Big Country

Hey, thanks for that highly informative post.

BTW, out of curiousity, how did you determine that many of the BIGGEST name video guys and girls do not do their own scouting, or hang their own stands?

Jealousy and envy are ugly........

hockeyhead

If they taped the whole hunt you would be bored out your mind don't you think? I wish I got paid for hunting! So during the off-practice season, hunting video's are the answer.

quiksilver

I have a good friend who hunted with a guide who got the "pleasure" of guiding the Nuge. Needless to say, the Nuge isn't much of a hunter as he'd have everyone believe.

I don't think any of the television personalities are a fair representation of the average, D-I-Y hunter. Mike Hill is 100% correct. Now, I'm not saying that, at one time, these guys weren't normal do-it-yourself hunters - in fact, they probably were. The fact is, with their travel schedules, their show schedules, their filming schedule, and their personal life shoe-horned into it, it doesn't leave much time to get out there and hang up your stands on grandpa's old homestead. It's big business. They get paid to sit in a stand, take a shot, and pose for the photo-ops. Then, they get taxied all over the globe to preach about how X or Y hunting products made their hunt successful.

bowtech die hard

I want to ask a question here and please please don't take offense to it. I understand that these guys have hectic schedules, and yes a lot of the time they do have pre-set stands. But do you really think that they just go out sit there a few minutes and shoot a monster? I'm getting into this industry and the reason I ask is because I've seen what it takes to really get a good hunt down on film. It is day in day out sitting on stand all day long for a lot of these guys. It's a continuous process that takes time and effort. It really is not an easy thing to do. I think they deserve much more respect than we give them. They work hard to bring us these videos. I think we should give them credit for that.

AR Bowhunter

I do not feel that most shows reflect your average bow hunter. The showpicks there days to hunt an times. They pick the locations which are normally dense areasof deer with little hunting pressure. I feel they pick theseareas to be able to produce shows in a timely manner. The majority of us hunt at one place year after year at one or two locations. We do not have time to travelfour or five states away. I go all year an might get one or two shots at a good buck in the two or three months that I am able to hunt. I am not saying, I would not want to do what they do, because I would like to try it for a couple of seasons.

flyfishpj

I don't believe they represent us hunters, but they are all true hunters, or most, and Washingtonhunter is right on when he says the average shows wouldn't sell. It's just the truth.

quiksilver

Bowtech die-hard - I'd agree that it's difficult for an average guy, on public land to get a huge buck kill on video. Definitely not easy.

The thing is, these guys are on high-end, private ranches that are LOADED to the teeth with deer. I forget which show it was, but one day I was watching a show where the host sat and watched a field with 80+ bucks standing and laying in it. Come on. At least PRETEND that you're trying hard.

These private facilities get the press by inviting people like Realtree Road Trips to their property, and letting them shoot a monster buck on video. Sometimes, it's so pathetic that they "save" a big buck that, for all intents and purposes,could be3/4 tame. Mike Waddell climbs the prehung stand, waits a few minutes for the monster buck to wake up and make his way to the foodplot/feeder, where he promptly gets his clock cleaned. Sure, sometimes the deer doesn't cooperate, and it takes an extra day, but that's it.

It's nothing like the gamelands or national forest that we're all used to.

Seriously, the hunting that you see on television is so easy that a child could do it... oh wait... sometimes they dolet the kids do it...

Did you ever notice how they're ALWAYS on "the last day of the hunt?" Sher.

Now, raising and hunting big bucks isn't easy, no matter what. And I'm sure that SOMEBODY is putting in some serious time on those deer. But, I'm also pretty sure that the TV Celeb making the shot is NOT that somebody.

egsdybf

Yes, filming is tough for a lot of reasons, but when you capture that special moment it last a lifetime. I took my first 6x6 bull elk this fall and happened to get it on film too- that still has not sank in yet.one 15 min hunt probably demands 40 hours in a stand onfree ranging whitetails without tags/fences/food plots/etc. Verytrue!

buck-i

i turn off hunting shows as soon as i see the rifle nothing against rifle hunts except they are boring to watch,i like watching the hunting up close, doe or buck kills.pros need to learn not to whisper after the shot i cant stand that if the deer is down talk soft but not to soft.
i say let the average joe take the pro to his area be it public or private land,let the pro be the teacher and give the average joe lessons or hints on how he should hunt his area then show the two hunting this area.
average hunters wont sell because they dont have the name or sponsors.
An instructional videos would be the only hunting videos i would buy if i would ever decide to buy one.

bowtech die hard

yeah that's what I"m saying. And I'm not totally disagreeing with you QUICKSILVER it'sjust that I've actually witnessed what it takes to get a good "quality" hunt down on film. It's hard to do IMHO. For me getting a quality hunt with a large deer down on film, takes 5-15 days from what I've researched. I know these guys are hunting on great land, yeah, that's a given, and most of us don't get this type of land to hunt. But they sit there all day, and don't give up. And more importantly, they make the shot count when it matters. To me I think that is most important. I would say though that seeing guys miss, and have mishaps makes me realize that yeah they are human, and we all make mistakes, no matter who we are. Look at Bill Jordan missing STICKERS. I would have puked, no doubt about it. That may have been one of the biggest misses on T.V. That along with the barbwire buck. OMG wanted to throw up. All I'm saying is, yeah even though they're hunting on great ground with lots of big bucks it takes a lot of effort and a lot of skill. It's not easy to place an arrow exactly where it is supposed to be at 50 yds. Ask Michael W. Remember MB 10 *I think* when he smoked that deer at 50 yds. That takes skill, discipline, and work. I respect him for that. Sorry I don't mean to ramble on, just trying to say what I think. In no way do I mean disrespect to anyone on this site. Just stating mho.