I am a hunter and content consumer, but big picture here...... Matt is right on almost every front.

Matt needs to get after the KZfaqrs on buying up all the T.A.C passes. I’m convinced Big sky is invite only

The monetization of hunting and social media content IS the issue. Clicks, likes and follower numbers has ruined it. It’s gross.

As a firefighter in Atlanta, I used to be able to get all the land I wanted to hunt in the city, back in the late 90s early 2000s. Now that some KZfaqrs have made that famous, it’s getting almost impossible to find a spot. Those boys were still in elementary school when I was doing this, so yeah, I’m a little bit mad at the situation. Social media has ruined that part of my hunting.

Joe Rogan saying "Just find another trailhead" is like Marie Antoinette saying "Let them eat cake". I'm all for getting more people into hunting (and appreciate the challenge), but this really showed how little he actually knows about public land hunting.

So much to unpack here about Rinella's comment(s). Some very true. Content = killing, killing = content. Very true statement. Influencers need only look at their interactions/likes/comments etc. Which of your content garners the most attention from your followers? A hunt, video from the shop, or maybe one from the range? Which of those 3 maybe went "viral?" Now considering that, an reasonable person who produces content *for a living* is going to consider what their followers "like." Also, manufacturers/companies want to push their product(s), and they the most bang for their buck. That most likely is going to involve an influencer who puts together multiple hunts annually, and/or includes others hunts as well on his platform(s). Not saying taking given, legal, opportunities here is wrong per say, but there's some things Influencers need to look at, recognize, and really evaluate if a truly honest conversation is to be had BY ALL. For years, people have been saying, "social media kills everything good." I guess influencers can ask themselves, if I was unable to document/produce this hunt, or than with pen & paper, would I buy these additional 3-4 tags? I think that would weed a lot of guys out.

Matt Rinella’s message is getting traction and that’s a good thing. If you influencers weren’t worried, you wouldn’t talk about it. RRR can take a hike.

I disagree that a lot of hunters would love to have the chance to hunt a farm raised ranch elk. That’s killing not hunting. The journey is just as if not more important than the harvesting of an animal

This topic goes deep and can be summarized with one word (RESPECT) the animals and the hate disappears.

Perfect example of different sides coming together is Josh's joint interview with Ranch Fairy. Leaders of their own sides of the hunting industry having fun together and sharing their ideas while respecting the way the other side operates.

Hey Dan, I’m not sure if you read all of these comments or will even remember me. I just stumbled onto your channel a few weeks ago and you talking about hoping you inspired people to get into hunting resonated with me. I was one of those people at your CrossFit gym in 2011 before I left for the Air Force at the end on 2012. I never hunted growing up and meeting/getting to know you at the gym really inspired me to want to get into hunting. I got my wife, a city girl from Southern California, into hunting and we have a daughter now who will grow up hunting. We’re station in Alaska and have harvested a caribou and two moose now. I just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me and the next generation of hunters in my family. If you’re even up in the Anchorage area, I’d love to see you again and grab a beer. - Collin

HUNTR podcast had a good interview with Matt. Check it out. Hes got some valid points. Hunting is gonna turn into a rich mans sport and eventually will be privatized everywhere. Good conversations to have though boys. Keep it up.

Woulda been epic to have Tim on this “LETS UNITE PODCAST” things were a bit better when it was you & Tim . Very sad as a viewer to watch a let’s Unite podcast without Tim & Dan uniting 😢

Great Podcast Dan and Josh. Keep God first in all you do. I was very lucky to Hunt and film with Cam H. Nate S The Eastmans Fitzgeralds Rodger R Mark & Terry Drury Lisa E Bow R. It was a blessing Love to come out and visit with you guys Gods Blessing

I understand Matt Rinella's point tho. I don't necessarily agree with all of it, because i do feel like a show like Meateater has done way more good than bad, even if they are selling products. Steven Rinealla has done wonders to bring a positive light back to hunting and I am grateful for that. There was a time where being a provider was looked at as being a great thing, and guys like Steve and Cam have shown a lot of young men that there is real virtue in that. I am not sure if that was your goal but you have done that too, Dan. Staying in a shape to hunt in order to provide for your family. Showcasing that is a good thing.

Great discussion. Love to hear about a positive vision for the hunt community, As a Native American hunter, I've always avoided getting involved with hunt scene in dominant society because of the toxic and arrogant attitudes I see littered throughout. And for that reason I'm glad my hunting content on IG has stayed under the radar of the hunt community. I'm a meat hunter for sustainability, not trophy, and follow Native traditions passed down from Dad. A lot of non-hunters see and comment therefore I try and be a good ambassador to hunting. Over the years I've received lots of positive comments from vegans and city slickers alike and to me that's a win because they are the types who may side with us when it comes to voting for policy change. Keep inspiring Dan!

I agree man. Pretty much every hunting group I am part of on social media...hunters are whining about other hunters. Cell cams are unethical, crossbows are cheating, private land hunters are deer farmers...the list goes on and on. It's wild. Just worry about your own hunt. You do you. Quit worrying what other people are doing. Just be happy that the person using a cell cam and a crossbow actually chooses to hunt, and not walk around the streets with a PETA sign. We gotta unite now or our way of life is doomed.

I’m not sure that telling Josh what your interpretation of what Matt Rinella is saying with the “hunt quietly” movement when Josh hasn’t heard it directly and then forms his own idea based on what he was told is the BEST conversation. This is effectively a game of “telephone” where you’re refuting a straw man argument that isn’t necessarily what Matt is saying. Don’t be scared… invite Matt on your podcast and do an interview. Directly refute the areas where you think he’s wrong and allow him to do the same with your positions. As far as Rogan goes… he can hunt wherever he wants and pay for whatever access he can afford. Where he went wrong (IMO) is his commenting “… Dumb f***, go to another trail head!” While it IS always an option… what if ALL of the trailheads in the unit you’ve drawn are all full of hunters and/or your unit is not highly populated with elk (& certainly not filled with elk like a big hunk of 80,000 private acres in Utah). I try not to comment in such an abrasive fashion on things that I know little to nothing about. Have the conversation with Matt & invite this whole crew.

Personally I'd like to see the small percentage of hunters have a serious conversation on ethical hunting & game management. We've all seen the trophy hunters who could care less about filling the freezer they just want clout & wall hangers or the guy who shoots every critter that moves even if they're low percentage shots.

Something that I think about bringing everyone together is that everyone that I watch to better myself for hunting from traditional archery to long range rifle is that nobody does more than one I watch someone for traditional archery, someone for compound archery, someone for long range. So having one guy that posts about everything it would help to bring a lot of together.

Sold all my archery equipment 5 yrs.ago when I moved because I was aging and my 13 yr old son took no interest in hunting. Fast forward 5 yrs and my son got into shooting and ask me to teach him to hunt. Which I did but he had to buy his equipment because I just didn't have the money to buy his. He invested and I showed him how to scout and we found spots on public land in south carolina, he ended up killing a buck with his rifle and now he to my joy is hooked. So much so he bought a leftover mathews bow and I am teaching him archery . He may be on his own tho,I am able so far to come up with funds to buy archery equipment. Price has just become unattainable for some of us.

Sure, there is tribal division inside the hunting community but the division of most concern is INARGUABLY the division between the interests of the hunting INDUSTRY vs the interests of the hunting COMMUNITY. This is the division that is never directly addressed by hunting influencers. With the exception of Matt Rinella, every single hunting influencer or individual who currently has a "voice" is tied to the interests hunting industry in one way or another and is required to push the idea that we need more hunters and that those hunters should use the very best gear in order to save hunting... The narrative is that more hunters = more advocates, more voters, more people buying tags etc. Its not a conspiracy, the hunting industry just needs to grow every year, that is just how business works. That is why it is uncommon to see hunting influencers supporting traditional hunting equipment and methods. More hunters with more advanced gear is not a recipe for preserving our hunting heritage. In western states it is easy to see the negative affect that this agenda is having on hunting. I like the idea of finding common ground and I hope that a mainstream hunting influencers really start looking at the effects of putting the interests of growing the hunting industry over genuinely preserving our hunting heritage. As of right now hunters should really take a look at what Mat Rinella trying to explain to the hunting community because the agenda coming from the "Hunt Quietly" group is the ONLY agenda that is 100% for hunters and not tied to the hunting industry in any way.

There is a massive disconnect happening here. The hunting community is so diverse, uniting it is not possible. It is a feel good conversation, but it is unrealistic. Why? People have different motivations for hunting and in many cases those are not compatible. There are always exceptions, but...... Even if a person started hunting out of family tradition or just a personal passion for it, once that person took their first $1 for hunting/gear, they are now a professional hunter and their motivation for hunting is forever changed as long as they continue to make money. If you make money to hunt or be part of the hunting industry you will approach the reasons behind why you hunt and how you hunt differently than if you are not a professional hunter. It is that simple. Once money is involved, everything changes. Professional hunting/hunters and the average hunter are always going to have compatibility issues because they are hunting for different reasons. They may also be hunting for some of the same reasons, but once money is in the equation, they are also hunting for very different reasons as well. Let's just be honest. This is a huge disconnect and many (not all) of the professional hunters have no clue how offensive they are to the non-professional hunters. Joe Rogan - his comments about the trailhead are ultra offensive to the average hunter. He has no clue how offensive those comments are - the disconnect between pro hunters and average hunters grows. There are multiple examples of pro hunters that offend average hunters and have no clue how out of touch they are - I would suggest those pro hunters don't care about the average hunters. I appreciate this podcast where we have some professional hunters talking that at least are very aware of the problem that exists.

I agree with 75% of what Matt stands for. Is he radical in some ways? Sure. But he has forces people to look at how they conduct themselves and ask tough questions. He is ultimately concerned with the future of NON PAY TO PLAY and I align completely. I’m an unashamed supporter of the Hunt Quietly movement because it must be talk about and it is critical to the future of good hunting in the United States.

Even if we triple the current number of 4% of the population to a 12% hunting population, we still don't have enough numbers to sway any vote. We don't have the available resources to add new hunters. IMO If we are "losing" hunters and we don't have enough current access for our current population, how are we supposed to add new hunters. Where are they going to go? These are legitimate questions that I have. I think this conversation could have been better by having guests with opposing views to discuss these topics. I respect both Dan and Cam's message on work ethic and discipline. I hope yall do more of this style of podcast.

You guys brought it home, most of us grew up going hunting with our dads. I lost my dad a little over a year ago. We have a meat cooler, and family and friends bring there animals. My dad loved helping them cut up there animals. This year when our family and friends brought deer and elk it made me feel closer to him because he loved it. He called the cooler his office. Keep up the good work guys!

I think it would be wise for you to email Matt and get on the podcast... I'm sure he would be game

Loved the dad and hunting talk. I have 20 rounds of 30-06 with my dads ashes in the bullets and got my moose with 2 of those rounds and 1 nice buck, and it felt like he was a part of both those hunts He always wanted to do a moose hunt, but we never got a permit in the lottery to go. I finally got one, but dad had passed away for around 5 years by that time. So, thanks for bringing that up. It's a great way to build on a hunting community. Great talk about your dads and hunting traditions.

Never bash someone that is hunting legally = ethically. I was a compound shooter since 1985. I switched over to a crossbow 2 years ago. I decided to hunt with the most accurate devastating killing tool that I can legally hunt with then. I also hunt with a centerfire rifle and muzzleloader depending on the season. You are either a hunter or a non-hunter or an anti hunter. All I can say is keep the camp OPEN regardless of legal method and location conditions. It is stupid to eat your own when the antis are there to eat all of us. Great topic and conversations!

I have been a big fan of both podium, archer and elk shaped, but watching this podcast kind of lets me know where y’all have your mindset. Hunting for you is a paid to play operation and the way you see it if you have the money then you can do what you want but for the average Joe look like myself, whose family for generations has lived off the land and now it is become almost impossible to feed your family the entire year, without going to the store, and living in a state, like Kansas, who continuously molds, and builds their regulations to cater to the out-of-state hunters while making it more difficult for their own residence, just just goes to show what’s wrong with the hunting community. In general I will agree. Most of it comes down to mismanagement by fishing game department, but it’s all bought and paid for by people like you who’s gonna afford to pay the prices which pushes out those who may be residence and should have first access to tag available

We will all have our own opinions on the subject, but as a whole, I agree with what your message was on this.

I grew up not hunting at all. And over my lifetime (I’m now 40) have gone hunting three times ever. But I shot my first deer this year. And the same buddy who took me on my successful hunt gave me an entry level bow. I’m now hooked. I’m looking forward to next season where I’m going to go bow hunting for the first time. I didn’t know anyone in the archery community just two months ago. But I have been obsessed with learning. And have been absorbing everything from you guys as much as I can. You guys do a great deed for the community, never stop. I can say I’m going to be a product of your influence. Thank you.

Love this conversation. Everyone should come together who is a hunter. Doesn't matter what equipment you use. Be proficient in your weapons so that your harvest is ethical. Public land or private, it does not matter. Same team!

Man, loved this one! I have been trying to spread my love of hunting to my family and friends. And I hope they can spread their love down the younger generations as well.

I have my Grandfather's knife, 22-250 and Stanley canteen. I also have his original black powder horn. These are some of my most cherished items. I say a prayer every year on opening day, Thanking GOD for him and and what he taught me. My two daughters just took their hunter education course this month and my youngest(10) will be harvesting her first deer this year with a crossbow. UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL!!!

Dude this was awesome! We all hunt differently than each other, I don’t even elk hunt but hope to one day. I love how yall try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and respect other people regardless of different opinions. This needs to affect more than just the hunting community.

Matt Rinnella never wrote an article on Dan, someone else did and Hunt Quietly just talked about it. Which is standard outdoor media procedure.

This was a hard podcast to have. Sadly, the conversation isn't openly talked about. Except behind closed doors. Good on you guys for hopefully getting the ball rolling. Awesome, as always. Keep up the good work, gentlemen

I am in my mid thirties and am lucky enough to still be able to hunt with the previous generation. Every season is filled with stories talking about how they called up friends, family, and neighbors to help them pack out whatever elk they shot in an absolute black hole of a place, or how they stumbled into a stranger packing an elk out and stopped their hunt to help out... Then the conversation inevitably turns to the time some jerk ran out and put a tag on their elk before they had a chance to get there (stealing someone else's kill). As horrifying as that is, what this really demonstrates to me is how much hunting has changed from a community lifestyle to a "screw you, I'm going to get mine" mindset. My dad didn't hunt, so I went on my first big game trip with my then boyfriend, now husband. And my mentors have been friends, uncles, my Father-in-law, family friends, friends of family friends, and each one of them has freely given advice and encouragement. Every one of them has been happy to take me to their favorite spot, or help me dissect a situation where I made a mistake to help me become a better hunter. And I think we all owe it to ourselves and the others around us to perpetuate a positive community where each person holds themselves to a high standard. I want what they had, the security that another hunter they encounter is an ally rather than an enemy. And the only way to do that is to have these tough conversations and to be a better steward of this sport in the same way that they were. Strive to be like your mentor. And if your mentor sucked as a community member, strive to be better.

The only thing these guys are united over is to sell you something. I'm still a new archery and bow hunting. From my observation everything in the industry is revolved around selling equipment. I met an older guy while out elk hunting last year and he was so full of insight. My advice listen to those that have real world experience.No product is going to make you a better hunter. Getting out in the woods and observing the signs in nature is time spent much better then any of these pod casts.

I watched matts talk about hunt quietly and i agree with most all the points on hunting quietly.

Constructive: Where did the case study comment go? Should we leave it up to understand more?

I commented over a year ago to Seek One (KZfaqrs) who posted a pic on KZfaq of about 10 dead does in the back of a trailer that looked really bad for us hunters. It was a bad decision to post that pic!!

From an Aussie military veteran who use to work in the adaptive sports industry full of egos and what we call tall poppy syndrome the only way to solve it is create a sense of belonging or tribe identity within your culture. It worked for a while here in my program then it got taken over. It’s hard work to maintain however I had to keep reminding myself it’s about others not me I wanted to create an environment where the toxicity was left aside. On a side note I visit USA twice a year and happy to provide some volunteer help as I’m just getting into this archery thingo I’ll do anything even be the water boy and I don’t have an ego 😂 Cheers mates

Thank you for complaining about hunters complaining about hunters and throwing fellow hunters under the bus we all feel a strong sense unity now.

It Is a logical fallacy that more hunters helps hunters or hunting. It is also a logical fallacy that more hunters leads to more opportunity (just look at draw odds) And people like Rogan, who has never hunted, whining about people pointing these things out is laughable. I listened to his and Cams podcast (shame on Cam for sitting there and not defending his fellow hunters) and all they did was the same things he whined about others doing.

Great conversation, needs to be had more often. I remember when Jim Zumbo from outdoor life said you shouldn’t hunt with AR’s. His career ended that day because the mentality was we’re all hunters even if we don’t do it the same! Afterwards I remember him being invited on other shows to be”educated” on the efficacy of hunting with AR’s in an attempt to bring him back in the fold. Ya, the trail heads are busy but when I see it I just say to my self “ I just got too work harder, think smarter, out hunt them! If ya want it bad enough go get it, it’s out there, only thing holding you back is your own pessimism!

Great conversation guys. The division among the hunting community, gun community and archery has always boggled my mind. We are so small. We won't survive divided.

I’ve learned being happy for others in their success has made me a happier person. I still can’t stand the internet super hunters but I try not to pay them any kind. As far as being an influencer you all have a great platform to show conservation and habitat rehabilitation at work. Keep doing you and keep up the great work!

Love conversation and I agree 100% we need to come together. It really hits home thinking about my dad and I hunting since i was 12. He paved the way for me and i am passing that along to my boys. I enjoy my boys shooting a deer more than me shooting one. Hope you have a great new year!

Great talk. I run into hunters on public land every year and feel like the last few years, more hunters are sharing your mindset on uniting and being on the same team to help other hunters out. As opposed to the typical "what are you doing here huntin' my spot?!" like I use to get every year. I think your conversations such as this are getting to the right people and the message is getting out there, so keep doing what you all are doing. And for those who get upset when you get to a trailhead and its packed, walked a mile in and you will get away from 95% of hunters, never fails.

Trying to increase the popularity of the sport while also acknowledging how much less places there is to hunt is crazy

Cam Hanes is the reason i bow hunt now. I grew up in NY never hunted. No archery experience. I thought hunters drank beer and sat in a stand with a bud light. It was HUSH and cam KZfaq channel that made me see it as a sport for extreme athletes. Protect provide and inspire. Don’t put any energy into what your enemies see.

I started taking my son to the woods with me since age 3. Not ideal carrying ground blind, blanket, big buddy heater, etc. But I wouldn't change anything. Fast forward, he's 17 now and is a hunting fool with bow and gun. He talks to his friends constantly about how fun hunting is. We have invited his friends over to try shooting bow with us. I've been shooting since I was 9 and worked as a bow tech for 10 years in the 90's and have a bow or two 😉. I am happy to say that we have taught 4 kids this year to shoot bows and they all hunted the 2023 season. I sold 2 of them bows and supplied another that couldn't afford it for bow season. I have put out at the schools that any kid that wants to learn to shoot, to contact me. I have 2 Genesis bows that I set up for this purpose. I can't tell you how good it feels to see a young person drop by with the deer they harvested that you trained 6 mos ago.

Love that you are addressing a long time problem amongst the hunting community. Unfortunately I don’t think the division will ever go away. Top four main problems: ego, greed, jealousy, and laziness, IMO. Keep spreading the positive message, and driving the message in the right direction.

Dang guys, you hit the nail on the head. Unify and share your passion because it’s infectious.

I honestly thought this was probably going to be the last time I watched and listened to you guys I was wrong. It's really about your true passion for hunting and it's not for everyone but for some it's that connection and those precious memories with nature and past Love ones. 😢

Man, the point about the need for higher percentage voting positive and people only worried about their own personal gain was a great point.

Honestly KZfaqrs, Influencers are the way these days. It’s the most readily available source for Q and A. I believe that we are talking past something very important that’s how to actually get out and Hunt. Like most people learned from someone while doing it and that’s what it takes. “Killing for Content” I believe it has lot to do with more people have access to to camera/ video equipment these days. Anyways my point is let’s get someone and take them hunting instead of worrying about who’s got more tags

Im a small KZfaqr and the comments I get lately have been extremely negative from other hunters. I still get lots of love and support and positive comments but man, some of the people out there are ruthless.

The last part of this podcast really hit home..my father wasn't into hunting so I didn't get into it until the age of 23(now 54) with my friend..who over time became my best friend, hunting mentor and at times a father figure..we lost him 3 months ago to pancreatic cancer..I feel LOST but never more driven to getit DONE this coming season..I'm already devastated that i will not be able to send pics to him or hunt with him..he has given me my greatest passion in life and I'll never be able to repay him 😢

What people have forgotten is that its ok to disagree. We all have a common interest but some have different views on how to go about said interest. I live in western Kentucky and bow hunt white tail on public land so I can't speak on the tag issue you guys have but I do know what it's like to have public land fill up quick and yes sometimes it a pain but at the end of the day we should all be grateful for opportunities we have. Effort doesn't always mean success it's hunting not killing

Dan, who introduced you to hunting? At what age? And what do you value the most from that endeavor? This is a big piece of the puzzle regarding the current climate within the outdoor world

33:07 One of the best moments of this cat. Spot on. Great point Dan

Nothing hates predators more than predators! We are predators. Wolf packs battle each other. Etc. We’re no different. I remember when the first compound bows came out. It can only be defined as a war! Friendships were ruined and even families were broken. It was an ugly time in bow hunting history.

KZfaq and social media has definitely hurt hunting. Everyone is looking for the picture. It has brought in the wrong community. I'm 46 now and started hunting with my grandfather when I was a child. In my opinion hunting was to get in touch with nature and forget about work and the stresses of life. Now it's a bunch of hunters with camera crews.

I found elk shape 5 years ago recovering from a diverticulitis surgery. They removed 7 inches of my large intestine. Had 2 other surgeries a year after the first one. Took me 3 more years to be able to really workout without issues. It’s because of Dan and cam that I went out to hunt for my first time ever. It was fun and a learning experience I was unsuccessful but that’s okay. I learned a lot. Will definitely be doing it again. And before all that I was listing to Joe talking about archery so he’s another reason why I tried archery. But thanks Dan for all that you do.

Crwm and howl are fighting for hunting, people need to be informed about the issues these groups are battling for us, the more people and groups you can get together with the more people will come keep raising awareness of these situations and more people will wake up to the issues, people need to put their differences aside and unite as hunters, houndsmen,trappers, all need to stand together, and get on the offense instead of playing defense when we get attacked,

I mean, his brother is one of the top all time hunting shows. He’s just mad.

I know this is a divisive comment on a video about coming together, but it’s hard for me to Listen to Matt Rinella. I watched him talk about this crap on another podcast and he sounded like a whiny baby. “I was hunting first!” He didn’t want to bring new hunters in because there are too many for the resources. He was ragging the most on The Hunting Public and just saying things that just straight up weren’t true.

You will never stop the internal sniping. Social media has made this disease front and center. Everyone wants to tell everyone else what and how to do something. The only way to have these disagreement discussions is in private and when you’re attacked, don’t give them the time of day. Good to have these discussions on the forum as reminders. Stay positive and don’t make public posts personally attacking those you disagree with.

I don’t think Matt did a dissertation on you. Maybe you will retract that allegation? He discussed this episode on his Hunt Quietly podcast recently. I watch hunting content but I also think Matt is onto something regarding the pressure caused by too many hunters and decreasing land access. The land situation will only get worse.

I agree with Josh on the fact that it would be extremely difficult/impossible to unite all hunters across the board. You'd literally be asking them to drop their strong opinions and borderline change who they are in order to stop the bickering amongst us on social media

Love how you guys are trying to keep the hunting community afloat over there I'm from the UK and done archery for 22 years now 12 with a compound and the hunting laws in the UK are a joke and hypocrisy and only has a community with the rich. Keep up the fight👍

I appreciate this POD cast. I'm a military veteren that spent most of my life overseas and did not get to hunt because of the price. I grew up hunting the same public land in Oklahoma. Truth be told I have only harvested 1 doe in my life. Being in Arizona now, I wish we could all get along and come together.

I believe that the “10,000 ft view” of hunting is important to keep in perspective when analyzing “issues” within the hunting community and the opponents of hunting altogether. I honestly respect you and what you do but honestly Matt Rinella’s message resonates because in some way his perspective has more weight. That weight is important to developing the ethos around hunting and right now we need all the help we can get with that job. I think that you and Cam mean different things altogether to the hunting story and ethos, than Matt or Shane Mahoney from Wild Harvest initiative. It’s an apples and oranges situation. You focus on inspiring people to get after it and discover what they are capable of. Empowerment, discipline, and fun. A guy like Shane Mahoney( who you should familiarize yourself with if you are not aware of him) drives the bus on the conservation of hunting. What hunting means from a socio-economic view and tells the story of how hunting maintains, develops and protects the beautiful places and animals that we admire, respect and harvest. Thanks for being respectful and not just shitting on a guy(Matt)that means well. I hope he’d do the same. Like you said, we need to be collaborative and united to protect the traditions of hunting and public land. That being said, I’ll give you some constructive criticism that you have not agreed to recieve ;), spend more time familiarizing yourself with the conservation side of hunting and imagining how a better future for hunting and America might come to be. As a influencer, believe it or not, the information you distribute has more weight so beware of falling into a “1,000 ft view”. See the big picture and continue to become a better versed and passionate steward/ advocate for the things you believe. Thanks for all that you do. I honestly appreciate what you do for hunting.

Josh’s rant from 25:50-26:55 is a sound bite that all hunters need to hear

People love to eat beef, yet the industry doesn’t brag about how those animals are slaughtered in detail for consumption. Sometimes even what we experience in hunting is not expedient to broadcast. I used to have a T-shirt that read "Happiness is a Large Gut Pile”. It was for select times, with select people in hunting camp - Never in Public

Honest. Transparent. Truth. Nobody else does it like you guys.

Best comment ever: PETA isn’t arguing with themselves. Done.

Completely agree. We need to realize we can learn from each other's disciplines and apply tactics that a bow hunter would use in rifle, or driving tactics in bow hunting just as an example.

Great conversation between a couple dudes I love to watch. There is underlying component to the “hunt quietly” movement that you did touch on that needs more context. The algorithm is really is the enemy. Kill content will almost ALWAYS trump woodsmanship content or realistic “boring” content showing hours of nothing, so there is validity to MR’s points. Views create growth, which creates attention to a game species or geographic area, which creates competition for animals or tags that might not have been there before. So as a content creator making a living in that arena, it is difficult at best to not want growth through the most effective algorithm…MFJJ is unique in being the bridge between archery technique/ pro shop knowledge and applying to hunting vs hunting/ kill only content.

Trolls are gonna always be trolls,but the rest of us need to come together and out voice them.

I think most folks feel pushed out of hunting because of cost. All the videos of influencers saying you need this or that or you won’t be successful. All the gear shaming that goes on in the hunting industry. No one talks about it ,but yet it’s a major problem for the next hunting generation.

I’m of the belief. Strength in numbers. Hunting is trying to be removed in some states. We need to unite. As long as social media guys are giving locations I’m fine with it. Name the State your in and that’s it.

I’m sorry, but you guys are talking from a position of being residents of a state that has elk. You’re almost guaranteed to get a tag in your state and probably drive in person to get one in Idaho. It’s hard enough for an out of state hunter to afford to go let alone be able to get a tag with states dropping tags to 10% for non residents. Idaho has dropped the number for non residents. Every state that I know has increased their tags prices immensely. If %30 of the us hunted them there would be no tags and only the very wealthy would be able to hunt. It’s getting to be that way anyway.

One thing we can do to change it, is stop supporting bad actors. Recently saw Dan was promoting Beast broadheads, a broadhead designed by a Poacher, who is also solely responsible for a bear hunting season get canceled. Yet somehow the guy and his wife are some of the biggest hunting influencers. How the industry hasn't shunned them is remarkable, but he fooled everyone by playing the victim.

💯 % agree , I think sometimes they don't realize when the post on social media it's comes off the wrong way to some hunters ,regardless of whether they mean it or not . We need to unite as hunters no matter social status ,in the end, it's the hunt that matters. Also, not just elk all species for hunters.

Good job guys! We share a lot of the same sentiments and hunting philosophy. Continue to positively promote hunting regardless of style or method (as long as it’s legal). I think it’s okay to be competitive amongst ourselves as long as it’s respectful and we keep the big picture in mind. Also, MFJJ, please keep up the tech tips, how to’s and reviews! Much appreciated! Lead on gentleman!

Enjoyed this podcast mate. For what it is worth, here's my two cents. We all come from different socioeconomic, educational, family value, political, religious backgrounds (add whatever you want to that list). Because of this, we all have our own reasons for hunting and take different things from it. The bickering I see on the socials from the influencers that make their livelihoods from the hunting industry, are rewarded for making that noise. It generates more clicks, more followers, forming alliances, etc. It feeds straight into to core of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. They get safety (emotional and financial security), belonging (friendship, even if that is fickle e-friendship), social needs and esteem (respect and admiration from other keyboard warriors). Because of this, you'll always have people trying to knock people down a rung. We call it the tall poppy syndrome in Australia. It refers to successful people being criticized. This occurs when their peers believe they are too successful, or are bragging about their success. Intense scrutiny and criticism of such a person is termed as "cutting down the tall poppy". I met a cool bunch of like minded people at a hunting camp earlier this year that were from a diverse set of backgrounds and upbringings. We got to build friendships and mutual respect for each other, along with where they are in their own hunting journeys, by sharing time and stories with each other. It wasn't about one upping each other, rather building the "collective team" and supporting what, why and where we were all at. Building those networks and growing together as hunters will in my opinion, mitigate some of the tall poppy syndrome. You'll never be able to do that across the spectrum of people who hunt, so you just got the chip away a little by little. I am a first generation hunter, who picked up a bow in his late 30's, and I can't articulate how much archery hunting lights my fire. I am also somewhat reserved in what I am willing the share with the general public. It was only a handful of years ago I felt comfortable enough to post hunting photos and videos on the socials as I was concerned for my professional career that I had built over two decades. I was concerned about the 30% that you guys talked about on the podcast, and the trend in cancel culture. I can sit here today and say that I have been welcomed into the hunting community by genuine, kind and respectful people. Yet as irrelevant as I am, I have also had a few swipes come my way with comments like "you haven't earned your stripes". Those karnts (said in a thick Aussie accent) can respectively go fornicate themselves. I didn't give them the time, nor gratification, to dignify their comments with a response. Sometimes the influencers in the industry, as Josh eluded to with Cam, need to rise above and forget about that noise, and unite the majority that collectively raise the bar.

Couple things to think about. Washington state is one of the most mismanaged states when it comes to hunting quotas like Josh said. They will literally sell a tag to every resident knowing for well that there are not enough animals to fill all of the tags in many other states, they sell a ton of tags and then shut down hunting after people have paid for those tags and not fill their quota like with Pennsylvania there, and do nothing about it. There needs to be drastic changes in order for hunting to grow and be sustainable long-term. Pretty sure that Matt and Steve are on speaking terms because he was on the Christmas podcast two years ago and that actually got kind of awkward and heated.

Idea to share with you Dan on where we can start.... where you can start as one that has larger voice then most of us. Reach out to Matt Rinela. See if you can find common ground. See if Matt can recognize you, as well has him, want to solve issues. Maybe it can evolve into a podcast on commonality and positive directions. Imagine if we can get one small common step and build from there. Just an idea.

Social media accessibility and everyone’s ability to freely share has painted an inaccurate picture to the rest of the hunting community. All of us midwesterners want that giant bull and limited tag but few of us understand or have an appreciation for how many years those familiar have been waiting for that chance and put the work in. I have hunted an OTC tag in Utah for 2 straight years in an area where there are “no elk” and seen both elk and mule deer both times and been at full draw two years in a row. I was thrilled and lived in reality and willing to learn and put in the work. The issue is the lazy hunter wanting all the glory without the work. We were raised to hunt differently than those coming up now and some of our new hunters just want it easy. Not all, but some. Social media needs more failed hunts and less of what we see now. On a side note, love Cam but NEVER looked at him as a hunter first. I’ve been inspired by a middle aged man trying to outrun Father Time and stay in the game as long as possible, which is what all of us whether we hunt or not, should aspire to do.

I am grateful for this channel and all that I have learned. I wish we could build each other up. Why is it so hard to say congratulations to someone that was successful at killing a bull. Even if it was by a method aka “longrange” that you might disagree with. Everyone on this earth has different skills that allows each of us to do different things exceptionally well. What I have learned teaching special education from my students is the determination to overcome a problem and find success with the outcome. Everyone of my students will tackle the same problem differently and come to the same conclusion. But they tackled it differently than even I just taught it to them… 🤦‍♂️🤯. This year I have had a fire lit under me. I am down 40 lbs and I am 150 away from my goal. I did not draw a bull tag in Idaho this past year so I was hunting cows. I was hiking into an area that I had scouted. I was 1.5 miles in and was a quarter of a mile a way from the canyon I wanted to hunt. A more fit man caught me and said Im going up here on the right! ( where I thought I was headed. ) so I adjusted my plan and went to the left. Now I wish I could say “ I’m so thankful cause I got into elk and killed my cow…,” but I struck out and saw nothing. I was hunting public land. That experience lit a fire in me to be in the best elk hunting shape i have ever been in. I could have complained….. which in all honestly I came home and vented to my wife, more with embarrassment for myself than being mad at another hunter who passed me up. I love elk hunting with a passion. Just because someone is successful and does it differently than me does not make it bad. I need to keep working! Shut the hell up and stop making excuses for myself why I personally did not take an elk. This year is MY YEAR!!!! Thanks for all you do.! Keep y’all’s heads up ya hear? Darrin

Great talk boys! We need this mindset throughout our hunting community!

Dan, great topic and much appreciate the risk in discussing this issue. Maybe you need better guests. Blaming State wildlife agencies right out of the gate is the wrong approach. As you pointed out its a multi-dimensional problem. keep at it. i think you are on to something here.

That vent fan drove me bananas

Just a little bit of data from my experience as a bowhunter, this year there's 11 dudes that I bow hunt with where I live in Colorado, We all put in for elk draw , four choices filled out this year and not one of us drew a tag. Most of us have lived in Colorado for 15 years plus and that's never happened, which forced all of us to hunt OTC and I was the only one that had a kill

This was refreshing and a extremely important conversation

You guys have been knocking it out of the park with the last few podcasts this one was amazing and i can definitely relate!!