Gotta love the the Whitetail Freaks. The Kisky family was harvesting big bucks even before they became famous. The Lakosky's for the most part hunt their own land and manage it very strict. That is why they have so many big bucks running around. The Drury boys are the same way. I understand it is easier for them, because they do have the best of the best. That is land, equipment, and they can hunt all season because that is their job. Anybody that can shoot a bow could be harvesting a big buck year after year if they had all that. I do believe though if they could hunt the ground I am allowed to now, with the kind of equipment I use, and they hunt the same amount of time as me, they could still get the job done.

Had to laugh at your choice of Larry Weishunn [ sic ]. He is a KNOWN high fence, game farm hunter. Probably not always, but enough to turn me off. Also, it gets real old listening to him describe 120-130 class deer as 140-150 trophies.

Like him or not, Tred Barta is one of my favorites. You want to see real hunters, if the films are still available, check out footage of Howard Hill and Fred Bear. While Hill was better known as a " shot " than a hunter, his book " hunting the hard way " turned me on to archery hunting. As for Mr. Bear, they don't get any more humble and honest as him.

I don't know if they had a tv show . The Benoit family, trackers from Vermont, when they cut a track of a mature whitetail buck they hunt it down till they kill it. Some times successful, some times not. Finding a big buck and killing it in the millions of acres of Maine is more impressive than these stars who sit on private farms and ranches killing managed deer IMHO.

Hunters and nonhunters differ in their descriptions of what hunting is "about." For
nonhunters, hunting is about killing; they approve of, or tolerate, hunting when the
goal is meat, but are less approving when the goal is thought to be something else.
For hunters, hunting is about more than killing, and meat is often a secondary
goal to the quality of the experience. Connecting hunting with meat functions
to reduce anxiety for meat-eating nonhunters, but it makes their understanding
of hunting less likely.

The Salerno brother's who hunt the adirondack region of NYS. Trail big bucks for miles into the 3500' region of the mountains. Year after year they shoot multiple NY mature bucks. Check out their website, they are true, dedicated hunters.

http://www.salernobrothers.com/

Just viewed the web site. I couldn't imagine having the opportunity to hunt with a half-dozen people, even two people, where I hunt in the highpeaks. THAT is a recipe for success.:rock::rock:

Never heard of these guys before but they sound like the real deal also. What I find interesting about these guys and the other big name northeast deer hunters is they all have regular jobs they go to aside from their hunting. Just average every day folks that are some of the best whitetail deer hunters in America.

Another person that I think is the real deal is Tim Farmer. Most of you guys won't know him, he is the host of a hunting show here in Ky called Kentucky Afield. He goes on other peoples private property and hunts. His first priority is meat, well thats his only priority. To add on he can't use his left hand, got paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. That is what I call real hunting.

Yep... Uncle Ted!

I understand the allure of Tred Barta because he hunts the old fashioned way, but he still hunts with outfitters just like all the rest of the "Pro Hunters" mentioned. Every single show he does he has someone guiding him to his animal and most of the time he scares it away before he gets a change to take a shot. And then if he does actually take a shot, he misses the majority of the time. I've seen him make more bad shots on animals than any other person on TV. I think it's a little unfair to classify him as a real hunter simply because he uses a stick & string with stone-tipped wooden arrows. Anyone can pick that gear up but it doesn't mean they're a real hunter.

And I know he's having medical issues but that doesn't mean I can't call it like I see it.

lol! So true.

Yes, but don't tell me you wouldn't want a guide too hunting in the deep woods of Canada for moose. I have also seen him hunt some kind of goose in Texas with his longbow, that takes skill.

I must have caught 5-6 of his bad episodes then (almost all the TB shows I have seen). I have no idea how he could hit a goose with that arrow when he's missing bear at 20 yards and gut-shooting elk at 10 yards. He just doesn't possess the skill to back up his arrogance and ego.

Now when it comes to tuna fishing, I won't argue his skills.

Hunting them takes no skill - just buy a longbow and go. Hitting more regular takes skill - something not demonstrated on that hunt.

While I agree with everything you said here, I think being paralyzed from the chest down is a bit more than just a "medical issue"? Just saying.

Ted Nugent hands down.

what happened to tred barta?

I agree with everyone that the shows are often on game farms over food plots with deer that stand still for five minutes while the hunter readies him/herself. I can't think of ever seeing a deer in Minnesota stand still close to that long to get a shot. That being said though, I like Roger Raglin because of how excited he gets with every deer...and I like Jim Shockey...say what you want...the guy hunts big game everywhere...is a good shot, hunts hard, GUIDES people successully....in thousands of acres of wild land many will never set foot on...as far as tv guys go, he is probably the best...I also like Greg Miller...as I think he has hunted his share of big woods whitetails..maybe not so much anymore...but these guys could get the job done.

He suffered a spinal stroke and is paralyzed from the chest down. He still has use of his arms though.

I have to agree on Jim Shockey. Especially since he does guide people.

Very interesting comments so far.

What are your thoughts on "The Bucks of Tecomate" show? I was reading about how they grow them that big and it sounded like they fenced it in. The El Cazador(?) ranch or whatever it is. They sure grow some monsters in any case.

The leased land we hunt has been like heaven after hunting public land for most of my life. I've had 2-3 nice bucks come out together and seen some "Tecomate" size bucks but couldn't get a shot. We had one on the land this year at least 24" inside spread and huge rack. No one got a chance at him but was seen by the neighbor on our side of the small stream so he was there somewhere. The neighbors and ourselves pass up small bucks and when the doe population is down (like now) pass up does also. The area being hunted definitely can make someone more successful. Here's a pic of the buck that was taken right in front of my stand the year before I got in on the lease (four years ago). The first two years I got a 9 point (17" spread on both) buck off the land each year. And the last two years I've been passing them that size and smaller wanting a chance at some of the big guys roaming the land. In all my years I've never before passed on a buck when hunting public land.

All of the RV show hosts hunt where there is a high population of big bucks. There are many that don't hunt high fence operations because they have their own land and can manage for the big bucks (the Kisky's and Stan Potts come to mind) I'm pretty sure if you and I could focus strictly on hunting and had our own land and could afford to go to ranches (not high fence) where there is a large percentage of big bucks we could all be successful harvesting trophies. Most of the negative comments I hear seem to stem from jealousy. Just because someone is hunting with an outfitter, doesn't mean they are not a good hunter. They are just increasing their odds of seeing a trophy. The reason you don't see some of these shows hunting just any old place is because most people watching the shows want to see big bucks. The TV shows are also trying to show hunters what it takes to grow big bucks, and that's to let the young ones walk. I believe anyone that takes the time to purchase a license, own the gear and actually steps out with the intent to shoot some wild game is a hunter, who cares how good of a Hunter they are, they are enjoying themselves in the outdoors like you and I and not trying to eliminate our options as hunters.

Well, personally I rather see someone take a doe or small buck with a bow from a blind. That is more realistic hunting. Sure a big buck is nice but I sort of get tired of seeing the same thing all the time you know what I mean. I've been thinking some too, to have your own hunting show you had to be a hunter in the past and kill deer. Another person that comes to mind that hunts and manages their own farm is Babe Winkleman. Honestly though, I don't think hunting ranches with high fences is true hunting, thats pretty much like shooting your own cow.

The Bucks of Tecomate show seems a likely candidate for what a lot of folks here are talking about. But upon a closer look, El Cazador Ranch is not high-fenced and David Morris has probably forgotten more about Whitetails than 99% of the members here know. He works his land so the animals don't want to leave and he provides them the nutrition they need to get huge. It's a science and he definitely has it figured out. Do a Google search on David Morris and you'll see he's not just some run of the mill ranch owner.

SWT, I have both of David Morris's books...Hunting Trophy Whitetails and Advanced for Trophy Whitetails...they are like bibles for deer hunting...he is one heck of a hunter I think.

I like tred barta and Jim shockey. I don't like it when they hunt under feeders either. I like Tred because he misses more than he hits and it makes me feel better about myself. I also like how he challenges himself with a longbow and admits defeat every once and a while.

I cannot think of the guys name but he is on On Your Own Adventures on The Outdoor Channel. He goes out and hunts public land on every show. I like the show because it shows what you and I could do. They spend quite a bit of time hunting and work hard to find an animal. Being on public land they sometimes encounter other hunters who will ruin their plan, just like what may happen to anyone on public land.

I do like Tred Barta. I cannot watch his show anymore because I no longer get the Vs. channel but I like how he hunted with a long bow. It seems like every hunting show, at the end, someone harvests an animal. On Barta's shows, there were plenty of times where he would go home empty handed.

Gary Lewis

His show is on constantly here in Oregon and he seems to never get a huge trophy buck. Always seem like he is showing how to genuinely hunt.

Jim Shockey seems to be legit as well.

Wow i just realized how old this thread is. lol

Exactly! Drury's and Kisky's see unreal deer and a lot of them, but i still give them credit. Sure they have more land and money than most of us but it is their own land, not high fence. They simply have put in the effort to manage the wild deer in the area to that magnitude and have the restraint not to mess it up.

yeah someone did quite a dig haha

I think your right. I'm sure there are one or two good ones out there but I don't' there is any amount of worth to find them.
I'd like to see those Hype hunters drag their camera crews around the public back country of Idaho.

Greg Miller was crushing it before he had a tv show.

The only REAL hunter is the guy who can go out there with a couple sharp wood sticks and some clunker rocks & bring home a 12 point, 170 class deer on a consistent basis.:s2:

I saw that Larry Weishun guy hunt with a handgun on T.V. one time. He actually was sitting at a little shooting bench that was out in the brush. What nonsense. I don't know what the show is called, but there are the three pros looking at film and saying whether or not they would shoot. I have to agree, I would never get a deer if i screwed around the way they do.

They are all humans just like all of us...however they have big egos too that help them confidently speak in front of a camera...some use their talents better than others and come across less offensive etc...I don't blame them for hunting farms...I'd love to go sit in some of those trees I see in Iowa etc...however...as a hunter there's nothing better for me than to hunt on "familiar" land...you feel your strategy against the deer in your bones and when you kill...well you know in your heart that you earned it...and add it to the list of memories you've had out there...whether I be a kill or a bolony sandwich with your dad.
Heres how we celebrate archery!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRYFk...e_gdata_player

Dear Lord! What a joke. Has Ted ever killed anything that wasn't in a pen? I fully expect to one day flip past his show and see him sitting straddle a fence at a stockyard shooting cows as they run down a chute. Every time I have ever paused briefly on his show he was inside a fence at the Y.O Ranch which is a well stocked animal pen if there ever was one. Kinda place where the size deer you kill is totally determined by the size check you write back at the lodge.

The closest those TV guys come to a real hunter, is the guy featured "On Your Own Adventures"


http://onyourownadventures.com/tvshow.php

I wouldn't quite call the 40,000 acre YO Ranch a "pen", but it is well-stocked and costs a pretty penny for anything taken out of there. The Nuge has the money and does quite a few shows there because it's not that far from his Texas ranch, but in his defense he has also hunted all over the world in real fair chase situations and has taken an awful lot of fair chase big game. He is way overboard to my liking, but I'm glad he's on our side, rather than with the antis! Randy Newberg, who does the OYOA show is a down to earth guy and about as nice as you can ever meet, has a great website, and the show is as realistic as you can get for the average hunters like we are. He just spent several weeks hunting wolves in Montana where he lives and they got one on film. It will be featured on a show in the new season coming next Fall on the Sportsman Channel.

The word pro and hunting is funny to me. I have been to alot of those places they hunt, my little girl could kill a 150" deer at most of those places.

I have to agree with Fred Eichler being a real hunter along with Les Johnson of Predator Pursuit that boy knows how to bring in the dogs. Also I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Chuck Adams was the first person to get the North American Super Slam and it took him 23 years of hunting to do it. Also Tim Wells from Relentless Pursuit is also a real hunter in my opinion I have watched him make some awesome stalks and shots. These people are some of the few people that I consider real TV hunters.