Shooting shows on TV

[Gil Martin]

I used to enjoy watching hunting and shooting shows on TV. Over the last few months, I have been turned off by shows with self- proclaimed "experts" and "sharpshooters" who apparently cannot shoot worth a hill of beans. On chap was shooting a 1903 Springfield .30-06 and could not hit a paper plate at 50 yards while using a shooting bench. Another fellow was hunting and missed an easy shot because he forgot how the safety worked on his rifle. I will still watch these nimrods perform more for amusement than instruction. Anyone else sense what I am saying? I am probably being a bit too critical. All the best...
Gil

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

I long ago stopped watching the "Reality" hunting and shooting shows. I got so sick of hearing, "Look at those G-2s" (on a buck) or nonsense remarks about the M1911 or Garand. Same goes for most gun magazines and alleged "Gun Reviews."

The latest load of horse pucky was the fawning article about the Ruger Scout bolt rifle. My letter regarding a bolt gun in the 21st Century as the "ultimate combat rifle" has never seen print.
Adam

[skeeter@ccia.com]

I got to watch a video a guy made of his 'wild bore hunt' In that video he took was a section he filmed of a 'professional' tv hunter after some bighorn sheep that happened to be there at the same day. The 'pro' sat in his camo's while his film crew were all gathered around him in shorts, white T shirts with microphone hangin on sticks over this guys head. The owner of the fenced in property would run the sheep past this guy not to mention elk, deer and everything else that went whew, they not after me today.. He was caught on film shootin a xbow and on one shot one limb hit the dirt of the bank he was hidden behind tossin his arrow away. To shorten this story, he missed many a shot, ended up stickin this sheep but not a good shot. It ran to a corner of the fence while he was yelling for someone to run back and find one of his lost arrows..he ended up shooting point blank at the sheep and after droppin it, him, his 'guide' all gathered behind it for the tv shows photos..When I caught it on tv, it looked as if this guy was hunting in the wilds of alaska or something..proud of his trophy....all caught on camera during his filming of his big sheep....Wish could remember the guys name but know he has black hair and see him all the time on tv hunt shows....I felt bad for the critter and do not watch any since..

[toxic111]

There are some bad shows out there, but there are some real good ones as well, I know of 3 that are filmed up here in Canada that are true wild hunts. I know the guys personally that film & do the hunts. They work hard every year to get a show season. In fact the one show will have this next season taking the new pending WR NT Mule deer on camera. This is a true wild deer in SK.

[Adam Helmer]

toxic111,

Thanks for telling about a genuine Wild Hunt. Nearby is a "Hunting Preserve" where many folks come and shoot animals in a barnyard (essentially) while their friends video the "Hunt." I know the owner of the "Hunting Preserve" and he goes weekly down state to bring back another tractor-trailer load of animals that "Sports" will "Hunt" on the preserve. I did drive by once and watched with 10X binoculars how the "Hunt" went down. The Sport was properly attired in hunting togs for the rolling Video as he shot an exotic deer inside a 10-acre pen.

After the shot, the camera caught all the High-Fives as the Sport and "Guide" shook hands. It was a Media Event for all EXCEPT the deceased Exotic! I am sure the vido will ensure bragging rights for a long time as the "Sports" gather in the den, sip Scotch and watch "The Hunt!"

Adam

[toxic111]

Adam, here are the names of the shows to look for, I don't know if you will be able to find them down there or not. Watch for Hunting Canada & Beyond, The Edge & Live 2 Hunt with Cody Robbins.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

So far, Jim shokey I will watch. Seems like he does it fair to critters and hunters alike. I would love to go on one of his hunts but it seems like he waits till it is -0 out there. I would love a great bear hunt up north again. New Brunswick is the only place I got to do so other than this great hunting state of Pennsylvania. I think my health issues would hinder any chances with this guy esp the packin out of the critter. Some here like Adam live in my favorite part of the state for bear adventures.

[powell&hyde]

We don't get Hunting Canada and Beyond here on tv but they do post the shows on you tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Siurp_BPyO8

[gd357]

The biggest problem IMHO with today's TV hunting shows it that a LOT of the "hunters" are photogenic. In order to have a good show, you've got to have a good-looking person in front of the camera... They may not have a shooting or hunting background coming in, but given a fence or tons of ground and lots of game good things are supposed to happen, right?

I have a friend who went on a filmed hunt a few years ago, and shot a decent buck on camera. He spent about 4 hours the next day filming the "shot" from the hunter cam angle. I guess it was too difficult to capture all at once. Made for good TV I guess... Not very realistic.

A lot of the shows today are about as realistic as what passes for reality TV on the major networks.

There are a few decent shows I try to watch if opportunity permits. Most of them aren't worth the time.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

photogenic..guess that is why tiffany is there filming on their 3+ farms..for the show..but you have to admit, better to look at than jim shocky..lol..anyhow, your friend that spent next day filming it again is funny and I often wonder about those other shows that show a big buck walkin in and the 'sport' standing up on his stand, reaching for his rangefinder, hanging it back up, reaching for his bow and drawing back all while the buck stands there..they sure don't hunt here in W Pa, they see you blink from the next ridge and they are in the next county..same with the turkey..but we know they have to make it exciting..just isn't real..but people watch...they get their money and buy another farm to film on..could be any one of us making a living that way..sort of reminds me of a 'friend' of mine that can name every ballistic detail of any firearm, fps, etc and knows everything about every critter out there..but never has seccess hunting them..he argues with me about how you should hunt each one...well not knowing much about all those book reports on guns etc, (crs)..I just show him my horn collection and open freezor and let him look and ask the question...how many was that you got this year? How many boxes of dried turkey fans do you have?...shuts him right up. He is full of information he learned from some of those tv shows too. Way too funny.

[kt]

good topic, i stopped watching "the best defense" a ways back mostly because the new worst case show doesnt interest me, i dont care about field dentistry, sorry maybe i should but i dont. i did have to throw a flag for BS because one season these seemingly knowledgeable fellas would say "this is my every day carry, a ruger lcr snubby, this is what i trust my life too" one season later and a change of sponsorship and now they trust their lives to s+w 642's. amazing how a sponsership change will affect what you trust your life to. i say watch the shows, but take them for what they are, few of us are passing up that 150" deer cuz he's only 3.5 years old
kt