For your viewing pleasure.... Waddell again

[ruger7mag]

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted yet.





Then on the other side, there's this.

https://theangrybowhunter.com/2022/05/11/an-open-letter-to-michael-waddell/

 

[th88]

Waddie keeps getting his panties in a Wad because people criticize his primary method of take (reaping). Just need a few more reapers to take one to the dome to make people realize it's actually a dangerous tactic. Ha, who I am kidding. Proponents will still defend it. Anything for the gram, bros!

 

[Antler Daddy]

I like the guy

 

[megalomaniac]

All Micheal cares about is his 'can't stop the flop' spring massacre. By any means necessary. Quit hiding behind the argument 'hunters are own worst enemy'. It was hunters policing other unethical hunters which ultimately saved big game hunting in North America. Had Waddell been in Teddy Roosevelt's shoes a century ago, he would have shot that little teddy bear tied to a tree in Mississippi and posted his great accomplishment all over Facebook. And then made a bunch of followup videos justifying why it was okay and accusing others of being haters.who called him out on it.

There's a reason why so many other internet reapers have abandoned the tactic in the past couple years. Any dead bird is just not the same as another. If a bird is gonna have to die, he needs to die honorably.

Maybe I'm a masochist, but I actually enjoy the videos where the turkey wins more than the videos of the hunter killing the turkey.

 

[Setterman]

He frames his entire argument in the same way that people are framing abortion right now. He uses a couple of examples to tear at your heart strings, when reality those scenarios make up .001% of the birds killed over decoys. He paints the picture of that's the majority of people employing his tactic which isn't true at all. Most of the decoy crowd is perfectly capable, or unwilling put forth the effort to learn. They want the easy way out.


He is part of the problem with his bone collector stop the flop BS. I don't think the guy knows jack diddly yugo about killing turkeys. And listening compare himself to Dave Owens is a true travesty.


Afterall it was his company that came up with the funky chicken.…

 

[AT Hiker]

I hope he reads that open letter.

 

[Spurhunter]

Any dead bird is just not the same as another. If a bird is gonna have to die, he needs to die honorably.

I have a buddy that is a golfer and he has a relative that is a fanner. My buddy doesn't understand why it's easy for his relative to kill more turkeys than I do. I had to come up with an analogy he would understand. Say we go play golf. You play the back tees and I play the red tees (short tees for women), use a hot ball, and use a hot driver that is non conforming to USGA rules. We both shoot 1 under par. We get back to the clubhouse and we are both bragging about shooting under par. Yes, we both have scorecards showing 1 under par, but you did it the right way and I took every shortcut available. I still don't think he understands. All he sees is the guy kills more turkeys than I do so he must be a better hunter.

 

[Gravey]

I hope he reads that open letter.

Me and you both.

 

[REN]

man I really do like Waddell as a person and he always has seemed like a nice fella, but man he now just seems like he let social media and criticism just change him. Also seems like sales and promotion are more important to him then the general direction of hunting and tradition which is sad to see.

 

[Bgoodman30]

man I really do like Waddell as a person and he always has seemed like a nice fella, but man he now just seems like he let social media and criticism just change him. Also seems like sales and promotion are more important to him then the general direction of hunting and tradition which is sad to see.

My thoughts exactly. I can only laugh when some of ya'll think he can't call or doesn't have any skills. He's just an aggressive style hunter if they take his fan away I am sure he will be fine...

 

[rem270]

That long drawn out message that I lost interest the first 20 seconds in is why I don't ever watch hunting shows anymore. He's a diva. I'm sure he's out reaping someone's wife too like he did his camera man's.

 

[Spurhunter]

I'm sure he's out reaping someone's wife too like he did his camera man's.

I almost said it earlier. Everybody talks about what a good guy he is. Word is he's on his 3rd marriage and the first 2 ended due to infidelity. Obviously I don't know the whole truth but usually where there's that much smoke, there's fire.

 

[Setterman]

His fake accent drives me nuts as well.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Sounds like he's got Waddell Derangement Syndrome.
I can take or leave Michael Waddell but if I don't like a show, I turn the channel.
IMO, JB (didn't see his name) is jealous and wanted 15 minutes of fame.
Furthermore, when 'hunters' bring up how our image is portrayed to the anti's I lose all respect for you. News flash- they hate us, they always will, they will not compromise with us. So F them.
Welcome to the world JB.

 

[CritterGitter]

Well said . If you don't like decoys don't use one . Don't like guns don't buy one . Hate McDonald's don't go there. People are so worried about what other people are doing these days and they should be more focused on enjoying themselves

 

[catman529]

I have fanned a couple birds in the past, but I'd rather see it outlawed. I never use decoys, or a blind, I just don't care for them.

BUT, Michael Waddell makes a few good points.

Y'all being grumpy complaining on a forum isn't going to help anything. New aspiring hunters aren't going to listen to y'all condemn people like you do on some forum, they're gonna look to the people who are likeable and show them how to turkey hunt.

If you want to make a change, you need to set a good example, be someone that people can look up to. Bitching on social media does more harm than good, especially if you're putting down your fellow hunters.

When I joined this forum in 2010, I was green as grass, and I learned a lot from people I met here. Over time, things have changed, and it seems I see more complaints about everything there is to complain about. It ain't the Tndeer I once knew. I'm just here still because I like to share my opinion sometimes.

I enjoy reading what is left of the good stuff, but forums in general have mostly become a place to complain about other hunters. Tndeer is not alone, it's most forums now.

If you want to make a difference and show someone what it's like to run and gun with just a few turkey calls, like most of us do, then take someone hunting and show them. Explain why too much reaping or killing at all costs might hurt the population sometimes. Also understand that not everybody has the same situation that you do. Don't belittle your fellow hunters and expect to actually help the cause.

Sure Waddell might reap too many turkeys by most standards, sure I don't agree with that, and that may be an issue that needs to be addressed. But he also makes some really good points in the video that we don't need to ignore. The fact that some of y'all didn't even finish the video and made excuses as to why you wont listen to him, says a lot. Remember we are all on the same team at the end of the day.

 

[hard county]

Sounds like he's got Waddell Derangement Syndrome.
I can take or leave Michael Waddell but if I don't like a show, I turn the channel.
IMO, JB (didn't see his name) is jealous and wanted 15 minutes of fame.
Furthermore, when 'hunters' bring up how our image is portrayed to the anti's I lose all respect for you. News flash- they hate us, they always will, they will not compromise with us. So F them.
Welcome to the world JB.

I mostly agree with everything you said up until hunting Image not mattering. It absolutely matters what the public thinks of us. Corner crossing, spring bear, hound hunting, all those are key issues in certain states and it's not the hunters or anti hunters that will make that call. Statistically, it's neutrals who are meat eaters but have never hunted who will decide what we get to hunt and how. There are a few hunters in office and a few hard core anti hunters but neither are large enough in number to pass laws. We definitely need to clean up our act on Facebook and other social media sites and figure out how to disagree with each other in a civil manner.

 

[Jbird22]

How many people complaining that Waddell is doing what he does for likes/views are same ones who race to post vids/pics/stories on their own social media pages just begging for "attaboy" or "killa" comments?? As I've said before, social media is the damnation of a lot of things, hunting is no exception.

 

[Specializedjon]

I have fanned a couple birds in the past, but I'd rather see it outlawed. I never use decoys, or a blind, I just don't care for them.

BUT, Michael Waddell makes a few good points.

Y'all being grumpy complaining on a forum isn't going to help anything. New aspiring hunters aren't going to listen to y'all condemn people like you do on some forum, they're gonna look to the people who are likeable and show them how to turkey hunt.

If you want to make a change, you need to set a good example, be someone that people can look up to. Bitching on social media does more harm than good, especially if you're putting down your fellow hunters.

When I joined this forum in 2010, I was green as grass, and I learned a lot from people I met here. Over time, things have changed, and it seems I see more complaints about everything there is to complain about. It ain't the Tndeer I once knew. I'm just here still because I like to share my opinion sometimes.

I enjoy reading what is left of the good stuff, but forums in general have mostly become a place to complain about other hunters. Tndeer is not alone, it's most forums now.

If you want to make a difference and show someone what it's like to run and gun with just a few turkey calls, like most of us do, then take someone hunting and show them. Explain why too much reaping or killing at all costs might hurt the population sometimes. Also understand that not everybody has the same situation that you do. Don't belittle your fellow hunters and expect to actually help the cause.

Sure Waddell might reap too many turkeys by most standards, sure I don't agree with that, and that may be an issue that needs to be addressed. But he also makes some really good points in the video that we don't need to ignore. The fact that some of y'all didn't even finish the video and made excuses as to why you wont listen to him, says a lot. Remember we are all on the same team at the end of the day.

Well said

 

[cowhunter71]

Mikkel Widdel can swing from my cod sack, along with anyone else who employs horsesh#t tactics to kill Turkeys

 

[Setterman]

How many people complaining that Waddell is doing what he does for likes/views are same ones who race to post vids/pics/stories on their own social media pages just begging for "attaboy" or "killa" comments?? As I've said before, social media is the damnation of a lot of things, hunting is no exception.

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever posted a kill on social media. Not one that remember any way. I use social media for trip pictures so my family doesn't bug the yugo out of me constantly

 

[Jbird22]

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever posted a kill on social media. Not one that remember any way. I use social media for trip pictures so my family doesn't bug the **** out of me constantly

I know I haven't because I don't have and never have had an account on any of them. I only share my turkey hunting specifics with a select few friends. I dang sure have no desire to post it on the interweb for every Tom, Rick, and Harry to see.

 

[Setterman]

I know I haven't because I don't have and never have had an account on any of them. I only share my turkey hunting specifics with a select few friends. I dang sure have no desire post it on the interweb for every Tom, Rick, and Harry to see.

Same for me, I used to post a few on here but any more I keep those memories just for me.

 

[megalomaniac]

One good thing about those that post on the net.... you can bet they at least checked them in !

The real killers aren't posting their turkeys anywhere. Not even taking pics. Just heading to the woods with a shotgun, a call, and a pocketknife and ziplock bag for the meat. Thise folks scare the $HIT outta me and the turkeys!

 

[arkwaterfowler]

I have hunted turkeys since 1996. Started in humphreys county and killed em all over the state. Called em up to 5 steps and blew their head off with no blind or decoy. I know how a turkey thinks and how to kill him when he's not interested. I know how to kill em with out a call.

BUT. I won't demonize a guy for killing his first over a decoy. I won't demonize a kid for killing a turkey over a strutter. These folks vote with us.

HOWEVER I will criticize a lazy hunter for never developing his craft as a turkey hunter.

of all the game hunters out there I respect a seasoned turkey hunter over em all. No other game brings the elation or frustration of the wild turkey.

carry on.

 

[REN]

Got no issues with folks posting them to their personal page. I don't always post them but do sometimes. I got buddies and family that enjoy seeing them.

Having said that @Setterman i do enjoy seeing your trip pics and usually pretty jealous of them haha.

 

[Setterman]

Got no issues with folks posting them to their personal page. I don't always post them but do sometimes. I got buddies and family that enjoy seeing them.

Having said that @Setterman i do enjoy seeing your trip pics and usually pretty jealous of them haha.

Haha! That started so post trip I didn't have to send pics to everyone. I really enjoy seeing other people's Turkey pics and stories. I just don't do it myself, and sorry if my original post seemed to demonize it.

 

[deerfever]

I don't think anyone said anything about a kid or mom to make Waddell go on his rant to my knowledge , he just adds some situations to make what he does seem right . That is the 2nd rant I have seen by him and what people are getting on him for is crawling behind his gobbler on a stick! He is supposed to be an industry pro and should know anytime you post a tactic that some people do not agree with some of the comments could be negative. He is not helping himself or his cause by going on rants and calling people communist and jerks. Civil discussion has to work both ways. He should either quit posting his hunts or just learn to ignore negative comments on social media. See attached photo below , what could possibly go wrong with guys seeing this and using it on public land? It's not like you are hid behind something legal to shoot or anything. Seen it with my own eyes at one of the most crowded WMA in the state this season. Fan, beard , head wings this thing was the Cadillac of gobblers on a stick. Those should be illegal and for sure on public land in my opinion, it's ok if others disagree we can disagree on things of this nature without a fuss or rant. I would be afraid to crawl through my front yard behind it. I grew up in the don't even wear anything red , white or blue turkey hunting days. Now people are crawling behind the most realistic looking gobblers they can find just to kill a turkey? I just don't get it

 

[TheLBLman]

See attached photo below , what could possibly go wrong with guys seeing this and using it on public land?

Also, this is not just crazy stupid on public land, but most private property as well.
It's been my experiences over decades there's many times more trespassing/poaching by turkey hunters than by deer hunters.

You are safe no where doing something so stupid.

Personally, if I had a good friend or family member get killed "reaping or fanning" with one of his endorsed products, I'd be pushing a huge class action lawsuit, which would include naming Waddell as a defendant for his role in promoting such a stupidly dangerous tactic. It would seem impossible that he doesn't know the liabilities of what he's pushing, but does it anyway for the notoriety and the money. He'll only stop if it hurts his pocketbook?

Also, the dangers of this tactic are not limited to getting shot in the face. This tactic greatly increases the prospects of some pit viper fangs injecting deadly venom in one's neck ---- something far, far more deadly than a snakebite to the foot or hand.

 

[muddyboots]

I don't post mine anymore. Just got lazy I guess. I have nothing against reaping. Actually tried it twice. Both times turkeys ran like hades. I'll never do it again.