Waddell

[megalomaniac]

This thread. Lol

I've watched Waddel since he got started with Bill Jordan and Realtree. I don't know him personally, but he seems like a good guy. And he's done extremely well for himself, and his family, in an industry that most of us dreamt about at some point in our lives - or still do. Maybe there is some jealousy here? I don't know.

And as far as saying "I wish he would come hunt x or y and show everyone how good he is" are the same guys claiming the ones that are actually doing that (thp), and having success, are ruining public hunting.

Some of you guys should come into the political forum where you will find more worthwhile targets to direct your vitriol. And leave your fellow outdoorsman alone.

Nothing wrong on telling it like it is.

Waddell is funny, seems like a great guy, seems to genuinely enjoy and spend time with his fans.

He's a great cameraman (or was), a very good shot with a bow, a good/ great whitetail hunter, pretty decent elk hunter.

But he is a terrible turkey hunter from the videos I've seen with him in them. He doesn't understand turkey conversation, and unfortunately exploits the one weakness toms have.

Lots of the u tubers you speak of who used to reap and had terrible calling skills have upped their game and have become some excellent turkey hunters. As such, they no longer need to reap to have success. That's what it's all about. But Waddell still can't speak turkey for crap and doesn't seem to have any interest in pursuing turkeys without reaping (Disclaimer, I have not seen any videos in him past couple years... maybe he has upped his game... but I doubt it.)

Just something about the way he turkey hunts... I feel terrible for those birds he kills. He just doesn't seem to respect or love the wild turkey... they are just a moving live target to him. (I don't know his heart, but that's the way it seems to me).

 

[timberjack86]

This thread. Lol

I've watched Waddel since he got started with Bill Jordan and Realtree. I don't know him personally, but he seems like a good guy. And he's done extremely well for himself, and his family, in an industry that most of us dreamt about at some point in our lives - or still do. Maybe there is some jealousy here? I don't know.

And as far as saying "I wish he would come hunt x or y and show everyone how good he is" are the same guys claiming the ones that are actually doing that (thp), and having success, are ruining public hunting.

Some of you guys should come into the political forum where you will find more worthwhile targets to direct your vitriol. And leave your fellow outdoorsman alone.

If THP can get it done in South Cherokee they have my respect.

 

[Antler Daddy]

Some of you guys have some really pompous egotistical attitudes! Tape some of your calling and let us judge you.

The guy did win a national calling championship which is how he met Bill Jordan.

 

[scn]

No doubt he is better than me.

But, if he is that good, he ought to be able to give up the crutches. He personifies what is wrong with turkey hunting today with the kill at all costs mentality.

 

[TheLBLman]

He personifies what is wrong with turkey hunting today with the kill at all costs mentality.

Agree.
Isn't he known for saying at the beginning of each hunt,
"Something's, goin' to die today"?

 

[timberjack86]

Some of you guys have some really pompous egotistical attitudes! Tape some of your calling and let us judge you.

The guy did win a national calling championship which is how he met Bill Jordan.

Turkey hunting isn't the same as a calling contest. Just because he's an excellent caller doesn't mean he's an excellent turkey killer.
No jealously here either, just wish some of these celebrity hunters used woodsmanship instead of crutches to kill thier birds.

 

[tellico4x4]

Believe that he is a good hunter, probably a very good one at that. However he is a prime example of what can happen when your hobby becomes your job. I know that a lot of people think something like that would be a dream job, but it all changes when now have others to answer to such as employer, vendors, sponsors, etc... I know first hand as I after I took an early out from GE Nuclear in 1999, I started an off-road business that absolutely killed my passion for Jeeps. Got in on front of the e-commerce wave with 7 websites selling parts, had first Jeep parts on Amazon, employee's, warehouse, shop.... SEMA Show, Off Road Expo, Moab Easter Jeep Safari, Super Crawl, Rubicon Jeep Jamboree, and other venues every year for 15 years. Living the dream yeah, but changed everything about my old Jeep hobby. Focus became more sales, more vehicles, more money, more, more, more.... Finally burned myself out and had chance to sell out . Towards the end I thought about expanding into the hunting gear market and even went to SHOT SHOW and lined up some vendors. Had second thoughts and realized that I didn't want the same thing to happen to my love of hunting as it did to a 30 year Jeep hobby. Glad I didn't take that step.

 

[knightrider]

Some of you guys have some really pompous egotistical attitudes! Tape some of your calling and let us judge you.

The guy did win a national calling championship which is how he met Bill Jordan.

Thats golden!! Its obvious the people that have never met the REAL waddy! Pompous arrogant jerk is just a few quick adjectives. Social media and tv waddy is totally different than real life he is right up there with the sickening uncle ted

 

[Hduke86]

Believe that he is a good hunter, probably a very good one at that. However he is a prime example of what can happen when your hobby becomes your job. I know that a lot of people think something like that would be a dream job, but it all changes when now have others to answer to such as employer, vendors, sponsors, etc... I know first hand as I after I took an early out from GE Nuclear in 1999, I started an off-road business that absolutely killed my passion for Jeeps. Got in on front of the e-commerce wave with 7 websites selling parts, had first Jeep parts on Amazon, employee's, warehouse, shop.... SEMA Show, Off Road Expo, Moab Easter Jeep Safari, Super Crawl, Rubicon Jeep Jamboree, and other venues every year for 15 years. Living the dream yeah, but changed everything about my old Jeep hobby. Focus became more sales, more vehicles, more money, more, more, more.... Finally burned myself out and had chance to sell out . Towards the end I thought about expanding into the hunting gear market and even went to SHOT SHOW and lined up some vendors. Had second thoughts and realized that I didn't want the same thing to happen to my love of hunting as it did to a 30 year Jeep hobby. Glad I didn't take that step.

So you're saying when I need help with a long arm suspension on my LJ rubicon and axle swaps that you're the man to holler at? Lol Just kidding, I know exactly what you're saying about it changing from a passionate to a grind of a job.

 

[AT Hiker]

I had to look him up on YouTube to see what you guys are talking about. I know who he is just didn't understand what the original OPs triggered video was about.
It must be the use of this 1/2 decoy thingy. I breezed through the opening day video he posted on 4-13, wholy cow this is crazy. Some YouTube fan boy is gonna get a face full of pellets if they attempt this in the wrong place .

 

[batten_down]

Saying Waddell sucks as a turkey hunter is akin to saying (beloved Tennessean) Bill Dance sucks at bass fishing because he always throws the same square bill from his pedestal seat, while fishing trophy-managed, private pits.

The fact is they're both entertainers. They tape shows meant to appeal to the majority. Not a particular subset of elitist snobs. Those types will never be satisfied anyway.

The end goal is to sell products. If he sat down and taped every show with a mouth call and box call, he'd never sell the $149 Boss Tom decoy. Which has a greater profit margin than a $19 slate call.

It's business. That's his job.

 

[tn24]

Some YouTube fan boy is gonna get a face full of pellets if they attempt this in the wrong place .

I can't think of anywhere that wouldn't be the wrong place to do that.

 

[TheLBLman]

Some YouTube fan boy is gonna get a face full of pellets if they attempt this in the wrong place .

Or maybe a rattlesnake strike to the face.

 

[drake799]

Michael Waddell doesn't suck!!!! Lol. Yeah he does a lot of reaping and decoy stuff now. But he's been killing turkeys for a loooong time Think I seen him mention on something one time he'd killed a " couple hundred" easterns You might not agree with his tactics but to say he sucks is a stretch

 

[Doskil]

So reaping should be outlawed?

 

[REN]

Just saying, if I had the option to hunt turkey loaded farms all the time vs sharing public land with the masses it wouldn't be a hard choice to make lol.

Not sure where the premises of being a good turkey hunter means you have to be able to kill a bird in a desolate harsh environment. Plenty of very good hunters that hunt managed private land.

 

[timberjack86]

Just saying, if I had the option to hunt turkey loaded farms all the time vs sharing public land with the masses it wouldn't be a hard choice to make lol.

Not sure where the premises of being a good turkey hunter means you have to be able to kill a bird in a desolate harsh environment. Plenty of very good hunters that hunt managed private land.

Not directed at you. Your absolutely right, do you have to reap or belly crawl to kill a turkey on either property to kill a bird? Nope. But there is that special something when you tag a game animal on public land that everyone has access to and that's a feeling I've never had hunting private land. It's a feeling that keeps me going back and in all honesty I really don't care if I ever hunt private land again. I do but it's more for my kids to have a better opportunity at success. Because at the end of the day the odds are better on private land.

 

[TDW05]

Thats golden!! Its obvious the people that have never met the REAL waddy! Pompous arrogant jerk is just a few quick adjectives. Social media and tv waddy is totally different than real life he is right up there with the sickening uncle ted

I was going to mention that you also had a problem with "uncle ted" if everyone I ran into was a jerk, but everyone else has no problems when meeting them, then I believe there is a common denominator and I would look at myself possibly.

 

[Longbow2240]

Who cares! Change the channel. Or go hunt!

 

[knightrider]

I was going to mention that you also had a problem with "uncle ted" if everyone I ran into was a jerk, but everyone else has no problems when meeting them, then I believe there is a common denominator and I would look at myself possibly.

You may be right, but i would also look at people outside their public personalities , and see them for who they truly are, turn off the cameras leave the crowds out and yes they are egotistical jerks, and its not when just "meeting them" it's actually being around them in real daily life.