Hunting Show Suspended Over Poaching Charges

[BJE80]

It's a vicious cycle of competing for ever greater footage and results to stay relevant, and I think that's what is pushing these guys to bend and deceive as much as they do.

I just wish there were a few more that would try to educate vs just doing horn porn.

Really if you think about it. The shows are nothing more than a Hunting infomercial. The parallels are striking if really think about it.

 

[SD51555]

I enjoy infomercials more because they don't have commercial breaks.

 

[Steve Bartylla]

I just wish there were a few more that would try to educate vs just doing horn porn.

I understand what you are saying in principle and agree, but the reality is that you really don't want the overwhelming majority trying to teach you anything. No doubt more than a few of you believe I'm blowing sunshine, but I have 0 fear of being wrong in saying that the majority of you guys are much better hunters than the majority on TV. There are some out there that could and would offer beneficial info, but they are a small minority of those I know.

When you get to hunt all sorts of utopian type settings you believe all sorts of stuff works that won't in the real world. I heard a seminar speaker once tell a MN audience that they are making a mistake if they ever enter the woods. The key to killing huge bucks is sitting on fields and never entering the woods. He sincerely believed it, because he was able to kill booners in KS on thousands of acres of managed grounds doing that.

The overwhelming majority NEVER hunt settings at all similar to where most here do. I see it from hunting the utopian settings myself. It's REALLY easy to believe things work when hunting settings you can do almost no wrong on that are all but guaranteed to be glorious disasters in the real world. Most of these people are decent to good people. Outside of when they're overhyping products to keep sponsors happy or when trying to make themselves look like pagan hunting Gods, I'm sure they actually believe what they say. They just don't realize that what works on 500 acres of unpressured Iowa, parts of IL, KS, parts of OH ground will work on the small property or public grounds of PA, NH, WI, MI, MN and so on.

 

[McLovin]

I understand what you are saying in principle and agree, but the reality is that you really don't want the overwhelming majority trying to teach you anything. No doubt more than a few of you believe I'm blowing sunshine, but I have 0 fear of being wrong in saying that the majority of you guys are much better hunters than the majority on TV. There are some out there that could and would offer beneficial info, but they are a small minority of those I know.

When you get to hunt all sorts of utopian type settings you believe all sorts of stuff works that won't in the real world. I heard a seminar speaker once tell a MN audience that they are making a mistake if they ever enter the woods. The key to killing huge bucks is sitting on fields and never entering the woods. He sincerely believed it, because he was able to kill booners in KS on thousands of acres of managed grounds doing that.

The overwhelming majority NEVER hunt settings at all similar to where most here do. I see it from hunting the utopian settings myself. It's REALLY easy to believe things work when hunting settings you can do almost no wrong on that are all but guaranteed to be glorious disasters in the real world. Most of these people are decent to good people. Outside of when they're overhyping products to keep sponsors happy or when trying to make themselves look like pagan hunting Gods, I'm sure they actually believe what they say. They just don't realize that what works on 500 acres of unpressured Iowa, parts of IL, KS, parts of OH ground will work on the small property or public grounds of PA, NH, WI, MI, MN and so on.

I've never hunted any of those huge tracts of managed ground but I can tell you that 300 random acres in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, etc. is still exponentially easier to hunt than most of the ground in MN and presumably MI and other high pressure states. Your average MN fawn in November has seen more hunting pressure and is smarter than the average 4 year old buck in those states, and I've hunted most of them. That is not an exaggeration. I have had MN fawns pick me off out of good, high stands with cover at 100 yards and had 140" Iowa bucks stare at me 15' up a virtual telephone pole at 20 yards and then keep coming. If you can kill any deer with a bow consistently in a high pressure state you are good enough to kill mature bucks anywhere in the good states.

On a side note, a couple years ago Tiff was complaining on one of her shows that it was the middle of November and her and Lee had yet to shoot a buck. "We've worked SO hard!" she said, I thought, "bitch, you've been hunting, not working". I get it, you're trying to put a show together and this is what you get paid to do, but hunting for a living is not the same as wrenching. And going 30 days without shooting a wall hanger is pretty common for most of us. I like Lee and Tiff and they are good at what they do, just pointing out the disconnect between TV hunters, huge managed ground - and the rest of us.

 

[bat man]

I thought, "bitch, you've been hunting, not working". I get it,

Thinking I might be a good candidate for camp cook in KS. Let me know if there is an opening.

 

[Steve Bartylla]

McL, I've hunted a bunch of those settings you're describing in those states, as well as hunted some of the tough stuff you describe. Heck, I've gotten into some DANG good hunting on walk in land in KS and public ground in IL & OH and hunted "normal grounds" in MN, WI & MI. My experiences line up 100% with what you describe.

 

[Steve Bartylla]

Heck, Stu, despite what Brooks and Art told me about you, I have no doubt you're a good hunter. It may sound weird, but when you've talked to as many as I have over the years, it's real easy to tell real fast how good of a hunter someone most likely is. You guys are good. Heck, most here that think they know the least would fall in the upper half.

I only average killing a 3.5+ yr old WI public land buck once every 3 years, and I believe the public grounds are a smidge better than the mess the MN DNR left for you MN guys not in SE MN. Sure, you can control pressure and manage, which helps, but at least there are deer in the public areas I hunt...not as many as 10 years ago, but still more than the pathetic mess I was working on for Brooks the first year (it was GOOD there this year) and what you guys describe.

Soooooooooooo much of success is keyed on where you hunt. I know guys that bowhunt public grounds in some prime states that have trophy walls all of us would drool at....yet, having worked with them, I can tell you they AREN'T good hunters. It helps when you can put in the time and afford to blow every 3-4 opportunities for every 1 they seal the deal on and still fill their tags with good to flat out great bucks every year. Overstating the obvious, if you have a bunch of good-great bucks it's a lot easier to kill them than when you have 1-none.

 

[sandbur]

I've never hunted any of those huge tracts of managed ground but I can tell you that 300 random acres in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, etc. is still exponentially easier to hunt than most of the ground in MN and presumably MI and other high pressure states. Your average MN fawn in November has seen more hunting pressure and is smarter than the average 4 year old buck in those states, and I've hunted most of them. That is not an exaggeration. I have had MN fawns pick me off out of good, high stands with cover at 100 yards and had 140" Iowa bucks stare at me 15' up a virtual telephone pole at 20 yards and then keep coming. If you can kill any deer with a bow consistently in a high pressure state you are good enough to kill mature bucks anywhere in the good states.

On a side note, a couple years ago Tiff was complaining on one of her shows that it was the middle of November and her and Lee had yet to shoot a buck. "We've worked SO hard!" she said, I thought, "bitch, you've been hunting, not working". I get it, you're trying to put a show together and this is what you get paid to do, but hunting for a living is not the same as wrenching. And going 30 days without shooting a wall hanger is pretty common for most of us. I like Lee and Tiff and they are good at what they do, just pointing out the disconnect between TV hunters, huge managed ground - and the rest of us.

going 30 days without seeing a wall hanger....

We have gone 10 years without seeing a wall hanger during season. I would estimate 3-5 years before seeing a wall hanger at any time during the year. I do live in the country and drive back roads every day.

 

[sandbur]

I can only dream of the day I'm half the hunter Brooks and Art are :)
I'd say I'm a fair hunter, better than some, much worse than many others. Sooner or later I'm going to get a P&Y caliber buck on my place in MN...at least if I live long enough I will.

Stu-I think you sure helped me with that one stand we looked at this spring. I just got to decide when, if, or who should use it.

 

[McLovin]

Thinking I might be a good candidate for camp cook in KS. Let me know if there is an opening.

I'm a 12% partner so BC has final say on everything, are you willing to start out at fluffer and work your way up? :D

 

[boardmaker]

Steve you may find this funny, maybe not, but I found it funny. About a month ago, one of my customers ask me if I wanted to trade a tv filmed hunt at my place in Missouri, for a hunt at the so called TV shows hosts land in SE Kansas. My customer is good friends with a well know guy that just bought into a well known TV hunting show. I declined for several reasons. But what struck me funny was when my customer said don't you want to meet so and so from XYZ Hunting show? I said no. The only guy I said in the industry I want to meet is Steve Bartylla, and my customer said to me is "WHO the F**K is Steve Bartylla?"

He has not got a clue, Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Sorry, I just found that funny as all hell!

I'd like to meet Steve as well. Don Higgins too.

 

[MoLandOwner]

I'd like to meet Steve as well. Don Higgins too.

That's too Bad!

Welcome aboard!

 

[bat man]

I'm a 12% partner so BC has final say on everything, are you willing to start out at fluffer and work your way up? :D

Don't know how I missed this - and NO, I have not been silently contemplating. What the hell goes on down there?

 

[McLovin]

Don't know how I missed this - and NO, I have not been silently contemplating. What the hell goes on down there?

I'm trying to gauge your interest level. Which one of these best fits your reaction?

We mostly just hunt and drink. Mandatory viewing of the cinematic masterpiece "Hot Tub Time Machine" at least once per fall.

 

[buckvelvet]

McL, I've hunted a bunch of those settings you're describing in those states, as well as hunted some of the tough stuff you describe. Heck, I've gotten into some DANG good hunting on walk in land in KS and public ground in IL & OH and hunted "normal grounds" in MN, WI & MI. My experiences line up 100% with what you describe.

Thats reassuring that we aren't just WHINY babies the North. :)

 

[boardmaker]

That's too Bad!

Welcome aboard!

Lol.

So maybe I'll just stick with meeting Steve.

You can just tell Steve is a very humble, normal guy. I have a lot of respect for that.

 

[wiscwhip]

Lol.

So maybe I'll just stick with meeting Steve.

You can just tell Steve is a very humble, normal guy. I have a lot of respect for that.

Not so much with the other guy you mentioned.

 

[SD51555]

Mandatory viewing of the cinematic masterpiece "Hot Tub Time Machine" at least once per fall.

Violator! Love that movie.