Pay for content

[Matt G.]

I just wanted to have a general non bashing discussion. Over the past few years, we have seen the censorship through FB YouTube and others for the hunting related content. Unfortunately our more popular content producers have been moving towards a pay to play type and I understand they need to pay for cost of producing content and their lively hood, but isn't this sort of dividing us, picking sides vs coming together? I just think it is creating a divide, and maybe this is what the antis want. I am sorry, but if I paid for each, I could have bought a tag somewhere and gone hunting or fishing instead. Luckily, some content is just a delay, and I could wait. There is no correct answer.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[Ucsdryder]

It’s an excuse to make a buck. I hear the patreon stuff on podcasts. I have no interest. I get it, time is money, nobody works for free, but like I said, it’s not for me.

 

[mtwarden]

are there platforms that have more information than the couple of thousand folks that contribute on this site?

I could be wrong, but my guess is no

 

[Poser]

I find that the vast majority of hunting content is relatively uninteresting, so I don’t watch or listen to much of it at all.

I do follow a stock market guy on Patreon, so I’m obviously willing to invest in the knowledge of others, but just can’t see doing that for hunting content.

 

[bozeman]

from my .02.....I will not pay for content, that simple. I quit listening to a few podcasts who began 'more info if you pay for a special access'.........just didn't see the benefit.

 

[Voyageur]

are there platforms that have more information than the couple of thousand folks that contribute on this site?

I could be wrong, but my guess is no

Great point made right here.

 

[dieselchessy]

So far I’ve been unwilling to pay beyond internet access. Don’t see it changing anytime soon. Won’t pay for radio either.

There has always been a divide between those that see hunting and the outdoors as a profit center and those of us who see it as a lifestyle/hobby/recreation.

 

[The_Jim]

I am definitely not interested in paying for hunting entertainment. What a waste of money. Especially when it is just so someone doesn't need to work a day job...

 

[5MilesBack]

Pay to watch hunters fumble around in the woods.......I don't think so. Even when it's free I rarely watch it.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

The only content I'll pay for have pages and I can hold them in my hand. If screens disappeared tomorrow I'd be fine.

there hasn't been anything on TV worth watching since Bonanza and Andy Griffith.

 

[Fogalo]

This is what happens when you tell people to follow their passion and the money will come. I stuck my head in the industry when I was a youth - worked at the sportsman channel as an intern, even did some videography work for awhile as a contractor. I still had to bartend to make rent with multiple roommates.

My experience is that hunting and outdoors tv or content is a great way to get to hunt and travel if you’ve already got money. Most of the successful folks I knew had a great business and created a separate llc for their hunting show. Then they’d be able to write off hunting expenses and pay for whatever hunting they wanted to do with pretax dollars and only have to break even every few years.

The problem with social media there is a lower barrier to entry than there used to be so people who grew up watching the old shows think that’s how they made their money. So now following in their footsteps they’re trying to make a living doing it and they have to squeeze every penny out of it because guess what? It’s not that lucrative. Sure there’s a rare minority that do ok but without a supporting business (selling hats barely counts) it’s really tough. If business was booming I’d bet “public land over the counter hunters” would quickly become “land owner tag / private ranch hunters” at least for a couple hunts every year.

To get back to the OP’s original point - yes it does divide hunters and the industry because they’re competing for eyeballs and revenue. That’s the bad news. The good news is they’ve exposed more people hopefully to the good side of hunting (hopefully although now there’s so much content, competition, and lack of filtering it’ll eventually have some bad content that the hunting community has to condemn immediately) . Hopefully have some more public support at the price of having to share public land with other hunters.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

If I don't have to watch adds or my info isn't sold I have no problems with a pay wall for any content including hunting related....pay wall and adds or you sell my info it is hard stop for me. Paywalls also prevent censorship...always a positive.

 

[Pinewood]

I don't see the current social media version of hunting programming and podcasting lasting long. It is a relatively small market and there is only so much that can be covered before they are tapped out of new things to put in front of your eyes or ears that will keep people interested. There is a lot more to life than watching some dudes desperate hunt for YouTube content.

I find it interesting how the Born and raised crew changed so much since the original land of the free. They went from high effort bowhunting to shooting elk with that sig ballistic app thing. I get it, it pays, but I think it sucks.

 

[FullSkipChain]

If a man buys a lot of "influencer" hunting gear that is a red flag. I suppose if I were a man I would also be concerned if my girl did that.

 

[Glory]

I don’t even watch the free stuff.

 

[Bubblehide]

I right there with Glory, I don't watch it. Granted, I have watched Meateater once or twice, only because my wife put it on. I found it entertaining, but that is about it.

 

[Fogalo]

I don't see the current social media version of hunting programming and podcasting lasting long. It is a relatively small market and there is only so much that can be covered before they are tapped out of new things to put in front of your eyes or ears that will keep people interested. There is a lot more to life than watching some dudes desperate hunt for YouTube content.

I find it interesting how the Born and raised crew changed so much since the original land of the free. They went from high effort bowhunting to shooting elk with that sig ballistic app thing. I get it, it pays, but I think it sucks.

This hits the nail on the head with content - there’s only so much you can do until it gets repetitive. At this point in time every tech tip has been covered on multiple podcasts and most guys have told all the entertaining stories from their life. The content well has gone dry in a lot of ways.

 

[Rob5589]

I don't pay for content but I can see why they charge. FB, YT, and others censoring such platforms forces people to go independent or to a more friendly platform.

Whether it's YT, FB, Disney, the major networks, etc, they've all started to move to pay for extra content. Small timers are just doing the same.

 

[Dos Perros]

I don't consume a lot of outdoor content, but I do some. I feel like I can tell who's in it to genuinely help people and who are in it to make a buck, and I know which I prefer and tend to consume more of. I have a deep respect for the guys and gals that can work a real full time job, hunt and fish, do the podcasts or or whatever, and still be good parents and spouses. That models my own life essentially, and they are more relatable to me.

I tend to not listen to or trust people who are clearly sponsored and giving biased information on gear. I'll listen to the dudes on Rokslide way before anyone else.

I also am not entertained by, for example the Eastmans, who go to Colorado every year and hunt some awesome private ranch and kill big bulls. That is not relatable to me. And to be clear I'm not picking on them, I love a lot of their other stuff, just nothing that one example.

So, to sum up, if I had to pay for something, it seems very likely it's going to someone who's in it to make a buck, and therefore I'm not interested in what they have to say. I don't begrudge people from trying to put food on the table. And, there are sponsored people who tell me to use Eberlestock packs and Sig Sauer optics, and I still consume and enjoy their content, I just tend to zone out on the 'pleasing the sponsors' time.

 

[JakeSCH]

Typically I won't pay...but the exception to my rule is The Backcountry Hunting podcast with JvB. I signed up for patreon for him just because I like his podcast