Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why do hunting shows suck so bad?

Most of the hunting and fishing shows are infomercials, where the producers rent 30 minutes of time, just like the TV pitchmen do for hair replacement and get rich quick schemes.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I would add get rid of the golf-tournament whispering and the "holding the head up" epilogue after the animal is down.

Most shows today aren't worth watching. The best ever was American Sportsman from the 60's with Curt Gowdy and Bing Crosby. The Best today that is actual hunting is Tracks Across Africa, Eastman Hunting, but i have to say i like Roger Raglan he is just fun to watch. The rest are just advertisement. I have a couple of Encores but don't use them all that much except my Encore Muzzle-Loader

Funny you mentioned "phony whispers" because during my 2006 SK Bear hunt, we were asked to do the same thing and whisper {felt kinda stupid} when no game was not even around. It was a fair chase hunt, so the camera was rolling 24/7 waiting to film a kill. Hunting shows are definitely not realistic sometimes.

Gmack: I think that is Littrel (sp?) that they've pulled in for one of those Texas hunting shows. He can throw a bunch of lead, and he has no qualms about shooting at running game, but he doesn't hit much. I read his book, and at that time thought of him as a man's man. On those hunting shows he comes across as an undisciplined, whinning, loose cannon. No way would I want to hunt with that guy.

As to the shows in general, they are commercial impregnated self promoting entertainment. Half the critters stay out overnight, and the antlers are likely the only portion retained in those instances.

There'll never be another show like American Sportsman 'cause there'll never be another Curt Gowdy. He was about as good as it gets.

I remember another show on years ago called Outdoors with Liberty Mutual. It was really good, although it mainly concentrated on fishing.

We waited for years to finally get the Sportsmen's and Outdoors channels here and now I wonder why some of us ever cared? Mostly just watch the shooting shows, not the ones on hunting.

Aside from the commercialism which was expected, what bothers me most are depictions of people routinely shooting whitetails, elk, muledeer, etc. with the latest/greatest thunder stick, only to watch the game run off full-tilt boogie when the shot is taken???

I'm no great shakes as an outdoorsman nor a crack shot, but in the past 50 years of killin' stuff, can count on my fingers how many times I've had to "find" a deer that I'd dropped the hammer on. Factor in that most of my deer have been killed with an old M94, or cartridges like the 8x57, 25-06 or 35 Rem and not some tre-menjious uber-magnum and I wonder WTF is wrong with these people?

Mostly watch TV hunting shows with great dogs in 'em and I don't even have a proper bird dog. I tend to love dogs more than I do most people, these days. ;O)

Anybody could do it if it was easy.

It obviously is not easy to make a good hunting show, as there are only one or two out there. Locally I can only get Versus on my cable package (the provider had a $ fight with Outdoor Channel and dropped them).

The best show I see is the Safari Club's Expedition with Mike Rogers, Jr. I know Mike, he is a hunter and owns a video production business. He has also been involved in SCI since he was a kid (his Dad is a Past President).

The TC thing is due to TC paying and sponsoring the shows.

jim

One hunting show I forgot about (even though he often split the season up between hunting and fishing) was Tred Barta, a die hard longbow hunter. He could be a little rough around the edges, but he was all about the hunt-as evidenced by the times he didn't get a shot off and he still enjoyed himself. I saw one show where he tried goose hunting with his longbow and arrows fletched with flu-flu feathers; I don't think I ever laughed at him so much.

Yeah, they all pretty much suck, but I do like seeing Tiffany. Not for the content mind you.

Hey Big Readhead,

I have an Encore. 26 inch Bullberry, 338 Win Mag bbl., that's accounted for a big cow elk, a bou, and a few deer. A good platform with custom aftermarket bbl's. Luck of the draw on factory stuff. There! Now you know somebody.

Good morning Darrel...

Have you met Ken Barrett, from the TRCP? He lives in Bozeman; not too far from you.

DEnnis

I like Eastman's, and Shockey. The enthusiasm shows through and Shockey makes fun of himself.He goes to interesting places....

Tracks across Africa is OK,too.

Can't stand the ads,food plots,turkey hunting,or the waterfowl......

The more I watch bowhunting from tree stands the less enchanted I am with it.But this is the biggest issue I have always had with much whitetail hunting; they are great animals,but hunting from stands absolutely sucks;and watching people hunt from stands sucks even more.....

I'd rather watch the Benoits track something and not get it, than watch Tiffany and Waddel kill monster mid-western whitetails from tree stands. (Those poor midwestern bucks are so naive during the rut it ain't funny;plus they got nowhere to hide once the crops are harvested and the rut comes in....)

In the end, the problem with TV hunting shows is that hunting was never meant to be a spectator sport....

Those shows lose all credibility when they leave a shot animal out overnight to spoil, then go look for it the next day. If they aren't smart enough to carry a little flashlight, they aren't smart enough to be out in the woods with a gun or bow.

Let me add this: If you and I were out hunting and you shot a nice bull or buck and told me we should head for camp and come back in the morning to look for it, I'd tell you to go to camp and I'd find that animal and see you later. Only thing is; he'd be mine and I'd probably never hunt with you again, because you wouldn't like the way I talked to you.

I've had cable issues for the past two months and can't get Sportsman's Channel,etc. at the moment. Can't say that I miss not having them.

I, too, can't stand the music used nor the "good old boy" backslaps,yee-haws, and other over-the-top forms of celebrations so common. Wouldn't share a camp with someone that acted like that.

Bob - the places that they find to hide once the crops are out are incredible. Best, John

I like Shockey, Tred Barta, Track across Africa and a few others.

But agree pretty much with everything that's been said, especially the above post. WAY to many of the show's leave the animal over night these days for that ever so precious camera footage.

SO SICK of the TC Encores everywhere and even if that's what they're going to shoot, at least fill us in what their shooting.

On the archery shows, at least they're not all using Matthews anymore. Maybe some of these products would be a little cheaper if they didn't shove millions down everyone's throats to carry or endorse their product. One things about getting your name out there, another thing to put your name everywhere and anywhere.

Again this is the only writing I do� but I do watch TV.

There are a few hunting shows I do watch� �Tracks Across Africa� & �Dangerous Game� come to mind� most I don�t.

I would like to know more about the rifles and loads used� even why they were chosen.

I am unsure what it would take for me to become interested in the rest.

I do understand why they film on game ranches� few if any like to watch an �Unsuccessful Hunt�� one where they sit in a stand and nothing happens� a Game Ranch increases the odds.

The show itself often seems to be a gimmick for advertising all kinds of things. A few are good, but I get tired of the ones where all of the actors could be played by Larry the cable guy giving high fives and with over exagerated emotions to the point of being well, kind of fake.
Maybe some of the junk merchandise is marketed to people they feel would not buy their products if they had more than a fifth grade education, and the shows are tailored to fit!

Maybe this had been mentioned, but check out "On Your Own Adventures". It shows the host totally unguided and mostly on public land and of the 3 shows I have seen there wasn't one shameless plug for a product.