off topic ...hunting shows...

[tomgamber]

I'm working with some guys who have m eediting a hunting show for them. I have some input as well as some pre-conceived notions about whats wrong with some of the shows I see on Tv today.

Those of you who hunt and maybe actually watch this kind of programming, what would you like to see, not like to see, are tired of seeing or think should be a part of this kind of show.

I will say this because its my peeve about hunitng shows. While some of the property is private, there will be no hunting within fences or "ranch" situations. All of the places that were and will be hunted can be accessed by pretty much anyone.

So there it is let me have opinions and input.

Oh, and by the way I should have said "outdoor" show...there will be fishing.

thanks
tom

 

[bigjohn58]

The majority of hunting shows I watch on the Outdoor Channel make me sick. There is no skill involved in 99% of the hunts on there especially for whitetails. Who can't go to a big ranch and sit in a heated shed and watch 8 or so big bucks walk around in a food plot and shoot one...or better yet just pass them all up because the giant 8 point isn't good enough because somehow they can say its only 3.5 years old and not 4.5 thats a total joke. I used to enjoy watching Ted Nuggent until he started killing 3, 4, 5, 6 who knows how many deer in a single hunt and then these hunters justify it by giving the meet to needy families. Thats just greed to kill in my opinion and no respect for nature and its wildlife. If there are needy families out there invite them to your place and let them shoot their own deer. If a place needs that many deer killed off then open it up to the public or invite more people in to hunt instead of just one person going out there and killing that many deer. Almost all those shows I watch on tv just make me sick...ok enough about my rant

If you are indeed making a tv show I'd enjoy watching some fall turkey hunting. I never see fall turkey hunting on tv. Coyote hunting would also be great to see also. Deer hunting now on the other hand ouch I'd hate to have to make a tv show here in central/north central PA on that. If its on public land though that can tick off people. I know if you'd somehow come and film in an area I hunt a lot I wouldn't appreciate the advertisement of my area on tv. Public land is hard to find these days and everyday I'm loosing more and more of my hunting grounds to private land owners. Where I killed my first buck there's a house, where I started out doing all my turkey hunting is being logged off, its getting sad and there's not half as much living on the public land since the deer harvest has been changed thanks to Gary Alt. Its so sad here in central/north central PA with the deer population. IF you are going to do a show don't lie about the situations in the woods like Pennsylvania Outdoor Life does (and that looser Don Jacobs who doesn't know a thing about the outdoors) and always side with the Game Commission. Speak out and maybe you will get respect from the people who watch your show. Give the details of your hunt also like especially after the kill...how did u get it out of the woods, how did u clean it, where did u actually hit the animal, how do u like to cook it up.

Sorry about some of my rants in this but there are some ideas mixed in. Its a neat idea to have your own tv show but then again I don't think I'd want to actually do it and give away my own personal hunting spots or possibly revealing other's spots. Hunting isn't like fishing...there's no catch and release when it comes to hunting and once they are dead they aren't coming back...we've found that out with deer here in my part of the state.

 

[JF_]

Tom,

I’d like to see more info about the “lay of the land” where the hunting takes place. Things like what the terrain is like, some indication as to what causes the deer or fish or whatever to end up where they are at that time of the year/day/season. I’d like to see some of that varied info and be able to apply it to my situations.

Plus I’d like to see a small bit of time devoted to equipment but I don’t want it to be an info-commercial. I don’t know how you would do that honestly if the equipment manufacturers provide the equipment.

I like the live shots of being on the stand, etc. But I’d also like to sometimes see how the hunter/fisherman screwed up.

Plus there should be some time devoted to current issues with the sport, but without preaching. Show both sides.

John

 

[baetis]

turkeys & deer, turkeys & deer, turkeys & deer........enough already!! How about some good dog work over woodcock and grouse, sections on proper chokes for different hunting,dog training/selecting pups for the field or anything out of the ordinary.
How to read water for trout, shad on small and large streams...show from the start, making the flies/lures, the proper knots and the different techniques ie: dead drifting nymphs in pocket fishing. Just showing guys catching 20+" trout is as boring as seeing the same 10pt buck dropping and the hunter dancing a jig

 

[Wulff-Man]

I don't hunt, but I really think you guys are on to something with the requests for more technical information on the art of hunting/fishing. On many fly fishing shows you're lucky to even know what flies are being used. It's almost like home movies sometimes, just point the camera at some guys catching fish and joking around and whoopin' and hollerin'. Tell us about the sttream and weather conditions, the currents and lies, the drift, any special casting techniques used, the leader and fly line (if it's pertinent), etc. It doesn't have to be too basic, like a show for beginners, but it can be made more interesting this way if done properly (as long as the technical stuff isn't overdone). And try to show the fish taking the fly as much as possible. And like avoiding hunting ranches, avoid the Spring Ridge Clubs, for the same reasons.

 

[tomgamber]

Thanks for the input. All good suggestions and some of them should apply to all programming not just this one. I will only make one major comment, mostly to Wulffman's post. We start with 28:30 of time, minus three-2:02 commercial breaks, minus a :30 second open. That leaves less than 22:00 minutes of actual show time divided into four segments. Unfortunately, and I agree its unfortunate, it doesn't leave a lot of time for a lot of "meaningful" techincal specifics. Because of the lack of time, (and I've seen this before) as JF mentioned, product reviews do tend to be mini commercials and any sponsor would probably get first dibs on that so its not going to be too objective.

As I said, we have no plans to be on any club or ranch. I can handle most of the fishing input but as the editor, technical not editorial, I really don't know much about hunting. The fish taking the fly is a complete luck thing. I have been able to do this often, in the past, but obviously it would only apply to fishing a dry fly anyway. Anything subsurface you probaly won't see anyway.

We are using previously shot footage for the demo we're creating, but if all goes well, we'll be shooting fresh stuff for the upcoming episodes. After seeing the footage from past hunts, I have many suggestions for these guys, both in front of and behind the camera. They actually do a pretty good job of explaining where they are, why they chose this spot and how they went about being successful on that day. Buit again, its the whole time constraint thing that will end up diluting the explaination.

Please, keep the comments coming. They've been great so far. BTW to help raise money for the project, these guys are giving away a guided hunt. I'll get back to you on where they are selling these things. I just can't remember.

later
tom