YouTube and public land

[GobbleNut]

Thanks for taking the time to write such a lengthy comment, Dave (cove).  Anybody that watches your videos and your corresponding demeanor about all of this stuff was already aware of most of your thoughts and positions.  You (and others that approach this thing we call spring gobbler hunting the same way you do) have nothing to apologize for or need to defend what you do.

There is little doubt that the advent of the internet, in general, and YouTube specifically has resulted in an enormous increase in interest in turkey hunting both in-state and out. Fact is, that was going to happen eventually, one way or the other. Those of us that are turkey hunters, and spring gobbler hunters in particular, don't do this because we have an opening in our schedules on Saturday morning and need to fill it with something.  We do this because of the overwhelming passion we have for this great game bird and the joy it brings to us in pursuing it. We are going to find a way, and a place, to do that regardless of all else. 

Finding that way and place is simply a matter of making it a priority in our lives rather than an afterthought. "It is what it is" as the saying goes.  As others have stated, if anyone wants to hunt turkeys (or anything else for that matter), they have to take the initiative and adapt or they will get to "walk behind the horses in the parade". 



 

[eggshell]

Ahhh, so I am assuming that was Dave with pinhoti, I had no idea. I guess that says something about me and how much or little I watch turkey hunting videos. Most of what I know is from negative interaction in the field. I did go and watch a couple of his videos, well parts of them.  I can never finish one without jumping around, I just get bored watching them. I did see some that was instructional on topics like handling a bird and was glad to see that. Most videos unfold the same way and I just get tired of them. It's not the guys fault at all, there's only so much you can show. Does video guys ever comment on what call they are using and why or what they are looking at as they make set ups? I will say I did not see much that would give away defined locations in the videos I watched, but I agree with the comment, "limit the driving road shots". All in all it's not an all a bad thing that people learn to travel and hunt from these videos. I have benefited myself, yet it is important to respect where you are and the "locals" so to speak. When I travel I always engage locals and respect them. I have been shocked how many times a local guy has put me on birds. It all comes down to being respectful and humble. I will help people I come across in my area if they come off as respectful and considerate. I want everyone to enjoy the hunt.

What I saw in the couple pinhoti videos is guys hunting like I hunt and not just kill shots, I like that. You can learn from just watching them for sure. As I said almost all my past interactions were negative and soured me. I saw a lot of these guys through my work and 20 years ago most were self righteous Butt heads that I saw. They used people and took advantage of the sport to make money and build self image. There does seem to be a new breed that wants to simply share the great adventure of the hunt. I give those who do it right kudos, lets hope some of the bad ones learn to follow suite. The best way to beat the bad productions is not to watch, when they lose views they will fade away, hopefully.

See discussion is a good thing. Even old bitter arse old men can learn

[GobbleNut]

Another thing that comes to my mind regarding all this discussion about the impacts of traveling turkey hunters is the question of how many of us are actually doing it to anywhere near the extent that a few of the YouTube guys are? 

I mean, I love to turkey hunt and I try to get to another state or two each spring to do it.  However, I can tell you that if I even considered taking the amount of time away from home, and dollars it takes, to hop from state to state each spring to hunt, I would have had the divorce papers handed to me long ago.   

[ddturkeyhunter]

I didn't know Cove was Dave but glad I do now because of the very few video I do watch it is ether the Pintoti Project or Shane's video's. I don't have a lot of time to spend on the computer, so can watch video's or read Post on OLD GOBBLER, and OLD GOBBLERS wins out all the time. Just wanted to pass a little information and thoughts on some of them Guys. I don't remember what year it was but I met Shane many years back before this YOUTUBE thing had even really started. Shane had just moved from South Carolina to Minnesota. Not sure where it was, but I seen a post, him asking people in MN that had turkey license if he could come along and join them just to be in the woods. I told him I would be hunting in a few days in the norther part of the state some three hrours from him in a few days, and if he wanted he could come join me. He filmed my hunt that day, it was some of the first films he started to post.. I just want to say Shane started doing the filming stuff because he loved turkey hunting so much and just wanted to share it with everyone. And I still watch Shanes video today because he is trying to teach you things , just like the Pintoti Project dose. I just moved more to the Pintoti Project because Dave didn't use decoys and Shane dose more often. The thing I learned was, I didn't realize You didn't need to use decoys and still could be very successful. I know that a few of the guys are Now being extra careful not to let out there locations. But the problem will ALWAYS persist from now on, because of new film crews trying to get into the business. So Dave and Shane, just keep up what you are doing so the new turkey hunter: and filmer's have a good standard to TRY following.

[RutnNStrutn]

First I would like to say that I have no problem with people videoing hunts and posting them to YouTube. Honestly I find it almost necessary to recruit new hunters into the sport. Commercialized hunting has gotten so far away from the general public, I couldn't imagine being a new hunter and trying to decipher through all the needless bs that gets pushed in every episode. With that said, I believe there is a right and wrong way to do things. Some of these YouTube channels are posting way to much information about their locations. What's wrong with just saying what state your in and leaving it at that? The hunting public has gotten horrible about it. They constantly video needless scenes to almost purposely hint where they are. One recent video even showed the freaking gate number. Them along with others will also post pictures of topos of the actual spots for no other reason than to get paid by OnX. The closer they get back to their home area though the more candid they become. In their quest to recruit new hunters, if that's even what their mission is anymore, they are forgetting about the local guys that are already fighting the fight. They are forgetting about the working dads that only have weekends to try and get their kid on a bird or deer. They are forgetting about the locals that don't have the money or time to drive 2 hours away because their closest wma has been over run by internet scouters. I can't help but get irritated when I see things like this on their videos. To me Dave Owens is the about the only one that does it right. He doesn't video many needless scenes to show where he is, you see him in the woods and that's about it. I myself don't have any children and my off time from my job lets me drive all over my state to hunt. This doesn't really affect me right now but I'm sure it is affecting other people and in time will only get worse.

Agreed. I recently moved out of FLA. When I was there, I could only afford to hunt public land due to the outfitters gobbling up the private land and running up the prices. Wealthy businessmen were the only ones who could afford to compete with the outfitters.
The average Joes like me were left with the WMA scraps off the table. It took years of trial and error to find out what WMA's were worth hunting and where to hunt on them. So it used to seriously aggravate me when people would post up on the Internet about what WMA they had a great hunt at, or some outdoor writer did the same thing in a magazine. The Cyberscouters would then pull up the WMA on satellite and set about scouting courtesy of the www intel they just received without spending a penny or setting foot in the woods.
I used to hunt a WMA that butted up to a private ranch that was loaded with gobblers. To get to that spot required driving to the back side of the WMA, and then a 30 minute bicycle ride through the woods. Killed many a bird there back in the day. Then with the advent of Google Earth, combined with a magazine article talking up the place, the Cyberscouters descended on the WMA, and of course found the honeyhole that only a half dozen hunters knew about previously. Game over.
Fortunately, I no longer have to rely on FLA WMA's to kill my birds.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[eggshell]

I mean, I love to turkey hunt and I try to get to another state or two each spring to do it.  However, I can tell you that if I even considered taking the amount of time away from home, and dollars it takes, to hop from state to state each spring to hunt, I would have had the divorce papers handed to me long ago.

I literally laughed out load Gobblenut. I am right there with ya, the most I ever done was three states in one year and that was our grand slam hunts.

You never know if your gone too long another gobbler might venture into your strutt zone.

Most years it's home in Ohio and then Kentucky where I have family and friends with private, but still hunt a lot of public. I have in separate years ventured to NY, Montana, VA., West Va, Oklahoma and one single trip to Florida and almost all these were private. Through my work I made connections with a lot of people in other states and most of those hunts were from invites. One of these days I will hunt South Dakota as my daughter lives there and my buddy has friends with land in the Black Hills. They invite me every year but I've never done it.

To stay on topic, I don't think I ever used a video to choose a hunting location. Mainly because almost every time I had local connections. Even now, I don't think I would. I'm not into following others around. A long time ago an old sage told me he'd rather only find one single bird and have him to himself than find 10 birds and compete with 10 guys. The same thing has always happened  it just happens faster now. Years ago we all cursed magazine writers for articles. I once had a prime pheasant spot on an isolated public piece, that was rarely hunted. One year I pull in on opening morning and there are 3 vehicles and at least one out of state. I asked the out of state guy how he found it and he pulls an outdoor magazine from his truck. I just snarled and cussed a little bit, then invited him to come along with me. He didn't even have a dog and I had the best pheasant dog in the whole region. I thought just as well keep him close, it wasn't his fault. I put him in position on the first few birds and limited his butt out and sent him home happy. Then I went hunting LOL.

One thing more that contributes to all the ill feelings is that available ground is shrinking every year. Many that hunted private have only public left as land is sold, leased or developed. When I was young you could go anywhere and hardly ever have someone run you off. Then land owners started posting more and more land. The younger generations aren't as generous. I really don't think it was from problems as much as the changing social structure of "me first generation". Just like my home farm, my sister and her husband took over it and the first day he posted it and even told me I couldn't hunt...well that didn't fly.

[JMBknvc]

To put it simply, think the decline in turkey population is the biggest issue concerning public land hunting and we all as hunters need to come together to address that concern. There is always going to be pressure on public land and we will continue to point the finger saying, " that or this is the reason". You just have to be willing to out work the other guy. I'll tip my hat to the Pinhoti Project, THP and Shane for having that drive and showing it. To start the day well before daylight and end well after sunset for days at a time. The only difference is that they are doing it on Youtube where in time past Will and Cuz, Knight & Hale, and The Drury's showed it on VHS or even earlier the outdoor writers in article & books. Understand it is already hard enough to kill a spring gobbler, and you don't want or need any extra problems. However, we just need to work harder and "embrace the suck" on our jury, and lead by example.

As CuttinAR has started about duck hunting in Bayou Meto. Heck, that is where I learned to duck hunt. That is where my son cut his teeth and raised up duck hunting. Hunting pressure is just part of the hunt. However, we all need to hunt as "sportsman".       

[g8rvet]

I have watched THP.  I find them entertaining.  I think I have seen one or two of Pinhotti.  Who is Shane?  What is his name on you-space-agram-tube?  LOL. 

It is entertainment.  That is why I watch.  It is better than watching some schmuck scream "SMACKDOWN" or some other stupid crap on the Outdoor Channel.  There are fishing shows I will watch too, but not many.  I don't think I have ever tuned in to "learn" anything, although, being an open minded person that does not think I know everything, I can probably learn something from every show I have watched.  I don't watch much TV, don't go out drinking all weekend, so sitting in front of the computer and watching an outdoor video can be a pleasant diversion on a rainy or cold day. 

I do not really understand the concept of making money off of one's avocation.  I have a vocation for $$$$$ that I love.  But I am fortunate, not everyone does.  It is just not for me.  I would not want to turn something I love into a job.  I have had friends become guides (duck, quail hunting and fishing) and end up not really liking to hunt or fish anymore.  I have guided a few hunts for charity and I did not like the pressure! 

I will keep being entertained and I hope none of them ever show up where I hunt!  I am sorry if anyone has given out anyone's else's spots and appreciate those with more discretion. 

[Stoeger_bird]

Jealousy of Dave and youtubers absolutely has 0 to do with it. I enjoyed watching their shows and applouded it before i saw first hand what it was becoming. Everywhere he hunts become the next new hotspot the next season The main problem I have is the new breed of hunter they are spawning. They have create the "all I care about is getting mine" type of hunters. Those type of hunters would stop or drastically cut down their thrill kills if they couldn't post on a social media platform.Those type of hunters are Whats going to bring this whole thing down!  Dave knows damn well what he has created and is continuing to create. And don't let Dave be a hypocrite with calling him out for saying its not all about numbers and kills. For example look at what he did in his Wisconsin trip in 2019.  How many did yall kill there Dave? Not only did u keep going back and harvesting bird after bird but u also brought in several different people to do the same. Yall know why he did this? VIEWS AND LIKES! Its literally ur job now Dave  and ur finances depend it. Its a business to him now people Profit! Dave u can hid behind a cloak of doing it for the love of the hunt or whatever u claim but the simple truth is ur doing it now because u can't stop. Its become to big and as long as u keep making money the hell with everyone else and the most of all to hell with the resources. But hey Dave u got yours though so congrats.

[Delmar ODonnell]

Jealousy of Dave and youtubers absolutely has 0 to do with it. I enjoyed watching their shows and applouded it before i saw first hand what it was becoming. Everywhere he hunts become the next new hotspot the next season The main problem I have is the new breed of hunter they are spawning. They have create the "all I care about is getting mine" type of hunters. Those type of hunters would stop or drastically cut down their thrill kills if they couldn't post on a social media platform.Those type of hunters are Whats going to bring this whole thing down!  Dave knows damn well what he has created and is continuing to create. And don't let Dave be a hypocrite with calling him out for saying its not all about numbers and kills. For example look at what he did in his Wisconsin trip in 2019.  How many did yall kill there Dave? Not only did u keep going back and harvesting bird after bird but u also brought in several different people to do the same. Yall know why he did this? VIEWS AND LIKES! Its literally ur job now Dave  and ur finances depend it. Its a business to him now people Profit! Dave u can hid behind a cloak of doing it for the love of the hunt or whatever u claim but the simple truth is ur doing it now because u can't stop. Its become to big and as long as u keep making money the hell with everyone else and the most of all to hell with the resources. But hey Dave u got yours though so congrats.

Could a much simpler explanation be that he was on birds, Wisconsin legally allowed him to continue to buy permits, and hunting and killing turkeys is fun, irrespective of "views and likes?" Your comment contains a lot of baseless conjecture, especially when considering he was hunting that hard long before he started his channel. Pretty strong accusation to make without providing any evidence to support it. Seems much more like you just don't like the guy.

[dzsmith]

I enjoy the content of most. I do agree it created a culture of have nots trying to become haves and it's doing damage . However ....it's not per say anyone's fault . Everything is becoming that way .... wood working tools are readily available and cheaper than they have ever been now that harbor freight etc.... are all over the country . What started as a guy making cutting boards , turkey calls , etc.... has turned into everybody doing it. This is just another example of the same thing . Its inevitable . I don't like what I'm seeing anymore than anybody else on .... but it's reality. We just got to deal with it. What I'm waiting to see as my states harvest numbers go down year after year how long will it take to change bag limits . Most states don't wait as long as we have .... but my poor ole sovereign state claims they depend on the money .... and they probably do truth be told .

[Howie g]

You tubers / facebookers / twitters/ coyotes / skunks / hawks / owls / coons /coonasses / arkies / loggers /
Corn hunters / decoy deployers / tss / Democrats / fire ants / cut overs / reaper fanners / hogs /
And last but not least ,, covid !!  Even with all this ,,, I can't wait till it opens so I can get after these unbelievable survival artists!

[GobbleNut]

I have watched THP.  I find them entertaining.  I think I have seen one or two of Pinhotti.  Who is Shane?  What is his name on you-space-agram-tube?  LOL. 

Assuming you are serious with the question....
Shane Simpson,...simpzenith on OG,...Calling All turkeys

[greencop01]

When I read this thread I get discouraged with people. They believe everything people say w/o checking facts. Then you have people only care about themselves, this is my public spot go find your own. They refuse to help tyros, new people to the sport. They are lazy and wont bother to find a new spot. They say all the toms are henned up and won't learn to call better on their calls. I learned real quick to have plan A, B, C, E, F etc. People tend to feel sorry for themselves. Their PROBLEMS are their own making. Get their the firstest, get the mostest and to hell with everyone else. I mostly hunt with a friend I've known for over forty years. And my Pastor and my brother. Mostly I hunt alone. I have a bad rt foot and can't hike in as far as I used to. So I use the land my calls and my shotgun with the best means and knowledge I can muster and have had some great matches with his majesty the wild turkey. And mostly all my hunting on hard hunting land here in Massachusetts. I just look at maps and find new ways in and also hunt overlooked places people ignore because cars and trucks are parked all over the road but I still find places to safely hunt. The people I find are the same in every sport, and it boils down to selfishness, laziness and because of other people. In closing one reason for declines in population is that in many states the season opens too early and the best toms in the gene pool are taken out of the equation. This equation only has bad results. And maybe these bag limits should be lowered.                     

I don't mean to be so harsh but read all these posts in these threads.There are a few (threads) thru them you see repeated about my spots, my public land, too many hunters, too many You Tube videos ruining my spots. Its really sad to see this in our ranks. We have men like Dave (Cove) Shane, The Hunting Public, that are the epitome of out Sport, Fair Chase, politeness, unselfishly telling and showing others what works for them. I only see them doing what we all should be doing emulating them. This is only my opinion, and I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings. I really think this thread is good and cleans up the air in the free exchange of ideas. In closing I really like how the You Tubers help others out with infirmities and getting out their with their help maybe a turkey too. God Bless you all and have a good Spring. May you all hear the 'RATTLE'!

[eggshell]

I think that we have about exhausted this topic and like all things it has had it's time.

"When all is said and done"

Definition of when all is said and done -

: after considering or doing everything —used for a final general statement or judgment:

Used in a sentence:

It won't be easy, but when all is said and done, we'll be glad we did it.

The candidates claim to have different views but, when all is said and done, they're very much alike.

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/when%20all%20is%20said%20and%20done.