TV HUNTS - STAGED OR REAL ?

[bmorris]

Here's an up to date program
Last night North West Hunter featured a hunt at the Deer Valley ranch. Took two elk. Prices from their website are 170 deer is $5,500.
Elk are higher of course with a 400 running $12,500. If this is the kind of hunting that has to be on TV that's too bad.I believe this was a high fence hunt ?

[danesdad]

I've always believed (and still do) that hunting is ten percent skill and ninety percent location. I believe that you can take the worst hunters among us (maybe including myself) and put them on the locations of these hunts you see on TV and if the hunter can sit still long enough, he'll get the same opportunities as the "pros" get. You see, it doesn't matter if they are hunting high fence or not, they are still in places that regular Joes like me will NEVER get a chance to hunt. Lee and Tiffany have private farms and ranches in Iowa or Kansas? How could they NOT look like professionals??? What would they look like hunting in the kinds of places where I have to hunt here in PA? I'll bet my morgage that if they had to hunt where I have to hunt, they'd never kill a buck that scored even ten percent higher than anything I've ever killed. It's all about location.

[bmorris]

I've always believed (and still do) that hunting is ten percent skill and ninety percent location. I believe that you can take the worst hunters among us (maybe including myself) and put them on the locations of these hunts you see on TV and if the hunter can sit still long enough, he'll get the same opportunities as the "pros" get. You see, it doesn't matter if they are hunting high fence or not, they are still in places that regular Joes like me will NEVER get a chance to hunt. Lee and Tiffany have private farms and ranches in Iowa or Kansas? How could they NOT look like professionals??? What would they look like hunting in the kinds of places where I have to hunt here in PA? I'll bet my morgage that if they had to hunt where I have to hunt, they'd never kill a buck that scored even ten percent higher than anything I've ever killed. It's all about location.

Good insight and location comes at a price. "MONEY" You and I supply the money through the products we buy because they endorse them.

Even the locations are some times staged just for TV

[WBowhunt]

There are very few of these shows that I consider are PRO anything except product promoter. almost all of these folks are nothing more than average hunters at best, who have the personality to connect with people, just like salesmen and they are put in situation where they excel and can't help but look good. I would bet you take any hunter who reads D&DH and has a passion for hunting and put them on any of the locations that these supposed TV pro's hunt and that person would be just as successful. They just know that the average joe is a dreamer and will buy the junk they sell if they think it will make them a better hunter.

[bmorris]

On Dr.Deer this week you had to check a list to see if it was OK to shoot a deer with big red ear tags. Had to be sure the number was OK.
Wow what a celebration. Whats next ?

[SwampLife]

I know some guys who go on big $ hunts. They say it is just like what you see on TV, passing up big bucks to shoot huge bucks, lots of sightings/encounters...

If you hunt public land and/or a small piece of land in a high pressure area, no, what you see on TV is not 'REAL', relative to your' hunting situation.

Also, Corn Piles does not = High fence.

[El Conquistador]

Who cares? It's TV. If you like watching it, watch it, no sense in trying to find a reason not to like it.

That said, there is no difference between an 80 acre high fence hunting ranch and a 10,000 acre western hunting lease with 7 ranch hands that scout & track the elk all year long. They still know the routes, they know the bedding areas, they know the food source, they know the water source. Not too difficult to take a guy out & put him in a stand or blind, or stalk up on them for that matter.

[Woods Walker]

"That said, there is no difference between an 80 acre high fence hunting ranch and a 10,000 acre western hunting lease with 7 ranch hands that scout & track the elk all year long."

???? That's absurd. That's like saying that hunting deer near a 200 acre stubble field is "no different" than hunting over a 10'X10' corn pile. A 200 acre stubble field has FIVE MILES of perimeter that deer can approach from as compared to the FORTY LINEAL FEET that the corn pile does. But even with that, the corn pile deer are at least not confined!

I've hunted elk, and even if you know that they are there, 10,000 acres of mountain elk habitat can hide those elk for a long TIME!! Not to mention that even on that much ground, elk will LEAVE that area if they feel the pressure. Not so with penned animals.

[El Conquistador]

"That said, there is no difference between an 80 acre high fence hunting ranch and a 10,000 acre western hunting lease with 7 ranch hands that scout & track the elk all year long."

???? That's absurd. That's like saying that hunting deer near a 200 acre stubble field is "no different" than hunting over a 10'X10' corn pile. A 200 acre stubble field has FIVE MILES of perimeter that deer can approach from as compared to the FORTY LINEAL FEET that the corn pile does. But even with that, the corn pile deer are at least not confined!

I've hunted elk, and even if you know that they are there, 10,000 acres of mountain elk habitat can hide those elk for a long TIME!! Not to mention that even on that much ground, elk will LEAVE that area if they feel the pressure. Not so with penned animals.

No Woods, what I mean is that those operations on the TV shows are so scouted & studied, its not like going to Utah & trying your luck at muleys or elk on the North Slope public hunting grounds.

[Woods Walker]

D'OH!!!! Mea culpa! I get it now. You'll have to fofrgive me, it's Monday!