traditional bowhunting TV

[RobinHood1389]

it seems too me that trad archery/bowhunting its growing in popularity. It may have always been the choice for alot of us but new to many and almost ”retro” to even more. So why hadn't mainstream caught on to this and have some traditional bowhunting shows on the tube what with the season around the corner?
Maybe I just don't are enough tv to notice, but I never see trad in the outdoor channels. I'm tired of seeing the latest and greatest compound take a deer at 70 yards.
(not hating on compounds. Just want too see trad)
Thanks for reading a little rant.

[Dave Lay]

not enough products to be sold??  not sure, but even Fred E. is pressured into shooting a compound some.....

[Slickhead]

Its more a novelty for TV (not a way of life)
Most viewers tune in to see animals shot. In trad hunting shot oppertunities are less. Most wont tune in to watch a guy set in the woods for 30 minutes and not see a deer.
Also these shows are ad driven. Every gadget know to man is advertised. I could see a guy showing how to make homemade scent killer.
The other thing is that it could, if done poorly, reflect badly  on the trad community.
Eastons bowhunting has trad (Fred E)
Also Bowhunter TV has some (Larry D Jones)trad hunts.

$$$$$! Not enough sponsors to make a TV show work. It would be neat to see a show dedicated to trad hunting though.

Bisch

[Bob B.]

I hear you Kyle, and like you, I too would enjoy watching a trad archery hunting show.  However, my opinion is those shows are about selling products first, and hunting second.  That said, I do not think there is a large enough market of trad archery buyers to make it a viable enterprise.  Anyway, those are just my thoughts.  I still would love a trad hunting show with my coffee every Sat. Morning.

Bob.

[gringol]

I always enjoyed watching tred barta.  He had so much joy for the hunt.  Sure, he ruffled feathers, but it sure was entertaining.

[VictoryHunter]

I have read in several articles that Trad archery is the fastest growing of all the hunting disciplines. I would love to see a Traditional Bowhunter Tv program. I think it may be feasible in the near future especially with big names like Sitka, Muzzy, and Bear out there promoting the sport. There are also several notable Tv and magazine writers/producers that would be on board. There are plenty of other "novelty" hunting shows out there why not one for us?

[gregg dudley]

You answered the question in your original post.  Hunting TV is too much about the kill to pass up longer range shots that can be made with modern compounds.

[RobinHood1389]

Honestly we have tons of big name sponsors in the trad and compound world. Easton, bear, PSE, martin. Not to mention broadheads, Camo, scent killer (for some. Still a sponsor), tree stands, blinds, knives. The only thing different sponsor wise between trad and modern is the bow and sometimes the arrow (excluding fletching obviously).
The sponsors are there. That's all I'm saying.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

There is a cool series coming up in September on "Back Lands TV" about the evolution of archery. Scott Anderson is the producer. They start with the "Ice Archer" they found in Europe and will go through a lot of different traditional bows to the compound bow.

Scott Anderson will be hunting all next year with traditional equipment. It should be interesting to watch....Kirk

[tarponnut]

I think about this one a lot.
Yes, the networks and sponsors are really missing the boat on this one(what a shock!).

In the 1990's there was a resurgence in fly-fishing due to one movie, A River Runs Through It.
Now try and find a spinning rod in a TV commercial a greeting card,or print ad, you won't, it's all fly-fishing or a model pretending to be flyfishing.There are many tv shows now that are just flyfishing. Orvis, Sage, G Loomis, Simms, and the like, are crying all the way to the bank.
The same thing can happen for traditional bowhunting.
The Hunger Games....
I disagree on the "kill" aspect of hunting shows.
We all know that they are filming thousands of hours of video to get that compound kill sequence. The same thing could be done with a trad bow and an experienced hunter(ie. Fred Eichler, he does it already as does Tred Barta)
What we need is something that focuses on the process of hunting; scouting, building arrows, sharpening broadheads, building a ground blind, missing at times,etc. There's something to be said for having a novel approach to an endeavor.
However, if the network or sponsor thought it needed to be about the kill, it very well could be, why couldn't it?

Here's what it will take(are you listening big time sponsors?):
A sponsor willing to pay to have productions made(they are generally produced first, sold to the network later as a finished product)
A likeable, exceptional bowhunter or several, we have many in our midst.How does Bill Langer not have a nationally televised show?(have you seen some of the guys that do?)

The show airs, commercials for many of the same products we use and some specific to trad are shown.The show is different so it becomes popular.
(which equals happy sponsors)

It simply amazes me that no one has made the investment(I would if I had the capital).
It's probably going to take several of US to get this going, who else?

I realize I'm mostly preaching to the choir but this choir is growing.

[RobinHood1389]

Tarponnut hit the nail on the head! Agreed!!

[kill shot]

I just don't know where to start only to say I hear you guys. A show based on what draws me to trad archery is more about the adventure than a harvest. The rustic camp, true friendship not the phony stuff you see on t.v. A little how to and hints and tips would be nice. I could go on but I'm sure I wouldn't be saying anything you guys don't already know or think about.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Don't get me wrong, I love watching trad-bowhunting. But honestly I don't know how I would feel about trad being mainstream on some of these hunting channels that seem to blow everything out of proportion. Like kill shot mentioned before, to me trad is about the companionship, the passion for nature, and just the joy and adventure of the hunt. Many of the hunting channels simply do not grasp these concepts because lets face it in today's society there are many people that hunt for other reasons than the reasons I have mentioned. When I get the itch to watch some real bowhunting I simply pop in primal dreams, bowhunting october whitetails, or the fred bear series. These guys know what bowhunting is all about and that is good enough for me.

[beaunaro]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the way I understand hunting shows work currently,is that in order to get aired ALL that is required is to have enough footage for a years worth of shows (a huge task in itself) (then keep right on filming for next year) and about $100K for the guy who airs it for you...Pursuit Channel, Outdoor Channel, etc.
Of course I forgot to mention the cost of camera, in HD, and a fairly sophisticated editing system, complete with training.
So yeah...the only thing stopping any of us is $$.
AQnd it might take awhile to recoup the investment.
That being said, I have always thought a nice combination would be an educational/travel/history/ hunt show. (You guys load up my RV...I'll do the driving.)
Of course if there isn't 2/3rds advertising and 1/3rd actual footage, probably not many sponsors would be interested.
I used to watch hunting shows like it was a passion or a sickness.
When some insider friends related as to how a poor archery hit could be moved pixel by pixel to the correct spot depicting a "never miss" TV Hero, thru creative editing, and combining that with the force feeding of all the gimmickry associated with modern archery...I just quit watching. Haven't seen a show in three years.
I'm sure I missed out on some good stuff, but I can't force myself to turn those shows on again.
A trad show with a genuine guy like Langer is sorely needed.
JMHO
Irv Eichorst
 www.truesouthadventures.com

[tarponnut]

Kirk,
Glad to hear that Scott Anderson has a new trad show coming out.I look forward to it.

Kyle is right.I don't want to name companies but as Kyle said above, we have big time sponsors that could do this tomorrow. What difference does it make to them if it's an $800 trad bow or $800 compound?(besides the obvious, numbers of bows sold).
Just because the average guy shoots a compound doesn't mean they won't buy a trad bow and maybe even give up the wheels in time.
The shows in a lot of ways drive what's the norm.

I'm getting off topic, though. The original question was: why aren't there more trad specific hunting shows? There is plenty of room for one or more.

It doesn't always boil down to money either.
Fred Bear could have patented many of his innovations and didn't for the good of the sport.

I just got a verbal commitment from one of our own that would host the show and not charge a dime for his time, effort, and expertise.
 Good guys are still out there and are among us.
Let's find some sponsors and do a real bowhunting show!

[ron w]

As much as it would be nice to see a quality Trad Bow hunting show, I just know that the media would screw it up and make us look bad in some way.....      

[jkm97]

I'd love to see a trad only show or too. I like Eichler, but he has too much compound hunting in his show to suit me still.

[Jim Wright]

I am probably the odd man out here but find the entertainment value in watching someone else hunt or fish by any method to be just about non-existent.

[John Dill]

Only way I know to fix this problem is for everyone here to spend 2 billion dollars in the traditional market to catch up to the dollars spent in todays archery gear (compounds)      :D  

Cash pays the bills.....and high dollar TV airtime.