Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I enjoy watching hunting shows on tv like alot of hunters out there. I saw a show a few weeks ago where a guy was hunting elk in Canada on a ranch hunt with bow and arrow. He ended up shooting a real nice bull but the hit was not a good hit. He hit the bull in the rear leg, which can be a killer shot but I would classify that as a bad hit. He was quietly celebrating the hit as a good hit in which he says hit the femoral artery. My question is, are we giving the wrong impression to the "non-hunters" out there, which I believe lean more toward pro-hunting than anti-hunting. I don't think non-hunters as they sit there channel flipping and coming across these shows will understand whats being portrayed here as ethical hunting. Are we selling our hunting heritage out, by showing the blood, and gore on tv for all to see?

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

It would sure do hunters no good to show bad shooting or game suffering. Thats the kind of things the Anti's thrive on. Non hunters don't understand the concept of hunting being a harvest to keep game populations in check. One bad example from a hunter will wipe out ten positive acts.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

i agree hunter59 i have watched some pretty rediculous episodes

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I saw that show and just shook my head.But It happens all to often.
As far as the blood and gore it's reality. I was watching Jackie Bushman the other day hunting in Montana. He came across some sick deer and was showing the deer suffering from mother nature. I thought is was sad for the deer but good in a sense.( It was said that the animals were later HUMANLEY dispatched) It showed reality and how we as hunters take game in a very quick manner as opposed to mother nature.
We need to see more of mother natures work to educate the non- hunting public. How All animals pray on each other and the slow death than can result.
I would like to see a hunting show backed up with a show of natures way of culling the herd.It might open some eyes with a little more graphics

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I agree with you Montana Bob. Nature is the cruelest killer of all. I hunt mostly by still hunting and tracking and the average show depicts shooting house hunting over a food plot. That type of hunt is fun to watch on TV but not realistic in the North East. Even though I have respect for all types of hunting and applaud the tV channels for offering the shows which have to promote interest. Merry Christmas everyone and good hunting/ fishing.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

All I watch on tv is that freak Tred Barta on OLN that guy is a nut when it comes to outdoors....anyone know what he does for a living??

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I agree totally w/ showing the true mother nature, not the disney version. mother nature is indeed a cruel mistress. the average joe also thinks that nature "balances" out animal populations when in fact it runs in pretty dramatic population peaks and valleys. They dont understand that when you have a winter range with enough food to feed 100,000 elk has 125,000 elk show up, they think 25,000 starve when in fact they ALL do well for most of the winter, then run out of food late and nearly ALL starve. Then the predators starve the following year because there is no prey so their pop crashes also, unless you have a yellowstone wolf situation where they are so numerous and efficient they could finish the herd off.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

He mentioned it on another show recently. I think he said he sells commercial planes. He really needs to try some decaf.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

When was the last time you saw a show about wildlife management and its positive effect on game populations? When was the last time you saw a show that was intellectually honest with its' viewers and not skewed or one-sided in its presentation (including hunting). Whe was the last time you saw an educational program about hunting, hunters, and their important contributions as conservationists and funding sources for our nations parks, wildlife, and various governmental agencies?

I come up with zero. Anyone else?

Ant

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I think a hunting show done in the right "spirit" is a very positive thing even with the kill included however I am going to do a 180 on some of my posts from the past and say I don't think we should include the kill shot anymore. Keep em on the DVD's and vidoes but the Outdoor Channel is becoming to big a business and the tastefulness that accurately portrays true hunting ethics and it's heritage is all but lost on 90% of the shows on the channel. Quite frankly I'm getting pretty sick of it really. Now I'll admit it I still watch the channel because it's still better than the other crap on TV. But some of those shows are getting down right disgusting on how they portray hunters. Watched a show today where a guy took a shot on a running mule deer. One shot kill right through the corn hole. OUCH!! The camera came up and showed blood all over the ground coming out of, well let's call it the entrance wound. They were bragging a bit about how good of a shot it was. The shot was taken and the deer was down but an ethical show I would think would at least say that's not the shot you want and a lesson should have been learned.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I do tend to watch alot of hunting shows in the winter months and hate that too when you know they made a bad shot and they lie about it. As if we can't figure it out. I don't like the shows where they act like a bunch of idiots as it makes hunters like the same. There are two out there I do like right now and they are "The Best Of The West" and "Eastman's Hunting Journal" as they seem to have the hunting I like and are respectful of the animals from what I've seen.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

The shows are entertainment plain and simple. Those that put them on have one goal in mind, make money. I have the Outdoor Channel and enjoy most of it as entertainment and nothing else. Many of the shots and hunts are staged. Guides finish off game, off camera, many canned hunts, and every thing is set up. I am not slamming them or canned hunts it is just the way it is. You have to produce, deadlines, sponsers, a lot is on the line to be succesful.

Some are good, some are so-so. None stand out that I would mention. I have met a couple of the guys that have thier own shows, I have met guides that have taken some of the celebreties. I also feel they do hunting an injustice, some reasons are, stictly trophy hunting, fenced hunting, kill and only kill. They are no different than most of us. They have just found a way to make a living what most of us love doing.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

But are we persuading "non-hunters" to lean more toward anti-hunting by showing these shows on television. In the responses I have seen on this post, alot of these hunters don't like the broadcast of hunting shows. Whether its the showing of blood, the poorly hit animals, or the bad portrayal of hunters in general. What kind message are we sending the non-hunters and are we changing there point of view and pushing them toward anti-hunting? When I am talking to a person I know to be a non-hunter, and they ask me, I may tell them that I have shot a deer, but I don't elaborate in how the deer reacted to the shot and how far I had to track it, or how poorly the shot was! I want them to look upon what I am doing as a needed conservation tool to keep populations in check. I'm afraid these shows are giving to much information to the people we least need to offend. They are on our side, lets keep it that way. Time will tell!

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I agree! The wrong message is being sent, best to keep it between us, the less the anti's know the better off we all are. Look at Germany, hunters are a very respected segment of thier society. Yaeger Miester, Master Hunter. Very respected, no shows over there.

The intent of 90% of the shows is for commertialization and personal gain.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

A little like rather be huntin, I waffle on both sides of the show kill or don't show kill. I watch Outdoor channel til my family throws me out. It is entertainment, but as long as you remember that, it's better stuff than other TV.

I also respect and like Eastman's. They're entertainment, too, but tasteful and show hunting the way I wish all mine could be. No rock n' roll or funny weird camera effect stuff. Some high fives, but no dancing over the kill. I guess if they think it's alright to show kill, I'll go with them. If I could improve one thing on Eastman, they should show and talk more about meat, like Zumbo. Eastman is all racks, like there's no meat under the hide.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I enjoy watching the hunting shows on TV but my wife is not a hunter and when she comes accross one she just changes the channel. And, I think this is precisely what almost all television watchers do when they stumble on a hunting show since they are totally uninterested in it. Therefore, since only people who are interested in hunting watch these shows I think it is unlikely that non-hunters, who are going to be non-viewers, will be offended by these programs. However. there is the danger with particularly graphic footage that it might be used in campaigns by groups opposed to sports hunting to whip up anti-hunting sentiment among the non-hunting public. While this may be copyrighted material, who knows what its owners might do if offered enough money for it.

Californiadoctor

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

Calif Doc, that's the most sensible argument yet. I think you're right. Most people who don't like it will just shut it off. I have known a few neutrals who actually have come to hunting because they like what they see on the shows. Must be what the shows are counting on. I'm sure some of them do consumer research.

It's a contradiction - We want more hunters to share and support the sport, but I don't want more of them chasing my deers and elks.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

Very true. I enjoy the shows in the off season but are they projecting the wrong message. Many people think hunters shoot for the horns not the meat. Furtherest from the truth! But shows project that.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

Randy L, I agree. I also think that another unfortunate concept that these programs tend to promote is that if you don't make a kill, preferably setting some new B&C record, the hunt was somehow a failure. My personal belief is that if I get to do a day of hunting it has been a success whether I get anything or not. The joy of having the opportunity to hunt should be emphasized at least as much as bagging a trophy animal.

Californiadoctor

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

The answer lies in the proverbial thought that we never show shows of kills on the slaughter house floor because it would put the beef business out of business yet 85% of the US eats a hamburger at least once per week. I think we can have the shows without showing those parts.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

I returned to hunting after a 20 year siesta because of the OLN. I love to fly fish and would check out the OLN for fishing shows. Sometimes there were hunting shows on and I would sit down and watch them. It rekindled my interest in the sport.

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

If I see one more southern moron shoot a deer in the gut and say" He's down I just him him go down" I am keeping notes on the sponsors and never buying their stuff.........

RE: Are hunting shows stabbing us in the back?
 

Amen, brother. But look how many hunters want to brag about the score here in the forums. It's always "I shot a 150 class buck today", not "He dressed out to 206 lbs, man that's gonna make a lotta meals.