I love winke but that drone stuff grossed me out big time. I know he’s legit but on a whitetail cribs episode on YouTube he was bragging about a Colorado buck he saw in a field and had a buddy push it by his stand and shot it. All I could do is shake my head. That isn’t hunting.
To me you didn’t hunt that animal on his terms. You involved another person pushing that animal to an ambush spot. Obviously this is a personal interpretation of what is hunting, but I believe it should be done with woodsmanship at best and luck at worst. Seeing a deer in a field, setting up in the only cover around, and getting a buddy to push it to you is one step above sitting in a high rack and shooting deer eating out of a corned up sendero
Probably part of what makes him relatable to the regular guy. We saw that cribs episode yesterday and he talked about a couple big bucks on the wall that he thought were 5+ but after being killed they sent the teeth in and they came back 4. He still smiled and appreciated the deer without having some holier than thou attitude that I think a lot of other industry people would have. Maybe Winke wouldn't have a buddy push him a deer these days, but he can still tell that old story and present it as perhaps part of his journey or evolution. I also thought the drone tactic was cringey.
It is interesting you are describing this as woodmanship. I'm fairly confident that our ancestors who relied on their woodsmanship to survive ran deer drives with humans or dogs. I personally wouldn't take part in something like this, but I don't really care that much one way or another, as long as it is legal.
Totally, but I think it’s important to understand this is one persons opinion that’s all. But…unlike our ancestors we don’t rely on game to sustain life. Yes it’s a luxury and some people base a bulk of their diets on it but none of us will die if we don’t catch or shoot something. So, there is a distinction between woodsmanship to survive and woodsmanship to honor the pursuit.
That is a pretty high standard but i understand you're just stating how you see it. I realize he's a bow guy so the stalk is a tougher thing but what about rifle guys? In mild conditions, a deer is as good as dead if I can get him to stand still within 600 yards with a rifle. I assume that's less than sporting as well?
Deer drives aren't as popular these days up here but it used to be the way during WI's rifle season. Don't see it with the bow often but doesn't make it any different.
I am a lunger - I hunt the freshest sign. Might say I chase it. My wife goes to the same stand every time - whether or not there has been a decent buck there recently. She has more deer on the wall than I do.
Good points. And not to mention a lot of these guys are just passing on anecdotal observations on what makes their hunts good. They have to. They aren’t academics. They have zero educational background in this stuff. That’s why I enjoy guys like Harper, msu deer lab, will golsbey and Marcus lashley.
This is what I like most about Winke.
I agree, winke is pure class. He doesn't have an arrogant bone in his body.
Winke is very good at getting his point across to the average hunter. People can relate to him.
