Flyway Highway

W

Worth Mathewson

Active member
I was certainly happy to see Dave Park's post regarding the Flyway Highway. I don't think I've seen anything as harmful for a non-hunter to watch. (Note I didn't say anti-hunter, as there are millions of non-hunters with open minds) Those two individuals (Craig and Harold) make a total mockery of sportsmanship. They were at the 2007 Oregon Waterfowl Festival, and I made a special point of calmly explaning my concern (as well as many others who mentioned it) to them both. Harold, to his credit, listened to what I had to say. Craig muttered something that I didn't catch but sure sounded like "fuck off". Then he turned his back. So that being that, I left. But Harold came up later in the day and thanked me for expressing my concerns. W. Mathewson
 
Hi Worth,

I can only speak for myself, but I intend to email the Outdoor Channel and will contact the "Flyway Highway" sponsers and let them know that as long as they continue to sponser the shows I will not buy any of their products and will also ask my hunting friends to contact the Outdoor Channel and the shows sponsers as well. There are many quality shows out there and we don't need one that reflects a bad image of hunting as their show doe's.

Dave
 
Pardon my ignorance fellas, but what is the 'Flyway Highway' and what are your objections to it? I've never seen the show.
 
Worth I agree with you 100%. I will not even let Little Hank watch them. They are not role models for any young kids and certainly are not what I would call good examples of for the non hunting folks either. HHG
 
All outdoor TV has gone in the dumper since "Water Dog" . I too am sick and tired of deer hunting against the fence and dopes like these two, we need to really make a stink to the sponsers. I have never written hate mail but this is getting me going. The fishing shows were the first to go then deer hunting and now this!!!
 
Is it just me or does Craig sound like he is trying to sell cutlery on an informercial? Maybe it's just bad acting...they do have some of the worst re-enacted shots of any show, that thompson/center and northwest hunter are pretty bad too.

To be positive there are some newer shows I think are pretty good. American Gun Dog isn't bad and I'm sure there is another one.
Thankfully I don't think a lot of non-hunters see Flyway Highway because it is on the mostly Outdoor Channel.

Tim
 
It is a shame that their sponsors actually back them to act like complete morons. Remington what are you thinking? Maybe we will get lucky and Craig will shoot his "bro" in the arse.
 
I happened to catch just the tail end of the show the other day. I am NOT a fan, I steer others (especially young people) away from the show, and I DO NOT allow my kids to watch the show. They must actually be getting the message as Craig tried to muster up a bit of sincerity and explain that they are just playing CHARACTERS and that he is not as much a buffoon as he portrays, and that Harold is a college grad and an accomplished business man.
I am so very tired of the info-mercial sponsor logo crammed posers who have deemed it acceptable to cram their kill em all or your not a good hunter extreme sports babble onto the honorable back of those who truly paved the way of the fowler and all the history that fills those who still Face the dawn and ply the marsh looking for no more than a brush with true freedom, and the desire to protect and preserve what they witness for new generations.
I don't begrudge anyone the chance to make a living and be successful but somewhere along the way some have forgotten that their words and deeds will out live them and influence generations yet to come.
If my children feel the need to "CUT EM ALL" or yell "ITS HAMMA TIME". Then I have failed in my endeavor to teach them that the enjoyment of the hunt comes from hunting itself, not from the weight of their game strap or if they have all the latest gear. Ultimately we all are responsible for shows and how they portray us to the general population. That responsibility lies in both our action or our complacency.
I am proud to call many of you my friends and honored that my children have had so many chances to meet and be influenced by you and your examples.
Correct and complete communication is our allie against those who choose a lesser path and pave the opinions of the uninformed and undecided.
Mr. Mathewson my thanks to you for bringing this topic up.
Regards.,
Ballard
 
I couldn't agree more. I watched the show once, for 5 minutes. The problem with ALL hunting shows is that hunting doesn't translate on film. The feel of being there can't be captured. As if we don't have enough problems facing our passtime, we don''t need to impassion the neutral bystander by showing impact shots on TV. Worse yet is to then replay, in slow motion, the clip of a bird getting hammered by a load of 4's! The better shows, IMO, show more of the hunt and downplay the kill.
I have written to the OC and VS and filed these thoughts with them and I would encourage others to do the same.
Jim DOnofrio, took the boat upstate yesterday with Dad. Great hunt. Lots of birds and they worked to within 15 yards of the boat. Thanks again.
Jim Hinds
 
a college grad and an accomplished business man.
Click to expand...
I'd guess that most of what we find in poor taste is linked to the marketing of the outdoors. How you gonna stop that? As they said in The Godfather: "It's not personal, Sonny, it's strictly busine$$$$$$$." ....and that's the name of that tune.
 
Isn't it great when a guy with Worth's credentials tries to explain the simple facts to guys who only care about getting their contract renewed for another season? I am surprised that Worth got through to one- half of the actors. It's the producer that should be enlightened, and as suggested above, the advertisers.

Television is just entertainment: cable news loves to air car chases; politicians love to get air time by bashing the next guy; the NBA...well you get the idea.

Sad to say that hunting and fishing are getting to be spectator sports, IMO. Worse than that, youngsters are watching some of these shows and then expect to score a dozen fish or 30 ducks within a half- hour when they take to the lake or blind with dad or mom. Then reality sets in and they spend the next weekend playing their PS3 where there is LOTS of action!

Good suggestion to write to the advertisers of those shows that offend you. The TV menu can only improve through advertiser pressure, IMO.

Happy Holidays!

Rich
 
Dave,perhaps someone with the computer savy could put a letter on this site that can be signed by all that will,and send it to the producers of any show that is going down the wrong road.Another one to the advertizers just might clean them up or get rid of them.I dont mind impact shots,but don't favor an animal dying a slow death on a TV show.
 
I didn't even know that this show was still on the air. I saw a few episodes last season and thought that it was just silly. To be honest I often get offended by many of the product names and advertising strategies used in our sport. It appears that commercially at least we've lost all of our class. I am not an old man, only 35 yrs. old, but I am old fashioned. It's good to here the feedback that this article has spurred. Thank's Worth. Kevin
 
Joe,

Your right about animals dying a slow death...... I burns me when one of those "hunters" yells out "great shot" as a bird coasts out a quater mile plus with a broken wing etc.

Your mass internet letter is a good idea, except most of knuckleheads that "star" in these shows are also the producers. Pay close attention to the credits next time you watch a hunting/fishing show.
 
When I first saw the Highway Flyway a year or two ago, I was pretty offended. It seemed like they were making a mockery of our sport. And I hated the cliche' "bubba hunter" mentality.

Unfortunately I know quite a few guys that are just like Craig and Harold, and I hafta say that I think these type of guys are in the majority of those that call themselves duck hunters. On another site there was recently a heated thread regarding shooting birds on the water and I was shocked to see that an awful lot of guys not only admitted it, but were boastful and defensive about it! At least the Flyway Highway guys take their shots on the wing.

But overall I'm offended more by some of the other shows, even Waterfowler TV. Way too much machismo going around. All this talk about "Cut 'em!" and then laughing like school girls when you drop a few, and even yelling "nice shot!" when it didn't look like a nice shot at all and the bird(s) were only wing-tipped and sailed half a mile.

I think DU TV tries the hardest to portray our sport in a good and ethical fashion, but it seems to go too far the other way. It's easy to be stuffy when every hunt is done under perfect circumstances with low-pressured birds.

The Flyway Highway just seems to be the waterfolwers version of all the other "reality" shows on TV. And unfortunately I think they are just like an awful lot of average Joe duck hunters. They aren't necessarily my cup of tea, but I can't really fault them for showing the (sometimes) good, the bad ,and the ugly of waterfowling. At least it's better than the other shows that portray how great their hunters are even though they have absolutely everything in their favor.
 
jeff is right most "stars?" are producers. At the oregon waterfowl festival i got the chance too talk with them at the mud buddy booth when i learned too my surprise they buy their air time and contract their own sponcers and hunt hosts (ie advertising for guides ) and thats how they get paid. As far as a mass emailing i think a simple link too this thread on their contact us portion of their fan site would suffice? I will say that in their defence the skinny guy not sure of his name seems too take pride in his reputation and his credit as a pro and his obligations too his sponcer kinda along the lines of work ethic. the fat dude was not much of a conversationalist.
 
I've never seen it till last night when I saw a little on you tube. I can say with confidence that I'll never watch another minute of it. What a disapointment. These guys do not represent me or anyone I know that is a duck hunter, yet the picture they paint is that we are all idiots who are looking only for the shock and awe factor of the kill and blood of it. I Intend to start writing some letters to sponsors this afternoon. What a couple douche bags.
 
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