# Are huntng videos and shows ruining today's hunter?



## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

Do you all think shows like Duck Dynasty, or actual hunting shows/videos like the fowl life, Zink's 24-7 and others are ruining today's hunter? Why?


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

Not sure what you mean by ruining... 
Are you asking if we think these shows are a bad influence on us?
Or are you asking if we think the guys in the shows are bad role models or are unethical?


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

StillAboveGround said:


> Not sure what you mean by ruining...
> Are you asking if we think these shows are a bad influence on us?
> Or are you asking if we think the guys in the shows are bad role models or are unethical?


Sure any of the above. I just saw on another forum where guys were going off about what a negative impact movies and TV shows are having on today's hunters. They named all sorts of things like those you mentioned.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

No different than the video games that are out. Not everything has to be monkey see monkey do. If people can't determine right from wrong on their own and act accordingly they never stand a chance anyhow.

Watching westerns doesn't make me want to shoot people it comes naturally.


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## Markthehunter88 (Nov 5, 2010)

I would say no, Well some of them... DD or most of the waterfowl shows really help get the interest out... its real hunting and not FB dike shooting. Shows that setting up and calling ducks could actually be a good thing. I know some of thw whitetail hunts dont really show the new hunters of today what it really takes to be a "REAL" hunter... then again who am I to say I know what a "real" hunter is... we all hunt differently. The western state hunts can be REALLY good but I have seen bad ones... Most of the hunters are POOPED from hunting the steep rockies and I always laugh when they say whitetails are "harder" to hunt.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

I think they turn it into an ego thing more than anything, which focuses on the kill or i'm the best rambo out there rather than the hunt/experience. Is it wrong? Thats for you to decide but its not for me. I think it brings out too many bad traits in people, who want to be the cool one with the huge stack of birds, bands and sponsors. Which has shown to encourage poaching and disrespect for the resource.


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

I can see how tv shows, like everything else, influences young people if that is all the input they get.

But If you take your kids hunting and watch these shows with your kids, you can have a positive influence.

These shows can't influence people that know what hunting is about, only those that are still trying to figure it out..

At least for now, we all still get to choose what that means to each of us.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I dont think they they are "ruining" hunting per se, but I feel that they create misconceptions about the ease or difficulty of the hunt. Due to obvious time constraints that the hunting show limited to, they must by necessity condense the time to show the parts they deem the most important to their viewers.

Problem they create in my eyes is that it can create the misconception that all game animals are stupid and you can just walk out and shoot something and be home by lunch. They dont always show the hard work that goes into the skills necessary for a successful hunt, or they may touch so lightly upon those subjects that the viewer is ignorant to the preparation needed to bring meat home.

Solution? None. Ratings are ratings and we cant expect a truly accurate hunting show to show all the walking and hiking and sitting and waiting.


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

I think they are influential for sure. I have had many conversations with young hunters that were obviously influenced by the shows that emphasize the kill. That being said when I was young it was much about the kill too. I think they will evolve as most of us do. I don't see much in duck dynasty that I find influential in a negative way. I am not a fan of their calls. That show is like train wreck I can't look away. 
I don't see to many hunting shows if any that I find entertaining or interesting these days. Most waterfowl shows showcase bad calling and shooting birds that aren't finished. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I want to see the best on TV not yahoos. I guess RNT TV is about the best right now. I want see amazing calling and finished ducks in a waterfowl show. I want to see finished dogs too, both upland and waterfowl.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Hunting and fishing shows definitely create misconceptions for viewers with regards to the ease of the hunt, or outcomes. I really liked Benny Spies show for this reason. He had some good hunts, and some bad ones too, and he wasn't afraid to show the bad ones. As Bax* mentioned, many of these shows make people think success comes easy, and you'll limit out every time. If you're educated on what goes into filming these shows, you know that its pretty difficult to get all the footage to make a good show. They condense the good stuff, and it makes it seem easy. 

As long as people understand that its not as easy as it looks, I don't think its an issue. Most people don't though, and this is what creates some of the problems with the "cool guy" mentality. 

I like the hunting shows, and regardless of what some other retard takes away from it, I would never want them to go away.


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## BigMac (Feb 12, 2012)

I think it can have a bad influence on the waterfowl hunter. In my opinion a lot of the shows out there seem to focus on killing & not hunting. I do belive that the younger generation (and when I say younger I mean 18 to 30 year olds) worry so much about killing. They look at if I did not get a full bag then the hunt was not a sucsess. Lots of other things can make a hunt sucsessful. Did the dog work well? Did the birds comit to the deeks? ect. But I do like to watch the hunting shows too. It kinda gets me fired up for the season.


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## Uni (Dec 5, 2010)

Meateater is the only hunting show worth watching IMO.


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## wileywapati (Sep 9, 2007)

Great question. I separate DD from what I would consider a whack em' and stack em' 
hunting show. DD would be more of a scripted "reality" show and by the way it's funny as hell.

I loved Benny Spies for the reason that you see him miss rooster after rooster and is more true to realistic hunting situations.

In my opinion most of the industry sponsored shows are nothing more than glorified commercials for the sponsor. 

Mix in scumbags like Troy Gentry, Ted Nugent, Jeff Foiles and all the other poaching / game law violators and you can tie it all back to their "look at me" moments these video's promote.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

One thing that I thought about this morning while watching a show was that lots of these shows have guides and access to private land that the average hunter will likely never be able to afford or have access to. These situations really skew perceptions because the game numbers appear to be fairly high on these private parcels of land due to the way that the landowner is managing their land. 

For example- if there was a big food source planted in the middle of your favorite unit, you can guarantee that more hunters will be on that spot and more pressure will be on the area as a result. But private land is a different story as the land owner (and those allowed access) may only harvest a couple animals and let the area rest for a season. 

Point of rambling is that there are so many things that the average viewer doesnt take into account, or has no idea about that makes hunting look like a day in the park. I'd love to see a show with someone hiking up and down hills, slogging through marshes and mud holes just to catch a glimpse of a goat, sheep, or swamp deer. But that would make for poor ratings.

Does anyone find it funny how Primos calls it "truth"? The truth is, hunting is hard work!


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## WildFowl2479 (Jun 30, 2012)

Its there job!!! Its what they do for a living, who wants to watch some guy go in the woods for a whole season, sit on his butt and only get a few shots? Like Chaser said, I love the shows but dont take anything from them. We all know what hard work it takes especially here in Utah in getting a full limit. Im in the making of my second season now, and thats what everyone wants to see is the kill zone!!!! Duck Dynasty on the other hand, now that is just pure comedy! All I can take from those shows is there making millions, and we just watch them do it!!! Money money money to them!


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## M Gayler (Oct 3, 2010)

Shows like DD are great. People watch, go out and buy all kinds of equipment, then head for the marsh a few times never kill a duck. Then put all their gear on KSL so we can buy it cheap! :lol:


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I will admit I have seen a lot more duck hunters ever since the Duckmen were noticed. A lot of the times people will view hunting as an excuse to kill just for blood. A guy in my new city church ward told me during class, "I don't see the point of just killing an animal and letting it suffer just so you can have your sick fun." These tv shows are showing how fun it is and the conservation the waterfowlers do. I think hunters ruin it for everyone. Foiles and Clint Calder are two prime examples. As well as all the new guys in the marsh yelling at the kids across from them. Or the hunters that drive around, jump out of the truck, and skybust geese flying through. TV shows may give them the mentality to be the best. Then they become a tool and buy bands off ebay, or go as far as poaching banded birds just so they can have them on their lanyard. My buddy has no idea how to call a bird but his duck and goose call cost him $250. In his mind he is the best because he's got what the "pros" got. I think these TV shows have their benefits but if we CHOOSE, then yes it can ruin something good.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

+1 on MeatEater. Easily my favorite hunting show. Steve Rinella definitely gets it.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Most of the network hunting shows follow a very strict formula-sponsored guy hunts private land with a private guide, kills a pile of birds, pitches his sponsor's products, goes home. Pretty much nothing to do with 90% of waterfowl hunters' experience. I wouldn't say that it's necessarily ruining hunters but I don't see how they are adding much of value to the waterfowl community, you might as well watch a commercial for a half hour.
One thing that's missing from most shows too is any amount of respect for the game. Most waterfowl shows seem to be about 3 things-stroking the host's ego, plugging the sponsor's product, and making a pile of birds.

That said, Duck Dynasty is funny as hell.


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## duckkillerclyde (Mar 26, 2012)

The best hunting show is duck dynasty and they don't hunt very much on it.

watching a tv episode of duck hunting is boring.


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## captain (Nov 18, 2007)

I don't know that they are ruining today's hunter, but I do think it gives people a misconception of what hunting should be, especially here in Utah. I have the opportunity to take several youth and their fathers, who don't hunt waterfowl much out on waterfowl hunts every season. Many of these people have only seen the waterfowl hunts they show on TV or in movies so they expect ducks and geese to be raining from the sky. Unfortunatley in Utah that does not happen every hunt. I have taken people out on hunts where we "only Killed" 2-3 geese. They don't understand that in Utah is not Canada, and 2-3 geese in a day is pretty good.


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## Dave B (Oct 1, 2007)

Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say we only got a few! Good hell at least you were able to get into some birds. Way too much emphasis on limits and not on experience. And I do think alot of this mentality is derived from the way duck hunting is marketed. Some shows are better than others but overall the picture painted more times than not is not really what the sport should be about. It's like the guys who go out and shoot 100's of spoonies just to get their duck count up, where the hell is the challenge/pride in that!!! SHAMELESS!!!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Fowl life by far captures what its all about. band crazy guys, cool affliction style shirts, band choker necklaces, barrel stickers and carrying your shotgun like its a double barrel rifle in africa. dang thats cool and portrays an awesome image to the public and young waterfowlers!


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