Caribou Gear Tarp

Is social media hurting the great outdoors experience?

the stigma of a couple guys drinking beer, throwing trash out the window and shooting everything that moves.
Thats not the stigma anymore. The stigma is: a guy who has subscribtions to taghub, onX, Gohunt, has sitka everything, exo pack, matthews bow, thousands of $ in optics, etc and posts every move he makes on instagram and watches every Youtube episode of born and raised and hushin and then shoots a tiny bull or a cow every 3 years.
this sport is losing participants and advocates and that we need to share this passion to pull more people in. We can’t do that without doing it online in forums like this and on FB and IG and YT and TV.
nope. none of that is true. and you are part of the problem. saying that we "need to share this passion to pull more people in" only means: "Money can be made by hunting and fishing and posting about it." Would people devote so much time to "sharing this passion" via social media if they did not receive money or attention???? No sir.
 
new hunters a false sense of what to expect.
thats a big one. Thats what gets new hunters to fork over the $. If only we new how many people applied for a general elk tag in MT because they thought public land elk hunting here was just like the Primos videos.
 
Thats not the stigma anymore. The stigma is: a guy who has subscribtions to taghub, onX, Gohunt, has sitka everything, exo pack, matthews bow, thousands of $ in optics, etc and posts every move he makes on instagram and watches every Youtube episode of born and raised and hushin and then shoots a tiny bull or a cow every 3 years.
and finishes off every hunting season with a trip to Arizona for Coues deer with his 6.5 creedmoor in hand....
 
But I think it really helps having someone like THIS on Social Media. https://www.instagram.com/monteith.shop/

Screen%20Shot%202021-09-28%20at%2010_31_32%20AM.png


Dr. Monteith is a wildlife research scientist from the University of Wyoming who leads research teams focused on bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and mule deer survival. Since 2013 the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Project –led by Dr. Monteith and his team of researchers –was established to answer critical questions regarding mule deer health. Their ambitious goal was to meet the vital research and management needs identified by both citizenry stakeholders, and those responsible for managing the deer populations –the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.



“Most recently, and in a historic first, this research influenced the National Transportation Bill, helping to ensure that funding would be provided for the construction of over/underpasses to help mitigate wildlife vs. vehicle encounters, benefitting not only mule deer but a wide variety of species” stated P&Y Conservation Chairman Neil Thagard. “Also, noteworthy Dr. Monteith is a great wildlife research scientist, an avid bowhunter, and a talented taxidermist. It is truly an honor to present him with this award.”
 
How many times have you driven down two track, or through a boulder field and come across a Honda accord, or a mini van, with associated oil slicks?

They'll learn, wait until you start seeing teslas three miles down a dirt road with no charge or bent frames because of the weight.

Attached picks of my favorite road and my navigators who are always getting me lost..

be careful with social media pics of recognizable places ;)
 
But I think it really helps having someone like THIS on Social Media. https://www.instagram.com/monteith.shop/

Screen%20Shot%202021-09-28%20at%2010_31_32%20AM.png


Dr. Monteith is a wildlife research scientist from the University of Wyoming who leads research teams focused on bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and mule deer survival. Since 2013 the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Project –led by Dr. Monteith and his team of researchers –was established to answer critical questions regarding mule deer health. Their ambitious goal was to meet the vital research and management needs identified by both citizenry stakeholders, and those responsible for managing the deer populations –the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.



“Most recently, and in a historic first, this research influenced the National Transportation Bill, helping to ensure that funding would be provided for the construction of over/underpasses to help mitigate wildlife vs. vehicle encounters, benefitting not only mule deer but a wide variety of species” stated P&Y Conservation Chairman Neil Thagard. “Also, noteworthy Dr. Monteith is a great wildlife research scientist, an avid bowhunter, and a talented taxidermist. It is truly an honor to present him with this award.”
holy sh*t. he was supposed to be my mentor during a Wildlife Society conference in Sheridan, WY a few years ago when I was an undergrad. I don't think he said two words to me after I introduced myself. I ended up meeting some awesome WGFD biologists who got me my first jobs in that field though.
 
But I think it really helps having someone like THIS on Social Media. https://www.instagram.com/monteith.shop/

Screen%20Shot%202021-09-28%20at%2010_31_32%20AM.png


Dr. Monteith is a wildlife research scientist from the University of Wyoming who leads research teams focused on bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and mule deer survival. Since 2013 the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Project –led by Dr. Monteith and his team of researchers –was established to answer critical questions regarding mule deer health. Their ambitious goal was to meet the vital research and management needs identified by both citizenry stakeholders, and those responsible for managing the deer populations –the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.



“Most recently, and in a historic first, this research influenced the National Transportation Bill, helping to ensure that funding would be provided for the construction of over/underpasses to help mitigate wildlife vs. vehicle encounters, benefitting not only mule deer but a wide variety of species” stated P&Y Conservation Chairman Neil Thagard. “Also, noteworthy Dr. Monteith is a great wildlife research scientist, an avid bowhunter, and a talented taxidermist. It is truly an honor to present him with this award.”
Definitely at the same time I’ve been really surprised at a couple partnerships that P&Y has promoted with people with serious wildlife violations. I spoke to there social media person on the phone and “oddly”he also ran the social media for other companies with relationships with the same people
 
I do think the regulations need to be a lot tighter on commercial exploitation of public resources. Land management agencies and state wildlife agencies both could better regulate who films on their lands, the tags these commercial outfits get (would like to see a substantial limitation on numbers/applications etc.), and the rules associated with filming (no landmarks/location/unit info., etc.).

Many public lands already have a film permit system in place. Our permits cost us tens of thousands of dollars a year, and we need approval from the local office in charge of the land.

It is also an issue that a number of hunting celebs do not go through the necessary channels to obtain permits - they just film wherever they want.
 
Many public lands already have a film permit system in place. Our permits cost us tens of thousands of dollars a year, and we need approval from the local office in charge of the land.

It is also an issue that a number of hunting celebs do not go through the necessary channels to obtain permits - they just film wherever they want.
small-time youtube channels I assume can also slip under the radar and film as they please and say "well my channel isn't even monetized yet therefore it's not for commercial use" or "I'm just documenting my hunts so family can watch later".
 
There is no doubt modern communications and information tools/personalities have increased interest in (and accessibility of) out-of-the-way sporting opportunities. I also have no doubt we have insufficient animals/resources to meet the growing demand for these now more promient activities. But is it hard for me to get too pouty about this.

I believe we have 330 million public landowners (and trust beneficiaries of wildlife) who each have a fully equal interest in this public bounty. Therefore, we have to manage the resources and expectations accordingly. I reject the "I was here first", NIMBY or Fitness Club* approaches to the challenge that the OP seems to suggest. I am not sure of the solution - far superior Hunttalk minds will have to solve for that - but I am not willing to view the hoarding of a public trust by a few sustained via a selfishly imposed ignorance upon the many as the preferred path.


* - the fitness club model is to build grand facilities that serve a very small number of very active users - users who enjoy a steeply discounted pricing for such amenities because their membership is effectively subsidized by a much larger fee-paying user base that only shows up for two weeks after their New Year's resolutions.
 
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Many public lands already have a film permit system in place. Our permits cost us tens of thousands of dollars a year, and we need approval from the local office in charge of the land.

It is also an issue that a number of hunting celebs do not go through the necessary channels to obtain permits - they just film wherever they want.
Do you think filming hunts (with a permit) and selling the filmed content has a positive or negative (overall in the long-run) impact on the future opportunity AND quality of hunting? If positive impact, how? If negative, then why do you do it?
 
* - the fitness club model is to build grand facilities the serve a very small number of very active users - users who enjoy a steeply discounted pricing for such amenities because their membership is effectively subsidized by a much larger fee-paying user base that only shows up for two weeks after their New Year's resolutions.

Spot on...
 
. . . I do think the regulations need to be a lot tighter on commercial exploitation of public resources. . . . .
Why? If a business benefits from good roads, a reliable electrical grid, a fire department, or an educated workforce should they be regulated differently than a business that may not use the same exact public resources? That is what taxes are for - some are use-based, some are general in nature. These outdoors companies pay a lot of taxes - why call them out uniquely?

As for use of public lands for the public good, if 10,000 citizens gain joy from a youtube video about one hunt, is that not a greater public good than one citizen enjoying one hunt in isolation? OP's topic is such a "what benefits me personally" trap that it sometimes is hard to know where to start in response.
 
* - the fitness club model is to build grand facilities the serve a very small number of very active users - users who enjoy a steeply discounted pricing for such amenities because their membership is effectively subsidized by a much larger fee-paying user base that only shows up for two weeks after their New Year's resolutions.

Spot on...
pardon my ignorance. how does that quote apply to hunting and social media?
 
As for use of public lands for the public good, if 10,000 citizens gain joy from a youtube video about one hunt, is that not a greater public good than one citizen enjoying one hunt in isolation? OP's topic is such a "what benefits me personally" trap that it sometimes is hard to know where to start in response.
absolutely I as the OP want less crowded woods selfishly. as do all serious hunters and I want that for them too. I would rather no hunting videos on youtube if it means a better qualirty experience for hunters actually willing to put in the work in the field.
 
You don't find the statement to be ancillary to the discussion?
i guess I don't see how the crowds drawn by social media (the NYE revolutionists) benefit the hardcore hunters putting in the work on a regular basis (regular gym goers in this analogy)

& if it's money footed by the masses, I guess. but last I checked, seems like every year a state raises its license and tag fees. Can't remember the last time I saw reductions in prices despite the ever-crowded odds for drawing
 
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There's a lot of bad that comes with social media but it does make information spread pretty fast....like the garbage legislation that has been happening. Sadly lots of these "influencers" don't care about that...I guess it's not the type of content that gets the most likes.
 
pardon my ignorance. how does that quote apply to hunting and social media?
I'd wager lots of people who consume hunting media are hunting FANS rather than active hunters. I know the more I am in the field, the less hunting media I consume.

However the Hunting media from 20 years ago is what motivated me to try new places, species and methods.
 

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