Unfollowing Hunting Social Media Will Make Hunting Better: Matt Rinella Essay

[robby denning]

Pretty sad to see all these comments of people actually thinking that "Their" hunting spot is being ruined by new hunters from social media or influencer. Truth is they own it just as much as you. I help run a non profit that takes out disabled vets hunting and bring some normalcy back into their lives. Many, as in like 90 percent of them are first time hunters. We bring them out, we hunt and if were lucky they kill. Many times they post it on their social media and have tons of positive feedback and share it with friends and family. They get a feeling of accomplishment knowing they will be providing food for the family and filling a void that was lost along the way. Lots of times after the hunts they message me asking about gear and info on draws, etc.... Lots of them then follow different hunters to learn from and to bring excitement to them going out to do it again. Countless times I've gotten texts and emails about hunting has saved their life, it gives them something to look forward to bring a purpose back to their lives. Hunting is a passion and what is the point of a passion if you don't share it with others. I live to go out in the woods and help others, to hunt, fish and provide. If I can share that with someone so they can have that same feeling I will gladly do so.

the best side of social media right there. Thanks for serving those hunters. Hats off to you.

 

[JRam07]

Pretty sad to see all these comments of people actually thinking that "Their" hunting spot is being ruined by new hunters from social media or influencer. Truth is they own it just as much as you. I help run a non profit that takes out disabled vets hunting and bring some normalcy back into their lives. Many, as in like 90 percent of them are first time hunters. We bring them out, we hunt and if were lucky they kill. Many times they post it on their social media and have tons of positive feedback and share it with friends and family. They get a feeling of accomplishment knowing they will be providing food for the family and filling a void that was lost along the way. Lots of times after the hunts they message me asking about gear and info on draws, etc.... Lots of them then follow different hunters to learn from and to bring excitement to them going out to do it again. Countless times I've gotten texts and emails about hunting has saved their life, it gives them something to look forward to bring a purpose back to their lives. Hunting is a passion and what is the point of a passion if you don't share it with others. I live to go out in the woods and help others, to hunt, fish and provide. If I can share that with someone so they can have that same feeling I will gladly do so.

What kind of animals are you hunting where an increase in traffic in an area has no effect on the animals living in the area?

 

[clkress5]

What kind of animals are you hunting where an increase in traffic in am area has no effect on the animals living in the area?

I hunt all over the state of Arizona for all species. We get donated tags from people that cant make their hunt. Have I seen increased human presence, sure. Does it effect my attitude or my hunt? no. I don't know that persons situation or their reasons to be in the woods. Maybe they themselves are a new hunter, maybe they're just trying to provide for their family, could be that they've been waiting 20 years to hunt this unit and kill a big buck or bull. They have a right to be there and I will respect that. I really haven't seen it effect animals because of how I hunt. AZ animals are always disturbed by people on ATVs or UTVs driving by I get off the roads and then I rarely see people. I also teach that to many of the hunters I take out if they are mobile enough.

 

[JRam07]

I hunt all over the state of Arizona for all species. We get donated tags from people that cant make their hunt. Have I seen increased human presence, sure. Does it effect my attitude or my hunt? no. I don't know that persons situation or their reasons to be in the woods. Maybe they themselves are a new hunter, maybe they're just trying to provide for their family, could be that they've been waiting 20 years to hunt this unit and kill a big buck or bull. They have a right to be there and I will respect that. I really haven't seen it effect animals because of how I hunt. AZ animals are always disturbed by people on ATVs or UTVs driving by I get off the roads and then I rarely see people. I also teach that to many of the hunters I take out if they are mobile enough.

Western hunters are oblivious to situations outside of the west, the west is an abnormality, not every benefits from massive tracts of public land in states with low population.

Increases in hunter numbers, even slight will absolutely blow out hunting areas.

The biggest public land unit in my county is 450 acres. It's one of three, the others are around 300 acres, and one is mostly lake.

The whole state is around 1% public land.

 

[Buglebrush]

I think that is projection of yourself.

I dont think Matt cares that his brother is more successful in something he doesn't participate in.

Success at building wealth. Not sure how that's a projection of myself? I certainly would never publicly attack my brother like this, so I guess maybe it does say something about me that I'm a little skeptical about pure motives.

 

[Buglebrush]

You can usually tell when it's a hunter, especially the type they're talking about. You know the guys that complain they didn't get a free sticker with whatever new gear they purchased that week.

You're way over the top angry man. There's absolutely no way you can tell when it's a hunter most of the time. Almost everyone I know is also a recreational backpacker, and none of us drive vehicles that scream hunter. Stereotyping is getting way out of hand.

 

[clkress5]

Western hunters are oblivious to situations outside of the west, the west is an abnormality, not every benefits from massive tracts of public land in states with low population.

Increases in hunter numbers, even slight will absolutely blow out hunting areas.

The biggest public land unit in my county is 450 acres. It's one of three, the others are around 300 acres, and one is mostly lake.

The whole state is around 1% public land.

definitely not obvious to it man. I grew up in Wisconsin and moved here 6 years ago. I understand where you're coming from but instead of blaming hunters for crowding maybe blame the state for selling off lands and making them private. Wisconsin didn't have too much public land when I grew up there but I killed a lot of deer and turkeys. I hunted on smaller plots of land than that and killed plenty with other hunters on it.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Good podcast. I thought they had a nice debate actually. Credit to Steve for bringing him on and keeping it civil.

One argument they made that I hear a lot. "We have always had hunting media"

Yeah, but how many magazine writers were there in 1986? How many tv personalities in the 90s?
Incredibly small potatoes compared to every Joe schmo trying to be the next social media star.

 

[JRam07]

Success at building wealth. Not sure how that's a projection of myself? I certainly would never publicly attack my brother like this, so I guess maybe it does say something about me that I'm a little skeptical about pure motives.

Yes, your projecting onto Matt values you hold and making a judgment about him based on those values. You have no idea what Matt views as success, but you think he's envious? Based on what? Again, Matt is a state ecologist, it is literally his job to look at the environment and the impact people are having on it. You can listen to the podcasts and Matt talks about how extremely blessed he's been with the Tags he's gotten, the hunts he's been able to go on, drawing two sheep (or goat, I can't remember) tags when most people are lucky to get one.

You're way over the top angry man. There's absolutely no way you can tell when it's a hunter most of the time. Almost everyone I know is also a recreational backpacker, and none of us drive vehicles that scream hunter. Stereotyping is getting way out of hand.

This here is ridiculous, even more so when you're complaining about stereotypes while you label me angry. Lol

 

[JRam07]

definitely not obvious to it man. I grew up in Wisconsin and moved here 6 years ago. I understand where you're coming from but instead of blaming hunters for crowding maybe blame the state for selling off lands and making them private. Wisconsin didn't have too much public land when I grew up there but I killed a lot of deer and turkeys. I hunted on smaller plots of land than that and killed plenty with other hunters on it.

1 hunter can blow out the entirety of the public land in my area in a weekend. The people who are here and who've been hunting it are generally more courteous. Especially the newer crowds of bowhunters that have extremely aggressive tactics similar to what Dan Infault and the Hunting Public guys use.

The history of public land here is lengthy and complex, far to simple of a take to "blame the state for selling it off"

The reality is what it is, even in the other states I've lived Public land has always had the same reputation, lots of hunters, not a lot of big game.

There is no walking away from the crowd, you can walk the whole parcel in a day.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

Exactly. The entire thing has really shifted to the new hunter. The guidebooks and damn near every post is pointed toward the newbie. “Which is better, the 270 or 30.06?” Of course the real reason for those articles is SEO to drive clicks and sales - period. The new hunter, still believing they will have success with a product based on the testimony of an expert, laps it up.

Chernin’s e-commerce model is in full force here.

My favorite recent example was the "how to gut a deer" handkerchief. Really?

They are also figuring out how to worm their way into that ultra-premium market. That $300 boning knife that sold out was a wild one. Really? You need a $300 knife that can accomplish the same task as a 0.99 cent dollar store kitchen knife?

 

[lyle_destroys]

Good podcast. I thought they had a nice debate actually. Credit to Steve for bringing him on and keeping it civil.

One argument they made that I hear a lot. "We have always had hunting media"

Yeah, but how many magazine writers were there in 1986? How many tv personalities in the 90s?
Incredibly small potatoes compared to every Joe schmo trying to be the next social media star.

This is my take on it too. There's nothing wrong with grip and grins, sharing it with your buddies ect. But like Matt said, people get carried away with getting likes and followers. Didn't one of the guys from Hush get in trouble a couple years ago? I feel like those guys think they have a reputation to keep and can get carried away doing so.
Something that I realized after listening to Steve and Matt was that I have more pics of guns and hunting on my Instagram than I do of my kids, and I'm WAY MORE proud of my kids than I am anything else. Puts it in perspective a little.

 

[The Ri Guy]

My favorite recent example was the "how to gut a deer" handkerchief. Really?

To preface I'm on your side in this whole thing, but no shit I bought a half-dozen of those things and gave them out to new hunters I know, and all of them have legitimately used them in the field.

 

[Elkangle]

Different podcast..same lame perspective

Matt is the problem

His arguments go in circles...he will never be happy and is super lucky nobody has really broken down his arguments

 

[Scooter90254]

Very interesting thread. Lots of great points.

But…. It’s a real shame that some of you lump Newberg and Rinella in with the rest of the influencers. Especially Newberg. He puts his neck out for public land and hunters all the time. Calling him an influencer proves your ignorance.

The one thing most of us would agree on is we can slow the push to bring new hunters into the sport. It worked!

 

[Idaho_Potato]

But…. It’s a real shame that some of you lump Newberg and Rinella in with the rest of the influencers. Especially Newberg. He puts his neck out for public land and hunters all the time. Calling him an influencer proves your ignorance.

I don't think doing good for hunting habitat and access and participating in the "influencer" culture are mutually exclusive. Yes, Randy and Steve and their platforms do a lot of good things. They have also advertised western hunting to the masses far better and longer than most. "Love it to death" comes to mind. Not to mention they have made a lot of money for a lot of gear companies along the way, on the backs of all of that wildlife...

Lance Armstrong raised a half a billion dollars for cancer research. He also cheated at bike racing for most of his career.

 

[browning2480]

I don't think doing good for hunting habitat and access and participating in the "influencer" culture are mutually exclusive. Yes, Randy and Steve and their platforms do a lot of good things. They have also advertised western hunting to the masses far better and longer than most. "Love it to death" comes to mind. Not to mention they have made a lot of money for a lot of gear companies along the way, on the backs of all of that wildlife...

Lance Armstrong raised a half a billion dollars for cancer research. He also cheated at bike racing for most of his career.

What does a cheating athlete compare to someone running a legitimate business?

 

[Idaho_Potato]

What does a cheating athlete compare to someone running a legitimate business?

Nothing. That's a demonstration of the logic in saying people can't do both good and bad things at the same time. Was that not clear?

 

[browning2480]

Nothing. That's a demonstration of the logic in saying people can't do both good and bad things at the same time. Was that not clear?

Nope

 

[TL406]

Point creep is a full blown disaster out West, to the point that me being a young guy can’t justify putting in for points in other western states (the math doesn’t work out in my head). I don’t know how you could disagree with anyone on that.

Pressure can and is a problem in areas…but it mainly effects people who like thanksgiving a lot more than the gym. Some “back in my day” hunters have lost willingness or ability to outwork the general hunting population and have decided to belly ache as a means to offset that fact. The only time it effects all public land hunters equally is when animals get pushed onto private (case and point: montana elk regs at every commissioners meeting).

There are several arguments to think about with the public/private issue:
1- wouldn’t more public land hunters balance out the clout of billionaire ranch owners who are currently controlling the elk management legislation in montana? I think there is a strong argument that public land hunters need as much help as they can get on that specific issue.
2- I think it’s very fair to say that a lot of these influencers cut the learning curve dramatically for beginner hunters. This benefits everyone bc newbies have better etiquette and hunting tactics bc of teaching of these influencers. Guys in their first years of elk hunting understand thermals and stalking tactics etc. This benefits everyone and probably allows a piece of public to carry more hunters without getting blown out.

Hunting is absolutely under assault in leftist controlled states that also lack strong representation by, specifically, a big game hunting community. Hence all the West coasters coming to the Rockies for the fall bc the only thing in the woods over there are the sacred mountain lion and black bear.

Look what happened in Colorado with spring bear season and Colorado has strong hunting traditions. Hunting will further and further become a legislative battle no matter what state you choose to discuss and with this being the case, you need numbers on your side. Legislation leading to forced mismanagement can hurt your hunting experience over the next ten years just as bad as few extra people at the trailhead. Examples being: terrible predator management in California, wolve reintroduction legislation into the largest elk herds in the country, northern Idaho having silent elk from wolf predation, the fact that I have to follow grizzly tracks everywhere I walk in the backcountry of south central montana…. All of these things were a product of who was voted into office not who hunts.

I would like to wrap up this rambling by saying that the toothpaste is not going back into the tube with onx, gohunt, or YouTube but purposely *cancelling* the loudest voices for your cause is a bold strategy when wildlife management has become a ballot box issue.