Interesting turn in content in the past week's articles that are actually about hunting. What say you all?

[jcarlin]

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[Treestand]

OH NO Mr. Bill The Leader Board is Gone??????

[Gary Devine]

Here is a Ignoramus.

"Let experts, not hunters, decide on bear hunt
Your readers shouldn't be surprised by conclusions by the state Division of Fish and Wildlife that ending the annual New Jersey bear hunt will have "unacceptable" consequences. They also shouldn't be impressed.
The division is another example of a government regulatory agency that has been captured by the regulated. Hunters are making critical environmental and wildlife management decisions and the results have been disastrous.
Over 4,000 bears have been slaughtered in recent years. The false and egregious of bear attacks has led to the destruction of whole families of theses majestic animals.
my Virtually no attempt has been made to control or by avoiding human contact through the protection of habitat.
Incoming Gov. Phil Murphy's decision to end the bear hunt is to be congratulated. It's also only the beginning.
The Legislature needs to reform wildlife management by placing responsibility with scientists and conservationists and not by hunters."
Robert Torricelli U.S. senator, 1996-2003
----------------------
Former senator joins protest of N.J. black bear hunt

[jcarlin]

deleted, meant ot be reply to another answer below.

[jcarlin]

Deleted...

All good points.

I can't blame them on the gear part, it's part of the shtick and part of why some do read. If it's had an impact on me in the past few years it was in finally buying a .308. For the most part, except for ammo, arrows, and broadheads I haven't purchased much hunting gear in the past 5 or 10 years... wait.. not true. Did buy a new overalls and jacket about 3 or so ago.

On the F&S side, they've shifted from railing at anyone who isn't for the government owning and regulating everyplace with a tree to having showcase articles occurring in the big wildernesses.
I applaud it, both a better tactic and better reading.

[jcarlin]

OH NO Mr. Bill The Leader Board is Gone??????

I wasn't a big leaderboard fan, particularly once I appeared on it.

[Treestand]

Deleted...

May i add, Our Hunting & Gun Guys are more like Hi-priced Equipment Sales man! And not everyone hunts Africa.

Sorry PH for jumping your post!!

[MattM37]

I like a lot of Natalie's article about recruitment. For one thing, it's about time someone publicly made that point about "preaching to the choir" with the youth hunts and other events. Not that they shouldn't take place, of course; I've just always thought that they don't help much recruitment-wise when the only kids attending are likely the kids learning to hunt from dad and mom already. I agree with the points about the locavores, too. Honestly I don't believe that very many in that clique are really all that interested -- some, sure, but not enough to make much of a difference in overall numbers. Not that we should discount anything that helps. // I do think that the outdoor media industry is in one hell of a pickle, over a barrel, whatever the phrase. Obviously, many writers and TV producers care about the things that matter -- we wouldn't have articles like Natalie's or a show like Steven Rinella's "Meateater" if it were otherwise -- but the criticisms made here in this thread already, and made quite often by many of us, are certainly valid. I don't know if there can be a balance (or at least one that really helps reverse the decline) between the material that attracts sponsors / sells the product and the material devoted to these important topics. Important, but not so appealing to read, watch, and talk about -- and that's a symptom of what's happening to us all over, not just in the hunting community.

[jcarlin]

I like a lot of Natalie's article about recruitment. For one thing, it's about time someone publicly made that point about "preaching to the choir" with the youth hunts and other events. Not that they shouldn't take place, of course; I've just always thought that they don't help much recruitment-wise when the only kids attending are likely the kids learning to hunt from dad and mom already. I agree with the points about the locavores, too. Honestly I don't believe that very many in that clique are really all that interested -- some, sure, but not enough to make much of a difference in overall numbers. Not that we should discount anything that helps. // I do think that the outdoor media industry is in one hell of a pickle, over a barrel, whatever the phrase. Obviously, many writers and TV producers care about the things that matter -- we wouldn't have articles like Natalie's or a show like Steven Rinella's "Meateater" if it were otherwise -- but the criticisms made here in this thread already, and made quite often by many of us, are certainly valid. I don't know if there can be a balance (or at least one that really helps reverse the decline) between the material that attracts sponsors / sells the product and the material devoted to these important topics. Important, but not so appealing to read, watch, and talk about -- and that's a symptom of what's happening to us all over, not just in the hunting community.

Completely agree. Underutilized as a writer.

[fitch270]

Deleted...

I'll play devils advocate on the entry level gear and such, at least as far as the magazine goes. The online content is free, so you're going to have more newbies checking in. Those who have been there, done that for awhile and are willing to spend out of pocket to read about stuff probably aren't interested as much in the cheap stuff. Problem is the the two media forms are one and the same content wise. Makes it tough to cater to both markets. Especially when you consider that "affordable" is subjective depending on priorities. I absolutely hate to hear guys that play golf whine about how much a fishing or hunting license costs.

I'm also not a fan of quality deer manipulation in respect to state regulations.

[Gary Devine]

OH NO Mr. Bill The Leader Board is Gone??????

I think 99explorer is the only fan of the points Leaderboard on F&S and OL?
Fly Eagles Fly!

[Buckshott00]

We need more hunters otherwise "progressives" will continue their asinine proclamation that we're all hyper-agressive redneck ignoramuses set on blood-sport.

Pyramid is how you have to do it. Teach 2 and they teach 2 and so on. You know you won't get full exponential growth but you have to try.

[jhjimbo]

I participate in some other activities that have also experienced declines in new membership / participation of both sexes. I think it is because of the allure of computers, games and social media competing for an individuals time and money.

[jcarlin]

I participate in some other activities that have also experienced declines in new membership / participation of both sexes. I think it is because of the allure of computers, games and social media competing for an individuals time and money.

As the millenials go, I've some hope that the locavore movement will get some people out there who otherwise wouldn't have thought to do so.

The pendulum swings both ways, the more the hustle and bustle and constant connection captures people, the greater the urge to get out.