Wow!
Wow, this thread has gotten a little heated. I can tell you that right now, we are in a severe drought in Texas. I have been feeding a corn proten mix all summer to help out the deer. I am not feeding the deer to hunt them. but to keep the nursing does and bucks more healthy. Also, I have hunted East Texas for over 25 years, and have NEVER seen a mature buck come to a feeder. They must be getting their oreos somewhere else. We actually use a few feeders to pull in some pigs which we hammer after deer season. I'll shoot a corn fed pig any day.
Crossbows don't bother me, however, I would like to see their use limited to the general deer season with rifles. I don't think it's too much to ask to have a season specifically for traditional and compound bow hunters.
As far as hunting shows - as I said earlier there are good ones and bad ones out there. As mentioned earlier watch what fits you, or better yet make your own to share with family and friends. We watch our old hunting videos each year to gear up for the new season.
I will reiterate that I am a BIG believer in putting your time in as a hunter to be successful. Some have questioned it's importance here, but I believe it is the single most important factor when trying to harvest a mature buck. I do agree that it takes a little less time to prepare to hunt a place you know, but with a vast amount of National Forest available near us, I am always scouting new places to hunt. Usually, I will hunt in excess of 35-40 days each season. I averaged well over 60 in college (Man, I miss those days!) I'm fortunate that my whole family hunts (including my wife) - it keeps me from neglecting them. Hunting was part of our informal prenups. That being said it is also important to enter the woods at the right time. For instance, I set my stands in East Texas this weekend to bow hunt in October. I will not visit them again until October. No pushing deer, no disturbing them, hunting the right stand on the right wind = success. I have 6 bow stands hung for differents winds. Two are on the edge of food plots and 4 are on frequently used travel corridors. I have a couple of other stands on stand-bye to hunt other areas as needed. Hunting shows are for entertainment, what I've learned about hunting I've gotten first hand along with some tutoring from the old man.
Here's a picture of my wife's first solo buck and yes that is a food plot in the background!
PS - If your wife is keeping you from hunting, you my have married the wrong one.