MeatEater SC Turkey episode

[ChesterCopperpot]

My wife downloaded the latest MeatEater episodes the other day on Netflix and we watched a couple last night. I like the show all right, especially some of the older ones where he tended to take conversations a bit deeper and lead more meaningful discussions on ethics and land and conservation. Anyhow, she was excited to watch the turkey episode.

So in it he's hunting turkeys with this fellow down in the low country pine flats. Steve kills a bird off the roost early the first morning. Later the old man had a bird work in and he passes. Steve asks him why he passed and he tells him because it was a jake. Steve rags him about not killing jakes and why he'd feel that way. The old man tells him because the goal is two year birds. Steve tells him that distinction is, "Just cosmetics." A little while later in the episode a group of birds come running into the call, immediately seeing they're all jakes. The old man shoots three times before and finally knocks one down.

I'd venture to say the vast majority of this public land hunting craze discussed so often on this site isn't a result of YouTube near as much as it's the result of the popularity of that show on Netflix. I would say that show single-handedly has been the greatest influence on adult onset hunting over the last four or five years, both the good and the bad.

When that old man shot that jake I just turned it off. One of the things that bothered me was seeing how that old man had some sort of principle and how easily he allowed that to go out the window. But I think what bothered me more was that Steve Rinella has to be aware of plummeting numbers all over the southeast, South Carolina (one of the two states I hunt every year) being most assuredly one of those places. Him pushing that, "Shoot 'em all," mentality when his primary audience are people with no hunting background and no mentors other than him felt irresponsible and short sighted. Don't know where I'm going with this post exactly, but maybe just a question about what ethical responsibility, if any, a person carries once they have built an audience that large?


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[Happy]

I can only speak for myself but personally I quit tracking the popular figures of hunting quite some time ago. Don't get me wrong, I liked some of these fellows years ago but over time I have seen the changes and eventually it becomes about money and popularity. Not saying they are horrible people but I just can't imagine selling out something so valuable to me for money or fame. I watch very little hunting anymore. Unless I am looking to learn something I see no need for it.

[hootgobbleyelpgobble]

I remember watching the show and having the same feelings as yourself. Being from SC, I cringed when I saw him kill the jake. If I recall correctly, the camera cut out or something and I thought to myself they had to run down the crippled jake.

I don't care for the nasally talking Yankee anyway nor the agenda he pushes. 

[ChesterCopperpot]

I'm with you, [mention]Happy [/mention]. I don't find much enjoyment in watching anymore. I'd rather just read and go sit in the woods. And [mention]hootgobbleyelpgobble [/mention], I couldn't believe he shot three times and still had to run the bird down. Wonder what the range was and him shooting lead? I guess what I wish had happened is that with that platform you could bring in a voice to discuss the decline in eastern numbers, what's happening, what can be done. You can hunt them but lead that conversation. Then that group under your wing who are just finding their way into this thing know what's at stake. When you know the problem, have that audience, and just dismiss it entirely for the bird over the shoulder cliche walking away shot, that bothers me. He had a tremendous opportunity to lead a valuable conversation and he squandered it.


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[Dtrkyman]

It's a show, they create much of that "drama".   I don't shoot jakes but it has nothing to do with any turkey population issues, just a personal choice.

I enjoy Meateater and Steve has taught me more about conservation on his podcast than anyone, and I was a committee for both DU and the NWTF for years!  His podcast, particularly the ones with biologists and scientists really have some amazing info.   

Steve had DR. Chamberlain on his podcast and it set off a ton of the recent conversations on turkey management, so thinking he squandered an opportunity is a bit off, maybe in that instance but he has brought to light a lot of conservation issues on a regular basis.

As far as the poor shooting, chit happens, that ole timer probably forgot more about shooting turkeys than most know.   

[ChesterCopperpot]

Steve had DR. Chamberlain on his podcast and it set off a ton of the recent conversations on turkey management, so thinking he squandered an opportunity is a bit off, maybe in that instance but he has brought to light a lot of conservation issues on a regular basis.

It's not off at all. He's hunting a state that is experiencing a drastic decline in numbers, a state that in the past five years has reduced tags by nearly half and implemented new management regulations. To hunt that place and not discuss that is irresponsible and a squandered opportunity. How many people you think are listening to that podcast every week or will go back and search out the Chamberlain interview vs. how many people will watch that episode on Netflix?

And to be clear, I agree with you that he's done a great deal for conservation. Without his push for BHA and TRCP and the likes then some of the major bills passed in the last five years likely don't happen. That doesn't mean he's infallible. That doesn't mean he didn't miss a good opportunity for a deeper discussion here.

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[Zobo]

You know "these days" anytime information is presented in a one way flow format, where the audience can't contribute to the discussion, there will be criticism. That criticism is ok and sometimes warranted as it is in this case if you ask me .  But, that's what makes this place, our forum, special and so great. An instant exchange of thoughts, ideas, information, wisdom, critiques and authentic hard earned experiences and bs stories too! How lucky we are to have this. That guy is just selling.

[Dtrkyman]

I agree with you Chester,  and evidently a ton of people either listened to or heard about that podcast, because the topic popped up all over the place and a lot of the points brought up I had never heard before!

The Doc. talking about spur length, particularly ruffled some feathers of the guys who aged birds this way, saw a popular turkey hunter even make the remark about his long spurred turkey being older no matter what anyone said on a podcast!

Thing I really like about his podcast he will bring up his prior mistakes and correct them at the beginning of the show, many times he addresses this and even reads how and where he was called out.

I think he does more good than bad, he is an intelligent well spoken dude making a living off of eating things he hunts, pretty cool when you think about it.

       

[Greg Massey]

I saw this episode, it's all about getting a kill on camera in my opinion for the people who don't know better or are learning and thinking about going turkey hunting. I don't care for his show myself... I agree Happy it's all about the money and viewers ... I have stop watch most all of these outdoor show's , i do like watching some of the old Primos, Knight Hale and few of the older turkey show's ...

[mspaci]

Thought i heard older guy say he shoots jaked all the time.  Either way why would anyone care what he shoots if its legal. Mike

[Which Gun]

Another topic hunters criticizing hunters. Like stated above if legal why should you care. He pulled the trigger not the other guy. If he decided to go against his morales it's on him. Not for anyone to judge him but him.

[rakkin6]

Yeah the guy he was hunting with is named Robert Abernathy. He is a conservationist and helped re-introduce and increase the population of the Wild Turkey in the southeast and all of North America. And he did say that he shoots Jake's often. He gave the reason but I can't remember it. But his rational made sense to me because I remember it not bothering me. I want to only shoot Longbeards but if a man shoots a Jake and he legally tags it and eats it it doesn't really bother me. Kind of like when a man kills a spike buck or a basket 6 pointer, I don't care has long has he eats it and does it legally. Some people just enjoy the hunt and don't care about spurs, beard length or how many points.

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[28roper]

Missed opportunity or not, the episode was terrible. It is no surprise that the educated turkey hunter would come away with the same criticism many of you have already stated.  As his show has aged it has become less gritty and a bit more mainstream (the Netflix effect I suppose).  The newer seasons are more about production value and personalities than the actual hunting, processing, and cooking. All that said, I like Rinella for what he has done in terms of Public Land stewardship and ownership.  He has taken his passion and developed a multi-million dollar enterprise...he has made his own American dream.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Yeah the guy he was hunting with is named Robert Abernathy. He is a conservationist and helped re-introduce and increase the population of the Wild Turkey in the southeast and all of North America. And he did say that he shoots Jake's often. He gave the reason but I can't remember it. But his rational made sense to me because I remember it not bothering me. I want to only shoot Longbeards but if a man shoots a Jake and he legally tags it and eats it it doesn't really bother me. Kind of like when a man kills a spike buck or a basket 6 pointer, I don't care has long has he eats it and does it legally. Some people just enjoy the hunt and don't care about spurs, beard length or how many points.

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I don't know Abernathy but if that's true then that would make him an even better source to have had that conversation with, but with regard to shooting jakes, if you're in one of those states where turkey populations are booming it wouldn't bother me. In a place where, as he notes, up to 70% of mature gobblers are being taken out by hunters every year, that number on top of a steady population decline that has biologists baffled, it makes zero sense to target immature birds that, 1) are easier to call and kill, and, 2) serve as the replacement stock for the mature birds being removed from the landscape. The problem with the if-it's-legal argument is and has always been that there are plenty of things legal that are harmful to wildlife populations. It's why people impose self limits. It's why lifelong grouse hunters where I live in the mountains of North Carolina no longer hunt those birds. They could legally shoot three a day and thirty a season but they all know the population here can't support that so they don't.


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[joey46]

Meateater is one show I record.  Especially like the one he and his brother did in Montana packing in with llamas.  A few of his episodes include Joe Rogan who just hunts and does no political discourse.  Excellent show.