Social Media - been a positive or negative to our outdoor sports?

[JHbowhunter]

The recent “discussion” on spot burning Nantucket Shoals fluking got me thinking ….  So many blogs websites and groups on FB, Instagram etc.  on one hand social media has introduced me to some great folks and friends I never would have met. It’s often a good source of entertainment and great vehicle for some major ball-busting. But - as for conserving our resources, maybe not so good?   Recruitment of new hunters and fishermen/women into the ranks - certainly the best tool ever. But does it come with a price?    15 years ago - I did not even fluke fish. Loved saltwater fishing but nothing about fluke appealed to me.  Now it’s a passion even though I suck at it. I equate getting a double-digit fluke like getting a buck over 150”.  But why? So many social media groups dedicated to the sport. The tackle the boats the lures the baits all have gotten so technical. The “big secret” up off Nantucket is now getting over-exploited just like all NJ spots have been over- bucktailed ad-nauseum.   When I first started fluking, it was fun to drag the bottom with a spearing and strip of squid and see what I could catch.  Relaxing.   Now you need $500 reels and specialized jigging rods that seem to put the eyelets upside down as they near the tip.  Better be up on all the latest knots too lest u lose “the big one”.  Same could be said for bow hunting.  Just an absolute explosion on social media - another passion of mine and so many on here.  Surely  social media is a double-edged sword though. What say you?  

Edited July 27, 2021 by JHbowhunter

[hunterbob1]

Both A&B

[20a]

Hmm this is a good question, I don't know if there is a clear cut answer. I think the education you can get from videos/posts is fantastic - you can learn to do anything with enough hours on Youtube. Granted you need to be able to know what info is good and bad, but you get my point. 

I would also say the people that pick up outdoor sports BECAUSE of social media probably do not stick with it too long or put in the work needed. I think that is a major point, especially for the under 30 group. It looks easy online, but once you get out into the field it is a whole different ball game.   

As far as the spot burning goes, yes it sucks. But with no written rules on hunting fishing internet etiquette, how are they supposed to know? I would bet most people share locations with good intentions, wanting others to get in on the action, not to purposefully blow a spot out.  

[OldMenRule]

Agree it's A and B which is reflective of most things in life. 

[nickmarch]

It can be good or bad.

Social media was the beginning of the end of bear hunting in NJ when pedals was killed by a hunter.  

 

[MGHunter66]

1 hour ago, JHbowhunter said:

Now you need $500 reels and specialized jigging rods that seem to put the eyelets upside down as they near the tip.  Better be up on all the latest knots too lest u lose “the big one”.  Same could be said for bow hunting.  Just an absolute explosion on social media - another passion of mine and so many on here.  Surely  social media is a double-edged sword though. What day you?  

Social media has its ups and downs. It is the biggest platform for the “ look at me folks” but to others just a pass of time reading and looking. As for the tactics you highlighted... you don’t necessarily “need” that. Some of the biggest fish of the year are caught dragging bait, especially snapper blues. But to many it is not as manly as saying “ we jigged em up” LOL But now that I mentioned snapper blues have a succumbed to “ letting the cat out of the bag” on social media. LOL

[JHbowhunter]

11 minutes ago, MGHunter66 said:

Social media has its ups and downs. It is the biggest platform for the “ look at me folks” but to others just a pass of time reading and looking. As for the tactics you highlighted... you don’t necessarily “need” that. Some of the biggest fish of the year are caught dragging bait, especially snapper blues. But to many it is not as manly as saying “ we jigged em up” LOL But now that I mentioned snapper blues have a succumbed to “ letting the cat out of the bag” on social media. LOL

Your the reason our bluefish stocks  are in a down cycle !  Damn you Mark! 

[MGHunter66]

sorry, see what social media does

[Rusty]

There’s some good that comes from it but the bad far outweighs the good in my opinion.   And that’s for all of society,  not just hunting and fishing.  

[Live to Hunt]

I’m not sure 

[bushden]

While social media has many up sides to it I think it has and will continue to restructure our society based upon the financial ability of any organization that wants to influence a specific audience by flooding the world with Good, Bad or BS news to sway the minds of the audience their way. BOTTOM LINE IT IS MY OPINION that it will be the destruction of a society as we know it today,

[OldMenRule]

49 minutes ago, bushden said:

While social media has many up sides to it I think it has and will continue to restructure our society based upon the financial ability of any organization that wants to influence a specific audience by flooding the world with Good, Bad or BS news to sway the minds of the audience their way. BOTTOM LINE IT IS MY OPINION that it will be the destruction of a society as we know it today,

He ( or what ever pronoun  is used ) who controls information controls the world.

[Haskell_Hunter]

Haskell_Hunter here (it/that/jerk) to chime in.

Ya'll got to meet me, and I know where a lot of you live now.   or 

[stratocaster]

Let's remember how this SM thing started and how it's morphed into what it is now.   We had far more hunters in NJ and the nation 20 years ago,  not so sure about fishermen.  Did SM help reverse that trend?  The evidence suggests it did not.   The idea of using SM to show the success or "show off" a big buck, turkey etc.. often times results in ridicule from people who don't participate in hunting or fishing but feel the need to ignorantly comment on something they don't understand.   There are a lot of bored people with nothing but time on their hands that surf SM and post stuff to make themselves feel better that accomplish nothing. 

People and the owners of SM sites have co-opted the original idea of what those venues were supposed to accomplish and now the majority of the revenues that comprise the "business"  come from advertising as proven by FB which generates 98% of its revenue from ads.   

For the purpose of meeting people with shared interests, it's fine but there is a lot not to like about what SM has turned into. 

 

[Booner]

I talked to this guy on a charter boat and asked him that same question. Well, I don't like second hand info so I'll let him answer the question