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Has social media helped or hurt Hunting?

Things are pretty slow around here so I figured I would see what everyone thinks about "Social Media" regarding Hunting.

Read Steve Rinella's story. He gets paid for social media where his brother (biologist) hates it. I do see where fisherman or hunters will flock to places that have been on social media sites.

If someone here post's a huge Buck on camera at a public land spot, I bet who reads it starts Googling the place. Maybe even take a ride to scout. That's probably why a lot of out of Stater's flock to zones 11 &12.

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In terms of African trophy hunting, I think it hurts it. When you have schmucks posting about killing an entire family of baboons or a woman posting a dead giraffe or the dentist that killed Cecil. It just fuels the hatred towards African hunting that already exists. In the US, I think it has its place. Whether it’s recruiting new hunters or creating brands or sponsored hunters pushing products or sponsors pushing their own products. There is the negative which you stated. To add onto that, I was looking at going to Arizona next January for the otc mule deer archery season. But now I’m reading that the Arizona fish and game is shutting down areas and pushing everyone to specific units because the influx of hunters has driven the deer population down. The best kept secret is no longer a secret. So I’m looking at going elsewhere. I just started making videos and posted my first on YouTube last week. So I’ll be contributing to the social media hatred.

Social media = no good Hunting = good no matter where it is Mix them together and you get a shit milkshake most of the time

There are some things that The Whole Wide World just doesn’t need to hear all about. The conversations on this topic that will do some good will only happen in person.

I think it’s good and bad it brings light to issues also while doing that it brings a heard of people who don’t want to understand but do something they can post on Facebook

Outside of fostering reconnections between old friends or family members who have lost touch with each other Social Media offers little good.

On the whole it fosters argument over conversation and has spawned a generation of "keyboard warriors" that regularly "converse" on those platforms in a manner they would most likely never do in a face-to-face encounter (unless they're masochists and have the world's greatest orthodontist on speed dial).

Mike . You hit the nail on the head. Couldn't have said it any better.

I hunt in Utah a lot. So I joined a Facebook page for bow hunting Utah. These 20-30 Year old kids brag about the 80 yard shots. I made one or two comments about how long it takes that arrow to get to the Elk, then mathematically gave them the distance they can move in that time.

Well I got murdered by remarks about my age and how jealous I am.

The invisibility of social media empowers some people in a negative way. Combine this with its ability to insinuate itself into every aspect of society and there is potential for horrific misuse( which is unfolding before our very eyes ). Rinella's brother is right on as far as hunting is concerned.

Social media is ALL about people and tends to magnify the bad more often than any good. Sort of like communicating your personal business on a party line, where other people listen in for the dirt. Would you communicate you financial matters to a bank on a postcard or in an envelope?

WB - if you're saying social media brings out the worst in people I would agree 100%, These would be the people that replied to NEHUNTER saying an 80 yard shot is too long. However, if you're saying most of the comments are negative I'd disagree, to a point. I think most original posters (the person who started the thread or has their own blog or tiktok site) only posts things that make their life seem perfect, have a bigger house, better car, more money, etc than you. My 12 yr old grandson has asked me several times "How can I be more like this person on tiktok?" I have to tell him those people are not real, they're created on a web page.

As for hunting/fishing, I do use it find out how to be better fisherman, where to surf cast in Maine or what rig to use for stripers. Hunting - I know it all, I'm perfect :>0

I'm on 2 sites for hunting and fishing.. Bowsite and ctfisherman. These two sites are the best.. Small, local, and very little BS.

I don't care for any others. Too much BS. Archery Talk is the worst. I was on that briefly, and left 9-10 years ago. Nehunter is correct, make a comment about a long 80-100 yard shot, and you get hammered. One guy called out another 'hunter' for faking his kills. The guy that called him out was ridiculed and mocked. Turns out that he was right. The 'hunter' bought the mounts and made up BS stories that AT swallowed with a spoon.

I followed that thread and then left AT for good.

FWIW, I'm 64 and I only recently went on FB a few years ago. I'm glad that I did, because I reconnected with HS classmates. Some I haven't seen or spoken to in decades. For me, that is a positive.

I hate to promote another site but there’s a app that’s dedicated specifically to hunting and fishing. It’s called GoWild. I’m on it and like it. It’s like Instagram but no hashtags or censorship or arguing. I think most of the guys on this thread that hate other social media would actually like it.

bbb, "any good", I allowed for some because I haven't been there myself and recognize good intentions tend to go where ever people go. Whereas, the world wide dispersement of common sense has been noticably spotty of late.

If you guys get Netflix, check out the movie/documenatary "The Social Dilemma" it talks about how neuroscience is involved in Social Media, addicting adolescents, leading to all sorts of societal decay; teen suicide, poor self-worth, and intense political division. The most interesting part is the people who are in the documentary are all ex-social media titans from FaceBook, Twitter and Google. One of the most interesting details were from the guy who created the LIKE button. He thought it would make people feel better, but it actually makes people feel worse. When you don't get likes, you feel like a loser, and you become addicted to the LIKE feedback. He quit social media and now is an advocate for reeling it in. Another woman was hired by FaceBook to track nero impulses that keeps adolescent girls addicted to Social media. They correlate a direct relationship between use of social media and teen suicide.

If you watch it, you'll want to smash your phone with a hammer.

As to the original question, there is no doubt in my mind that Social media is bad for hunting, and just about everything else.

Pat, Steve Jobs wouldn't let his children use I Phones. What does that tell ya?

Pat - you're 100% correct

To Pat's comment, I watch my daughter and her friends, with the social media apps that they are addicted to. There has been times I absolutely wanted to smash the phone but it's how they all communicate now. Every other week there is some issue that has her all upset because of posts that are intended for no other reason but to cause pain.

And people wonder why I'm not on FB and still use an old flip phone.

I have a completely different opinion on this, because I believe that social networks are very helpful in our learning. Social media has some amazing benefits when it comes to your college education, and you can use these channels. So, read more right now about how exactly social media can help you in your studies. Thanks to open communication, you will always have the opportunity to ask for help and support.

I have a completely different opinion on this, because I believe that social networks are very helpful in our learning. Social media has some amazing benefits when it comes to your college education, and you can use these channels. So, read more right now about how exactly social media can help you in your studies. Thanks to open communication, you will always have the opportunity to ask for help and support.

Well Tammy dear isn't that so nice of you to come down here to Connecticut, all the way from Alberta to comment on our state forum, bless your heart girl.

Any time someone includes a link in their post I just HAVE to click on it to see where it brings me and how much trouble it will get me into. I love it when my computer is locked out and files are corrupted until I pay them money to fix it. Oh what fun.

It definitely helps promote it more than hurt it. Hunting, especially bowhunting, has become very popular among athletes and other celebrities. They get connected with hunters like Rinella, Hanes, Dudley, and others. Then, they start showing themselves shooting or out hunting. Obviously they may lose some fans, but then there are others who will think what they are doing is cool. They may even want to try it out themselves. I think the biggest contributor to new hunters and providing info about hunting is definitely Joe Rogan. The most popular podcast in the world… talks about hunting with normal guests and hunters. He also wears lots of hunting and archery brands during the shows.

Obviously there will always be its downsides by people posting stupid pictures showing them unethically treating animals and that’s what fuels the fire of the antis. However, I would say that there is more good than bad that comes out of social media surrounding hunting.

No, I don't think so

It's (social media) dispensed a lot of info , both good and bad. I tend to follow guys whose hunting styles I can relate to and put to use. I'm just not interested in guys hunting managed properties . It's fine if you like it ; but at this stage of the game I enjoy more of a challenge and DIY appeals to me.

I don’t social media helps much, see people on you -tube acting like clowns - and I won’t waste time watching- with that said there is a few I enjoy watching and they have the respect to the sport and to nature- Facebook -I never done and not planning on it -

Facebook is an altered sense of reality and lies gone wild. A true Mecca for the neurotic.

I watched that Social Media documentary that Pat mentioned last night. Scary stuff indeed. The most telling moment in my opinion is when the folks who actually built these platforms were asked if they allowed their own kids to use them. The answer from most was no.

Agree with Pat and Longbeard. Our posts can be used to vilify us in the future at our most vulnerable moment. It just gives the nut-cases ammunition. Excuse the pun. I was on a silly TV show and there was a lot of concern on the Bowsite that it would negatively affect hunting around here. I don't KNOW if it did or didn't, but likely did not help our hunting image. The only social-media exposure that can potentially help hunting is sharing what we are doing to get young people into it for the right reasons.

If you're talking about the show I'm thinking of.....I found it to be entertaining. Would have loved to hang out for a weekend at the camp with you guys. I hunted Wilton once back in the hay day. I understand the needs and challenges in that area. I also see how the rest of the country could perceive it, hunters and non hunters alike

Chasin Tails was a golden opportunity squandered by TV execs who made hunters look bad. Sorry it was bad. Social media is harmful on many levels as stated above. I’ve seen fishing spots blown up, fighting and even lost friendships over spot burning. Trolls cruise the boards looking to pick off a spot and use the internet as a resource to eliminate actually putting in the hours and paying your dues. I’ve seen it first hand and know guys who will never post anything ever again because of it. People suck!

I enjoyed Chasin Tails . The show was public TV's chance to give the non hunting audience a glimpse into hunting in suburbia and all that it entails. In this respect it was as educational as a show about a Mt. Everest ascent in that many wouldn't do it but would still want to understand it. I felt most episodes were well done and informative enough for public consumption . I can only assume the antis were "offended"which is commonly the death knell of a free exchange of opinions in the present social climate which seems to cater to only one group.

I think most hunters would relate to the TV show Chasin' Tails, but for non-hunters it shows a group of good ol' boys who like killing animals (I know that's not the case, but that's how they would describe it). The best TV show I can think of, that shows hunting in the best light, is MeatEater, where the narrative is one of respect for the animal, the challenge, the connection to the food chain, etc.

BBB, agreed that Rinella's well spoken narratives cast the hunter in a positive light. His somewhat groomed appearance doesn't hurt either. IMHO he is what's been needed.

The BEST argument that he gave to an anti-hunter went something like this. Anti asks, "Why do you hunt, you don't have to, it's not normal." And here's a great answer to that question that he provided. "Man has been a hunter for millions of years, and it's only been the last 100 or so years where commercial food providers have replaced the need for each person to hunt and gather, so NOT hunting is not normal." If you look at the history of hunting, then Steve's answer puts things in perspective.

BBB.....Things must die so other things can live; even us. The antis have no claim on normalcy or immortality. They too will be protein for the gods.

So true BD.

IG's popularity can't really hurt anyone. Problems arise only in mentally ill people. You probably don't like that hunting places are getting too crowded.

IG's popularity can't really hurt anyone. Problems arise only in mentally ill people. You probably don't like that hunting places are getting too crowded. Yes, it's unpleasant. I always like to feel alone while hunting. Over time, the popularity will subside because people will understand that you can go to the deer only in silence. I created an Instagram account a year ago. I don't show blood or animal corpses there. I have funny videos that we shoot with my wife. I even buy views on https://famoid.com/buy-instagram-video-views/ to make them more popular. And my daughter likes my content. So I believe that social media cannot be evil.

As for kids - there are lots of good papers on the subject now via a variety of research methods and it's very clear that giving kids social media is just not a great choice.

As for adults - Pat's point is a good one. There is a lot of social psychology work looking at the challenges (I think of Jonathan Haidt's books that spend time getting into this) and even in addiction medicine (Judson Brewer has a few books that get into this within the broader scope of anxiety and addiction).

Mike's point I really liked...

There just is no room for nuance in discussion and everything is amplified to greatest or worst. Thats trouble.

But specific to hunting. I LOVE the MA forum here. Occasional lurkers who chime in and a good group of "regulars" on all year with banter about things. We have had some long winded "debates" about various topics regarding hunting, and other areas, but always slide back to "we all love hunting" and get along - eventually.

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