It’s Bowsite! Thank you
General Topic
Whatever was said or done, it’s appreciated that there are mostly Bowhunting threads now.
Thanks
Double ditto!! Thank you.
Haven’t logged on here in over a year because of all the liberal political threads.
Wow… look at that!!! Great
Well the Midterms are over......
I hope it lasts. Seems like a good start.
—jim
It’s about time! Thank you
It’s a Festivus miracle!!!
Well, there was the thread that Pat started about rifle season……..:-)
We got to give Trump credit for this! ;)-
"BO0NE & CROCKETT" - THIS IS HUGE !! TKS
I thought the same but didn’t wanna say anything and it just be a dream
One small step for man, one giant leap for Bowsite.
Now it would be really nice to see a few select “handles” disappear. At least until they can register another new user name.
I like bowhunting stories…
A data point isn’t a trend. Let’s keep our fingers crossed this is not an anomaly. Are political topics being removed and devolved threads being purged. Let’s hope.
"Are political topics being removed and devolved threads being purged." - Should end with a ? mark.
Ask yourself, when we get down to the censorship level of Red China, who on Bowsite will be left to notice?
"Haven’t logged on here in over a year because of all the liberal political threads."
That statement begs the question, if he hasn't logged on for over a year, how did he know the political threads were liberal?
hallelujah!!!!
And wild bill probably because they’ve been liberal filled threads for two years lol.
Bow hunting is great!
It's the most fun you can have with your pants on IMO.
I used to get upset with some of the political posts but now I find them interesting. Sometimes I think a lot of people don’t understand that everyone has a right to their own opinion no matter if you are a liberal or otherwise. I still wonder why there is so much hate if you don’t agree with your opinion. Name calling and personal insults are more of a reflection of yourself than the people your trying to belittle.
Big improvement.
There are a few notable names missing from this thread. Could it be that they are not on board? Maybe their only goal here is to troll politically. Maybe they’re even paid to do it.
Enjoy while it lasts.
I too don’t miss the political threads, but I didn’t find it that difficult to skip past them.
There are no "rights" on a privately-owned bulletin board. And there are a thousand other venues for political drama. But I highly doubt it's going away here. Still plenty of it remaining on the active-threads page.
Remember.... if you want more bowhunting threads, all you have to do is start one....
Very excited about this! No more Yellowstone spoilers! :)
Agree. Political posts do not belong here unless it directly impacts hunting.
Ok I see a lot of support for no more political posts.
So who will be the first here that posted great no more and to then start or post on one. :)
To be honest I found myself shying away from here because of them. I can get enough of the bickering and low blows as such from facebook all I want. I'll admit I posted a few times on them. But probably less than 10x over the years. What really blows my mind was when I see business owners post them. Theres a nice restaurant near me that the business owner posts political stuff. He got like 4k friends, I actually know a few folks that won't go there because of his posts.
It seems Trump threads are still OK?
“Now it would be really nice to see a few select “handles” disappear. At least until they can register another new user name.”
Heck yeah!!!!…that’ll work! Look at how much better the country is since we tore down statues, changed school names, and canceled all the people we disagree with. Now we can get back to discussing crossbows, bait piles, and broadheads without having the burden of simply ignoring the posts we have no interest in! I never thought the Bowsite would become so inundated with ‘Karen’s in camouflage”! Lol!
teeton,
He got like 4k friends, I actually know a few folks that won't go there because of his posts.
DUH, you just shot a hole in your argument. 4k vs. few?
I havent opened any political threads in a couple days (I dont think), but I just scrolled down and there are still 3-4 that have been up near the top for a while on the first page. Did they get locked or something?
It’s a test to see which troll brings them back to the top. I see a common troll has already failed the test
Personally, I don't get the problem. You don't like a thread, you scroll by. Its simple. It's not like it takes you minutes to scroll past the "junk". It literally takes seconds.
That said, I don't miss them. LOL
Speaking of Yellowstone.
Any bets on John Dutton sleeping with the blonde environmentalist?
I haven't noticed anything different... except that the ads are gone.
He already slept with her last season, Michael.
Easy to say just scroll past the political threads. Problem is there got to be so many of them that a guy ended up missing out on some great bowhunting threads that got buried because of them. I certainly hope that some of the great posters of the past make an appearance on Bowsite and contribute once again. This is a great place with a lot of great people!
A break from the ads is nice. I scroll by a lot of threads. Mechanicals, food plots, scents, and some other topics I usually am not interested in.
Norseman, I was referencing this weeks episode. Didn’t want to give Brotsky a spoiler alert with too much meat on the bone.
Define "slept with". LOL.
Whoopee maybe someone upstairs listened my post a few weeks ago good luck all Lewis
Did Elon buy this one too?
"Heck yeah!!!!…that’ll work! Look at how much better the country is since we tore down statues, changed school names, and canceled all the people we disagree with. Now we can get back to discussing crossbows, bait piles, and broadheads without having the burden of simply ignoring the posts we have no interest in! I never thought the Bowsite would become so inundated with ‘Karen’s in camouflage”! Lol!"
Well said, Sir.
I hope the annoying pop up ads are gone for good.
I'm with Beav as well. I'm good about ignoring the political threads, but when the top 10 threads have 7 political posts, it hides the true value of this website.
I hope the political threads are gone for good. Or relegated back to a "community forum" where the same 7 guys can spout the same talking points and never sway each other (set up on endless loop)
I, for one, hope the popup ads come back. They were annoying, but funded the Bowsite. Without ad revenue, this place may die on the vine, and that would be a huge loss.
No one has to click on a liberal political thread but for me bowsite was becoming a place that too many threads are not hunting related and too many liberal political threads were showing up so it got to the point where I didn’t want to spend any time on bowsite. Doesn’t the tv show The View have a message board these guys could hang out on ?
No one has to click on a liberal political thread but for me bowsite was becoming a place that too many threads are not hunting related and too many liberal political threads were showing up so it got to the point where I didn’t want to spend any time on bowsite. Doesn’t the tv show The View have a message board these guys could hang out on ?
No one has to click on a liberal political thread but for me bowsite was becoming a place that too many threads are not hunting related and too many liberal political threads were showing up so it got to the point where I didn’t want to spend any time on bowsite. Doesn’t the tv show The View have a message board these guys could hang out on ?
2Wild Bill, I just looked and we only have 46 common friends. So whats the total number, I don't know. My business has 24k cars go by a day. No way I would post political posts on facebook or signs in front of my business. The way folks are today it could cost you 8 to 12% in customer numbers. With your over head being just about the same whether with or with out the political stuff. How much profit will you loose. With out sitting down and doing the math, I guess that would cost me about 25k a year in "profits" Or in bowhunt terms,, one brown bear hunt a year.
Its a nice change to see the board full of hunting threads. Hopefully it can stay that way. If it is no longer a political forum perhaps some of those whose contributions were 99% political will move on.
in many of the hunting threads the politics come out and take over long aftert the title is submitted.
Agreed with Jethro and Bou - MBGA! Much better without the political BS.
When I go for a walk in the bush, I don’t like tripping over garbage. Suppose I could just look the other way, but I don’t want it there. Does that make me a camo-Karen?
“When I go for a walk in the bush, I don’t like tripping over garbage. Suppose I could just look the other way, but I don’t want it there. Does that make me a camo-Karen?”
I don’t know. Unless you’re capable of cleaning it up yourself, perhaps you should find a place to walk that better suits your needs?!
Clean it up. Haul it out. Throw out the trash. I had a backpack full of it coming out on Saturday. Even found a boat bumper up in the woods... and a flip-flop.
YUP, absolutely a great CHRISTmas gift.
"When I go for a walk in the bush, I don’t like tripping over garbage. Suppose I could just look the other way, but I don’t want it there. Does that make me a camo-Karen?"
What? You walk with your eyes closed and can't see the garbage? Pretty easy to avoid. If one is so inclined. Or you can bitch about tripping over everything and refuse to use your God given eyesight.
Last night as I was persuing the Bowsite, I skipped right past the political threads. I admit I was nervously looking over my shoulder for the black masked Bowsite enforcers that apparently come out of no where, restrain you, and force you to read political threads against your will.
Why don’t you guys go crush some political chat room with a bunch of your best hunting stories.
Because those sites would not let such posts remain there
Personally I'd be happy if no political thread were allowed on bowsite. But if we need a compromise. How about each month similar to the "November Funnies" (because one thread is more then enough for memes) thread we had and mods allowed one thread called "November Politics". People can duke it out over all things political and then there is only one thread to get in way of bow related threads. It would be easier for ksflatlander, soccermomny, sundowner, MsDana and few others that come here for only the politics has they wouldn't have to bounce around through 10 different threads to share their infinite wisdom.
We don't need a compromise. It's Bowsite.com
"Agree. Political posts do not belong here unless it directly impacts hunting."
Anymore, all things politics have an effect on hunting - either directly or indirectly...
I'm loving the "new" Bowsite!
Aznonhunter, nobody is against free speech, just against your nonsensical political garbage spewing and misinformation. Plenty of places on the web where you can post your stupid shit. Since you don't actually hunt and have nothing to contribute here now, run along.
Azelkhumper freedom of speech regards the government not a private forum.
I don't want a whole bunch of old ladies registering for bowsite and starting a plethora of threads on crocheting either. Doesn't have anything to do with free speech, it about sticking to the topic.
I got 100$ says it ain’t true or this thread be gone already ..at least 3 trump threads on the main page, I just must be seeing something different
Now let’s not go overboard and restrict old women initiating chrocheting threads. That should be in play along with quilting.
Woohooo!!
I’m celebration of bowsite being bowsite again, here’s an dead elk!
It's just a reflection on our divided society it shouldnt be surprising.
Don’t have a great recap to post? Bump a favorite from the past to the top.
A big thanks for the positive change !
"at least 3 trump threads on the main page" True, it's the new Trumpsite!
I have been managing the political threads this week. I have removed or locked several and will continue to do so until we unveil our new design. It's taken longer than we expected but we're really close now.
Not ready to announce details, but major changes are coming to Bowsite over the next two weeks. I have been listening to your feedback and I agree that the current setup is not working. Please bear with us, and thank you for being such loyal visitors. It really means a lot!
Thank you -
Pat
Good news Pat! Thanks for addressing this directly and for what you've created for us here.
Change can be good! Looking forward to it. Thank you Pat.
Yes good news. I wasn't here for the bowsite format, but for the guys that post here. Most are very knowledgeable and helpful. But, I have shied away because because of all the non-bowhunting posts. Ed
Thanks, Pat! And if you need ads and popups to keep this machine running, by all means, bring them back.
Jaq, the ads are not going away without replacement revenue. We're thinking about a paid, 'Ad free' option but for the upcoming release it's not in the cards.
The reason the ads are not showing now is because we filled all our campaign goals for the month. They will reappear on 12/1.
Ok two more things, was not a fan of the pop-ups. :( sorry!! Will we see a bowsite live chat room come back ?? :) I remembers year back chatting with Big Dan a lot. I like it. But I can live with out both, if I have to. Ed
No live chat, sorry. BigDan never forgave me when we disabled those IRC chats!
"We're thinking about a paid, 'Ad free' option"
Think I'd be all in.
The political stuff is fine with me but I won't use Bowsite any less if it isn't here. I'm ok with ads as well but would prefer they don't require a specific action to get past. Imbedded occasionally in a thread or beginnings and endings would be preferable and less annoying I think.
Good to know site upgrades are in the works. Bowsite is a treasure.
Those of us who have been here since the 90's will appreciate a less "social media" type environment...
Make the X bigger to clear the pop-up ads please. Thanks. :)
The Bowsite of today is a breath of fresh air and a flashback to why this website (Excluding the past year) was my go to since the 90’s.
Rick may have slimmed down but he still has fat fingers. :)
Three CHEERS to Pat Lefemine.... !!! Listening to the majority & not letting a handful of some, trying to ruin this site !!
MBGA !!
This sounds like exciting news.
Thanks Pat.
Good going Pat. You and your crew do a great job with the Bowsite. Looking forward to what's coming next.
Are we going to be able to use emojis ;)
"The reason the ads are not showing now is because we filled all our campaign goals for the month. They will reappear on 12/1."
Probably because of political posts
Possibly. Hopefully a bunch of actual bowhunters will return and give this site the clicks they need to stay afloat. Charlie told me once, years ago, that the Bowsite was getting something like 22,000 unique visitors every day. It would be interesting to know how many there are today, although discussion forums in general are losing traffic to other social media sites. I follow a number of former Bowsite regulars who now participate elsewhere.
Jaq, we’re doing 25k unique visitors a day. 2.2 million unique visitors a year right now.
Only 4% of our visitors post anything. 96% just lurk. Some contributors no longer post but most are still here.
The claims that Bowsite is losing tons of traffic is inaccurate. We’re about 20% down from our all time peaks but still generating lots of traffic. About 30 million views per year. There’s a lot more competition now than there was back in 2010-2011. We made a decision not to participate in social media. Not a smart business move but I don’t like contributing to platforms that actively support our demise.
Interesting stats Pat. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate the job you do to keep Bowsite online.
Glad to see the political posts go away. Although I can see them as being valuable for clicks and hope you can find a way to put all that back in a Community Forum type format and still get the advertisers. Thank you.
I feel like the die-hard bowhunting fools, myself included, will never go away no matter how the site evolves/devolves. Even with those annoying sticky ads. Look forward to seeing the new format.
Agree with sticksender’s comments. Hopefully, some of those guys start posting more frequently again.
In regards to the pop up adds, maybe you could do something like a rewards program, where we would build up points each time we click on the “X”, and then we could redeem them on different things, say, like a free do over on a missed bogus Bloodtrail Challenge question….
Thanks, Pat. That's great news. I read an article recently discussing the reduction in participation in forums of all types due to soooooo much competition on so many different platforms. Glad to see the BS is hanging in there! We all appreciate it.
Sweet relief!
Thanks Pat!!! Ooooooh, I wonder if he'll fix the photo colours?
PLEASE no animated emojis!!
But the OP's forum name in the thread title would be great. Then I'd have more time to click on the adds : )
Already looks like some of the old time posters are back in action
Whats amazing is more content when some get off their collective lazy azzes and actually start threads with subjects they want to see. (or post to them less the whining....) Funny how that works.
I'm told it takes a village.... =D
Thanks Pat, you rock!
To those that think this violates free speech, I’d disagree. This (speaking for Pat here) was never intended to be a general social media platform. It’s a bowhunting site. Removing other stuff not related to bowhunting at the owners will, seems completely reasonable to me.
Cool - it will be interesting to see the new design. Though, with all the years I've been on here, Ill probably need to get my kids to teach me how to use a new format! ha ha ha!
No Emojis' I promise.
There should be no learning curve. We're simply adding stuff, not changing the clean, simple design.
Come on Pat, someone once asked if we could at least get a "poop" emojis, that would be great, along with a like button.
Just don’t add a search function please
This feels like 1998-2020 and I like it.
I'm really liking all the great past hunt threads that are getting brought back to the top.
This is what a bow hunting site should look like, thanks all!
What Supernaut said^^^
Enjoying going back to those adventures that hooked me in years ago. There are some serious killers on this site.
Starting to feel like hanging out with a bunch of buddies you want to tell hunting stories to around a camp fire!
I like it
Way better than feeling like your at a bar just waiting for that one drunk guy to start being loud and belligerent.
I think I’ve interacted via private message with more people in the last week than I have since I found this site in the early 2000’s
Wow. We have gone from political bickering to more great hunting stories than a guy has time to read. Fantastic.
Loving Bowsite lately. Thanks Pat
What it is supposed to be.
Thank Goodness I have been missing the real BS....
"And we’re off…"
And is it so awful to exercise freedom?
It wasn't so long ago there were hurt feelings report forms available to anyone so moved to fill it out and publicly cry about hurt feelings. They were a joke, that has sadly become serious to some.
How many of you hunt, with bow in hand, and nothing but the hunt occupies ALL your thoughts? If you don't from time to time consider your life, apart from the hunt, chances are you probably don't have what most people would consider, a life.
You also have the freedom to NOT participate in threads that go down the same ratholes over and over. Freedom of speech implies the freedom to keep silent. (Or, for you Yellowstone fans, the freedom to say 'F* it.')
I have to agree with Hackbow.
In the past we had the Community Forum (I understand why it had to be deleted) & I learned more from that forum on such a variety of topics & from such a diverse group of people. Some of the sharpest minds, quickest wits, & biggest boneheads shared their ideas & opinions. At its best there was nothing like it & never will be again on the internet. The amount of knowledge that was at our fingertips daily was amazing. From Scientists, Financial Advisors / retired Airforce Pilots, Biologists, on down to Truckers, Machinists & everything in between. Sometimes the amount of information shared during debates was astounding. Most people stood tall while a few literally had meltdowns before our very eyes & others could always be counted on to give you a good chuckle. At times the people you verbally sparred with became a good friend. A lot of times the information was weeks ahead of the curve from the MSM. My friends often asked me how I knew something that far in advance & I always told them Bowsite!
As Hackbow said......Scroll past the things that don't interest or upset you.
Bowsite is and always has been a privately owned website. At one time, it was moderated with a much heavier hand than it is now. I remember when no rifle hunting threads were allowed, for example. Yes, the Community Forum was mostly a free for all, but it was moderated too.
The fact that the owner of this site chose to eliminate most of the political chatter is not an attack on freedom of speech. It was his right to control the content of his site. That's freedom, whether you like it or not.
Matt
"I have not seen a new layout or function here as of yet. Waiting patiently.
Hopefully one of the new features will be a way to detect and block trolls who have been banned multiple times.
Matt
I looked through the top 20 political discussion forums as rated by gistfocus.com, and there wasn't one single bowhunting thread on them anywhere.
Weird, huh?
Hackbow-- said "grown men want to control what other grown men want to say" That is not the point at all. It is folks want to come to bowsite which the topic has always been archery/bowhunting and find that. I don't mind the occasional political thread - as in maybe one on the first page. It had gotten to the point there was as much is not more politics as archery and bowhunting threads. If I went to my local sporting goods store and they started filling half the store with art and crafts. I'd be more likely to start shopping else were that was not crowding out the sporting goods with things I have no interest in. That is what was happening with bowsite.
I must say, this non-bow hunting thread is one of the most entertaining the Bowsite has ever produced!
Y’all piss-n-moan that we don’t have 100% bow hunting 100% of the time. Yet you start a thread to celebrate the lack of non hunting topics, and then argue about it?!?!
Bring back the CF. I’m tired of you Karen’s ruining our general discussions with your incessant complaining! Lol!
Darren, you are correct that Pat invited political discussions, mud slinging, misinformation, crackpot conspiracy theories, you name it, and he created a padded room called the "Community Forum" to keep it mostly contained. It went away, for better or worse.
This forum is inconveniently called the "Big Game Forum". It was a place where serious bowhunters could discuss things bowhunting-related, even if a bit sideways. After some of the inmates from the looney bin (not you) crawled over here and attempted to remake this into the CF, it was entertaining at first. But when there were as many political threads as hunting threads, and many great bowhunters who were longtime contributors started going elsewhere, the Bowsite was no longer the "Bowsite".
Sure, we can scroll past all the useless nonhunting conspiracy theories, just like we can step around and over the vomit and human excrement on sidewalks in some cities. But many of us would rather not have to deal with it, look at it, smell it as we go about our daily lives.
Now it appears many longtime contributors are returning, and more bowhunting-related threads are being started. That is a good thing.
I do enjoy how some of you crybabies love to throw the "Karen" perjorative around, as if you own it. "Karen" works both ways, Nancys.
Free speech also affords you the right to choose when NOT to speak. (aka social skills)
We have the RIGHT not to speak, but some azz-hats lack the ABILITY.
MBGA. :)
“I do enjoy how some of you crybabies love to throw the "Karen" perjorative around, as if you own it. "Karen" works both ways, Nancys.”
…says the guy that actively participated in the political threads that he claims to despise!
Instead of the CF we need a forum entitled “Safe Space”, for those of you that are socially challenged!
One thing surprises me. I live in Idaho. Great hunting and fishing opportunities and plenty of folks living here. But go to the Idaho state forum and you’ll see that 1 person has posted something new… and nobody replies. If I want info or discussion about Idaho hunting, if I want Idaho specific info , I have to check in with the local veterans outdoor group.
Well said, Jaq. This has nothing to do with censorship or controlling what grown men say. When the CF regulars entered the big game forum, quality hunting content went down drastically. The regulars, serious hunters, voiced their displeasure and participated less and/or moved on. Clearly Pat would like to maintain a forum where hunting is the topic and has cut out the politics.
Pat is building another padded room for the politicos, just have to be patient. In the mean time if you don't like hunting threads, just scroll on by.
I don't mind an occasional political thread/forum. I subscribe to the Quora feed every day. But when it gets out of control on a hunting forum, many of us wanted it dialed back in the hopes that some of the great bowhunters who used to contribute would return and make this a bowhunting forum again. We had trolls who don't even bowhunt, like azzhat, trying to turn bowhunting threads into politics. If Pat thought allowing some jerks to continually shit on the sidewalk and making everyone else step around the piles was good for the Bowsite, he wouldn't have changed it. Why don't you call Pat out as a Karen? I dare you.
“Sure, we can scroll past all the useless nonhunting conspiracy theories, just like we can step around and over the vomit and human excrement on sidewalks in some cities. But many of us would rather not have to deal with it, look at it, smell it as we go about our daily lives.”
Yeah, the Big Game Forum was becoming the internet equivalent of San Francisco.
And for you guys who can’t live without, there is always Reddit…
This Topic has been locked. Thank you.
