Expecting Instant Gratification

[m77]

Like Joey's post on NO PATIENCE, I have met individuals in both the hunting and fishing sports that did not grow up hunting with their fathers, but became interested in hunting and fishing while watching hunting and fishing shows on TV. I also watch my share of these shows mostly for new equipment and tactics. I feel the majority of these shows do NOT portray a realistic view of what hunting and fishing is all about. After all, how many of us public land hunters have ever hunt over food plots or use time controlled feeders. As a young man hunting the cedar swamps, marshes, and hard woods of central Wisconsin I did on occasion set up near the corn stubble fields, so I guess that may count.

 

Anyway, I am getting off topic again. How many of you have met Hunting Show Enthusiasts that think a hunt means 10 minutes in the field yielding a Pope and Young animal?

[Elkaddict]

My family points that out every turkey season, I have the same 4 shells I started with 5 years ago! O well, I love hearing a gobbler and don't get caught up in I have to shoot one!

[Viper]

You are right. A newbie can have a real eye opening when hunting DIY in the west. Most of the hunting shows don't portray the toughness, ups and downs of western hunting. I don't watch the Eastern/Texas type deer hunt shows over food plots. Hunting shows have the advantage of editing and money. My favorite shows that I DVR are Western Hunter, Meat Eater, On Your Own Adventures and Eastman's. I've met a few guys that are disillusioned about western hunting success. They seem to slip into a depression after day 3.

[az_shooter]

I watch just about any hunting show, mostly just to see what gets killed. I grew up hunting and fishing in the west and 90 percent of the shows on tv are almost unrealistic to our hunting statagies down here. There are a few shows that are similar like Meat Eater, Solo Hunter, The Western Hunter and a few others. But I tell everyone who watches these hunting shows that our hunts are never like sitting in a tree or a blind over a food plot and having your choice of deer to shoot at.

[muledeerarea33?]

A friend of mine had a late turkey tag a few weeks ago. He was hounding me with questions and what I couldn't answer myself, I found out for him. Mostly by looking on here and mostly due to a very nice member that pointed him in the right direction. That said, he made the 7 hour drive up north, saw several turkey the first day and shot a turkey on the second day!! a few weeks later I took him out quail hunting and we got into some birds and shot a few but it was way harder than he thought. He lucked out on the turkey hunt, saw tons of deer and thought thats how every hunt was going to be I tried to explain it's not always that easy. Even he likes to call B.S. on alot of the hunting shows

[Scooter]

I personally like Heartland Bowhunter... I really enjoy their camerawork where they capture more of the "yake it all in" nature scenes than they do kill shots.

[naturegirl]

I started off watching hunting shows and there is stuff to be learned from them, but for the last couple years I watch them less and less. I just can't relate with most of them (hunting private land) so I've lost interest. It's funny how much different it is to hunt public land with every other hunter who has a tag versus growing your own deer and selecting which deer will be shot today on private land. They put the effort in 365 days a year to pick what they kill and when. We put whatever time in we can scouting, but ultimately share the entire forest with everyone around us.

 

Most elk hunting shows are pretty good though and the few Coues hunts I've seen were good.

[Scooter]

Some of the Elk shows that the primarily Deer hunters do kinda frustrate me. (read sarcasm) Like I have no idea how the same famous folks get a rut tag every year in MT, NM, CO, AZ, WA, ID, KY and WY... Gimme a break- those animals are for sale. At least Ted Nugent ain't even trying to hide that his stuff is high-fenced management.

[PRDATR]

The vast amount of TV Hunting shows are unwatchable IMFHO. The show I will watch are Jim Shockey, Western Extreme, Solo Hunter, Eastmans and Wild Skies.

We pi$$ and moan a lot about opportunities we have here in AZ. But what many don't get is that much of the country is locked up which creates a lot of pressure on public land and private lands can just be a five acre plot.

Some places in the east get 50 inches of rain and it is thick, thick, thick with shots limited to 50 yards. Totally different kind of hunting, but if you have the bug then you do what you have to do to hunt.

[m77]

My favorite show is the Crush, for one obvious reason. I agree with Scooter, our best hunt tags are for sale to the highest bidder. Most of the time those tags do seem to go to huntings most famous HUNTERS. And the rest of us get to watch it on TV.

[Scooter]

The vast amount of TV Hunting shows are unwatchable IMFHO. The show I will watch are Jim Shockey, Western Extreme, Solo Hunter, Eastmans and Wild Skies.

We pi$$ and moan a lot about opportunities we have here in AZ. But what many don't get is that much of the country is locked up which creates a lot of pressure on public land and private lands can just be a five acre plot.

Some places in the east get 50 inches of rain and it is thick, thick, thick with shots limited to 50 yards. Totally different kind of hunting, but if you have the bug then you do what you have to do to hunt.

 

I just cannot seem to get behind Western Extreme... I'm sure Burnworth is a fantastic guy in real life, but on the show he just seems real uppity. I LOVE JIM SHOCKEY!!! Solo Hunter is an awesome show. Eastmans (EHJ and EBJ) magazine is great- I'm a subscriber for life! Try Heartland Bowhunter- you'll dig it.

[Matt Meyer]

I haven't watched a hunting show in a long time. I basically stick to DVD's. Eastman's DIY and Jim Schockey

[Coach]

I usually can't watch the shows - it's like the same show over and over with slightly different backdrops. I'd love to see some REAL hunts on TV, like ADDICT's Ibex hunt, or even just some public land DIY hunts where everything isn't so cut and dry. I think shows where guys work hard on public land without guides, but show true hunting skills, even if they ended up not killing, would do a lot more to attract the "right" kind of people to our sport, and with a better attitude and set of expectations.

[oz31p]

I usually can't watch the shows - it's like the same show over and over with slightly different backdrops. I'd love to see some REAL hunts on TV, like ADDICT's Ibex hunt, or even just some public land DIY hunts where everything isn't so cut and dry. I think shows where guys work hard on public land without guides, but show true hunting skills, even if they ended up not killing, would do a lot more to attract the "right" kind of people to our sport, and with a better attitude and set of expectations.

.

I would only add to you comment to include any of addicts hunts.

[PRDATR]

The vast amount of TV Hunting shows are unwatchable IMFHO. The show I will watch are Jim Shockey, Western Extreme, Solo Hunter, Eastmans and Wild Skies.

We pi$$ and moan a lot about opportunities we have here in AZ. But what many don't get is that much of the country is locked up which creates a lot of pressure on public land and private lands can just be a five acre plot.

Some places in the east get 50 inches of rain and it is thick, thick, thick with shots limited to 50 yards. Totally different kind of hunting, but if you have the bug then you do what you have to do to hunt.

I just cannot seem to get behind Western Extreme... I'm sure Burnworth is a fantastic guy in real life, but on the show he just seems real uppity. I LOVE JIM SHOCKEY!!! Solo Hunter is an awesome show. Eastmans (EHJ and EBJ) magazine is great- I'm a subscriber for life! Try Heartland Bowhunter- you'll dig it.

He definitely has a lot of enthusiasm. He gives back a lot to the sport and is a family guy.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-Burnworth/117605208348573