Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What do gun writers think of hunting shows?

I'm curious whether the gun writers (and our resident writer may opine for others) look with disdain upon hunting shows in general or view them as another medium to reach those in the sport.

I have seen quite a few, and, the bulk of them seem to be real crap, but there are a few that seem to be done by real people in real situations. Some are infomercials, others are so unrealistic to be funny.

Which way does the wind blow?

Not much.

kd

I am not a gun writer but I have not seen a good hunting show since The American Sportsman.

Ah, The American Sportsman. Curt Gowdy, with his silver voice, and a host of guest sportsmen, bringing the excitement of hunting in far-off and exotic lands to the Saturday afternoons of my youth. This was and is the birth of my passion for the hunt. Also loved the original Michigan Outdoors with host Mort Neff. I dreamed of hunting with such men.

If one is looking for outdoor entertainment, Fred Bear made some very excellent hunting videos. Also, I remember the first three hunting videos I ever watched, loaned to me by a friend and classmate. These are: Bowhunting October Whitetails, with Rick Blase, Gene Bidelspacher, and Barry Wensel; The Rifleman, with Curt Gowdy, and; Monarchs Of Alberta (forgot the names of the men in that one). These are all excellent videos I recommend highly. These are videos about hunting, not about gadgets for sale.

They are tributes to our gullibility, avarice, and chuckleheadedness. You can sell anything in this country with the right amount of goober appeal, country music, and hooting and high fives. Witness the Duck Commanders.

1B

Remember William Shatner hunting bear on the American Sportsman...that was downright strange watching Captain Kirk going after Brown (or Grizzly) Bear.

Yea, when 60% of the time is commercial time, it make you wonder.

Not worth it to me unless I can watch a prerecorded show to zip through all the commercials.

If they were all videos of me, I'd probably watch them.

I am not a gun writer.


Travis

If they were about you, they would have to on a paid channel.

I do not use guns to write. Pencils.

I can handle Shockeys show, and Steve Renellis( sp?) and Ivan Carter has a good one on as well. I also have liked anything Randy ( Big Fin ) has put out.


Otherwise its bubba sitting in a tree, whispering at the camera and then gut shooting a deer...

Ninety five percent don't turn my crank just proves Bubba mentality is alive and well..

They filmed an American Sportsman segment near here, way back when.......
It was a setup......
I wanna hunt with Shocky's daughter. Once.

My most memorable show on the "American Sportsman" was Bing Crosby and Phil Harris hunting pheasants in Lancaster. Pa.

Phil Harris was shooting a Winchester M-12 in 28 gauge...all class.

Doc

I remember that episode! I used to watch AS regularly.

I don't watch the hunting-show channels unless I'm on a trip somewhere and some of the other guys are watching. If Jim Shockey's on I'll watch because I know Jim is the real deal, but have easily found better things to do when most of others are on.

I remember those two also and PH and Bing singing little diddys to each other. As a kid I thought that show was the greatest thing going. I may be mistaken but seem to recall another pheasant episode being shot in Iowa.

Those two made a good pairing.

Pretty much I will check out Shockey's show, Steve's outdoor, and, of course, Laryssa Unleashed if I see them on the program guide.

I do use them to educate my 6 year old to try to teach him about reality vs. fiction.

Another not-a-gun=writer here but since that seems to be no hindrance...

To me hunting is like wrestling, not much of a spectator sport unless you have a connection to someone on the mat. In that vein I'll sometimes catch "Gun It With Benny" because it's hunting in South Dakota by a South Dakota guy. I can identify though Benny is much more a character than the guys I hunt with. Makes the show, and he misses a lot. No fake hunts.

Happened across another in South Dakota by South Dakotans the other day, hosted by pretty much average guys. They hunted late season Cans at the south end of Big Stone Lake where the power plant keeps the water open, usually the place to be when everything is frozen up. They set up in a field where they were feeding yesterday but not today. Oh so realistic but pretty boring.

Yea, that basically sums it up.

Did the Phaser leave anything for a trophy?

Seriously, I loved AS. Anyone recall seeing Johnny Cash fishing for marlin?

Here is the best" kind Of out door show out there".
http://youtu.be/jv6MgODqMZc