I like "On Your Own Adventures" as it's more like real hunting. Tom Knapp's, Jim Shockey's, Jim Zumbo's shows are enjoyable, but most of all I like "Obsession" by Mossy Oak where they discuss what went right and wrong on a hunt, pretty informative.
Most are just advertising. I get really tired of watching "celebrities" hunt with show hosts on game farms using guides. Like real people could ever afford that.
I realize there's no way to show the commaraderie, the personal enjoyment of a hunt in a 30 minute show, or even an hour. The old shows, Curt Gowdy and others as mentioned already, were so good because they were real life. Hunting shows today have multiple takes on a scene to get them right, and you can tell by looking that the game, when "found", has been "walked up on" and handled several time before the take got on the show. I think it would be better if they just shot it as it happens, and keep rolling when there's a goof-up. While they routinely leave the animal out over night, so they have light to film the "find", I would never do that in real life.
It's all just so contrived and fake as to cheapen the sport.
So glad to find this thread. I've had these feelings for years, but thought I was the only one since they keep doing the same stuff show after show. Don't they listen, or is no one telling them?
