These online hunting web shows are must follows for this upcoming hunting season.
Let's face it, a lot of outdoor television has put a sour taste in the average hunter's mouth.
High fences, incredible properties, outfitters... the list goes on. We understand that making outdoor TV is not easy. Killing mature deer on camera in short time frames is DIFFICULT. So, they have to go those routes to make sure there is content to watch, and we understand that.
But it gets hard to see, especially when the average hunter has a few small hunting parcels to hunt and only weekends available to be in a stand.
It just doesn't relate to what most hunters experience. When every deer that walks by is a 200-inch whitetail, the show doesn't exactly replicate what a public land hunter in Ohio will be seeing.
Not to mention the fact that network TV prices are insane these days. As a result, people are dropping cable TV more and more everyday.
The digital hunting web shows are becoming more and more popular because of this. People are thinking, 'Why should I pay for TV strictly for hunting shows when I can find quality content on YouTube, Facebook, and elsewhere?'
And this is what brings me to the eight hunting web shows that you can find online and need to be watching.
These are whitetail hunting shows that I have came to follow over the last five years or so. My favorite aspect of these shows is the fact that they depict diehard hunters like you and me, who work hard year-round to maximize their properties, and they show the good, the bad, and the ugly.
They aren't out there to make it look like they are the greatest hunters who ever walked the planet, all the while shoving certain products down your throat because they get paid by he companies.
They produce content because they love the sport, the work, and the attempt to kill whitetail deer the way it should be done.
Check them all out, and hopefully you too will find yourself enjoying their productions as well. These are in no specific order, but are all incredible in their own way and entertain me while I can't be hunting myself.
Team Radical
If you are a small town guy and you love killing big deer...then this is the perfect fit for you. And when I say big deer, I mean big deer. Team Radical will post hunting content on about every species throughout the hunting seasons, but their bread and butter is big whitetail.
Primarily in Illinois, the guys at Team Radical hunt privately owned ground that they put blood, sweat, and hard work into for 12 months of the year.
They do an incredible job of tracking and watching a deer throughout its life, and putting an actual story behind a hunt, all while almost exclusively trying to focus on deer that are at least five years of age. This is not a full time gig for them; they all work full time jobs and do their filming on the side.
THey're not in it for the money, just a rich passion for the sport. You can find their online show on YouTube.
Growing Deer TV
Dr. Grant Woods is, simply put, a whitetail genius. If you love the educational side of hunting, this web show will blow your mind.
The man knows his deer. From habits, habitat, meat processing, food plots, and anything whitetail-related, Grant can teach you something.
I have been following along with Growing Deer TV for over two years now, and I wish I would have found it sooner. It is the most informational production you will find. From before the hunt, the hunt, and after the hunt, you can learn wonders from Mr. Woods.
He correlates the sport of hunting and outdoors to the Lord above, something that I truly respect. If you want to learn a lot and become a better hunter by understanding the whitetail deer, this web show will do that and more. I can't stress this enough, you will learn more watching this man and his team than any other.
Midwest Whitetail
Midwest Whitetail with Bill Winke is much like Growing Deer TV. It's very, very educational, and also has exceptional production quality.
Bill and his team do an incredible job of capturing a story by keeping tabs on bucks as they grow through maturity.
I feel safe saying that Bill is probably one of the best "hunters" you will find to watch. He isn't going to captivate an audience with crazy catch phrases and flamboyant actions. He tells you why he hunted where he did, why he hunted when he did, and everything in between, all while he harvesting multiple Booners on camera each season.
As a hunting show viewer, I am not out there searching for crazy personalities. Some people like that in their outdoor television, and there is nothing wrong with that. But personally, I watch hunting content to learn stuff that will make me a better hunter and figure out ways to harvest mature deer consistently. That is exactly what you will get with Midwest Whitetail.
They walk you through the season week by week, even having a whole group of hunters who focus on public land hunting only. If you want to become a better hunter, follow this web show. Simple as that.
Bow Hunt or Die
This is the online hunting show that I have been following the longest. It truly embodies the everyday hunter the best in my opinion. They have a huge team that covers many states. Every hunter has their own style, and they all have their own views on a "trophy."
Some team members view a five-plus-year-old-deer as a shooter, and others view a big framed two-year-old as a trophy
The great part of hunting is that it is whatever you make it out to be. It is about the experience, not the inches. Bow Hunt or Die showcases this well in my eyes.
Good shots, bad shots, doe kills, mess ups... they cover it all. And that is why they have doing this online thing for so long. People tune in, because it most closely resembles the everyday hunter.
But don't let those remarks above make you think they don't kill big deer, because they do. With their large team, they are able to release an episode every week, and it's usually an episode that is sure to teach you a lot. You'll see a mature whitetail or two hit the dirt every week, too.
Another great plus to jumping on the Bow Hunt or Die train now is that they have well over a 100 episodes on YouTube. Which means you can binge-watch a ton of episodes as you patiently wait for season to come in.
Arrow Wild TV
This is a new online show as of last season, but they have been doing the digital online hunting thing for some time now. Just re-branding with a fresh new look. Good dudes who love to hunt and show us their stories is my best way to put it, and I am excited to follow along with Season 2 of Arrow Wild TV.
They have good humor in their episodes, which makes it entertaining and fun to tag along. You have to have partners to make this thing happen, and they do a great job of plugging the partners in an out-of-the-box way.
Rather than just spouting off their sponsors, they make it funny, which I respect. Some shows take it all way too seriously, so it is good to lighten the mood sometimes.
They put in the work and just like others I have mentioned, they show everything. You get what you get; there's no sugar coating things to make it look like they are mistake free hunters.
Their shows are released on Facebook, which is nice because as long as you like and follow the page, you will always be seeing their content. Their photography is above average when compared to other pages, which always is pleasing to the eye when you follow their adventures. John Mulligan and team will be sure to excite you this deer season, so stay tuned to them!
Wired to Hunt
Wired to Hunt is a lot more than just an online show. It involves a lot of blogging, tips on social media, podcasts, and insight from Mark Kenyon, a young man who is becoming more popular in the industry everyday. A very down to earth guy who I have come to briefly know over the years, who does a great job of portraying all the great things about hunting.
He's a great writer who has a passion about learning about whitetails and making movements for the sport and the conservation of it. Kenyon does a great job of putting what all us hunters feel into words, and I think that is why I enjoy his content.
It is interesting to watch him become a better hunter every year. There is a lot to learn from his content, as he often brings in many established hunters to show you how they have had success over the years.
You will enjoy watching his hunts over the span of the season. You won't see as many huge whitetails killed on film as some of the ones above, because it is a one-man show, but you will learn and be intrigued into the sport of whitetail more I can promise.
The Nine Finger Chronicles
Where do I start with this one?! Dan Johnson and Nine Finger Chronicles is quickly gathering a very passionate following. Why you ask? Because the guy loves to hunt and just tells it like it is. He is clearly not there to make money, just there to try and kill big deer and promote products that he loves and that is it. And I hope that is what he continues to do because I believe that is his niche and greatest asset.
And that is why so many enjoy watching his content. With a very blunt personality and dry humor, Dan is the average hunter to the "T" that will leave you wanting more.
He's married, a busy father, and has smaller chunks of private land to hunt. He soaks up as much knowledge as possible and takes on the "hunt smarter, not harder" philosophy.
He's very interactive with his audience, so much so that you feel like you are just chatting and hunting with your buddy. I first found Dan a few years back on the Wired to Hunt scene, before he began to do his own thing. His online hunting adventures are ones you will certainly love.
White Knuckle Productions Web Show
Last but not least, White Knuckle is another good YouTube series I have found in the past year or two. Similar to Bow Hunt or Die, their team covers a lot of area and can really relate to hunters all across the nation. They do a great job of letting the viewer in on every aspect of the hunt and telling the audience why they do what they do.
One of the main components, Todd Pringnitz, is as interesting of a hunter as you will find. There is no doubt the guy is as passionate about deer hunting as anyone out there, and some of his actions will portray that. You just have to watch it to understand.
They have many episodes available to binge watch as well, and just another quality option to entertain you and educate you to get that whitetail fix you need when you can't be in a tree yourself.
Ahhhh, Deer Season!
When you are reading this, there are two different stages in life you could be at. That is either waiting on deer season, or enjoying deer season. That is how our brains work as deer hunters. But one thing is certain, these shows will always be around to watch, and that is what makes online hunting shows so appealing.
Any day, any month, any hour...and completely free. No network TV contract needed, and no waiting for weeks on end until a new episode comes out. Binge watch all of these and see what you think. Some may appeal to you more than others, but I am sure you will find a few you really enjoy. Between all of these, they work together to help me get my fix.
One thing is certain though, all of these above have one thing in common with both me and you. They are average guys with average lives and they love to be in a tree come fall chasing the elusive whitetail buck!
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