[Goshengrunter]

Chalk up another good friend to "big head hunter" disease. I don't get it. Guys I used to hunt with start a group, start filming themselves, put some crappy videos on youtube, and suddenly think they are the next Tom Miranda.

Why do we hunt? For fun? Food? To be famous? If you think you are gonna be a big shot TV host because you killed a 130 inch buck over a corn pile and tagged out on jakes, you got another thing coming.

It seems every year more and more of my frineds fall prey to this "Big head hunter" disease.

It used to be I could text a buddy a picture a deer I killed and they'd ask... "How big is he? What time did you kill it? Was he ruttin? Tell me the stroy!" Now if I even bother this is the response I get...

buddy- "Where'd you kill it?"
me- "Across the street from Mr. Smith's"
buddy- "Whats his number? I wanna hunt there too"

I'm all about sharing the wealth and many of you know I'll take anyone hunting. I have lost so many spots to these clowns it isn't funny. I hunt primarily 3 spots that total 27 acres. When I killed my turkey this year I wouldnt tell these goofballs where I killed it. The next morning I took a kid hunting and had a truck follow me from my street to my hunting spot...I know whose truck it was- he aint very slick. The next day the landowner told me he gave this guy permission to hunt as well. I say ok and thanks again for letting me hunt on his property. One more day, Im taking a kid to my sweet spot and get up hill only to see two sets of decoys, two hunters and two camera men calling and doing all sorts of stupid things. Needless to say I havent seen a turkey there since.

Thats just one story. I could tell the same story 1 times where me or a friend kill a big deer or turkey and end up walked all over. A couple places have stopped allowing hunters alltogether because of how these idiots act.

I confronted one of the young hotheads and asked why they keep walking in on my spots while they brag about their new 500 acre lease 30 minutes down the road. He said "look pal, Im gonna famous. we already got videos on the internet and I'll step on anyone's throat I need to, to be famous"

I just walked away. I watched some of their videos. Poor quality, terrible filming, safety violations, legal violations, etc.

So for now, I gaurd my spots. Warn a few landowners (that I can really talk to) and keep quiet my trail cam pics, new spots. Even the kids I take hunting are getting harrassed trying to figure out where we hunt. I tell the kids to say "Jake's family has a few spots"

So aggravating. Is everyone else seeing this or is it just me? Didn't mean to make such a long post but I needed to vent!

 

[Treedog]

I myself think that the outdoor channel and the sportsman's channel has ruined alot of hunting and alot of friendships. Leases and and wanna be's are really hurting our sport and heritage.


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[coonskinner]

i agree,many years ago i had people follow me but it was in the public woods...it got to where i hunted a lot of"new"places just to confuse em some...only because i had some luck killing a few nice deer...a great thang that happened for me though was i expanded my knowlege of lots of other places i may never have seen and realized there were nice deer to be found anywhere you went on public land...:bouncy:and for those baiting deer for instant success...i think becoming famous using these techniques will be a problem with a lot of people taking them serious as hunters...no matter how many huge heads they put on the wall...now get a 200"er on public...now thats impressive...some even fib about that but have been caught:bouncy:i do agree with you if you tell someone where a big boy is...most will trot off after it...and i do know people will follow you...but i must admit,it was a lot of fun fooling with them...heh heh heh...:biggrin:

 

[coonskinner]

I myself think that the outdoor channel and the sportsman's channel has ruined alot of hunting and alot of friendships. Leases and and wanna be's are really hurting our sport and heritage.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine

theyre killing the true meaning of hunting...:tsk::tsk:

 

[deerhunt45]

The ones with the attitude you describe sure can/do ruin things for a lot of people including friends and relatives. The "I'll do anything to be famous including taking advantages to get there" is just wrong, it's downright sick imo.

Not all are like that or wanted nor asked to be famous, they simply found a job they enjoyed that parlayed into a marketable "product/skill". Everyone has a right to support themselves and their families.

 

[deerhunt123]

Agree

I agree! The TV and other advertisements that the money hungry NON SPORTSMAN figures have developed a ploy to grab all the want-to-be hunters out from behind their TV sets and put them in the way of all REAL SPORTSMAN. I too am tired of all the idiots in the woods that tend to put people in danger and ruin what we have worked so hard to do in our tasks of hunting game for food first and recreation second. My folks taught me the right way and it burns me a new one to see this sport we call hunting become so fustrating sometimes because of the idiots. I myself, if I see someone going into the woods at a particular spot, the last thing on my mind if following them. Let them enjoy what they have worked for and get your own spot. While hunting public land this past season I was amazed at how idiots would see you hunting a spot and just ignore you were there and keep walking past you or sit near you. As for the big heads, I rather stay home that day then even see one or talk to one. Lets keep the hunting heritage alive with sportsman like actions!:tsk:

 

[Treedog]

I'm not saying they're all like that but the local wanna be's is what I'm talking about. These guys that put out a food plot, buy a camera from Walmart and now they're professional hunters kill me. One farm I hunt and have hunted all my life and the land owner gave another guy permission to hunt and he planted a food plot. Well the next thing I know the guy tried to run me off property I have and thanks to the land owner will always have permission to hunt. That's the guys that get under my skin, the ones that think they own it when they get permission. The farm I'm talking about just about anyone that knows the land owner has permission to hunt and has never been one problem between anyone until this pro hunter shows up and try's to run everybody else out. Needless to say he doesn't have permission any more thanks to a land owner who doesn't put up with that kind of crap.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine

 

[bluedog]

That is really a sad situation if you ask me. I don't run into any of that in the circles that I run, but I have friends that run into that kind of attitude. But in my personal circle, some of the people that hunt my farm will only shoot 3 1/2 year and older bucks. They won't even shoot any does. Some of the others are pure and simple meat hunters. But even among those who only want to shoot a big buck, they do not go out and try to target one. It seems they go out to the woods just to enjoy themselves. If a big buck walks by they shoot it and are very happy to do so. If one doesn't come by, they are content to have just enjoyed a day in the woods. It's all good.

 

[Goshengrunter]

There are many "tv stars" that have done it the right way and i admire and respect them. a few names that pop in my head are Will Primos, Tom Miranda, Ralph and Vicki (although I dont really get into their show), Stan potts....i could go on.

Im all about supporting your family. If you can do that by hunting---dude you're lucky! But you cant step on the wrong heads or itll come back to bite you.

I could name (but won't) a columbus native who has tatsed success and stepped on everyone he could to make it big. He spends about a year at a time on a show then gets booted off. The guy's a jerk. everyone he comes in contact with knows it. Even in my circle of idiots his name is laughable.

Then you have a guy like Will Primos who made calls when he was a kid, made smart business decisions and has had a long, properous, respected career. More power to him!

Coonie- I drove over 3 hours last year with a guy following me. Lol i was hoping to run him outta gas. Left my house at like 2pm and drove to vinton county and back. Idiot followed me the whole time because I (like an idiot) posted a trail camera pic of a droptine buck on facebook. I dressed in camo- no bow...and went for a nice drive. Believe it or not he was waiting at the gas station by my house the next day. I drove to a spot we both had permission to hunt and let him have it....

 

[Goshengrunter]

Also let me clarify- I'm not point to ANYONE on this site in this post. My idiot friends arent on here. And I do know there are a few groups on this site that film and are trying to start something. I wish you guys luck and just do it right! The groups on here I know of that are regulars seem cool to me. dont know you very well but no one on this site has anything to do with my op.

 

[Mr.BucksTWP]

I enjoy filming my own hunts with my 2 brothers and several other guys. Creates even more of a challenge. Then if everything goes right i have the footage for the rest of my life. And I would rather show my buddy a video rather then tell him a "too tall" story. Also, good footage allows you to review your kill shots. Nice to have when you r unsure where you hit the deer. Some people can do it (good equipment, steady footage, editing skills) and some can't. Most of us know that we will never be famous...because to be famous it is going to take $500,000. That is what it takes to fill a time slot on the Outdoor Channel. So you better be rich or have the best sponsors in the business. Plus, you better have the "personality" for TV or you will just look like an a$$. Some people get big heads but others don't. I have nothing against those who put there footage online. I think that is the way to go. Gets you exposure if you are trying to get into the hunting industry. DVDs are a dying age. And it is true, most of the DVDs that a lot of hunting teams put out are terrible.

 

[November Sunrise]

I'm never been able to understand why anyone who loves to hunt would want to turn it into a job by trying to make a name for themselves on TV or video.

I wouldn't be able to stomach even the simplest of things that they go through, such as walking to my stand but having to turn it into a production so that the cameraman could capture the ever popular "mighty hunter coming down the trail" shot.

Personally, I'm a great fan of hassle free anonymity, and simply going hunting when and where I want to, without any pressure to perform.

 

[whack&stack]

Well i am on a hunting team that I made up with my dad and hunting buddy lol it's all in fun there are now several guys on the team but like I said its just fun and goofin with it. We film but nothing comes before the kill we film when we can but it's just for us a few of em end up on YouTube but no big deal. Sad to hear that you have to put up with all that


Breathn built PSE xXx-Roid 182KE & 1.043MO

 

[duxdog]

I had the same thing happen. I have a couple thousand inches of antler on the wall. One would be have been a new state record archery kill for that state and a couple others in the top five. I have never officially nor will I ever enter any buck I kill. I have several top 10 state turkey archery kills too.
I had a great friend ask me to teach him how I kill so many big bucks. He had never even killed a deer. I said ok as long as you never bring anybody to any of my spots I show you. Well, after a couple of years of him shooting a couple of nice bucks, he decided he was gonna be a TV star. I didnt get upset at first. I kept an open mind. I met with a few of his "industry" contacts and started getting told which bow I had to shoot, what camo pattern I could wear, which tree stand, what type of broadhead and on and on. I told him I wasn't interested.
He pressed on. The next season I was contacted by a couple of landowners asking me about him saying he used my name asking for permission. He took several "industry" people to quite a few of my areas and one day I pulled up to glass a spot of mine to find him and another guy sitting in their sticker plastered truck spotting on of my spots. It is over 20 hrs from our home!
That is just one of many stories I could tell you. I lost a great friend and hunting partner. That was four or Five years ago and I haven't spook with him since. Keep your friends close. Keep your hunting spots closer.
Welcome to the school of hard knocks.

 

[tod]

This is a pretty sad story. I guess you find out in cases like this who your friends are - or aren't. It's sad that these guys are willing to sacrifice friendships like that. Very unfortunate. If they end up getting lucky and making it big (sounds doubtful), they'll learn that the friendships were worth more than the money.

 

[Steve]

Yeap, I see it every day. Easily accessible mass media makes everyone a star at least in their own minds.