Is that really hunting?

[Doc]

I was watching Jim Shockey on TV the other day. I have always considered him one of the more entertaining TV hunter heroes, simply because his shows aren't simply non-stop deer hunting repetition. He probably provides the biggest variety of game species of any of the hunting shows. But this show was a bit different and quite an eye opener.

For one thing they were showing one of the organizational pre-hunt meetings back at the Shocky headquarters, where they were discussing an up coming African hunt for some rare, hard to hunt, goaty-looking critter. The meeting looked like some industrial board meeting. I don't know how many people were involved, but they had a rather large table and there were people sitting all around it. The discussion was deadly serious as they talked about commitments for the program and the possibility that they might fail because of the nature of this animal. I mean the pressure to perform was a whole lot more intense than anything that I have ever experienced (or ever want to experience) in any of my hunting.

Then during the program, he was trying to get the job done with a crew of at least 5 people that I could see in tow. I'm not sure how many people were behind the view of the camera. So there he was trying to hunt some super-elusive, relatively reclusive, super spooky animal while dragging along this circus of people. I mean it was truly a team event ..... with a HUGE team. The first day he did an endurance test of 12 solid hours in the blind. I mean, everything was being done to eliminate any fun out of the activity. It wasn't hunting, it was and industrial project with a whole lot of profit driven demands for success. When the program was over, and they ran the credits, I couldn't believe the number of people involved in the production of one of these shows. By the way he did manage to be successful inspite of all this nonsense.

I've got to say that if I ever did envy the lifestyle of any of these guys that program sure straightened me out on that score. There is nothing about what those guys do that I would ever want to be involved with. Too much business and not enough hunting. It looked like the fastest way to drain every ounce of enjoyment of hunting out of the activity.

Is that kind of life anything that any of you guys would like to be doing? I'm just curious because I think I got an insight into something that might just look a lot better from the outside than it really is on the inside.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Now do you understand why these guys go to ranches and such to get their animals on film most of the time? Im sure there are guys on this site that film their hunts, ask them how much extra goes into it. Its business at that level. Id never want to do it.

[Mr VJP]

For the amount of money Shockey gets paid for doing those shows, not to mention the endorsement commissions and royalties on products that carry his name...... I'd do it in a heartbeat.  It's not like I haven't been cooped up in a windowless office for 12 hours at a time.  Any type of hunting is better than a good day at work.  And working at hunting beats working at a thankless job IMHO.

[ny hunter]

Call me crazy I have no desire whats so ever to hunt in Africa.I do respect Shockey.I think he is a hunter and not an actor like some of the other guys that have shows.

[wellsley]

I take my hunting seriously money is not my bottom line.

[sweet old bill]

Now Doc it is big business. No like me getting together and going out with a buddy to shoot a few arrows at a 3D meet and or hunting up in back of the house. I guess I now enjoy more the people I am with than a set of horns. But maybe that makes me just a old fart. But I still love the pre hunt, the walking n the woods looking for early fall sign and plan a hunt. But again sure do not need to have a full ton / half truck full of equiptment and 5 guys to take the photo's. I still carry in the back pack my 35 film camera from 1961....

[Doc]

Call me crazy I have no desire whats so ever to hunt in Africa.I do respect Shockey.I think he is a hunter and not an actor like some of the other guys that have shows.

Of the whole damned bunch of them, Shockey has always been my favorite. His shows always seem to have a sufficient amount of variety and also an added element of honesty and credibility to them. I don't know why it was so surprising that these programs that we watch for entertainment have such an ugly business-like aire behind the scenes. And I don't know why it suddenly occurred that having that as an occupation might just take the joy completely out of something that I love. but there was something about this particular program that got that point across.

No, to me that is not hunting. That's just another day at the office.

Doc

[Nomad]

I watch them from time to time.you don't ever learn anything , they pass deer most guys would put on the wall as their best deer ever...

They hunt large private "farms".

They are as real as porn films are to day to day life .

Take one of those "hunters" turn them loose on NYS land and see how they do !

FWIW I do like shockey.

[Doc]

I watch them from time to time.you don't ever learn anything , they pass deer most guys would put on the wall as their best deer ever...

They hunt large private "farms".

They are as real as porn films are to day to day life .

Take one of those "hunters" turn them loose on NYS land and see how they do !

FWIW I do like shockey.

After watching that show, it all came clear to me why they have to hunt places where the odds are heavily slanted in their direction. They don't have a whole lot of time to spend in stands without getting some good entertaining viewable footage. When they say time is money ....... I guess these programs are some extreme examples of just what that means. They HAVE TO produce results and in a timely fashion so that they can have regularly scheduled programs. It's a job, not a hobby.

Doc

[Doc]

Ok, I finally got to see another episode of the Jim Shockey show that gave a glimpse into what's behind these TV shows and inspired the original post of this thread. This time I got to see the entire show. The name of it is "The Professionals". Even though this was the second program of this series that I have ever seen, it too was equally depressing. I probably won't be watching it ever again. This latest episode was all about setting up two hunts for a scheduled that they had already committed to deliver before the hunters were even selected. In one scene, I saw 5 different people and the cameraman made it at least 6 different people that were involved in the stalk. It was hunting by committee.

There must be some real money involved in that business, because it was plain that this had nothing to do with recreation. It was all dead serious business. As serious as any industry developing a product with delivery dates and drop-dead deadlines. Anyone who thinks that these guys live the perfect life with being able to hunt all the time, ought to see one of those shows. Even Shockey himself had to admit that it is not really fun, but some very serious and difficult work. It all seems like a great way to ruin a perfectly pleasant pastime.

Doc

[burmjohn]

Thats for sure.  I personally prefer the shows that just show hunting, encounters, etc.  There is no need for "kill".  I wish there were more shows that focused on prep work, like building and picking stand locations, food plots, scouting, etc. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats for sure.  I personally prefer the shows that just show hunting, encounters, etc.  There is no need for "kill".  I wish there were more shows that focused on prep work, like building and picking stand locations, food plots, scouting, etc.

I agree. I find myself watching less of the ones where they hunt, and more of the informative ones.

[NYBowhunter]

Have to agree with you guys, at this stage in my hunting the kill is a small part of the entire experience. Like some of you I find the instructional end of hunting more entertaining...i.e. creating food plots, stand placement, scouting, animal management etc....we need alot more shows like that. What happened to the good ole UNEDITED shows like Jim Dougherty. I like those old hunting tapes, now everything is edited to perfection and is not what you and I experience while out in the field.

Thats for sure.  I personally prefer the shows that just show hunting, encounters, etc.  There is no need for "kill".  I wish there were more shows that focused on prep work, like building and picking stand locations, food plots, scouting, etc.

I agree. I find myself watching less of the ones where they hunt, and more of the informative ones.

[jimbodwb]

Doc, I believe also saw the show you were talking about in the OP. In the end the producers were not happy with Jim because he did not get the "Kill Shot" on camera. the animal could not be seen but he shot anyway. For once, it was personal satisfaction over "getting it on film". I used to watch a lot of these shows but now that my son is going to be hunting soon I have stopped. I don't want him watching these shows and thinking he is going to go out and shoot a monster in a 1/2 hour. I still do watch some shows like Jim Shockey and Team Fitzgerald on VERSUS. I still watch Realtree Roadtrips because I think Michael Waddell is actually truly excited about hunting and he is entertaining in the process.

[fasteddie]

My camera men kept screwing up my hunts so I don't take them with me anymore !  :

[Doc]

Well, you know after you have seen a few hundred kill shots, you kind of get burned out on that stuff. Most of the TV hunting shows are so predicable, you could watch one and pretty much see what's in all of them.

First you have the hunter-heros driving to the camp that they are going to hunt out of. Then they have the introductions. Then they might show a bit about the ranch or hunting camp or whatever. Then you see the guy in his stand. Then they have to show a whole bunch of monster bucks that they are passing up because they are not quite what they are looking for. Then the hunter-hero whispers that there is a "shooter" coming. Then the funky 1970's music starts as the buck slowly moves in. He shoots the deer and it runs away with 4/5 of the arrow sticking out of some non-vital part of the deer, but he flashes the thumbs-up signal and starts giggling all over himself. Next thing shows him following the blood trail. Then all of a sudden it's pitch black and the hunter is kneeling behind a well manicured and cleaned up buck and he's telling the viewer how the buck only ran 80 yards and died.

That's pretty much all there is to any of the shows. As far as educational, I haven't seen one of those since the video, "Bowhunting October Whitetails" with the Wentzel brothers a jillion years ago. I think I only watch these shows anymore just so I can see how much phoney stuff they're trying to put over on us.

Yes they do have an opportunity to do a bit of education if only they would try it once in a while. Even experienced hunters can always use a bit of a brush-up on the basics, and if they would just try, there probably are some little ways of looking at things just a little differently or pointing out some info that maybe never occurred to a lot of us, that could benefit viewers.

Yes, I'm afraid I am getting a bit burned out on these scripted hunting tales. I think Jim Shockey probably realizes this too and maybe that's why he's trying a little different approach by trying to show the behind the scenes views of his end of the business. Unfortunately, it's not really working for me.

Doc

[steve863]

At least Jim Shockey doesn't have a southern accent.  It seems to me that the deeper the southern accent, the more staged and fake the hunting show will be.  More likely to be a hunt inside a pen also.  I think the southern boys just like it to be easy when it comes to hunting(and probably most other things also).  Heck, I hunted in Alabama once and they don't even gut deer themselves down there.  They just throw them into the truck and take them to the meat processors with guts in them and all!   

[SteveMcD]

I like Jim Shockey, he is an upfront, stand up guy, and knows how to talk to people instead of at them. He certainly has one of the better hunting shows on TV. A far cry from all the "Forrest Gumps" out there. HOWEVER, Hunting shows are not about hunting, for the most part they are 20 minute infomercials about all the different sponsors products. Hunting shows are about the "business" of hunting. Not the sport of hunting.

FYI.. for 25 Grand Minimum you too can go hunting with Jim Shockey. : ???

[wztirem]

I like Jim Shockey, he is an upfront, stand up guy, and knows how to talk to people instead of at them. He certainly has one of the better hunting shows on TV. A far cry from all the "Forrest Gumps" out there. HOWEVER, Hunting shows are not about hunting, for the most part they are 20 minute infomercials about all the different sponsors products. Hunting shows are about the "business" of hunting. Not the sport of hunting.

FYI.. for 25 Grand Minimum you too can go hunting with Jim Shockey. : ???

If the show was not profitable, Jim Shockey and others of his ilk would be a memory. As long as people view the shows and buy into the advertiser's claims we will continue to be bombarded with advertising propganda. Watch the shows with the audio muted and notice how many times product logos and trademarks are identified. They even have the hearing impaired targeted!

[Doc]

All TV shows are about profit, but for some reason programs other than most hunting and fishing shows recognize that occasionally you have to change up the story line in order to keep your viewers. Most TV programming shows an understanding that unique and different are good qualities to have.

I think that one of the reasons that I find Jim Shocky's programs a whole lot more entertaining is that he devotes most of his programs to something other than deer. In fact, it is almost a rare event that his shows contain any deer hunting at all. Some of those up close and personal moose hunting shows are actually pretty awesome. In fact, all those clips that begin his shows are pretty darn exciting even without being part of an individual show. And a shockey black bear hunt is one that gets away from the typical treestand overlooking a garbage pile style of hunting as he conducts mostly spot and stalk bear hunts. These kinds of hunts are way different from the constant diet of standard format deer hunts that I burned out on several years back. I've got to say it ...... most of them are just plain boring.

And when I think of all the basically untouched hunting subject matter that could be the focus of 1/2 hour shows or muti-part shows, I almost get a bit angry that these hunting show producers think that we hunters are such simpletons that they don't even have to try to apply a bit of creativity to their programming.

Doc