Wow what a thread.
I guess I'll preface my statement by saying that I AM jealous. There I said it.

That being said, my problem with all of these shows is that just because these people are on TV they are suddenly hunting "experts". I will concede that some of them probably are experts (eg Jim Shockey) but many simply have the luxury of money and time. I would bet that there is a great number of people on this site that would kill just as many big bucks as the so-called "experts" if they had the same luxuries. Ask yourself: How good of a hunter could I be if it was my full time job and money and land were no object? I would bet we could all be pretty good but even then the "experts" seem to still need help.

For example, I never really had a problem with Stan Potts, but I saw him kill a huge buck at an outfitter in Illinois a couple weeks ago and it occurred to me "If Stan Potts is such a great hunter why does he need to pay outfitters in his own state?" You're telling me that NAW can't provide their "star" with land to hunt on? Maybe he's not so great. Maybe he's a TV personality that is under intense pressure to kill big bucks on film and he has no choice but go through outfitters in his home state because he doesnt have the time to put into managing property let alone doing all the other work.

Let me also say that the pressure to produce is probably what drives many of them to do the questionable things we all complain about. Like the Drurys getting Illinois archery permitsjust by calling the DNR director and not going through the lottery with everyone else who wants to hunt here (there is proof of that). It wasn't illegal but it certainly made me lose respect for the Drurys for all time. They play themselves off as though they're just like everyone else, but they obviously are not.

I also like how every showfilmed in TX never admits they are baiting.I would bet they do it because many people wouldnt understand (not to mention the age-old arguments about it). It doesnt bother me. I lived in northern michigan and baited too. Its just what a lot of people did there but I still think the tv showsshould man up and at least acknowledge it.

OK I've rambled on enough.