Time for a mild rant………

Let may say upfront that I like Grant Woods and his show so don’t take this criticism as hardcore bashing of him or anything. It’s more a rant on sponsor fed information in general. There’s something that irks me though about the way information is fed to the hunting public through these shows. The problem is that you never get the whole truth when “sponsors” are involved. You get fed what’s good for the sponsors bottom line. Even when the truth is being shown….it has to be shown through a certain lens. This is rampant in the food plotting world. Most folks are just trying to sell you something. One of things I like about Growing Deer TV is that it does a way better job of providing you with solid info over sales pitch than most of the other shows out there. Even still though….they are still constrained by sponsors who need to sell seed or what have you. When that happens then the idea of not planting something sold by such and such company can never be an option. Their latest video is a good example in my eyes.

On one segment of the video he gives you a little tease about an upcoming summer seed blend they’re experimenting with from Eagle seeds that will be offered in the future. The blend is going to be designed for small plots that receive a lot of browsing pressure. As we’ve talked about before…..this probably represents 90% of the plots being planted in hunting clubs and whatnot. Anyways, in that segment he talks about how it’ll be sold so that plotters will be able to offer the deer something on these plots in the summer without their plots just growing up into a “weedy mess”….as if that’s BAD……Well, then in the very next segment of the show….he stands in the middle of an oak savannah growing in 25-30 different native species….aka “weedy mess”…..and spends several minutes touting all the great benefits that it provides to the soil and wildlife….and how that type of habitat has increased their deer population to the point they cant shoot enough……

Here’s my issue…..even though we’re dealing with one of the best ones out there in Dr. Woods….sponsors still have influence. He can never tell you that you don’t need to buy seed from the companies that are sponsoring his show. Nobody is ever gonna tell you that you don’t need to buy this and that…..How could they? They can only adapt what they’re selling you. Case in point here…..They won’t ever tell you to simply fertilize those small plots in the summer and let them grow up thick in 20+ different species of native vegetation……Instead they’ll design a seed blend to sell you to fill that niche. The small plot niche is a mighty big niche to fill too.

Again, I’m not really trying to bash folks by saying this…..it’s the way the world works……I’m just pointing it out. Bottom line is….think for yourself. The “deer” industry is driven by the need to sell stuff to people and the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth….will always take a back seat to that….even in the best of circumstances. QDMA made that very apparent by shutting down their forum awhile back….. but that’s a whole nuther rant.