Hunting shows

[toppredator]

Hey guys, I'm sitting around today doing what used to be one of my favorite things, watching hunting shows and to be honest I'm starting to wonder why I even bother. There are several things that seem to be on all these programs and they make my skin crawl every time I see them.
First, I hate it when after putting a decent shot on an animal the hunter turns to the camera, pumps his fist and says "I smoked him!" You "smoked" him, really? In my opinion "smoking" a deer is done after the deer has been processed and your wondering how to prepare it for the table not a way of talking about the shot.
Second, I'm so sick of hearing the "professionals" talk about bucks being on their "hit list." I mean seriously, what are we in the mob? It just seems dumb to me. I admire their discipline in passing young bucks and only targeting mature animals, but "hit list," come on.
Finally, I Hate it when one of these yahoos shoots an animal and next thing you know they turn into a nascar driver in the post race interview, "I drew back my Mathews Z7, lined up my Tru-glow sight, and sent my Rage tipped Easton Axis arrow through it's vitals and blah blah blah." I realize they get payed by endorsement dollars but that doesn't mean you have to be a walking/ talking billboard. Why not let the 3 million commercials they play during these shows tell us what we're supposed to use.
Sorry guys, didn't mean to jump on soapbox and go on a rant but I had to blow off some steam. Thanks, just one guys opinion. TRW

[Bjorn]

Don't think we get any of the channels that have those shows. Guess I'm not missing much either.

[landman]

I agree with you completely.   Another thing that causes me to change the channel is the raging, over the top and uncalled for "music" that they play, as if hunting were some sort of Mad Max thing.  

It didn't occur to me immediately but after I watched a couple of these shows I realized that they are little more than commercials for the various sponsors that are required to get the show on the air and I would be more than surprised if these so called hunts were fair chase events that weren't soaked in bait or C'mere Deer.

[Dustin Waters]

If you guys are looking for a great hunting show, tune into the travel channel for the show, The Wild Within.  This show is about a guy who travels around learning the local fair of different wild places.  He then sets out to obtain the meats, and plants on his own fair chase.  At the end of the show he prepares a meal for his hosts, family, and friends.  The guy has more respect for the wild in his big toe than any of those clowns on the hunting channels.  He talks repeatedly about using what you take, and not disrespecting an animal that you have killed.  He portrays the fact that he kills animals for food and nothing else.  He enjoys the fact that he supplies his family with the meat that they need to get through the year, and he doesn't waiver in that mentality one single bit.
It may not be trad bowhunting, but it has traditional bowhunter values all over it.
Look it up you'll like it.
PS.  I am not endorsed to promote this show and I did zero fist pumps and fake "yeah baby's" when typing this up. hahaha

[Hard Times]

I can't watch them anymore, not sure if it's me or the commercialism has gotten worse over the last several years. The music and antics with the camera's is so disrespectful to the animals, it makes me uncomfortable. I have to say, I watched Tred Barta last week, and there wasn't one commercial for any type of hunting equipment.

Rod

[oxnam]

I can't defend the rediculous "hit list" attitude and talk, but for what those companies have to pay for sponsoring, I would want my product plugged constantly.  I think all of us get annoyed with the constant barrage of advertisements and commercials so when they force it into every aspect it becomes too much.

In the hunting industry, the commercial spots work differently that the majority of other channels.  The show has to purchase the air time for their show, and the show is responsible for selling their own ads to cover the cost of production and airtime.  So this generally creates a close relationship between the two parties.  It makes it easy for the advertiser to become very embedded in the show.

I wish I had the numbers of what it cost to run a single commercial.  Recently I was looking at the cost to advertise in some of the main stream hunting magazines.  Circulation is around 120,000 per month and it would cost close to $30,000 for a full page color ad in one issue.  That's right, $30,000!!  Guess what a commercial would cost...

As distasteful as I find the constant product plugging, I understand it.  As for the rest of the hooplah about smokin' animals and hit lists, hopefully it's a phase that will pass for something a little more tolerable.  All it would take is for a lot people to start shutting it off and shows and advertisers would respond rapidly.

[Hoyt]

I like to count how many times they say awesome.

[Kituwa]

I watched one today about a bear hunt.There were several bears at the bait in front of his tree stand and he is talking non stop and the bears did not even look up at him. He finally shot one bear and then had to drop rocks on one of the others that was trying to climb up his tree.Didnt seem like very wild bears to me.

[tecum-tha]

I don't know why people pay $30+ dollars a month to be able to watch "commercials".
All TV I need I get with my HD antenna for free.
Why spend money on something I don't enjoy?

[toppredator]

I just thought of another thing that gets my goat.  When one of them TV hunters has a buck walking in an does that "mmehh" sound they do to stop him, I hate that.  I realize you have to stop the deer to shoot it but I saw one of them chuckle heads make that sound to a deer standing dead still.  It's almost like there mental checklist goes: come to full draw-check; settle the pin-check; make ridiculous sound to stop the deer-check; release the arrow-check; look at camera and say I smoked it-check.  TRW

[Shakes.602]

I frankly could give a Hoot Less what "Fred Would Do?" Ya know......  WHO CARES????

[Jake Diebolt]

What gets me is the false whisper these guys always do. They talk to the camera for about five minutes with the deer 30 yards away, then they shoot it. I suspect they film the whispering after the fact - no deer I've ever hunted would let me get away with that kind of noise and movement.

[Stump73]

The only show I thought was cool that I saw was backland something not sure the name. Anyway this guy made his arrow to hunt mule deer with. He napped a flint head, cut his arrow from  willow tree, and tied on feathers and broadhead then used pine pitch on it. He did kill one with it.

[Pepper]

IMO, "hunting" shows,are just that shows, not hunting.
I am intelligent enough to make up my own mind what I what as far as equipment goes, and sure can make up my mind which animals I want to harvest.
If you live to hunt horns, your are neither a hunter or conservationist.
Probably stepped on some toes, so be it, as the lead in says In My Opinion.

[wtpops]

I kinda gotten used to all the junk that you see on the shows no days but the one thing the really gets me is when they make a shot and they watch the animal run off and just before it goes out of sight they see it stumble and fall then climb down and say "well were going to back out and give it some time" Really you saw it fall go get the dang thing.

[Spectre]

My family gave up television over two years ago, and we don't miss it----well, sometimes during football season we do, but, outside of that we don't.

[Coonbait]

Tiffany, she's just cute as a button, makes me want to puke! Stop by and ask permission to hunt on one of their dozen farms in Iowa or Illinious and see how hard they laugh then escort you to the road! Look at the giant buck I shot on my private, food plotted, deer sanctuary. We've been watching him for 6 years now. We only shoot MATURE deer. Mature where I live means it's not nursing anymore. Sorry I get a little dizzy when I start thinking about it!
Glenn

[maxwell]

I just find it repulsive .... Nothing more to say.

[Lambow]

I agree with Dustin - The Wild Within, has been the best hunting show on TV... and it's on the freakin travel chanel.

I didn't catch all the episodes, but the ones I did, sure were good.

I've heard they're not doing another season.

[Huntschool]

Ah...  "The times they are a changen"

It would seem that your deer only counts if its a +170, and then ya had to get it with this kind of tree stand, this kind of bow, this kind of broadhead... s#$t... I wonder why they don't tell us what kind of underware they have (or for some) don't have on.

I enjoyed the origional American Sportsman TV show... even with Shattners stupid shot at a griz or brown bear.. I don't remember which.

This whole TV "hunting" thing has gone a long way down the wrong road.  I admonish my students to be carful what they see and or believe on these shows and the videos that are out there. I have been around some of these ya-hoos and they are idiots with guns and bows.  

Manufacturers want their product touted... some wanna-be's are salavating to become "sponsored" and there is the perfect storm.

I dont watch any of them.  I don't have cable or sat connections...  I love it, but I damn sure do not like what these shows are selling to our younger generation and "new hunters" in general.

Just the thoughts of an older guy.