Hunting "influencers" and game violations

Point is I think simple fines won't stop it.


There's those that cheat, and those that don't.
Likely they are going to continue to cheat. It's like an addict, ears just grow longer so they can hear the sirens coming from the rabbit hole they are digging, but learning how to avoid them a little more each time along the way.
I agree the fines don't help, look at Idaho and the "non-motorized" ordeal... The crappy fine does not detour anyone. Make it where the vehicle is confiscated. Or better yet I think its either AZ or NM if you get caught with a vehicle you have to pay someone to disassemble it and pack it out on mules, and every day its still in there you pay a fine..
 
Now make a list of all the influencers who haven’t broken the law. And show that the number of influencers breaking the law is a higher percentage than your every day hunters who have broken the law. It’s more high profile when it’s an influencer and people love a train wreck so it leads to an assumption more influencers are doing it than anyone else out there. I’m not necessarily defending the influencer thing but I think a lot of self serving, cherry picked arguments are being used to crucify them. And a lot of assumptions are being made about their specific level of impact and contribution on what people’s complaints are with the state of hunting today.
☝️, well said.
 
Barriers to entry only benefit those already entrenched. This is a bad idea.

If you don’t like “influencers”, then don’t listen to them. Many of you sound like Howard Stern haters who “only listened to his show to hear what he would say next.” Or morality types who wanted to ban pornography so that they wouldn’t be tempted to view it.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

Your comments about banning pornography hit home and I am no longer qualified to objectively participate in this discussion.
 
I think taking a perfectly legal activity and making it illegal to film and produce content is a wildly un American idea.

This, exactly.

What's next, a ban on gun reviews, or shooting videos, because someone commits a crime with a gun?

Well-intended laws result in more injustice than nefarious ones, which usually don't get passed. Never write a law so that it can be used - they must be written so they cannot possibly be misused.

We don't have a two-tier right to freedom of speech.
 
I'm a fan of less government regulation. The government getting more involved with how we spend time in the outdoors is the last thing we need.

Rules of take, seasons, bag limits and things of that sort are great, but telling someone they can't film and share their hunt seems unamerican. An easy solution is don't watch, like or subscribe.
 
Not sure why so many people hate YouTube. I like YouTube much more than CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN etc. It is just a place to get entertainment. People should take a chill pill.

I have literally seen, I would guess, over 1000 wildlife violations in my hunting life. I have never seen anyone get a ticket or written up for anything. I have seen simple violations from lighted sights where they are illegal. Hunting in the wrong unit, Shooting before legal light, shooting the day before the season. All the way up to finding a full on poached bull with the head cut off and backstops removed freshly shot with a gun during archery season. Trust me it is not only influencers violating wildlife laws. Seems like it is everyone.
 
Here's a ridiculous and fun idea.

Make them film even more! You wanna film? ok film buddy. Alone-style... Have a chest or hat camera on 24/7 and film everything you do. Then turn in the footage and pay $1000 for some wildlife guy to watch it through at 5x speed. Then the film is "Certified Legal Hunt". Still working out the details here haha
 
Since it's illegal (in most states I think) to sell game parts/meat/gall bladders, etc. how about
not allowing videos of hunting requiring a game license to be monetized?
Not that posting videos of one's hunt or kills on youtube would be a violation but if you
have a channel and receive monetary gain from it then you can't post videos of the hunt.
I suspect many of the more popular youtube hunters spend many thousands of $$$ in application
fees, buyings points, etc (that are deductible for tax purposes) and further lessen the drawing
odds for Joe Schmoe.
That could also lessen ( maybe even eliminate? ) the temptation of breaking game laws in order to produce "content".

What would be the downsides of something on this order?

Crazy idea?
It’s a free world. Yet, everyone wants rules that fit their ideas.

It’s like people suggesting term limits for politicians. It’s stupid. We already have that ability but, don’t exercise it. Just like we gave the ability not to watch hunting videos or support influencers.


It’s beyond my abilities to reason how a good bit of you think. Yes, if guilty he should be fined. But, calling for his head is stupid. The shame will see him suffer along with the punishment. But, that simply isn’t good enough for a good bit of you. Why? If it’s because of his influence then no one but hunters are too blame.

Money perverts everything it’s a part of. Hunting is no different. But, the consumer has the power. Not the influencer. Don’t watch the stuff. But, making rules to suit you is called a dictatorship. It’s an all in one thing. Or, it will be if you start down that path.

I’ve never understood grown men idolizing another. It’s that infatuation that leads to this kind of disappointment in the first place.
 
The biggest difference I see is that legitimate outfitters are governed by fairly strict regulations by both land managing agencies and state wildlife agencies. Influencers not so much. They make money on the fringes of public land and wildlife management laws, often breaking these laws along the way for some type of personal gain and to the detriment of the wildlife and other hunters.

If that were the case, you would never see a headline speaking to an outfitter or guide involved in illegal hunting or wildlife pursuit activity...
 
Not sure why so many people hate YouTube. I like YouTube much more than CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN etc. It is just a place to get entertainment. People should take a chill pill.

I have literally seen, I would guess, over 1000 wildlife violations in my hunting life. I have never seen anyone get a ticket or written up for anything. I have seen simple violations from lighted sights where they are illegal. Hunting in the wrong unit, Shooting before legal light, shooting the day before the season. All the way up to finding a full on poached bull with the head cut off and backstops removed freshly shot with a gun during archery season. Trust me it is not only influencers violating wildlife laws. Seems like it is everyone.
We only see and hear about influencers because they are visible to everyone.

We’ve discussed this before but in many states illegal harvest is almost equal to legally harvested animal numbers. So, yes, we hunters make a huge deal about “influencers” but we need to make just as big, if not bigger, deal policing our own ranks.
 
This, exactly.

What's next, a ban on gun reviews, or shooting videos, because someone commits a crime with a gun?

Well-intended laws result in more injustice than nefarious ones, which usually don't get passed. Never write a law so that it can be used - they must be written so they cannot possibly be misused.

We don't have a two-tier right to freedom of speech.
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