Do hunting shows really help the sport?

I have a problem with people (TV shows) that hide the truth. Hunting is a bloody, sometimes messy, thing to do. Animals die. Now I'm not saying I want to watch a TV show that glamorizes it, but neither do I want one that hides it.

If you're trolling you should be posting to a fishing NG. Personally I think, 'GOOD SHOT ! ' Bill Van Houten (USA Ret)

Thermopylae had it's messenger of defeat, COME AND GET THEM ! The Alamo had none.

hunting shows are a lot better then what is on tv. there is people getting kill, blood all over the place, car crashes, guns flying, kids jumping off the roofs, wrestlers throwing chairs, cusing, and much more and people worry about sombody shooting a deer give me a brake if that the worst people see on tv they are lucky. look a tv has a on and off switch if you dont like what you see turn it off i like to see a deer getting shot it help on shot placement

Having done outdoor television shows in the past, and in the process of working on one now (in pre-production, with pilot episode shot), allow me to say this.

First of all, shooting any kind of television show in and of itself is difficult enough. Now, throw in traveling long distances, uncertain weather and 'working' with wild animals, this is probably the most difficult genre of weekly television programming to do.

Add into the mix, guest 'stars' of dubious shooting ability and things get really 'interesting'. But bad shooting aside, there's a movement afoot to make the shows more 'realistic'. To a certain degree, I agree with this philosophy, after all, it's not too much of a hunting show if something isn't shot now, isn't it?

I and my partner (who is an angler, not a hunter) went round and round. He wanted to 'sanitize' the episodes, not showing the shot's impact at all. I felt that it is part of the educational process to show how an animal reacts to the shot. But, that being said, I don't agree with showing a turkey flopping around, nor showing a seriously mangled headshot. There are camera angles that can be done, tricks in the editing studio that can be done to minimize this and show a kill in 'good taste'.

But, a newcomer to the sport needs to realize that killing is part of hunting (albeit a very small part). After all, 'One kills in order to have hunted, but one does not need to kill to have hunted.' I'm sure I butchered that quote, but I believe that there is more to a hunt than just the kill.

Television producers cannot please everyone, all the time, and I remember a time when Buckmasters and Bill Jordan's Realtree edited out all the shot sequences. I felt cheated somehow and it wasn't long before these sequences were left in. But if you look at the better done shows out there, they don't focus on the animal's potential suffering.

It's a real fine balancing act, and one that we're working on all the time. Believe me when I tell you that there's a lot more to making an outdoors show than going hunting or fishing with a camera along, at least with the good shows.

One does not hunt in order to kill, one kills in order to have hunted.

That's it!!! Thanks. I knew it wasn't right, but I knew I was close.....

I think a lot of hunting shows, just like almost all fishing shows, are little more than commercials for their sponsors. Ever notice how the fishermen in those fishing shows are ALWAYS using the exact same rods, reels, boats, lines, lures, etc. that are advertised in the show's commercials? My goodness, what a coincidence.

I also don't agree with the overall attitude displayed on a lot of hunting shows when a kill is made. Instead of showing respect and at least a little bit of reverence for the animal's sacrifice, you get all this yelling and whooping and hollering and high-fiving, walking up to the dead animal lying on the ground, with these huge stupid grins and going, 'HA-HA-HAAAAAAA!!!! YEEEAHHHH!!! WOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!'

Ron M.

So? Tiger uses Nike clubs (or at least he used to). Do you think it's cheap to put on a show like that? Having sponsors which can give equipment to be used is a win-win situation: * the sponsor gets advertising for the production cost of the good donated * show gets equipment (usually very good equipment) to use on the show at no cost

How do YOU react when you hunt and kill something? I know that my reactions vary - often greatly. Sometimes I walk over and gently pat the animal. Sometimes I whoop and holler Sometimes I high-five my buddies Sometimes feel pride in the shot I was able to make. And I haven't scratched the surface of the different emotions I feel.

To always portray the same type of emotion is fake. I don't want 'fake' in the hunting shows I watch - there is plenty of 'fake' on the other channels.

Which probably explains why I like 'Uncle Teddy'.

If your question is PC related, who frigging cares. The antis in my areas are the most crude and destructive creatures I've ever come across. They smash out the windows in hunter's trucks, slash tires, and ride dirt bikes all through the woods to scare away all the game. I don't care what they think or feel about hunting shows because their sensibilities are warped. Let them watch any of the feel-good effluvium TV has constructed for them.

Secondly, can these hunting shows please get a clue? I've watched plenty of them and lost interest pretty quickly because I just wasn't learning anything. Twenty minutes of viewing a guy in a tree stand whispering to the camera until his (ugh) 'monster buck' comes along, then the two remarking on what a fine looking animal it is he just shot is not informative enough to really help the sport.

Hunting shows would be much better if they'd be more informative. Show me seasonal deer behavior. Show me how to hunt in an area congested by other hunters! Show us how to field dress a deer, squirrel, turkey, rabbit, etc.! Show us how to butcher!! Ya know??

JMO - Jim

That was the whole point I was trying to make. Most ESPN hunting and fishing shows ARE 90% 'fake.' They use the bass lure that's being advertised on the show, instead of what they might normally use. Same for the line, the rod, the reel, the boat, the clothes, the outboard engine, blahblahblah.

Pardon me for being clueless, but who the heck is 'Uncle Teddy'?

Ted Nugent. http://www.tnugent.com/

Rock Star. Hunting enthusiast. Pro-gun spokesman.

(and I don't even like Rock music)