The numbers don’t lie

[GobblinNC]

I really wish these guys would simply acknowledge that their platforms are having major negative impacts on turkey hunting as we know it, especially on public lands. Rather than to deny the numbers and changes, ackowledge the problem and make necessary changes to their "brand" to help curb the issues. I.E. not naming states, funding conservation projects, not pimping public lands..

[El Pavo Grande]

Eggshell comes through again with a common sense post.  YouTube and social media isn't going anywhere, so you guys might as well make up your minds how it can be used to help the sport and quit with the negative post.  How about a video about moving on and not screwing up a hunt when someone beats you to your spot?  What about some videos showing trapping nest predators on public lands?  What about these guys using their influence to help fund research to show what is really going on?  There are bigger issues than crowded public lands and we don't need to ignore those issues.  Ask the folks in Louisiana and Arkansas.

I don't disagree with all that you say, but it's shocking to me of the widely accepted attitude of "it's a sign of the times" or "it's not going anywhere, so accept it."  It's that perceived apathy for the resource that is most concerning for what is obviously a minority.  I will never step foot on 95% of the public lands effected across the country, most likely.  Yet, I voice my concern because I care about turkey populations in each state and would like to protect the future of turkey hunting opportunities for ALL in those states.  Once again, I have asked several times..... why is that a negative?  Why is debating the effects of social media always labeled complaining?   Should we just say, "oh well boys, it was a nice run"?   

I've turkey hunted public land almost exclusively for 30+ years.  It's always been crowded, in no matter what state it is.  You always have to have spots A, B, C, D, E..... it's not about complaining that my A and B spot had a truck in it and so it hurt my feelings.  Think outside the box and realize it's about ensuring that we have spots A, B, C, D, E to hunt and a viable resource.   

Once again, I've yet to see one person state that social media is THE reason for the decline or that there aren't more important aspects for restoring healthy turkey populations.  If we are making video suggestions, I'd like to see one that presents a well thought out response to address these concerns.  Not just promoting public land in specific states on YouTube, but also address posting specific information or pictures at WMA signs, etc. on FB or forums.  Provide us with a sound reason to support it, rather than  just brushing it off as envious complaints.  I would really like to see it.  I have yet to see a direct response to the positives of highlighting public land turkey hunting in specific states beyond hunter recruitment and increased revenue from license sales, while also addressing the negatives that come along with it.  Give us a reason to support what some view as counterproductive to what you state is the reason for doing it in the first place, rather than brush it off as jealous turkey hunters hating on other turkey hunters. 

[simpzenith]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

[GobblinNC]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

Many of these season dates and bag limits that are now being changed have been in place for decades. Did you listen to the podcast by chance? Where the numbers were shown to be rising before Covid and 2020 was thrown out of the data as an outlier? Spring 2022 won't be comparable in many of these states because the non resident or public opportunity has already been greatly reduced.

[cwedding]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

An email address is given at the end of the podcast. Contact us and we will establish a phone call interview for the show to discuss this topic from your point of view. We look forward to hearing from you.


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[simpzenith]

Many of these season dates and bag limits that are now being changed have been in place for decades. Did you listen to the podcast by chance? Where the numbers were shown to be rising before Covid and 2020 was thrown out of the data as an outlier? Spring 2022 won't be comparable in many of these states because the non resident or public opportunity has already been greatly reduced.

Yes, I listened to the entire podcast. If 2020 is thrown out as an outlier, why wasn't 2021 thrown out as well? We all know the number rose in direct response to stay-at-home orders, or the Covid fear from some in 2020. Many hunters that canceled hunts in 2020, instead hunted in 2021, inflating the number of turkey licenses purchased.

[GobblinNC]

Many of these season dates and bag limits that are now being changed have been in place for decades. Did you listen to the podcast by chance? Where the numbers were shown to be rising before Covid and 2020 was thrown out of the data as an outlier? Spring 2022 won't be comparable in many of these states because the non resident or public opportunity has already been greatly reduced.

Yes, I listened to the entire podcast. If 2020 is thrown out as an outlier, why wasn't 2021 thrown out as well? We all know the number rose in direct response to stay-at-home orders, or the Covid fear from some in 2020. Many hunters that canceled hunts in 2020, instead hunted in 2021, inflating the number of turkey licenses purchased.

And the explanation for the reason that the states that you, THP, Pinhoti, and Catman literally all have hunted during the same year is exponentially higher than other states? I.E. Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Mississippi

[simpzenith]

And the explanation for the reason that the states that you, THP, Pinhoti, and Catman literally all have hunted during the same year is exponentially higher than other states? I.E. Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Mississippi

Wisconsin sold 4000 less turkey permits in 2021 than in 2020.

[TurkeyReaper69]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

So uh... how do you explain the Wisconsin app data away? A youtuber with a significantly higher following than you came onto your home turf and annihilated like 10 birds posted to YouTube. Meanwhile you were making memes about it. And the place has been an all out cluster since. I hunted WI in 2020 and at every public gate saw multiple out of state plates, many with Pinhoti or THP stickers on trucks. Furthermore, I still don't understand this covid excuse. Sure, in 2020 there were a lot more resident local hunters in woods due to lockdowns. Or maybe even traveled to the next state over after filling their baglimits. But you won't be able to convince me covid just so happened to make a bunch of bama boys head up to wisconsin... a state that has been popularized on YT in previous years.

[TurkeyReaper69]

And the explanation for the reason that the states that you, THP, Pinhoti, and Catman literally all have hunted during the same year is exponentially higher than other states? I.E. Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Mississippi

Wisconsin sold 4000 less turkey permits in 2021 than in 2020.

That doesn't surprise me at all. A lot less resident hunters in the woods in 2021

[simpzenith]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

So uh... how do you explain the Wisconsin app data away? A youtuber with a significantly higher following than you came onto your home turf and annihilated like 10 birds posted to YouTube. Meanwhile you were making memes about it. And the place has been an all out cluster since. I hunted WI in 2020 and at every public gate saw multiple out of state plates, many with Pinhoti or THP stickers on trucks. Furthermore, I still don't understand this covid excuse. Sure, in 2020 there were a lot more resident local hunters in woods due to lockdowns. Or maybe even traveled to the next state over after filling their baglimits. But you won't be able to convince me covid just so happened to make a bunch of bama boys head up to wisconsin... a state that has been popularized on YT in previous years.

The app data is easy to explain. People wanted to get a tag for the first week of the season so more applied and I'm willing to bet that the increase in applicants was almost entirely resident hunters. I've been hunting Wisconsin for more than a decade and never had any issues finding an empty place to hunt. I'm guessing you probably hunted an area that gets pressure every year and not isolated to 2020.

[El Pavo Grande]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

Let's tally some earlier numbers shared.  To be fair some are subscribers to multiple channels and some probably click to view a particular video more than once.  Also, quite a few subscribers of one could be driven by deer hunting, just to be clear.   But of the main 4 that come to mind, yourself included, there are 506,400 total subscribers per the information shared on YouTube.  Of the hundreds of videos promoting specific states, often specific regions within a state, and sometimes negligent to give away specific locales, the total views for only 4 state specific videos (1 per channel) is 831,000.  That's only an example of 1 video per each YouTube channel.  You don't think it has a significant impact on public land turkey hunting across the country?

[arkrem870]

 

[sasquatch1]

I'm not convinced that Youtubers are having a significant impact. The data suggests that turkey hunter numbers have been on a downward trend for some time and I believe what we're seeing in some states is the enticement of early start dates and liberal limits. Combine that with Covid, which affected both the 2020 and 2021 turkey seasons, and you end up with what some of what we're seeing. Even if YouTube didn't exist, I feel the result would be pretty much the same. We're going to have to wait until Spring 2022 to see if things settle down in a few of the southern states, where it seems to be isolated. On a side note, I don't see a tremendous amount of pressure when I'm hunting other states, even down south. I only saw a few other trucks while hunting MS this past spring and one or two other hunters while hunting Florida. Maybe I was just lucky. 

I assure you there was a lot more traffic in that MS area, it's not hard for people to find out where exactly you were when you name landowners

Ive been hunting that area for 12 years, in the last 3 the pressure jumped alot

Use to move around all day easily, now your first spot better have something to hunt because after that a lot of gates already have someone there

I made the mistakes before about telling people about a TN spot. I went back this year and will NEVER return there again. My god it was unreal, use to hunt the whole place and never see a sole. I screwed up but learned big time

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[Jimspur]

I don't have anything against YouTubers such as Catman and Shane,
but we have to acknowledge the fact that these videos are only one
of a myriad of things going against turkeys.

I'm assuming that the member here (cwedding), is Cameron Weddington,
one of the hosts of the podcast.

I would encourage Catman and Shane to take him up on his offer to
be on the podcast to give your viewpoints and perspective on things.
People on this site tend to have strong opinions on the effects of
social media, videos, etc., and it would be good to hear what you guys
think about these things from your side of the fence.

Maybe you guys could do the podcast together with Cameron and Andy.
It could be a 2 hour podcast. Anyway, I hope y'all take him up on his
offer.
                                         Jim