I used to always look forward to your “recaps” on GON 15 years ago. You and DJ were my inspiration to begin the public land super slam. When you started pinhoti, I was all aboard, because the content was relatable. At the time, I didn’t realize the repercussions that were to come. I’d imagine you may be in this same boat. I’m not one to call names, or pretend to know your motivations.

So here is the problem. Your intentions may have been to showcase the correct way to pursue these birds. It didn’t work. The new people are largely more worried about their social media pictures of fanned out gobblers, than the way they got them there. The old people hunt how they always have. The difference is this. You and THP have now given both groups the roadmap and incentive to travel in droves. When you combine that with Covid allowing those folks the freedom to travel, we’ve got a perfect storm. Think back 10 years ago. You and I both know plenty of fanatical turkey hunters in Georgia and Alabama. How many of them travelled and hunted public land? Almost none. You had certain people that would run to Texas or Nebraska every year and hunt private land, but otherwise stay in their home states. Today? You can be dang near to Canada in may, and there’s more people from Mississippi hunting than there used to be total hunters over the entire season. Places tend to be specifically harmed, when y’all showcase them. I’m sure that is part of the reason Chubbs has jumped off the bandwagon. His backyard has been showcased by you, catman, THP, the untamed, etc. As you know, there’s 10x the oosers now, compared to 5 years ago. Same for a lot of specific states.

So, at what point does the negative overtake the positive? Is it when our opportunities are cut back, because of record out of state pressure? Is it when you are dang near to Canada in late may, and can’t find a place to park because of all the Mississippi tags?

If I really saw an influx of new hunters who revered a long beard like I do, I could get on board with you. If I saw public lands being added, or turkey habitat being better managed because of license sales, I could get on board. But neither of those is happening.

I don’t blame you, or really expect you to step back. Your livelihood is now tied to continuing to believe, that the positives of Pinhoti outweigh the negatives. I really believe that you’re having the opposite effect than what you intended. These migrating masses of hunters, may kill turkey hunting culture forever. As opportunities become more regulated, public lands become more crowded, and hunter satisfaction diminishes, I fear that places like Alabama and Georgia will soon have the turkey culture of Idaho or Maine.