It Seems Like Internet Forums are Dying

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Staff member
Who else has noticed the trend away from internet forums in recent years?

Several of the duck hunting forums I read during the season have almost no activity. They used to be highly popular, especially when duck season is open, but now just a few posts a week. I checked the Refuge today and even that place seems dead from what it used to be. The Refuge Alabama forum hasn't had a post in months.

Curious I did a goodle search on the phrase "are internet forums dying" and there has been a lot of discussion on this topic. In a nutshell smartphone apps like instagram, snapchat, etc. are the preferred means of communicating with the younger generation who feel internet forum software is less than straightforward. I know my 16 year old son uses phone apps religiously. Facebook is also a popular choice these days for online dialogs.

So with that I went and searched out the local Facebook duck hunting site. It is TERRIBLE in my opinion. The posts are mostly classifieds and the format is dreadful for meaningful conversations and I don't think you can search. Everything is lumped into one long list. It is kind of like the earliest internet forums. Just post after post without titles or much organization. Yet it is active, but seems to lack any depth. So much of what I see from these social media sources are pictures of "today's kill" without any dialog and feedback is in the form of button click "likes". I guess to the younger generation they are a quick and easy means to share pictures with friends, loved ones and anyone else looking. They accomplish that but it's hard to get anything deeper.

Reading the google articles on the current state of internet forums I was struck by one observation that I agree with. Internet forums are still the best means for a community with a common interest to share "how-to" information and ideas. I read the Old Woodworking Machines forums and Garage Journal Forums and those places have an incredible amount of activity, especially Garage Journal. What is common to both of those is there is a lot of technical information provided by the community to help those who are tackling a project and in need of help. Tons of idea sharing and pictures posted to get an idea or illustration to across to anyone interested. Plus a lot of general discussion among members as well. Very much like duckboats.net.

I'll finish with this. A few weeks ago I read some txt messages between my son and a duck hunting buddy of his, Ross. Ross asked "Hey, doesn't you dad have some website for duck hunters?" Thomas said "Yeah, it a place where a lot of older guys that hunt really cool places hangout and they have lots of money."

So there you have it, in the eyes of the younger audience who uses iphones we are a bunch of rich old hunters. HA!
 
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Good morning, Eric~

I have noticed a similar trend - but cannot really speak to other sites or formats. I have occasionally visited other sites but found almost nothing of interest - and so I only rarely return to them. This site has certainly maintained its quality - thanks to you and Chuck - but it seems that the traffic even here has slowed.

In any event, I remain very glad that I can communicate with and learn from all these rich old guys as a daily tonic.

All the best,

SJS
 
That's funny!
I might be old, and hunt cool places (sorta) but I definitely ain't rich. Not by my wife's definition anyway!!!
 
I'm young and am definitely not rich. This is the only forum I frequent, I'm on the scullers forum also, but as one might guess there is little activity when the whole bunch are zipper lip scullers. Lol

Having the old farts around is great for the knowledge and history. But if I have to hear how the birds darkened the sky or how deadly lead was; I might lose it. (well at least what I have left) haha
 
I've been thinking the same thing for several years. A few sites put their stats out where you can view them, although they are mainly for advertising sales. It seems the hunting/fishing sites I have seen stats for peaked in views and posts in the last three years. There is also a trend toward visitors (lurkers) vs members, although I suspect many of the visitors are bots. One positive trend has been more thoughtful and informative posts, probably because only the rich old guys are left! ;-)
 
the forums are slow now days facebool instagram twitter have taken over. While it may be quite a mess at times thats where the people are and when the people move so does the money(sponsors) from the other sites. This site is different most forums are about money. it takes money to maintain them and that requires paying annual sponsors. With Facebook they are not required any longer.

Some of the facebook pages are huge. were talking 10s of thousands of users following them daily and in an instant they are posting and replying. Not like having to go to the PC every evening. its immediately at there hands anywhere anytime.

Its the new generation and its not slowing down. Phones are the key to everything. I run my business anywhere anytime from my phone. banking which includes depositing checks to orders and creating shipping labels. its always in my hand. But it has a down fall. no freedom and always on the damn thing. Wish we could go back to the old days of no cell phones but its just not going to happen.

I enjoy bouncing around the forums and seeing whats going on but they are so slow now days I rare hit them more than once a day if that.
 
Interesting topic, I,m retired so that makes me a old fart , Rich lol I wish .Serious though this particular forum I like , my biggest problems with a forum is trying to post pictures from my I pad still no luck ! As for Facebook well it has some good points but for me , well a lotta talk about nothing jmo.I believe the activity on this site will pick up when the waterfowl season is over.All the best to you Waterfowlers & stay safe.
John
 
Agreed, and sometimes worry if this forum too will go the way of the dinosaur. Certainly hope not.

I have learned so much of value (both huntingwise and otherwise) from reading posts on this forum. Thanks for keeping it going.
 
I'm a relatively young guy and certainly not rich, but in the world of social media I definitely have seen the same shift away from internet forums in the past couple years. The local hunting forums are very barren in content aside from classifieds, a direct result of more guys using facebook and instagram, but also the whole cyber scouting factor in my opinion. You can post your unedited hunting pictures to facebook and have direct control over who can see what, that being said this is the only hunting forum I actively participate in anymore.

I know one popular local fishing forum I participate on has really dried up on the vine in the last year due to Facebook. Charter and private captains can start their own facebook pages and share pictures, videos and reports before they hit the inlet. As a result the crowds follow to Facebook to see what they used to get on the forums. This site isn't ad driven nor is it really report driven so it's unique.

Also I don't know if it's the real name factor or what but everyone I have met in the real world that participates on this site have been nothing but great people.
 
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Craig

If charters and guides are setting up Facebook pages just how does one find them? I mean when you have a forum it brings many people for many reasons the users can be exposed to various vendors and guides. Now if I go on Facebook what would bring me to a particular guides page?

Tony

Are you advertising on Facebook, Twitter, etc, or somehow sponsoring them?
 
Eric, I have seen the same with my forum. Page views continue to go up but posts are dropping. I know of on decoy forum that went to facebook and reports are the activity really picked up but I would not know because I don't use FB. I have an account but only to get info on the kids sports. That said, even FB is going out of favor with the younger kids. My kids use MyStory and Instagram for the most part. They consider FB for old folks. Forums like yours and mine are just too slow in delivering info to the younger kids.


To be honest, I think the younger generation wants to see what is happening and show off (kill shots) when they can but they don't have any desire to read through a forum thread. They just want to see the picts, make a 3 word comment, and move on. It is sad because that will just not build a community of friends like you have here. That said, it is just part of the change that comes with technology. People today communicate in more ways and faster but they miss out on the deep relationships built by "face to face" type contact that a forum like this facilitates.
 
Define old?
Define rich?

I know I'm not rich but don't know if 55 is considered old. If not yet, soon to be so I reckon.

While I have a Facebook account, I never go there. Too hard to follow anything. I get emails from facebook buddies once in awhile saying something I did they saw on facebook. How the heck did it get there if I didn't put it there? Some things are best left alone I guess.

So what the heck is the Garage Forum? Is it a place to get ideas on how to spiff up the garage? If so, please pass the link along if you could Eric. I need some help on mine.

Still say this is the best site on the net Eric. I've been coming here for a very long time and always come back. If I haven't said so lately, thank you -

Mark W
 
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If charters and guides are setting up Facebook pages just how does one find them? I mean when you have a forum it brings many people for many reasons the users can be exposed to various vendors and guides. Now if I go on Facebook what would bring me to a particular guides page?
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That's the funny part Eric. Most of the successful charter guys advertise their facebook pages on the forums and then once they really take off, seem to abandon the forums.

Also they pay advertising fees on Facebook to get their pages to pop up on potential 'likers' facebook news feed more often. There's a lot of advanced analytics involved there. You'll notice a small 'sponsored' note underneath these posts. Basically instead of a post showing up once and then disappearing to time, they continue to show up to get more views. [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][/font]
 
There are two forums I still frequent: this one and the Michigan Sportsman's forum. That Michigan forum has an avid following. When I moved to SC five years ago I expected to find the same kind of online group here. Nada!

The ability to learn and grow in the chosen sport is one of the things I have appreciated most from this site and until it closed, the Mighty Layout Boys site. Mark Rongers was the heart and soul of that site. I suppose it takes the ongoing dedication of a few die hards to maintain continuity.

Facebook may be fast and flashy. That is it's strength and weakness. I don't see a newbie to diver hunting finding help in rigging and equipment on a FB page.

Two other reasons may play into the decline of forums: 1) rude behavior by guys on a given forum; 2) overcrowding of your spots because someone shared too much info.

Larry
 
Define rich?
Mark W
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I'm rich! 'Cause in the immortal words of the late master-carver from Dover, OH, Ernest "Mooney" Warther: "... our roof don't leak, we ain't hungry, and we don't owe anybody."

Add to that, old retired farts like me can pick up and go duckin' whenever we want..... so I guess that sometimes old helps with "rich."

View attachment MLBob.JPG

I'll also offer this from Robert Ruark's The Old Man's Boy Grows Older:

"Rich." the Old Man said dreamily, "is not baying after what you can't have. Rich is having the time to do what you want to do. Rich is a little whiskey to drink and some food to eat and a roof over your head and a fish pole and a boat and a gun and a dollar (or 20 :) ) for a box of shells. Rich is not owing any money to anybody, and not spending what you haven't got."

Most of us here would seem to be pretty well off, eh?
 
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I agree that the other forums are DEAD...

I don't think that Phones have anythign to do with it... I come to this site via my phone often... although an app would be nice, so I didn't have to enlarge it everytime I changed a page.

I have not found much for duck hunting bonding on FB... but I have fopr other things..CBRs, Powerwagons and Ramchargers.... etc...
 
Craig

If charters and guides are setting up Facebook pages just how does one find them? I mean when you have a forum it brings many people for many reasons the users can be exposed to various vendors and guides. Now if I go on Facebook what would bring me to a particular guides page?

Tony

Are you advertising on Facebook, Twitter, etc, or somehow sponsoring them?
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Eric, yes we do all of the above. We actually own several facebook pages as well. The great thing is its all free to start a facebook page. You should consider starting a duckboats.net facebook page as well. I know the Refuge did just that recently as well. ITs something you should really consider. you can make a Facebook private and control the users just like here by invite only if you so wish.

Thats the great thing about facebook a quick search and you can find anything you want. layout hunting, sea duck hunting, duck boats, guides, diver hunting, puddle duck hunting, decoy carving and the list goes on and on. Many pages are slow but some are very large and active. And your privacy is protected through Facebook and you can control who see's what etc. I wasnt a fan for a long time. But now its part of life just Like Ebay. I remember when know one knew about Ebay and paypal and everyone hated it . Now its everywhere and still very highly popular. Change is good. I think it would do the site well to have a FB page just for simple access and ease of use. I dont do forums on my phone and rarely use my PC anymore.
 
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