunts are guided or outfitted hunts. A "pro" hunter shows up, hunts for a few days, and attempts to pro tray him or her self as a skilled hunter all the while educating us on hunting. I would like to see more documentary style programs that show the behind the scenes effort of scouting and the hunts. Something like "Dropped Project Wisconsin" were a hunter locates some land in northern WI, scouts and hunts for a buck, not necessarily a trophy buck either. That would be a hunter that I could respect.

 

[UP Powers]

my favorite.. when a sponsor comes on board for these shows and it replaces the other sponsor. You see it with trail cams. Cuddeback.. the best.. now it's wildgame innovations...then moultrie. How about someone having the guts to say... I don't care if Reconyx pays me a dime.. they are the best and I use them because of it. They are all a bunch of hacks. If I had to pick one... that was remotely decent. I would say Bill Winke or Les Johnson. Les is a product hawker.. but fun to watch.

 

[j-bird]

I for one would like to hear/see steve B's opinion! He is in the biz and would be ale to shed some light on his working within that industry. It would also be interesting to hear which shows he watches if any. Oh, Steve B, where are you??????

I will simply speak only for myself here - I don't have the resources, time or level of commitment to do what it would take to get a deer or property to the level they show on TV. I bet many folks would say the same thing. I don't have thousands of acres or thosands of dollars or months of continous time to do it. I don't have access to hundreds or even thosands of acres of intensely managed whitetail habitat. I don't have a team of people doing the "leg work" so all I have to do is pull the trigger on film. I don't have the ability to target that top 1% of the deer population and only hunt a stand a hand full of times and move on the the next. What about doing this week, after week after week?

Most of what is on TV simply isn't reality for 99.9% of us. It's about as real as the Kardashian's!

 

[Terrific_tom]

I for one would like to hear/see steve B's opinion! He is in the biz and would be ale to shed some light on his working within that industry. It would also be interesting to hear which shows he watches if any. Oh, Steve B, where are you??????

I will simply speak only for myself here - I don't have the resources, time or level of commitment to do what it would take to get a deer or property to the level they show on TV. I bet many folks would say the same thing. I don't have thousands of acres or thosands of dollars or months of continous time to do it. I don't have access to hundreds or even thosands of acres of intensely managed whitetail habitat. I don't have a team of people doing the "leg work" so all I have to do is pull the trigger on film. I don't have the ability to target that top 1% of the deer population and only hunt a stand a hand full of times and move on the the next. What about doing this week, after week after week?

Most of what is on TV simply isn't reality for 99.9% of us. It's about as real as the Kardashian's!

Check this thread out. Steve talks about it.
http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/steve-bartylla-on-sportsman-channel.1482/#post-24027

 

[j-bird]

I read that post before and sort of forgot about it. I like Steve and his candor if you call it that. I was aiming more toward if he watches any of the shows. I was in no way trying to say steve was one of "those guys" that we are sort of hacking on (that was furthest from my mind). Steve seems to be in a good spot - able to do what he does, but seems to still put his britches on one leg at a time (hunting celeb or not)! Maybe he knows the Kardasian's - hahahaha???? There's a show I want to see - we will have Steve B and Mo take the Kardashian sisters deer hunting! I want to see how long it takes Mo to tell one of them to shut the F up or push one out of a tree!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I read that post before and sort of forgot about it. I like Steve and his candor if you call it that. I was aiming more toward if he watches any of the shows. I was in no way trying to say steve was one of "those guys" that we are sort of hacking on (that was furthest from my mind). Steve seems to be in a good spot - able to do what he does, but seems to still put his britches on one leg at a time (hunting celeb or not)! Maybe he knows the Kardasian's - hahahaha???? There's a show I want to see - we will have Steve B and Mo take the Kardashian sisters deer hunting! I want to see how long it takes Mo to tell one of them to shut the F up or push one out of a tree!

Can't speak for Steve, but I don't have any tree stands with seats that big!

And I am 100% sure the Barracuda would not be letting me have some bimbo up in a tree with me, that has more sex tapes than Linda Lovelace!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

From what I am reading in all these posts, is there may be a good opportunity for some actual real life Hunter to put a Hunting/Habitat show together that would be 95% everything else to do with hunting and only 5% killing, or no killing at all. Is there a show like that out there? Or is the killing of a big buck the only way to get most people to watch?

 

[Buckly]

From what I am reading in all these posts, is there may be a good opportunity for some actual real life Hunter to put a Hunting/Habitat show together that would be 95% everything else to do with hunting and only 5% killing, or no killing at all. Is there a show like that out there? Or is the killing of a big buck the only way to get most people to watch?

Eastman's Hunting Journal was similar to what you're talking about. I don't know if it's even on any more, if so probably rarely.

Same as most, I don't watch many shows. I think there are too many amateur wanna be's out there. I enjoy good camera work with professionalism in the production not just some guy fist pumping and going nuts. I think Bill Jordan produces a fine professional show. I'm not necessarily talking content but, the production and camera work is well done.

The commercials are what they are and they are a pain for sure. That's what DVR's are for. LOL. Really though, there is a huge amount of money spent by hunters on gear. Who doesn't like going to a Cabela's store or reading the catalogue? Demand drives the commercials.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I would love to see a hunting show where each episode they take a hunting celebrity to the Maine Northwoods, give him a map, compass, sandwich, some water, a length of drag rope, and a .30-06…and give them 5 days to hunt Larry Benoit style as cameras follow their every step. LOL. Now that would be entertaining!

 

[Jeff23]

I would like to elaborate a bit more, for those that aren't familiar. Meat Eater is not a habitat show, it is a show about why we hunt, the instinct within, and how we (should) respect the process by utilizing the animal. He often introduces people to hunting, I don't even know what brand of rifle he uses (there is obviously advertising, but it is less obnoxious than any other show I watch) and he emphasizes the experience more than the "trophy" and prestige gathering. If you're looking for a management show, it ain't for you; if you're looking for an enjoyable show by someone that you would like to share camp with, you should check it out.
Natty: I guarantee you he would be down with that type of hunt, but he would want some kind of meat to cook during the episode, so that could be a problem. ;)

 

[Steve Bartylla]

I for one would like to hear/see steve B's opinion! He is in the biz and would be ale to shed some light on his working within that industry. It would also be interesting to hear which shows he watches if any. Oh, Steve B, where are you??????

I've got the Outdoor Channel, but I don't watch any of them. Except for the very, very rare show that is owned by the network (and not 1 listed in this thread is), every show pays big time money to the channel to air their show. they then have to get sponsors to cover those costs, plus production, hunting expenses, salaries and more. there is such a glut of TV shows and so much competition for sponsors that the vast majority of the shows are forced to trip over each other to attract sponsors. It gets to be a feeding frenzy, where the TV shows keep being their own worst enemies by promising more and more exposures (product shots or name mentions), all to outdo the other shows fighting for sponsorship. You can't blame the shows for being product pimps, as they have to be to be on TV these days. You can't blame the stations for charging the shows what they do, as they are trying to make $ and it costs a ton to run a station. you can't blame the companies for demanding they get XX exposures a show, as sponsorship rates are ridiculously high and the market is over saturated with shows (making each exposure worth less and less). It's just a mess.

Frankly, I sincerely believe that hunting shows have done more to hurt the sport of hunting than any anti could. That said, I'm a hypocrite and cash my check for tips and interviews each year. I think the ones I'm on are better than the majority, as far as pimping products goes...In 3 years of doing tips and interviews for D&DH TV, Destination Whitetail and Land of Whitetails - all owned by the company that owns D&DH magazine, I've been asked 2 times to mention a specific product in my tips. One was when giving a tip on practice...instead of saying "bow" they asked me to redo it and say "my Mathews" and another was changing "spray down with scent eliminator" to "spray down with Scent Killer." Since I pro staff for and use both, I did....They have it better than others though, as they package sponsorship with ads in magazines. So, it's a lot easier for them to take a "higher" road.

 

[bryant]

Just watched an episode of midwest whitetail. It is the only one that I pay much attention to or would really recommend. The show was on high risk stands. Bill covered a list of reason a particular stand might be a high risk stand and then how he goes about hunting such a set. What I like about his show is that approach of discussing things that factor into a hunt at any particular set, or decisions on which deer to target , etc. It makes me think about different spots on the farm I hunt and the decisions I make about the why, when and where to hang. Seldom is there anything discussed that I didn't already know but either a hunt or the way he presents a topic makes me think about or question how I am hunting a particular spot...a new perspective if you will.