Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Thanks Randy, Jay Scott, Meateater, HUSH, etc. etc.

I don't know if it could be attributed to Randy, HUSH, Eastman's or whomever else....but last season I sat up on a mountaintop in the Wyoming range and started counting camp trailers in the valleys below. I lost count at around 200. UTVs constantly buzzing the road system below, and many making their own, new and illegal roads. Promoting public access to public land is a two way street. There's plenty of people out there trying to block public access to public lands in any way they can.

I still killed a good 4x4 mule deer buck that evening, but it really hit me hard that day, as to how crowded the western woods have become. Good, bad or indifferent, things are changing.

A quick change of tone?

Nope, but I could see it being construed that way.

My first post was pointing out how some on this thread were only bitching about not drawing a tag they want, without seeing the positives of the whole situation.

rosco you bring up a point that has crossed my mind more than once... I'm not real up on who is who among the Youtube hunting stars, but I do see the pictures of vehicles all decked out in camo-wraps and advertising whoever they are, along with all the sponsers. It all screams of "Look at us!"

If it were me, I'd be nervous as hell leaving my 50K truck plastered with advertising, sitting at the trailhead for a week.

Do you see it more as good, or bad?

In the long run, I see more bad.

I honestly can't make up my mind, but haven't thought much about it.

But just a few years ago, people like the Wilks Brothers were making huge legal gains in their quest to block legal access to public land and turn hunting into only the King's sport. With so many people using those lands these days, it is a MUCH bigger force to reckon with with a lot more public support of keeping public lands, public. I do believe that the privatization movement was a big reason why Randy started his show...though his crusade has negatively affected the sport in many ways.

I don’t mean to single Newberg out, I think the whole “hunting entertainment” industry is taking the sport to a bad place.

I don’t think hunting should be a professional sport.

On a different note, I remember as a kid reading huntin magazines , early mid 80’s, the grand slam of sheep was the holy grail, it would take years for guys to complete a grand slam, drawing tags, saving $$ etc. a local guy here a couple years ago booked and killed all 4 in one year... hunting sure has changed that’s for sure. Kinda funny hunter numbers are on a steep decline, animal numbers are supposedly at or beyond all time numbers, but yet tags/permits and public ground are harder to get/more crowded by the year.

If hunters numbers are in a decline I’m not seeing it in NM.

Seems we’re breaking application numbers every year.

Most of our hunter safety classes fill up within hours and I see more people in the field every year.

I think Jud said hunter numbers were down with tongue in cheek.

I know.

I was just commenting on it because many use the argument that it is all a tool to recruit more hunters since numbers are down.

Exactly.

No no no. It cant be true. The blowhards on TV say different........

Some states are setting application records, but hunting is dying.

Dont think newturd give flying [bleep] if he blows up your area. He'll just move on to the next victim area. Laughing all the way to the bank.....oh wait I forgot he loses money....lol.

I know you weren't singling him out, I was just using his show as an example.

I have seen a huge increase in public participation concerning public land issues the last few years, which may or may not be attributed to social media and Youtube. It has had an effect on how some managers make decisions concerning land management too, specifically concerning access issues and land exchanges. I've directly been part of it, which is one of the reasons I am supportive, but cautious of this whole situation.

Exactly why I protect my Montana spot!!! Broadus!!! Hunt broadus is the best locale in Montana!!!170” everywhere!!!! 🤣🤣

They are all out for nobody but themselves. They do what is best for them. I have no use for any of them. I miss the days of looking forward to reading the next Chuck Adams article.

You big ol diesel burnin sumbitch, your coming around!!! Haha

I can't speak specifically to HUSH Or Eastman's, but I would bet wherever they have been the pressure increased tremendously. I do know that Randy posted one of his smiling "Here we are" videos with a panoramic view of the area I have hunted for over 50 years. Not only the view of the area that gives it away to even the most casual observer, but he posted a video of the trailhead sign, giving the location away that even a street bum in Los Angeles could find it.

Worse than that, the area was inundated the next fall with people from all over America, hunting Randy's "secret" spot. That was several years ago, and if you you think they only come the year after the release of the video, you are wrong, they have been coming every year since...

Watch it, he's gonna pm you!!! 😂

This has been an interesting thread to hear the differing perspectives. I primarily hunt the east, but occasionally my compass goes west in the fall. It does seem that drawing tags in the west has become more competitive. On the flip side, I see less and less hunters in the east, including the large tracts of public land. Since these areas are closer to major population centers, this is where the overall reduction in hunter numbers is having the most measurable effect.

I hate the commercialization of anything, but even more so something as near and dear to me as hunting. Pizzing in the cathedral comes to mind. Yet, without public land advocacy, appointed officials are quick to find other monetary purposing of our public land system.