I don't watch any of the hunting shows on TV. I find them obnoxious and offensive. Nonetheless I have nothing against someone that can make a living off of hunting. It's never been anything but an expense for me.
Back in the 90's when I bought my ranch I wanted to learn how to grow food plots on it. So I arranged to go to the Tecomate Ranch where I met Dr. Gary Scwarz, David Morris and their farming savant Fred Schuster. I quickly learned that it took a LOT more to grow plots in the desert than this La. boy knew.These guys took dry land farming to a scientific level far beyond my skills or equipment. I also found all three to be deer fanatics, outstanding managers and highly entrepreneurial .
Gary was the founder of Tecomate and as far as I know was the one that introduced the hunting world to lab lab. While an oral surgeon by profession he poured all his passion in trying to grow outstanding whitetails. While still passionate about deer he is now also on a quest to grow gigantic bass. David was so impressed with what Gary was doing he bought the ranch next to him imploring him to execute the same farming techniques on his ranch
David was a good old boy biologist from Ga. He was running a farm there when he saw potential and was one of the founders of North American Whitetail magazine. He reminded me a lot of Ray Scott founder of BassMaster and Imperial Whitetail Seed. A master promoter and expert at getting the dollar out of your pocket into his. Also though he was as knowledgeable as anyone on whitetail deer , nutrition, and all the stuff many of us find interesting. And passionate would be an understatement similar to saying nuclear war might be dangerous.
Fred was the dry land farmer that taught them how to grow in the desert. As David and Gary began commercializing the business Fred dropped out and went back to farming.
I say all this only to acknowledge that if someone can make a living in the hunting industry good for them. These guys have done well, have enormous passion for what they do, and also have the skills to back it up. I applaud them for their success.
As for me all the advertising, promotion, hyperventilating smoking smack downs are just noise. I pay no attention to it. I try to learn from the best and ignore the rest and find that for me hunting and the outdoors has never been better than it is now.