I'd like too hear more from Gary Roberson.

Pretty much a dead horse for me, I think TTHA and Jerry Johnston & Horace Gore did a lot to ruin Texas deer hunting. Always promoting high fence ranches and high dollar hunts fueled the fire for more ranch owners to high fence and try to get there share of $3500 and up on a deer hunts.
Most of there articles were on always on a 3 day deer hunt somewhere, was usually some vp of company, or ball player, or judge was the hunter. Never any old down to earth regular ole common folks on a deer lease somewhere. I could care less about them and would never spend another dime to read there magazine

This was the biggest draw for me. In the last few years I am not sure they have done any seminars at all that I can remember. Use to love listening to Dr. Kroll and watching Mike Biggs photo gallery with his stories. Use to go out there on Friday to look around and then go back on Saturday just for the seminars. Every so often they would even have one of the well known hunting show guys/gals there and it was always fun to listen to their stories about the hunts that a 30 minute episode couldn't cover in detail. Now I only make the trip out there if I need something specific that I cant find around town.

I will echo what others have said. This used to be a really good magazine. As a kid, I loved reading about the south texas hunters that had finally taken a deer of a lifetime after years of waiting for a buck to reach maturity. I don't purhase many issues today. When I do, I wonder how many are guys that flew in and shot a stocker buck that didn't even grow up on the ranch. I have nothing against high fences/improved genetics but it seems the magazine has become more devoted to the business of hunting rather than the past time we all love.

I do appreciate the stories regarding management and hunters that have great success due to its practices. I would also like to see more exotic hunts, especially in the spring/summer.

x2. My childhood was filled with looking at the current TTHA Magazines, and back issues that my dad kept from the late-60s through the 70s. My excitement was fueled by reading the 4 highlighted stories in the front from regular old folks and looking through the member photos section, I don't remember what that was called. Call me a nerd, but I loved knowing what rifle, caliber, and bullet they were shooting, and the details provided in the notes. I would have the TTHA Magazine and my Rand McNally side by side to see what kind of [native] deer were coming from what part of the state.

My childhood dream finally came true in 1994 or 1995, when I finally shot a buck big enough to send in my photo. I felt like a movie star (even as a teenager) when that issue finally arrived!

[quote=TxBuck]Pretty much a dead horse for me, I think TTHA and Jerry Johnston & Horace Gore did a lot to ruin Texas deer hunting. Always promoting high fence ranches and high dollar hunts fueled the fire for more ranch owners to high fence and try to get there share of $3500 and up on a deer hunts.
Most of there articles were on always on a 3 day deer hunt somewhere, was usually some vp of company, or ball player, or judge was the hunter. Never any old down to earth regular ole common folks on a deer lease somewhere. I could care less about them and would never spend another dime to read there magazine
[/quote
Well said, in my opinion.

I mostly agree with what you said. I don't think HF is the the problem but the Deer Breeding is. They have turned getting a really big deer into a joke. Don't kid me most know that especially shooting a Buck with over 200" antlers that deer was not raised in the wild nor were his genes. I also think that the days of the big money for those type of deer is coming to a close. I have seen in the last few years the price of those type of deer go down. Also with more news of CWD I would imagine that buying deer from a breeder is starting to get scary. As stated abover this is my opinion and I am sticking with it. When the money from advertising big deer starts to run out I would think the mag. would see the light and change.

Arent magazines like newspapers......a thing of the past? I cant imagine it surviving no matter the content. I was a member of TTH for about 12-15 years. I quit taking it around 2005 or 6 because it just didnt appeal to me any longer. Over the years I eliminated all of the magazines I used to take.

P

I agree with almost all of this. IMO it is clear to me that the infatuation with shooting an artificial giant deer is waning. Whether this is because public opinion in general is changing, because there are only so many artificial giants those that shoot them can put on the wall, that even those who engage in it are starting to find it boring, or what - I cannot say.

Okay, I will admit that I am a dinosaur. I began hunting deer in the early 60's and could not wait to see the San Antonio Light newspaper on Sunday morning in deer season. There would be photos of several of the big deer taken around country by ordinary folks who were just hunters. There were no deer breeders and VERY few high fences and deer populations were low due to the screw worm fly, but that's another story. It seems that the hunters who consistently killed big deer were genuinely good hunters and I looked up to them.
Today, when I see a hunter holding a really big deer, I am aware that the hunter is probably not long on skills but rather deep in the pocket. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a hunter wanting to purchase a big deer and I am very glad that he can afford to do so...just don't want to read the story about the hunt.
Adios,
Gary

By the way, I have known Dan Kinsel for many years and consider him to be a fine fellow. I wish him success in turning the TTHA around and will be more than happy to help him in any way that I can. TTHA has been around for many years and was instrumental in the popularity of whitetail hunting in Texas.
Adios,
Gary

It's a pretty tough go for all magazines these days. When TTHA was in its heydey, reading about the big bucks taken in South TX was a pretty new and exciting thing. Heck, big bucks in general were cool to dream about and see.

Nowadays, not so much. For a whole bunch of reasons, big whitetails are everywhere in the media (TV, internet, and print). It's just hard to stand out from the crowd.

IMO we have been way over saturated with whitetail hunting in the media and folks are just getting numb to it all. One big buck story pretty much looks like every other big buck story and every TV hunt pretty much looks like every other TV hunt.

Dan kinsel bought TTHA?

I'll throw in another couple penny's for your post.

I think you nailed it.....deer hunting in general has become boring. It's an over saturated market that is way overhyped.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/pages/their-words-industry-experts-why-hunting-decline

Most of the reasons I see are stated in this article for the decline overall.....when I was a kid hunting was easy around here/close/nearby.....and we all did it. TX population was probably 3 million or so growing up and now its what? about 13 million. Too many people so the prices went sky high knocking out vast amounts of potential hunters

I know there are many reasons but that article has more

Good read thanks for posting it.

Bottom line is, with urbanization, loss of habitat, and the internet age of "instant gratification" - the future of hunting doesn't look promising.

I grew up like you, as did many on here. Very, very few kids grow up that way anymore.

I am not sure if ownership of TTHA has changed, the Mr. Kinsel I was referring to as a new face to TTHA is Karl Kinsel

I hope Gary Roberson stays, he writes great articles IMO.

I don't think ownership of the of TTHA has changed but Karl will be calling most of the shots from what I understand.
Thanks for the compliment TEXASLEFTY. I plan to stay on board but I will admit that I bad about not meeting my deadline for the articles...seems I am generally off hunting somewhere.
Adios,
Gary

I started with TTH a long, long time ago, remember when a gentleman named Kolb went down in a Helicopter crash, never to be seen or heard from again??? What ever happened, he ever show up again.

Lionel Garza was a young man...

I went one year when it was at the Lowes Anatole Hotel and watched Jerry Johnston dog cuss a young Hispanic boy because there was no mustard for his hot dog. Jeeez.

I continued to go to the Ft. Worth Extravaganza (deer Feeder and Jerky show) until the last few years. It is just too crowded and TTH refuses to move it to a bigger venue.

I want more product reviews, new, fresh, faces. Just like everything else, it all goes to people heads and it all about profits

I will watch this thread and look for changes to the TTH.

I too echo all the other complaints and suggestions above

I will say the shows are pretty cool

Absolutely they have been very good to Kacee for years. Their is a lot of good stories just have fight through the advertisement.

I would renew my subscription if they included Kacee on their ProStaff and gave her a section in the Magazine titled Kacee's Korner!

She would do it I have no doubt. She does have a story coming in the new issues on her hunt in Namibia.