Fantasy Hunting League

I have never been in a Fantasy Football League, or anything of the sort. So, when I kept getting emails and phone calls from a group starting a fantasy hunting league of TV folks, I kept blowing it off and ignoring it.

Today, they call again, and I think it is my friend who lives in MN, so I answer the phone. Not my friend in MN, but the guys putting together the fantasy league.

So, they finally track me down and lay out all the details. How they give extra points for self-guided hunts versus guided hunts, extra points for public land hunts versus private land hunts, how you get points for shooting a doe deer or cow elk. And a ton of other things that are foreign to someone not versed in the world of fanatasy leagues.

Supposedly, fantasy league things are a big deal. I don't know, as I have never done it and belong to no fantasy leagues.

They explain that each person has a bank roll and gets to draft five celebrity hunters to make up their team. Not being a celebrity, I ask why they would ask me about that part. Evidently they think anyone with a hunting TV show is a celebrity.

They have their list of TV hosts and are looking for some western guys. Evidently all the other western guys must have bowed out, so they were left having to ask me.

It would be more exposure for the show, the website, and our sponsors. That is good. The participants supposedly will win cash and prizes from the sponsors of this event. They say the "real celebrities" (my term, not theirs) of the hunting TV world have signed on.

I struggle with the entire "hunting being boiled down to a contest" concept. Not sure how I feel about that. If it gives distinction to the difficulty of self-guided and public land hunts, and rewards people who do shoot antlerless animals, some of my hesitations are balanced. Afer that phone call, I now have more questions than answers. Probably overthinking it, as I always do.

What do you guys think about fantasy league stuff? I know Randy11 put together one for MLB. Some of you participate in fanatasy leagues elsewhere.

Any thoughts are welcome, though in the end I will make up my own mind one way or the other. Just would like to make that decision with some input from guys around here who know more about it than I do.

Well Randy, as for me I spend all my time either Hunting, getting ready to hunt, coming home from the hunt, planning for my next hunt this year or a hunt 1 or 2 years out. I am just not a fantasy league person I guess.

If I get what your saying, they think regular folks want to have a fantasy hunting team and we'd draft TV hunters to form our teams and the better our "draft" picks do, in there hunts, the more points we score for gear layed out by sponsors? Seems really odd and foreign. I guess theres somthing for everyone. Not for me.

Hunting and everything revolving around hunting soaks up alot of my time. As well as the work and OT I have to pull to support it, while raising a family. Seems to me, you'd have to be pretty disconnected from hunting to take the time to form a fantasy team and worry about what they hunt and shoot. I personally like watching hunting shows, I find either enoyable because they represent my style of hunting or there informative. Worrying about what they shoot seems weird at best.

Personally none of the fantasy league stuff appeals to me. I prefer real world activities. So I know nothing about it, but maybe it would help get more interest in your show.

I too am not into the whole "contest" thing. Seems to me if the non hunting crowd were to see this they may decide that we hunters are in it just for "points" or "money" and we may lose some credibility that we have long since tried to establish. As stated above, just my 2 cents worth.

Randy,

I don't know man...

It won't change the way many of us all view your show & how you carry yourself, but I just don't like terms like pro, expert or celebrity. I think it is great if you make a good living off of your show! You have invested alot of time, money & hardwork to make it what it is. Your brand is about trying to stay connected with all of the guys working 9-5 & I don't think a lot of us play fantasy HUNTING.

someone sent me this link today & it made me laugh (it has some semi dirty language, hell I can't remember, if it is to bad nuke it):

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7175053/

Also here is the worst MATHEWS commercial I have seen YET! I hate bagging on folks, but really "It's the HOT TICKET!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kaqLgdWmfg

On the other hand I would like to see you WIN it! I am not sure on this one, but like you said it is your call & your business. I won't judge you for it!

Pass. Everytime your truck breaks down or personal issue pops up you'll get traded for Colorado Buck or some other 'celebrity hunter' Who needs that.

But if Greenhorn signs on, I am putting him on my team:hump:

Craig, those links are great.

I would rather not enter into the fantasy hunting. First of all they make the money, not you. Second, Randy is indeed a hunting celebrity, not a Professional Hunter, but an honest hunter just like all of us here on the forum and OYOA viewers. If Jim Shockey, Pigman, and others are in on it you can put it all in the dumpster.

Colorado Buck is mine. Stay away.

I enjoy fantasy football & baseball. Don't think I would enjoy fantasy hunting. Baseball & football are a game, hunting isn't. I would hate to think you would feel pressured to kill something so as not to let your "owners" down.

Dinkshooter,

Hey you didnt even see Colorado Buck at the expo...and you'd of been too cool to have your photo taken with him anyway.

I'll trade you Mike Eastman for CB...

I don't do fantasy crap either....and that just seems to cheesy for the OYO hunter.

2cents.

BuzzH said:

Dinkshooter,

Hey you didnt even see Colorado Buck at the expo...and you'd of been too cool to have your photo taken with him anyway.

..

Click to expand...

I had my picture taken with CB. He was slow to catch on as I backed up about 20 feet behind him to make him look like a better trophy. Then I walked off laughing.


OK...that is what I would do anyway.

CB and I go way back. He is lock for my team. I saw him in Salt Lake maybe 2009? Same hotel, pretty sure we bonded.

I get CB and that "Extreme Huntress" that kept spamming this place last fall. Dam I also have a poster of Chuckie in my garage, I guess I get him as well.

We all know the Bitterroot crew gets Cameron H.

I would pass on the fantasy hunting concept. It just doesn't seem to fit with the whole approach to this site or your show. This site is about real hunting, real hunters, real adventures, and at times really on your own. The only fantasy on this site is the fantasy most of us have about Dinks neighbor!

I say follow your gut.

My first impression was no-way. BUT- if your'e still doing your own show, your way, then maybe it wont be so bad. If the format is right and they are using clips from your show and promoting it, great. I'd hate to see something like all the "celebrity" hunters gathered around trying to be funny...blah, blah, blah...same ole stuff.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

I pride myself on the reality of hunting in Montana every year, i.e.bad weather,bad roads,screw-ups,missed shots,everything which makes IT real.Why on earth waste your time with a virtual /fanatasy game.Sorry Randy,nothing personnel,but that is the stupidest concept I've heard since the Drury Bros. and their team whitetail competition.Not interested .Most of us are woodsmen who value the outdoor experience.Its not simply about stacking up trophies to impress huntalk members and inflate ones ego,with the number of hits on a thread.Sorry again,just my opinion.

Dinkshooter,

You can have chuckie, and I'll raise you Nugent...

Big Fin, I don't think you'll have time what with "Dancing with the Stars" and all.

I'll take Tiffany!