Randy Newberg on Matt Rinella's Podcast

[BuzzH]

Sorry Buzz I can’t agree with you. There was a better path for conservation than pounding wildlife and public land into oblivion. Promoting hunting, overcrowding public lands, and the wildlife taking the brunt of it is a no for me. We are just seeing the start of the monetizing of western hunting. Who knows what it will look like in 5 years even. And the influencers and promoters played a big roll in that. You can blast me all you want, I’m not on the wrong side of wildlife and conservation.

Don't agree then.

You can't make the changes you desire complaining on hunttalk.

The influencers played a much less significant role than the various GF agencies themselves, less significant roles than the 99% of apathetic hunters out there, and that hunters and fishermen were really slow to realize they were being rolled by those with vastly different agenda's than protecting/enhancing public lands, habitat, and wildlife.

Be thankful not everyone was asleep at the switch. If they had been golf, knitting and video games would be all you would have left to whine about.

 

[BuzzH]

I disagree I think we're witnessing the peak and it's gonna slowly start tapering off. As the glamorous shine fades the Johnny come latelys will fade with it. Today's generations get bored quickly and move onto other things.

Correct, it sounds like the Johnnie-come-latelys like DougStickney and hearteater are about to toss in the towel...prime examples.

If they can't hit the easy button and get what they want, right now, by doing nothing but buy a license, they give up.

I honestly don't care if they quit, probably be a good thing if they do.

I'm in it for the long haul, most aren't.

 

[BenInMT]

I've been an advocate of just this thing. The content producers need to be regulated by more than just going and getting the land management agency film permit (which may not even be a thing in the future). The state should heavily regulate tag availability...commercial/for profit content producers should not be given access to the same tag pool as the non-commercial guys (i.e., the average folks actually just trying to hunt).

The enforcement would be pretty easy...and we could make the bar awfully high (by severly limiting how many tags are available to 'content producers').

I would like to see folks start pushing this type of regulation in their respective states when season/regulation comment periods open.

Brilliant. If a person benefits in any way, a brand, an influencer, a hallowed “content creator” the pool of tags is considerably smaller. Violating the rules on this - banned for life no exceptions.

 

[WildFoodOutdoors]

This thread reads like a really poor reality tv show from from MTV or something. As a new hunter, seeing so much infighting within the hunting community instead of seeing hunters united against external threats is disappointing to say the least. For my own part as someone who doesn't really know many other hunters, I've learned a lot from a number of so-called "influencers", including avenues of how to immediately get involved in conservation and preserving hunting opportunity, etc. (ie howforwildlife.org). We should all be holding each other to a high standard of ethics in the practice of hunting for sure... but bitching about social media provides zero value to anyone. Most of the posts just seem like people are jealous the "influencers" are killing while the poster is not.

 

[WildFoodOutdoors]

I'd be settle for filming permits being prohibitively expensive, heavily regulated, limited in number, and with a well funded enforcement division.

This should include all use of public lands for monetized purposes.

Actually getting a permit is all of those things... except minus the enforcement maybe. I have a very small photography youtube channel and looked into getting a permit for a certain area because I wanted to follow the rules. The permit process is really designed around large hollywood feature film productions. It's a huge application... they want to know exactly how many crew you'll have, where you'll be at each hour of the day, and a thousand other questions that don't really make sense for youtube style creators with tiny productions.

 

[TheTone]

Actually getting a permit is all of those things... except minus the enforcement maybe. I have a very small photography youtube channel and looked into getting a permit for a certain area because I wanted to follow the rules. The permit process is really designed around large hollywood feature film productions. It's a huge application... they want to know exactly how many crew you'll have, where you'll be at each hour of the day, and a thousand other questions that don't really make sense for youtube style creators with tiny productions.

And I’d be willing to bet a ton of hunting influencers aren’t getting them. I mean tags and no trespassing signs haven’t mattered to some so why bother with a pesky film permit? I’ve got a few different people that live around me that are either trying to be influencers or actually are. I guarantee the ones trying to be influencers aren’t getting them

 

[TheTone]

This is a massive issue for many species across the US. It's chronically underfunded and has not been adequately addressed at the federal level. In the west, fire, motorized use, grazing and stock trailing all contribute to it, but not having money for restoration after prairie fires in particular come through means cheatgrass gets to take hold and turn large swaths of country into ecological deserts. The Great Basin is probably the hardest hit in this. It's a long term, sustained effort that has to happen in order to make a dent in the issue.

It would be helpful if the people hired to do the work actually knew what they were doing or cared. Back when I spent summers spraying any of the meetings or big organized multi group spray days were pretty embarrassing. People that couldn’t ID plants or had no idea what chemicals or ratios they sprayed were common

 

[rogerthat]

And I’d be willing to bet a ton of hunting influencers aren’t getting them. I mean tags and no trespassing signs haven’t mattered to some so why bother with a pesky film permit? I’ve got a few different people that live around me that are either trying to be influencers or actually are. I guarantee the ones trying to be influencers aren’t getting them

Yeah Gritty got busted for not getting them so he discussed this with Lampers on a podcast. Sounds like very few are getting them and enforcement is really hit or miss.

He was pretty butt hurt. Really funny

 

[TOGIE]

should it be that content producers are required to by a "film stamp" with the state for whatever tag they get? something to the tune of 100-400x the R and NR price?

something proportionate with the supposed Armageddon they've set in motion? so like 500-1000x the R and NR price?

 

[rogerthat]

should it be that content producers are required to by a "film stamp" with the state for whatever tag they get? something to the tune of 100-400x the R and NR price?

something proportionate with the supposed Armageddon they've set in motion? so like 500-1000x the R and NR price?

Royalties for life…back to conservation. You make the money you pay. Otherwise who gives a chit

 

[WildFoodOutdoors]

And I’d be willing to bet a ton of hunting influencers aren’t getting them. I mean tags and no trespassing signs haven’t mattered to some so why bother with a pesky film permit? I’ve got a few different people that live around me that are either trying to be influencers or actually are. I guarantee the ones trying to be influencers aren’t getting them

"trying" to be an influencer and actually making money off your content are two very different things... most people have a very uneducated view on how social media (especially youtube) monetization works and think all these guys are rolling in cash when it's simply not the case.

Anyway, in my opinion the permit process is broken... or at least no longer valid for the times we're living in.

 

[TheTone]

"trying" to be an influencer and actually making money off your content are two very different things... most people have a very uneducated view on how social media (especially youtube) monetization works and think all these guys are rolling in cash when it's simply not the case.

Anyway, in my opinion the permit process is broken... or at least no longer valid for the times we're living in.

If you don’t make money off the video but are using it to advertise, get sponsors or sell merch should you need a permit? I’d say yes you should

 

[Deleted member 28227]

And both can be absolutely true at the same time.

I think that in fact they are both true.

Personally I agree with Matt on a ton of things... we have enough threads on here rolling our eyes at industry goobers that I think a lot of the forum does as well. I'm not sure if I agree with him about solutions, his point about making it uncouth to drive around with a deer on your hood made a lot of sense though... not sure if you can make that happen.

I joined a FB hunting group in New England to help me get the lay of the land and it's essentially a stream of grip and grins, occasionally there is a post that has some value, but it's mostly a brag board. I'm skeptical you can change that...

 

[antlerradar]

I think you need to look around yourself more and try to comprehend just HOW bad it could be.

Ask yourself if wildlife habitat is better today than 40 years ago.

Ask yourself if migration corridors have been maintained.

Ask yourself how much development has changed the landscape.

In SE Montana not much has changed, If anything the habitat is in better shape now than 40 years ago, migration corridors are a nonissue and old developed land may be returning to a natural state faster than new development.
SE Montana's problems have everything to do with more hunters, that are better equipped, hunt harder, and stay longer. Does Randy have something to do with this. Yes he does, but I am not going to lay the lions share of the blame for what SE MT has become on him and the other media personalities. I have been finding other hunters in my spots long before Randy ever published a video. I have my doubts that the current conditions would be much different even if Randy had never set foot in SE Montana and to focus on him and other hunters is just a distraction. Hunters can never be counted on to police themselves, this is why we have wildlife managers and right now they are somewhere between stuck in the past and playing catch up to the future.

 

[idahohuntr]

Brilliant. If a person benefits in any way, a brand, an influencer, a hallowed “content creator” the pool of tags is considerably smaller. Violating the rules on this - banned for life no exceptions.

I don't know about lifetime bans, but yes, if the purpose of someone acquiring a tag is to produce content...I support heavily restricting them. How many limited western tags are being gobbled up by commercial outfits putting their employees, associates, etc. in just so they can produce more 'content'?

On a more fundamental level - a guiding principle of the NA Model of Wildlife Conservation is that Fish and wildlife are for the non-commercial use of citizens. In this light...I view 19th century market hunters, commercial guides, and 'content producers' as feathers of the same bird...they have financial incentive to exploit public trust resources and should be managed very differently than those who pursue non-commercial use of our wildlife. To be clear: I do not have black and white absolutist views on this...I see value in guides/outfitters, I like being able to buy commercially harvested seafood, and I like watching hunting videos. All I'm advocating here is that we put some heavy restrictions on those who want to hunt for commercial purposes...whatever form that takes...which today seems to be companies and outfits in constant need of 'content'.

 

[Point Creep]

#mysemt vs. #fishbras ??

 

[DouglasR]

uncouth

It’s really just such a macabre thing to do.

 

[BuzzH]

In SE Montana not much has changed, If anything the habitat is in better shape now than 40 years ago, migration corridors are a nonissue and old developed land may be returning to a natural state faster than new development.
SE Montana's problems have everything to do with more hunters, that are better equipped, hunt harder, and stay longer. Does Randy have something to do with this. Yes he does, but I am not going to lay the lions share of the blame for what SE MT has become on him and the other media personalities. I have been finding other hunters in my spots long before Randy ever published a video. I have my doubts that the current conditions would be much different even if Randy had never set foot in SE Montana and to focus on him and other hunters is just a distraction. Hunters can never be counted on to police themselves, this is why we have wildlife managers and right now they are somewhere between stuck in the past and playing catch up to the future.

I agree generally for your specific areas. Has leasing, hunting clubs, outfitter leasing increased or decreased? How about ATV use? Trail cams?

The 30K foot view, which I tend to base my observations on, is that things have not changed for the better. I also only provided a partial list of things that have caused the issues being discussed.

Do you think being able to apply for tags in about 2-3 minutes via the 'net has any kind of impact? You certainly remember the days of requesting an application booklet, having to front the money, and fill out a paper application.

The thing I absolutely agree with you on, is that hunters will not police themselves. As far as wildlife managers, if they are allowed to operate without the political "over-sight" some can be trusted to do the right thing. Problem is, they get pressure from a few landowners, their legislators and politically appointed Director to make decisions NOT in the best interest of the hunting public or wildlife.

This doesn't have to be the case, but hunter apathy and a lack of people willing to put in even miniscule effort into supporting their biologists and having their backs when poor decisions are handed down from on high, leaves us where we are.

Hunters don't work to oust the clowns making bad calls, they systematically vote them in to office over and over and over again. They do the same things and expect different results, there's a term for that.

Too few folks out there working on behalf of wildlife, habitat, and public lands to compete with the other influences working against all of that as well as hunting.

Until that changes, we're going to continue with being forced to just stop the worst of it and will likely lose ground. Takes money, takes time, and effort and most hunters won't contribute to any of it.

Wish it were different, but that's the reality.

 

[MNElkNut]

A few observations after reading this thread:

1. Oh the hypocrisy of Matt Rinella using social media to blame social media. He is selling merch? Really?
2. Labeling all "influencers" the same is problematic. Some are in it for the money/fame and will break laws and ethics to get there. Some, like Randy, use their platforms for good. I don't think you can lump them all together. If you read many of these posts, you cannot interchange the positive influencers and the turds.
3. Saying certain aspects of hunting have gotten worse, therefore the positive influencers have had no positive effect is simply incorrect and short sighted. Correlation is not causation, but is too complex of a thought process for many.
4. The people who are working for better wildlife management and hunter benefits should be thanked for their efforts, not belittled by those who do little or nothing. For those of you that have put forth the effort; thank you! The results may not have been what we all wanted, but we are better off than if you did nothing.
5. I am involved with a couple conservation organizations. My general rule is: if I didn't help with a project, I shall not criticize those that did it. I may offer a helpful suggestion, but I am careful to never word it like criticism.

 

[Rhcuam]

I thought it was good. My take away was all of us ,myself included, need to do more.
We don’t need more hunters, we need to be better hunters and advocates.

Easier said than done though.