Everyone is worried about internet forums…but what about them magazines?

[Gun&BowSD]

I am not going to say the publication but I just read an article and I will paraphrase so as not to narrow anything down, but this article goes on to say:
“If you want to kill a trophy ****, go hunt over by the town of (redacted), and in this state go hunt by the town of blank. They’ve produced scores of xxx on average”

I couldn’t believe it. Some select words went through my head. I mean…damn, really? How much does someone get paid to write an article to put that out there like that? Am I in the wrong profession?
That’s it. Subscribe to my channel on OnlyHoneyHoles!

 

[TaperPin]

The locals will definitely feel the extra pressure for a few years until memory of the article fades. That happens out west pretty regularly - one river, ridge, or mountain is referenced and the next year 10 additional four horse trailers show up at the trailhead.

 

[intunegp]

I think their impact is extremely limited. I'd think 50% of magazine subscriptions go to people who have aged out on traveling for hunts and/or trying new things, and the other 50% end up on the table at your local healthcare providers. Maybe someone flips through one at the airport or checkout line at the grocery store and finds a new honey hole, but plenty of those articles never get read by anyone who will act on the information. Just my guess.

 

[Jbehredt]

It’s been 20 years or so now but a magazine article absolutely wrecked a mule deer area here in CO with the same type of story.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Gonna say my FIL subscribed me for a present, first off didn’t know it was like 300 something a year. I wish he would have saved his money. 2nd off those “foolish” articles along with the subscription bs to get people to “go” hunt are wrecking western hunting. Had a unit I love jump from 0-3/4 points in under a decade, come to find out this unit is one the “go to” spots in Co… Efff me right. Thanks a lot.

 

[cnelk]

About 25 years ago Jim Zumbo wrote an article about an area I used to elk hunt.

Definitely saw an increase in pressure for a couple of years.

 

[Scoot]

Same for me, Hnthrdr- had a couple point unit jump and rejump in about 4 years due to a magazine talking up the unit. Sucks!

 

[roadrunner]

Those one guys did that to a premium deer unit in **. Never has been the same since...

 

[Gun&BowSD]

I had the same thought. Figured there are tons of magazines, but I wasn’t sure if they came out as digital copies anywhere searchable that they might pop up.

 

[robby denning]

I think their impact is extremely limited. I'd think 50% of magazine subscriptions go to people who have aged out on traveling for hunts and/or trying new things, and the other 50% end up on the table at your local healthcare providers. Maybe someone flips through one at the airport or checkout line at the grocery store and finds a new honey hole, but plenty of those articles never get read by anyone who will act on the information. Just my guess.

Hey man, IMO, that maybe applies with the OL and F&S type but not the research mags.

They are hotspot (as in unit) specific and they cater to a big traveling crowd.

I've watched units for years get blown up in the mags with a direct blow up on the ground (and the draw odds).

 

[6.5Express]

I think the magazines are the primary reason people view bonus / preference points as savings accounts and feel entitled to the hunt of a lifetime once they save up "x" points. The magazines have sold travelling hunters on this concept for years but the travelling hunters point blame at state game agencies for modifying tag allocations or season dates, etc. They ought to be cancelling bogus subscriptions to the easy button.

 

[Rich M]

Used to be that us easterners were mainly saving up for 1 or two hunts. Then came the diy push, do it cheap do it every year. We are all paying for that mindset. It is what them influencer types push.

 

[KurtR]

Isn’t that how eastmans got going with their magazine that highlighted all the good spots

 

[svivian]

Isn’t that how eastmans got going with their magazine that highlighted all the good spots

Yep like posting a picture of a 200"+ deer with one of the most iconic Colorado mtn peaks in the background.

 

[Hnttillmt]

Absolutely happened to my archery elk spot this year. I bought some stuff from camofire and when I opened the box they had thrown in a free copy of a western hunting magazine. 8 page article on my general unit. I counted license plates from 9 different states in the three days I was up there. I won’t be back for a few years.

 

[JohnnyB]

Hey op, I went to check out your site OnlyHoneyHoles and boy was I surprised!
Fellow Roksliders, do not go to his site. The content is not suitable for hunters. Well, maybe the flat brimmed crowd.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

Hey op, I went to check out your site OnlyHoneyHoles and boy was I surprised!
Fellow Roksliders, do not go to his site. The content is not suitable for hunters. Well, maybe the flat brimmed crowd.

Shoot, I put the wrong one. Thats the side hustle.
I meant OnlyBOALs haha

 

[spike camp]

It’s crazy to think, that if I wanted to, I could absolutely destroy the odds in a single unit, in about one hour.

That simply wouldn’t have been possible 20 years ago.

So to answer the question from a different thread about what’s the worst thing to happen to hunting (or whatever) it’s hands down flat brimmers and social media.

 

[S.Clancy]

One of our elk spots got blown up by F&S about 10-12 yrs ago. It went from a couple groups to 25 rigs at the trailhead in a yr. It's calmed down a bit now, but still way more folks than there used to be

 

[wyogoat]

Eastmans specifically named my go-to mule deer spot to the bowl a few years ago. Went from being a “glass 30 bucks a day” spot and 1 or 2 other groups to “glass 1 or 2 bucks a day” and 8 different groups.
Some people have forgotten the impact they can have. I think we saw that some in the AVB thread. That was all triggered by staying relevant.