Deception in the hunting community

[Crawfish-MI]

One of these authorities has killed one elk since his his private land days yet is still featured as a "public land Guru" . He's since switched weapons of choice and as you know his reasons for doing so have nothing to do with the "real reason"

If you feel strongly enough to write the original post, and now revisit it 10 weeks later, have the intestinal fortitude to name names. Enough of the gossip drama.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Superkodiak38]

I banished myself from social media years ago, no FB- nothing. Last January I came back to it in the form of Instagram. I love the pictures from Alaska, Montana etc. I have spent my life living on the east coast and I am going west to hunt next year for the first time and the pics and some of the stories are great. If you are whoring for a sponsor or looking to get sponsored I am not going to follow your page ( boobs or not ! )

I turned on the TV last night and heard someone say "buck of a lifetime" that term turns my guts, any legal animal you can put yourself in front of, fair chase, is worthy of taking IMO. A 200 pound "cull" and a 200 pound "mega giant" eat the same, why else are you gonna kill it ?

 

[Shrek]

The one thing that makes most of the BS on these TV shows not bother me is that these host end up suffering more than any of us watching. To illustrate I'll relate a personal story. I used to live to fish. I thought it would be great to work in the industry so that's what I do. I started working in a big local tackle shop and commercial fish on the side. I did this for six years. I had a friend who had a local fishing show that focused mostly on freshwater fishing but wanted to do a saltwater inshore show. I took him and we had what I thought was a mediocre day. He turned our day into three shows and said it was by far the best day of filming he'd ever had ! He explained the cost pressure of two boats , two employees filming and driving the second boat , and equipment overhead. The need for getting some fish on film was a ton of pressure. I burned out try to make a living and so did he. We both ruined our beloved hobbies trying to make a living from them. I'd bet most of these TV hunters will eventually ruin hunting for themselves. I haven't picked up a fishing rod in years. The pressure that pushes these guys to lie and cheat will ruin it for them.

 

[Rdog]

The one thing that makes most of the BS on these TV shows not bother me is that these host end up suffering more than any of us watching. To illustrate I'll relate a personal story. I used to live to fish. I thought it would be great to work in the industry so that's what I do. I started working in a big local tackle shop and commercial fish on the side. I did this for six years. I had a friend who had a local fishing show that focused mostly on freshwater fishing but wanted to do a saltwater inshore show. I took him and we had what I thought was a mediocre day. He turned our day into three shows and said it was by far the best day of filming he'd ever had ! He explained the cost pressure of two boats , two employees filming and driving the second boat , and equipment overhead. The need for getting some fish on film was a ton of pressure. I burned out try to make a living and so did he. We both ruined our beloved hobbies trying to make a living from them. I'd bet most of these TV hunters will eventually ruin hunting for themselves. I haven't picked up a fishing rod in years. The pressure that pushes these guys to lie and cheat will ruin it for them.

What you said makes a lot of sense. I love hunting like nothing else but probably what I love most about it is just being outdoors in the wild, success for me isn't measured on if I got one or not. This philosophy probably wouldn't translate very well to a T.V show where the hunter never gets an animal. I have a lot of respect for hunters like Randy Newberg who has plenty of great videos of hunts where he wasn't successful and doesn't always get an absolute "trophy" sized animal. But looking at his hunting schedule every year, I think I would get burned out of hunting pretty quickly.

 

[GotDraw?]

Why follow when you can lead? ;-)

I've thought about unfollowing individuals on social media if I felt they were pushing a product or not being objective about a product review- but then realized I wouldn't have anyone to follow... Maybe that would be best

 

[xziang]

I've thought about unfollowing individuals on social media if I felt they were pushing a product or not being objective about a product review- but then realized I wouldn't have anyone to follow... Maybe that would be best

Even better when you are able to ask them a question on their YOUTUBE channel. Such as can you confirm or deny as to if you are sponsored by 'X' product? I've done this before and she NEVER responded to my question (unsubscribed). Am surprised they didn't just delete my comment.
((I don't follow or know instagram/twitter))

 

[stumpy waters]

There has to a ethical line somewhere. There will always be someone to push the gray areas for fame and praise. There will always be someone willing to give up all ethics for the same praise and fame. Should all hunters bear the burden of defending hunting while these pretenders sabotage us with every post to Facebook and Instagram I don't think so. Somethings needed to called out and excluded so the question becomes which practices don't make the cut

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

So tell us what the ethical line is then? I guess you have the answer maybe?

What about rifles? Ethical?
How far of a shot becomes shooting, versus hunting?
Game cameras? Ethical?
How about that GPS?
Heck, maybe we should ban a compass and force people to use the stars?
Waterproof gear? That's not fair. My granddaddy got wet. Maybe I should too?
Four wheelers? That's got to be unethical, just makes it too easy to get around.
What about broadheads? Ethical? Shouldn't we be whittling rocks like our ancestors did? And hickory sticks with sinew strings only please.


Call someone out if they do something illegally. Calling someone out cause you feel they are 'being unethical' gets to the level of a bunch of 7th grade girl disputes.

 

[realunlucky]

Stumpy are you saying you believe in a free for all? Not everything should have to be written into law. Ethical hunting is slipping away in favor of instant rewards. Yes some practices don't meet fair chase standards sorry if you don't feel that way

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[TheTone]

Even better when you are able to ask them a question on their YOUTUBE channel. Such as can you confirm or deny as to if you are sponsored by 'X' product? I've done this before and she NEVER responded to my question (unsubscribed). Am surprised they didn't just delete my comment.
((I don't follow or know instagram/twitter))

I have a guess as to who you are referring to, young gal, works for a clothing company? Shes among my least favorite having met her at a couple shows, fake as they come IMO.

 

[Whisky]

Stumpy are you saying you believe in a free for all? Not everything should have to be written into law. Ethical hunting is slipping away in favor of instant rewards. Yes some practices don't meet fair chase standards sorry if you don't feel that way

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

There was an initiated measure years ago in ND to ban HFH (high fence hunting). Now this is North Dakota, our HF operations are few and far between. A drop in the bucket compared to anywhere else... It was started by a group of friends trying to push their ethics into law. The far majority of hunters were against the measure. While I understand that HFH isn't hunting, I was not about to support something that had the backing of the HSUS. HSUS teamed up with "hunters". How damn ironic is that?!?! Most non hunting residents probably didn't even know what HFH was before that deal started. But when HSUS got involved, boy the money started flowing and ads and commercials were everywhere.

Moral of the story for me. I was not going to support something the biggest anti hunting organization supports.
I was not going to push my ethics on to others, and further divide the hunting community.
I was not going to infringe on private property rights of ranchers/HFH operators/neighbors. Because that's what they are, private property, livestock.
Where does one stop and draw the line with all of this??? Who decides what's "ethical" and what isn't?

My days of getting worked up because of what other people are doing, or view as hunting, are over. I got more important things in life to worry about.

 

[MAT]

Yeah but HFH documentary back in the 1970's called "Guns of Autumn" is what got PETA off the ground. Banning HFH by itself is not in HSUS best interest as they can't use that to show the bad side of hunting. If you weren't so blinded by the the fact we actually agree with them on this one thing it would have been in OUR best interest.

A good place to start with defining what is hunting is the B&C clubs fair chase statement - Boone and Crockett Club | Fair Chase | Wildlife Conservation | Deer Hunting | Elk Hunting | Big Game Hunting

 

[LandYacht]

Then don't call it hunting. If you call it hunting others will too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

I am from Tx... which I consider an HFH Mecca. Everywhere you turn, there is another high fenced operation selling "hunts". I used to be of the mindset that private landowners can do whatever they want with their land, regardless of implications to hunters around them. After dealing with the money grab they call hunting in some portions of Tx, I can see how this commercializations can lead to both better overall deer quality AND REDUCED hunter participation.

I simply can't afford to hunt deer here, and I am not alone. It is cheaper to chase public land elk out of state than to hunt here, which seems ridiculous. I'm not placing all of the blame on HF operations, but when big money starts playing that game, it turns into a battle of bank accounts. Animals go from being a renewable resource to a grocery item with a price tag. While I am new to the western hunting ideology and what the original founders of clubs like Boone and Crockett set out to accomplish, I can see how a system of commercialization could be a detriment to the long term wellbeing of the wildlife. To me, ethics and the debate around animal wellbeing is stemmed from the idea that we want species to proliferate and maintain a high standard of living. Seems like HFH more often falls on the negative side of this equation.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

ALL I want to know is who this OTC elk expert is.... Coveyleader????

 

[PantherCity]

Name names.

Why start a thread and not say the name of the person(s) you are talking about?

 

[5MilesBack]

Then don't call it hunting. If you call it hunting others will too.

Exactly. If I drive onto a rancher's pasture and shoot the cow I want and load it up and take it home......is that hunting? Does it have to be hunting to shoot something? I have always said that I am hunting up until the point of shooting, and then it's just shooting. So I could even "hunt" all day on a HF operation and NOT shoot something. Would that mean that it isn't hunting?

Bottom line........who cares what it's called. If you're hunting or shooting behind a fence......big deal. If you don't like that others are doing that......get a new hobby to occupy more of your time, because you have too much of it if you feel the need to get worked up about what other's are legally doing.

 

[Molon Labe]

Seems odd people complaining about shows or social media...and they obviously watch them or follow them and know a ton about them.
Maybe just don't watch the outdoor channel or click unfollow. By watching their "junk" you are just encouraging them.

I haven't heard of any of the people that are brought up on this thread and feel pretty good about it.
Talking to people in real life that know what they are doing is a much more efficient way to get better at hunting.

Humans are weird.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

1. If you are going to call someone out, call them out by name.

2. To me, HFH = high fence harvesting. And if my freezer gets into a meat crisis I might look at harvesting a bison.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

dude needs to STFU or grow a pair and give us a name...

 

[bowieknife50]

I guess I'm glad I don't have TV or internet at home. Really makes all this a non-issue until I read about it here.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk