I was looking through Petersen's Dec 2010/Jan2011 edition of Hunting Magazine and on Page 27 is an advertisement for one of those hunting shows you get to enjoy if you live in the US of A or have pay TV or fast internet or whatever ...

The thing is, the picture portrays a successful hunter with his dead Kudu trophy. What immediately struck me (being ex-military) was the immaculate ironed shirt sleeves and clean clothes of the shooter. No doubt these are freshly put on for the TV show commercial photo opportunity.

I got thinking, how many photos and video have I seen where the 'hunter' is also immaculately dressed. To me it all seems very suspicious for someone who 'may' purport to have 'earned' their trophy.

Now I have shot cull animals from a truck so I am not virgin pure in the ethics department. I have however walked more than a few kilometres to get within range and kill my trophy animal. Anyone who has hunted Africa or anywhere in the wild will also know that it takes only a few metres out of the truck to get some crap on your boots, clothes and face.

Next time you see a posed photo or video, look if the 'hunter' is clean or sweat stained, has crap on his boots or not. That will tell the true story of the 'hunt'.

Look more closely at the fresh pressed shirt and you'll see they are pimping something

Well, I had a look at the OUTDOOR chanel a few minutes at a time in the past week or so.

Sadly, I am very disappointed.

I was looking forward to getting it in our area. But, it seems there are far too much talking than actually doing anything on the programs.

And the backslapping and high fiving does not do to the credibility of those in teh program either.

What a shame.

One thing to think about is the laundry service in Africa. My experience has been when I camp each morning, my shirt and pants are pressed much better than they would be if I had just picked them up from the dry cleaners here in the states.

Pete

Here I am promoting Russell boots. In pieces lying at the bottom of the boat. Never did get that sponsorship.

I got my buffalo on the nineth day of the hunt and the temperature was just over 100 degrees. We had been on the track for about 6 hours so we were sweaty and dusty. We took some trophy photos in the sweaty clothes I hunted him in and then I changed into the shirt I had brought with for more "proper" photos for my album. I like both sets of pictures. To each his own.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Here I am promoting Russell boots. In pieces lying at the bottom of the boat. Never did get that sponsorship.

I think I could like you.

Nice.

It seems many of our so-called "hunting shows" in the US are actually 30 minute commercials for guns, clothing, equipment, etc. I know someone has to pay the bills to air these shows, but a little realism would be appreciated.

In almost all of my pictures I am less than "fresh" and clothes to match. Of course my wife says I can ge dirty going to Sunday School at church. The few pictures where I have fresh clothes on in my pictures are due to the recovery being at dark and we took the trophy to camp and it took the guys some time to get it to the cleaning shed and I had enough time to clean up for supper and a few photos and a sundowner. I never gave it much thought till now and I looked back at all the photos and it seems I sweat more than I thought,,,

quote:

Originally posted by someoldguy:
It seems many of our so-called "hunting shows" in the US are actually 30 minute commercials for guns, clothing, equipment, etc. I know someone has to pay the bills to air these shows, but a little realism would be appreciated.

The problem with a "little realism" is if producers showed a little of EVERYTHING, it couldn't be done in a 30 minute program. And a show where the host blanked on game wouldn't last long.

Then too, with the increased competition for sponsor dollars, you HAVE to promote the products and services as much as possible or else you won't have that sponsor again next season!

It might not be the way you like it, but that's the way it is...

quote:

Originally posted by Shof:
It might not be the way you like it, but that's the way it is...

No need to put up with bad shows at all. Switch the channel and tell people why. If the sponsors find they are pissing off potential customers who then watch something else, sponsor's expectations will change. Naming names and calling crap for what it is can only help in the long run. I will bet you a buffalo hunt that advertising types search the forums periodicaly to see what their potential customers think of the shows they spend their advertising dollars on.

Dean

One of the best shows out there is Fred Eichlers. He advertises his sponsors like he has to but the footage that gets shown is real and shows the condition he may be in at the time. He rarely has matched clothes on. He just loves to be in the outdoors and hunt.

As a disclaimer I do know him personally and consider him a friend but still think the show is the real thing.

Enjoy guys.

I have to agree about Fred Eichler.
I shoot traditional bows and love to watch his hunting shows.
His show Predator Nation is good also.
He gets excited over anything...I like that.
It doesn't have to be a new record, it can even be a doe and he'd be excited.
I'd love to hunt with him sometime because that's the same way I am.
I even have a blast just walking the Black Hills and stump shooting!

quote:

It might not be the way you like it, but that's the way it is...

Which is why I don't watch hunting shows any longer.

A few questions for those with complaints:
What do you really want from a hunting show? A 5-day long marathon of walking thru the brush? Or maybe 26 minutes of impact shots?
How much "realism" is the "right" amount?
How much advertising is "ok with you".

What I see, is a bunch of complainers who, I think, have no realistic idea of what it takes money-wise to put together a hunting show. If I have to put up with 12 minutes of advertising to see 16 minutes of African hunting, that's fine with me. That's 16 minutes that I can spend reliving the sights, smells, sounds, the freezing mornings and blazing afternoons in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, or Mozambique without leaving my recliner. Nor am I bitten by tsetse flies or mosquitoes, don't have to get up at 3:30am and walk for 14 hours just to do it all again the next day.

I, for one, am grateful for even the worst of them.

On that note: I just watched the second segment of a stone sheep hunt, Nosler's Magnum TV. The first half hour show focussed on the travel, scouting, the camp, langscapes, etc. The hunter shot a nice stone sheep at the end of the second episode, aired a week after the first.

Don't think I've ever seen a single-animal hunt on TV that wasn't compressed into 30-minutes-minus-commercials. Refreshing.

John

quote:

Originally posted by mustbhuntn:
I got my buffalo on the nineth day of the hunt and the temperature was just over 100 degrees. We had been on the track for about 6 hours so we were sweaty and dusty. We took some trophy photos in the sweaty clothes I hunted him in and then I changed into the shirt I had brought with for more "proper" photos for my album. I like both sets of pictures. To each his own.

I just don't follow. You obviously had a great hunt with a good kill at the end, dirty, sweaty and dusty and that was how it was, but what's with the "proper" photos bit? I hope your shirt had a starched collar and a tie and you put on an evening jacket to make it "proper" proper. I hope your scruffy PH didn't get an complex.
As you say to each his own but really in Africa on safari!!!!!

I actually posted this to stir up an ethical point to illustrate that some 'hunters' never seem to get out of a truck.

It seems to have moved off very quickly into a fashion contest and commentary on Hunting shows.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Here I am promoting Russell boots. In pieces lying at the bottom of the boat. Never did get that sponsorship.

But you got them wet...

I fell for the old advertising trick.

"I trust this with my wife'

Well my wife can keep them