Steve Rinella's Quality WA Elk

[rosscrazyelk]

People need to get a life.. he might have only lived in Washington for 3 years but if you look at the draw results the fewest points drawn was 6 ..  the draw odds went up last year for a weird reason I am sure they will get even worse now but thats how it goes.
I think it's cool with all the hunting he has done that his biggest elk ever was taken here.. I am bummed he moved I was hoping to bump into him Sometime. He is a great hunter a great writer and a great advocate for hunting..

[SteelheadTed]

If we can't agree that public lands are for everyone and we allow ourselves to get possessive about "our spots" - we'll all lose in the end.

[ctwiggs1]

I also wonder about the legality of having an unlicensed paid guide with him. I know Janis is a full time employee of Meateater and has more responsibilities than just calling elk, but it sure sounded like his role on this hunt was to be an elk guide. Unless I'm wrong, (which could be very possible) you cannot have a paid guide in that area unless you use the outfitter licensed for that area.

So I can't go hunting with one of my employees if he's more familiar with an area?  Are you saying that an employer shouldn't be able to hunt with anyone that's on the payroll? Years ago I took my boss out elk hunting, brought him to an area, showed him where to go, told him what time to be there and he shot bull right where I said he would. That doesn't make me a guide just a hunter who was on the company payroll. I've had the reverse happen when I went hunting with one of my employees in an area he knew and I didn't.

I don't really understand why anyone would be mad about this. I've never hunted that part of the state, but even I know that there's some excellent spots over there. I can give somebody GPS coordinates to a spot but that doesn't guarantee success. The individual hunter still has to put in the work to get in, find the animal, and then get it out. Is Rinella giving out a location any different than BearPaw's hunt maps that he sells?

I'm sure you could. I said I wonder about the legality of it in this case, Janis is an elk guide that Steve hired to work for his hunting company. His stated role on this trip was as an elk guide. That's a bit different than bringing a guy who does your payroll and happens to be a good caller. I'm not mad about it, but I think a case could be made that it crosses the line. It is certainly an advantage that most people don't have.

Yes, Rinella mentioning specific units, access points and drainages is different than buying a map. Its free, and broadcast to a massive audience of people specifically interested in hunting places like this.

Imagine you are 64 years old and wondering if you can still get in and out of those canyons. You've been putting in since you were 46 and your dream is to hunt the blues in the rut just once. You are already frustrated with the draw odds, the increase in wolves, the increased visibility the internet brings...then the most popular guy with an outdoor TV show films an episode there and tells the whole world its an amazing place to kill a great big giant bull.... 

You can't understand how someone would be mad about that?

That's not my scenario but I know a guy just like that and he ain't happy with Mr Rinella.

I don't see why it matters.  Between ML and Archery, there are 20 quality tags for that area. 

Is someone really worried that the other 19 tag holders are all physically fit expert hunters that can navigate the particular drainage your buddy frequents?

"Mr. Rinella" is on the front page of NetFlix when I log in now.  I don't think I've ever heard of a hunting show gaining that much popularity.  I meet people all the time who are like "Man I really want to get into hunting.  I've been watching that Meat Eater show, and it's got me pumped up to put some wild, organic meat in our freezer!"

We absolutely need more guys like him if we want to keep hunting alive and well in the western states. 

[Odell]

Regarding Janis, all i said is I wonder about it. I think these hunting shows get in a grey area that could potentially raise some eyebrows. The law is that you can’t pay someone to guide you unless they are licensed. It’s an actual law and many people were raising hell on this site about a certain local WA guy helping hunters for free in some of these same areas.

Expressing a contrary opinion is not “bickering” or dividing the hunting community and it doesn’t mean i don’t appreciate and admire what Steve does as a whole. (As previously stated). His podcast episode “you’re a cool guy Buck” is one of the best things I’ve ever heard. And for the record, it sounds like Steve agrees that he shared to much info and regrets it.

Learning how to disagree, (even passionately) about something without it creating an “enemy” is critical for sanity in a pluralistic society.

I still love the show and podcast. I will still cringe and get frustrated every time i hear a spot i like to hunt or fish mentioned by name, on this forum or anywhere.

As to the publicity, are you guys serious that you are perfectly happy with what the internet is doing to hunting areas?

I’m having a hard time understanding the logic that just because some people can find certain info if they look for it, that it’s a good idea to broadcast it to a bunch more that weren’t.

I’m all for helping the individual and have asked for help on this site and benefited from that help myself. Still not going to put what I’ve learned on the internet. There is a reason most of the help gets discussed in pms and text.

Happy hunting


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JTB]

If we can't agree that public lands are for everyone and we allow ourselves to get possessive about "our spots" - we'll all lose in the end.

Well said

[SCRUBS]

If we can't agree that public lands are for everyone and we allow ourselves to get possessive about "our spots" - we'll all lose in the end.

Well said

 

[Mr Mykiss]

I don’t think anyone is debating whether the meat eater crew or anyone is allowed on my/our public lands. I introduce myself to everyone I see on my public lands...BS, talk animals, talk “which way you going”, etc.
However the specific area talk, on arguably the largest hunting platform out there, no bueno.
I remember back to one of the first meat eater podcasts I heard...they were in Colorado talking about where they were hunting as “the I-70 corridor” so when it’s a spot they care about they generalize the hell out of it but when it’s a draw tag in a tiny unit in a tiny part of the state it’s best to say drainages and specific trails?
I’m late with my .02 but also for those that said the odds are long anyway...two things
1. The podcast made it sound like it takes 3 or 6 points to draw
2.  Mountain View odds WERE roughly 10x better than any other Blues unit last year
2a. WERE

Rinella is one of the best spokesmen for western public land that has ever and will ever be.

[kentrek]

Just think how much better the odds will be in other units now 

 

[KFhunter]

Maybe there'll be less Washington license plates in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming next years Elk seasons?

[Jpmiller]

Maybe there'll be less Washington license plates in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming next years Elk seasons?

That's what I'm saying! My Wyoming odds just went up!

[Maverick]

Maybe there'll be less Washington license plates in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming next years Elk seasons?

That's what I'm saying! My Wyoming odds just went up!

I'm actually applying for Wyoming next year 

[Jpmiller]

Maybe there'll be less Washington license plates in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming next years Elk seasons?

That's what I'm saying! My Wyoming odds just went up!

I'm actually applying for Wyoming next year 

I don't know if rinella has hunted elk there in years, that has to mean there probably isn't any there right? Otherwise he would have given me a trail name on his podcast 

[elkrack]

Maybe there'll be less Washington license plates in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming next years Elk seasons?

Yeah that’s wishful thinking 

[TheSennett]

Regarding Janis, all i said is I wonder about it. I think these hunting shows get in a grey area that could potentially raise some eyebrows. The law is that you can’t pay someone to guide you unless they are licensed. It’s an actual law and many people were raising hell on this site about a certain local WA guy helping hunters for free in some of these same areas.

One might argue that Janis and all others actively involved were required to have a hunting license and tag per the definition of "hunt" in the regulations.  The regulations states:

"To Hunt: Any effort to kill, capture, injure, or harass a wild animal or wild bird"

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01984/wdfw01984.pdf, page 7.

I'd wager that the MeatEater operation is on the level and had all their ducks in a row.  But its a good observation by Odell and worth a discussion. 

[Jpmiller]

Extending that logic every kid who tags along with a parent is a poachee. Tag along on a quality tag? Poacher. Spot a goat on your brother's goat hunt? Poacher.

Either we are pretty much all poachers or you're looking for any and all reasons to attack the guy.