I've been watching hunting shows by various groups and watching some of the posts of people on here so I have a hunting show proposal for Buckmasters.

We need to see you hunt on public land... under the conditions we hunt under.  Nation wide it's figured that nearly 70% of the hunters only hunt public land, which means that all those private farm hunts, reserve hunts and guided hunts we are often shown are only applicable to 30% of us combined... and most of those are private farm hunters, not guided hunts to Kansas or reserve hunts in Texas.  Those 70% of the hunters are only able to take about 30% of the deer though.

So what we'd really like to see is you hunt public land during the time when most of us are hunting, rifle season, and we'd like you to do it on land close to where most of us are hunting, cities and towns, on the east coast near a city.  Over half of the US hunters live within 2 states of the Atlantic coast, which means most of your hunters are within a long days drive of the Atlantic seaboard.  America is nearly 75% urban now, which means most of us hunt near cities, the east coast is even more urban than that.

My proposal is this.  Come to Pennsylvania, Lancaster county and hunt our public land here.  The state of PA has about 1 million licensed hunters annually.  Pennsylvanians take about 320,000 deer annually of which less than half are bucks.  150,000 bucks, about 30% taken on public lands... or 50,000 bucks for 700,000 hunters.  we'll go further, Outdoor Life and Field and Stream editors have noticed the numbers and have commented that the SE PA public land hunt is one of the toughest in America, thus my proposition.  Lancaster county has around 44,000 licensed hunters in any given year, 31,000 or so will hunt public land.  last year around 9,000 deer were taken in Lancaster county, around 2800 of those on public land.  of those only 1300 were bucks.  if you're doing the math that's one buck per 24 hunters. 

What I'd like to see is you come to Lancaster county, using limited means as though you are living on a typical salary, scout the local public lands only (you can't use private lands even if offered as most locals won't offer them to the rest of us but might to a public figure), using a single tree stand, (people will often steal ones left in the woods so you only want a climber) tag a buck, 8 points or better.  And in the show, more than the impact shots, show how you did it.  What did you look for?  What did you see?  how did you choose your stand site/sights?  what scents did you use?  rattles?  That you CAN do it is fascinating, HOW you did it invaluable.

You could even keep a blog and perhaps a video blog here on the website to show what you did and how you did it.  If you can be successful in Lancaster county on public lands, you can be successful anywhere, as most places have better deer to hunter ratios.

if you like the idea say so.

I agree. I've ofted said they need a hunting show for the average guy. Most of us can't afford to go hunting in Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, or Texas. We hunt small tracks of private land or large tracks of public land. We don't have all the expensive equipment or setups. Just me, my rifle, a climbing stand, and my knowledge of hunting.
I guess they figure that would only make one or two good shows and that we all watch just to see the monster deer. I don't know about you, but I enjoy watching any deer being harvested be it a doe, small buck, or monster buck. I just like to learn new tips and tricks.

i guess they figure it'd make only one or two good shows, but i would be WAY more interested in seeing the technique and preparation for getting a nice 6 pointer on public land than the 'kill shot' on a low fence deer in south texas that i'll never have a chance to hunt.

FTR, i was on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website on Wednesday and found the deer numbers for last year. About 35,000 licensed hunters in Lancaster county, 6,000 deer taken. now, adjust for public land and you have 23,000 hunters taking 2,000 deer or a ratio of 1 deer per 11.5 hunters last year. only 700 of those were bucks... or 1 buck per 32 hunters on public land.

Please, come show us how it's done.

 

the earlier numbers were 2006, these numbers were 2008... it just keeps getting worse.

Heck I live in Lancaster Co. and in 45 years of hunting here I've only taken two bucks here,one 5 point,and one 8 point, all the other deer I've taken were in Center,Adams,Sullivan,and Tioga Countys.

there was a guy in the news here the other day. shot a button buck. first deer he's ever shot... in 20 years of hunting. public land in SE PA.
another friend of mine took his first deer 2 years ago... after 19 years of hunting, a doe. still on the snide for a buck though. public land SE PA.
actually, i only know of one or two people in the entire area who are regularly successful (every other year or better) on public land here in SE PA for ANY deer. most guys who are successful hunt out of the area or private land or both.

I agree with what you have suggested gehee, but I am here to tell you that you will probably not get a response about your suggestion. I made a similar comment on Keith Warrens Outdoor Adventure Forum and did get a response. Basically I was told by them that people wouldn't want to watch it because there would be no trophy deer.

Heck a nice 16 to 18 inch 6 pointer with 8 to 10 inch G2's is a trophy to me here in WV. Might not score high but still a trophy. All these hunting shows are about the monster buck. I have only seen a few shows where they take something that isn't a monster.

thanks WV. i'll let it go at this juncture. i was hoping to get enough response to get the attention of someone, but only a handful have responded.

 

This is right ..........not everybody sees the massive "farm deer" as a trophy.Heck ,I got a 7 point  and a 8 point that were wall worthy and I have been hunting since I was 13 or 14.

The one I am most proud of is my son's first deer,which was a 4 point.I am a happy man just because of those memories created that day.it's real sad that the hunting spot light has settled on the "monster bucks" and not one what hunting is all about...........family,friends,good times and enjoying what God has provided.

 

Agree totally tubby. It is about family, friends, good times and enjoying waht God has provided. We go to our camp in Greenbrier County every year, about 5 of us. Been going there now for almost 30 years. We want to score on a nice big buck, but we are happy to get a nice 4 point, 6 point and the occasional 8 or 9 point. We do let the spikes go, especially now that I am older. I use to see horns, yep it is over 3 inches and shoot. Now I have grown and generally go for a nice big six or bigger buck.

But, the whole thing about our trip is the good times we have being together, leaving the cares of the world behind us. Good food, good conversation and memories with your kids, grandkids and everyone at camp. Camp fires out side of the camper where we set around and tell our stories of hunts past. Watching the young ones eyes glow in the fire as you talk about the big one you missed. These shows on the air now only deal with the aspect of shooting a 160 to 190 or bigger class buck. To me that isn't what deer hunting is about.

You will never get any of the big time hunting shows to show the truth about deer hunting. Even Primos doesn't get it, or lost it somewhere down the road.

I would love to have a video camera to where I could document our week long trip to camp. I bet if you did that and sent it in to see if the company would air it you would get laughed at, or if they did they would edit so much out of it you still wouldn't get the truth about hunting.

Sorry for the rant, I just can't stand some of these shows. They don't tell our youth the truth about hunting. It takes work to take a deer, but the work is fun.