So, I watch these hunting shows all the time, and I just don't see it.

Hunting Celebrities.

What is "it?"

"It" is the next level. It's something more. It's telling me something that I don't know. It's watching a guy in the woods and saying DAMN that guy knows his stuff! I want to feel like I'm in the woods with one of the top whitetail hunters on the planet - not bumbling through the woods with some clueless, overpaidschmuckon a deer farm.

Maybe I expect too much - but when I sit down to watch a hunting show, I expect to learn something, not have my intelligence insulted. Maybe the King already knows everything (he is the King for a reason). [:-]

But seriously... Brenda Valentine? Tiff and Lee Lakoski? Brenda Potts? Ralph and Vicki? The Tecomate crew? Huntley? Jeff Foxworthy???

I mean, these people are all somewhat entertaining in their own way - and they try to reflect the authenticity of the hunt... But never - and I mean NEVER do I feel like any of these people are the best whitetail hunters in the world.

I've never patterned a big buck and though to myself "Old Boy, you're lucky Jeff Foxworthy's not here, or you'd be duck butter."

True or False?

Really, how much time could they possibly be spending in the woods (without the camera crew) - actually scouting and learning their trade on their own initiative?? These people are being taxied all over the planet, year-round,from show to show and event to event like show ponies. They're not hunters. At least not in the sense that we are. Or at least not in the sense that I expect them to be.

Do these people actually step into the woods when there's not a camera crew on their heels?

Can any of them actually scout out a new area on their own and get it done like the average guy?

Do they really even know anything about the rifle on their shoulder or the bow on their hooks?

Hell, I doubt half of them could kill a deer in a public-land, pressured DIY-style hunt. Honestly. Half of the guys on this site would bury them all in deer racks if we ever had the chance. So how in the hell did they ever elevate themselves to the top of the game?

Now, that's not an indictment against any of those individuals. Most people have a hard time filling tags under those conditions.BUT when somebody makes a LIVING as a paid professional hunter, I feel like they should at least be easily distinguishable as a top authority on big game hunting. I've talked deer hunting with some of the individuals who I believe to be the top percentile of deer hunters on this planet - and when you meet one, you know it right away.I just don't get that from the "Celebs."

Can you remember even one helpful tip that you ever got from watching Lee and Tiffany?

Honestly, if Brenda Valentine told you howyou should hunt your woodlot, would you listen? LOL

Fran I firmly believe that with most of them its not what ya know its who ya know.

Here is my take....

Hunting big bucks and the ability to shoot them on a consistant basis you need,

1)Land
2)You need money(to own or lease that land)
3)You need land that holds big deer or hell if you going to shoot one
4)You need land that is completely unpressured or your not going to shoot big bucks consistantly
5)You need somewhat unlimited time to hunt....weekend warriors need not apply. ha, ha


TV Personalities have all of this. Could you put 80%+ of the Joe Blows out there into the same situations and could they shoot the same caliber of bucks? You bet they could. Now this isn't really a slam on the TV people out there, I will say that. But I just don't get when some have this complete fascination with TV hunters that it takes over their life! LOL I thought that I heard Lee say on a video last year right after he shot his buck that he had been on stand for low 60's days straight! WHAT?! lol You better be throwin down deer if you have that much time to hunt.

Exactly

What really bothers me, is when they won't shoot a deer because the camera is not on them ..... I would hate that .... they lose those alone times on the stand, pitted against argueably the warriest game animal in the world...... I wouldn't want it ... at least not ALL the time ...

So basically you're saying you really don't know anything about them, how much work they do on their hunts and how much work they had to do to get to where they are now.... but you don't have any problem judging them and finding them to be lesser hunters??

Interesting.

Christine: I'm saying that I've seen enough to know that they are not the best hunters in the world. They're not. Talk to a guy like Troy Pottenger for about five minutes and you'll know it. When you meet someone who really knows their trade - you know right away. It's not something you can mask with comedy or pre-scripted verbiage.

In Pro Football - the world's best football players play the game.

In Pro Baseball - the world's best baseball players suit up.

Hockey? You know it.

Why is hunting different? It's no secret that most "Pro" hunters don't know their asses from a hole-in-the-ground, but they're elevated to Celebrity status seemingly on a random or "who ya know" basis. Is that stupid? Or is it stupid? The King thinks it's stupid.

I was watching "The Huntley Way" the other day, and he says that he just picked up hunting about 2 years ago. I thought to myself "Well, that explains why you're so bad at it."

Jim Shockey is a hunting celebrity and I would also say he is one of the world's best hunters.

So then tell us. Tell me. I am genuinally curious to know.

True hunting celebs are not necessarily the ones on TV. The TV personalities are there for entertainment and marketing purposes. The true hunting celebs are the best in the world. They don't have time for all the games involved with producing a TV show. They are out practicing their craft.

There are probably many well known hunters (celebs) who do not have hunting shows. They are well known for their acheivments in the sport, not for having their face on TV. MOst of the TV folks are a joke IMHO.