Zeke-BE Report post Posted August 16, 2018 Social media for sure! Look at Wyoming. I got on to it because of social media but for the past 4 years the units almost need extra preference point every year because of increase application. On the other hand before social media years ago on a pig hunt. Went with a buddy and his family and were told of this awesome spot and everyone will bag out. We get there and there are hunters camped all over this area. We talked to 2 different camps and they said the same thing we were told. Hunting spots burn up faster then California does. Keep your mouth shut on honey holes, water holes, hunting units in general 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davehc130 Report post Posted August 17, 2018 4 hours ago, AzDiamondHeat said: If the "good spots" are getting ruined, will that by nature cause other areas to become the new "secret spots"? Won;t the animals just move to create new "secret spots"? Isn't that how it has always worked? Then the podcasts will be sending all the internet warriors to the same spot that is already saturated. Not defending them, just saying it is not the end of the world. And it is always cyclical anyway. Once all these people go to the "secret spot" with 50 other people and fail, they won't go back and word will get out that that spot sucks now. A little time later it will be good again. OR...it could just be bad luck and timing. I have been to an area that had tons of guys at the same time one year and NOBODY the next year. But, yes, I do agree that the interweb and podcst type info has done some damage to good areas. It has also done a lot of good in spreading our sport. I guess you have to take the good with the bad. Circle of life......lol No that is not correct. Good spots are good spots because those areas have what they need. Once you kill those bear or deer they are gone forever. With the pod casters directing hunters to specific areas they get over pressured and in the case of unlimited OTC tags get over harvested.. so those areas crash. Can take decades to recover... let me be clear, I support guys doing podcasts to help educate new/young hunters but when they give specific units and areas one podcast can reach thousands and in some case 10,000, 20,000 and even more. If just a fraction go to those spots it is ruined for EVERYONE!!!! I walked 2 miles in and still had 2 big bears pushed out by guys walking through the area right after sunrise. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bojangles Report post Posted August 17, 2018 You just gotta start hunting closer to the roads. That’s where all the big boys are. Wilderness is getting crowded these days with all these podcasts and such. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reece_mess16 Report post Posted August 17, 2018 10 hours ago, firstcoueswas80 said: I would agree that podcasts and social media have basically ruined our little secret of leftover tags. gohunt.com did a number on this... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted August 17, 2018 1 hour ago, reece_mess16 said: gohunt.com did a number on this... Leftovers, otc archery, “mid-tier” units. Podcasts have exposed all of them and the result may be that we lose them. I don’t think there is much we can do about it, other than try to stay ahead of things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rag Horn Report post Posted August 17, 2018 I am not exonerating podcasts and social media however there is just a lot more people that live in AZ than there used to be. I don’t think the deer population has grown like that. Least I have never met any deer that moved here from Wisconsin or Florida unlike my neighborhood that is full of transplants. Comparing 2018 hunting to 1990 hunting is tough because of the population growth of the state. It’s bound to be different. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted August 17, 2018 Just about every unit runs the gauntlet of certain seasons having more hunters in someones secret spot. Even the chat ON HERE can raise an uproar about giving away "secret" spots. To be honest most don't know they are secrets A lot has with the draw also- seems like everytime I get drawn someones hunting my spot! makes you wonder how many others are giving away secrets - or am I the one hunting their secret spot!!?? The same people don't actually get drawn every yr. maybe this yrs group had your secret spot 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tac Report post Posted August 17, 2018 Population of people moving here would probably have more to do with it than anything. When I was a kid here in Az my father and his friends tagged out opening morning most years in A area I haven’t seen a deer in years due to so many people using it for recreational purposes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZAV8ER Report post Posted August 17, 2018 Its a sad day when your spot is flooded by the to lazy to do their own thinking who go to the internet to get spoon fed ideas. If I saw a podcast touting a certain spot I would know enough to stay away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eastvalleyjerry Report post Posted August 17, 2018 I imagine the people putting all of this out on social media do not care because they only put in for premium tags or guide. I agree with all of you its getting harder and harder. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maximus Report post Posted August 17, 2018 just put in for the units that they say are not good, i listen to the podcast too and they always talk about unit 10, 9, 3C, 23 to be the best for elk but the odds are terrible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davehc130 Report post Posted August 17, 2018 7 hours ago, Rag Horn said: I am not exonerating podcasts and social media however there is just a lot more people that live in AZ than there used to be. I don’t think the deer population has grown like that. Least I have never met any deer that moved here from Wisconsin or Florida unlike my neighborhood that is full of transplants. Comparing 2018 hunting to 1990 hunting is tough because of the population growth of the state. It’s bound to be different. does not explain last year 4 hunters, this year 20+!!!! someone on social media Identified this location..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Green Bullet Report post Posted August 17, 2018 Lol cwt.com is to blame. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted August 17, 2018 I think it's funny that a lot of people want to blame Social Media or Podcasts for destroying or identifying particular locations that may have not been identified previously. There is no doubt that Social Media, Internet and Podcasts have shined a huge light on particular units and at times direct locations. I think most people forget that these same media sources have also made myself and numerous others more aware of public land issues, better ways of hunting, new and better equipment, road closures, fires, etc.... With all the positives there will definately be some negatives, but I feel the positives 100% outweigh the negatives! 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted August 17, 2018 This is why I hunt 4B. Big bulls everywhere, no people anywhere. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
