I was watching one of the outdoor shows last night (something I rarely do) when a segment came up on deer hunting in Iowa. The h

[teufelhunden]

Careful gentlemen, He may have had his heart set on a certain buck. I have let some large deer walk because I had trail cam pics of a buck that I wanted. I can honestly say that I am grateful for any deer I see and am never angry when "my" buck does not show. I have been disappointed when I went the whole season not seeing the deer I wanted but in the end you have to tip your hat to the buck and acknowledge that he beat you this year.

[Del in KS]

It has been my opinion for years that this stuff is just infomercials. There is an amish farmer in Macon CO MO with a pen full of big bucks that are tame as sheep. I see them every year when I go deer hunting near that farm. I really think that is the kind of deer you often see getting shot in the videos and on TV.

[Sharkfin]

The simple fact is that these guys are not hunting like we do. I hunt 100% private land but we do not have the time or funding to make it what most of these guys hunt. They are all trying to sell something whether it's their camo, the sponsor's products, hunting trips to the place they're hunting, or themselves. Sometimes they do provide valuable information. I like to watch the shows mainly to see the animals. I rarely see any products that I feel the need to buy. I do like some of the personalities I see on some of the shows but I take everything with a grain of salt. Sometimes I just get a kick out of their antics. I watch them just like I watch House or Burn Notice, for entertainment only. Sometimes I use them if my kids are watching with me to show them how deer jump or even what not to do or how not to act. I always tell my kids that they are not hunting like I do and that it is not really real life hunting. I don't agree with the whole "look over a field full of deer and pick out the biggest one" hunt. That is not hunting, that is shooting fish in a barrell. I don't really consider any trip where you go to a ranch and a guide takes you to a stand where you sit and shoot the biggest deer you see over a three day trip to be hunting. The person pulling the trigger did not hunt, they paid someone else to hunt for them the let them pull the trigger. If I take my son with me on Saturday morning and we go to a spot that I've seen lots of deer activity. Then he shoots a deer, he didn't really go hunting but that is how most kids start out. I don't think that is how you continue as you learn and grow as a hunter.

[libertyfirst]

I've tried to watch some of the hunting programs on television but they're not for me. I can't stand them.
This type of stuff isn't hunting. Hunting is you and the game. Nothing make believe,nothing canned, no fences. Del says that these shows are infomercials and I'd go along with that based on the few I saw.
Does anyone use the products that a lot of these show promote?

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with matouse3 and + 1 for you sir!!!