Are some of you saying that just because I have a population on my ranch of nice deer that I shouldn't be able to charge people to hunt? In my area, there is a very nice population of trophy bucks. Much of that can be attributed to genetics, but a lot is because of selection of targets by our hunters. I have 9000 acres of river bottom that I only allow a few bucks to be harvested per year. My bucks get big because they have a chance to get old. I make it clear to my hunters that I want only MATURE bucks taken, I allow at most one rifle hunter per year, and my bow hunters repect my land and deer population. Many times, I have seen video shot by my hunters, of 150+ bucks allowed to walk because they were young. These two and a half year old deer are allowed to become 170+ because they are allowed to mature and grow those larger antlers. This is my personal management scheme, but apparently that doesnt deserve to be rewarded. My ranch is not high fenced. there is a 5 wire barb wire fence around it and the deer have the opportunity to go to the neighbors whenever they choose. It is my responsibility to enhance my habitat to make them want to stay on my ground so they dont go across the fence.

This thread started with the complaint about hunting shows. Many of the guys making the hunting shows are under a lot of pressure to get kills on film because why? They have to have them to make a show. Why? Because viewers are wanting to watch them. If it werent for viewers, they wouldnt be able to get the sponsorship of the products that ultimately pay for those hunts. Do you actually think that these show "stars" pay for the hunts out of their own pockets? They recieve discounts from the outfitters, payments from the bow/rifle companies, binoculars, scents, calls, ATV's, camo producers, a whole host of companies that produce products for the every day hunters to empty their pockets and buy. That is the American way. Free enterprise. If you dont like what they are doing on the shows, write the sponsors and tell them you arent buying their products because of the bad publicity their representatives are giving on the show. If enough people let the sponsors know their dissatisfaction, they will find a new representative.