 With the election fast approaching, it is time to look at what this past year has provided for us hunters. I am not talking about the presidential election. President Bush and John Kerry are not the topics of this plea for your vote, though I strongly urge every American to get out there and do their civic duty and privilege and vote your conscience and vote your sport.
The voting that I am talking about is for the annual Golden Moose Awards for viewer’s favorites on the Outdoor Channel. The Outdoor Channel holds yearly voting contest where the viewers can cast their vote for their favorite outdoor shows. There are four categories on the ballot, they are: Your Favorite Hunting/Shooting Show, Favorite Fishing Show, Favorite Variety Show, and Favorite Special.
Is casting your vote for your favorite shows important? You bet it is! We as hunters and outdoor enthusiasts need to be supporting our favorite shows as well as showing our support for the cable companies that are offering such programs. With the constant looming threat of losing our hunting heritage and our right to carry firearms, the hunting shows are an important resource for hunters and non-hunters alike. Perhaps, I am dreaming here, but surely there is at least one person that is undecided on hunting.
 Imagine if that person turned on the Outdoor Channel to watch surfing and stumbled onto an episode of Archer’s Choice. Through such an experience that person may have a more positive image of the role that hunters are playing in the lives of families. Or maybe that same person saw an episode of Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures and had a chance to see a breathtaking view of the wilds of Alaska or caught an endorsement for such programs as Safari Club International (SCI). By seeing such a glimpse we can only hope that those images may have sparked an interest in our sport, why we hunt and why we are passionate about conservation. The possibilities of this type of scenario are endless. Additionally, we should support the Outdoor Channel and other cable networks that host outdoor related shows as it keeps our issues of conservation, and our right to hunt before the public at the same time these types of shows are entertaining and informative. Whatever the reason you may have for watching such programs, now is the time to vote for your favorite.
Here is a look at my top five favorites. Some other programs such as Bull Riding I do enjoy, but I can not endure sitting one minute to watch someone panning for gold. My personal priorities in hunting may be different from yours. Those priorities are to enjoy the hunting experience with my husband, son, and daughters and to promote and encourage other women to discover the thrill and challenge of hunting.
With that said, here are my top five vote getters.
- Archer’s Choice with Ralph and Vicki Cianciarillo tops my list and gets my number one vote. Crowned as "Americans Favorite Bowhunting Couple" says it all. Ralph and Vicki travel the continent in search of whitetails, bears, and other species. They do this together, more often than not with their three-year-old in tow. What says Family Sport more than that?
- Getting my number two vote has to be Brenda Valentine’s Whitetail Adventures. The "First Lady of Hunting" has a first rate show. Brenda offers valuable tips and information that has helped
me develop into a better hunter. Brenda has proved for years that women and hunting are a natural combination so for that very reason she gets a round of applause from my family and me.
- Coming in at number three is "Realtree Roadtrips" with Michael Waddell. This show can be summoned up in one word "exciting". Waddell is a riot, watching him travel the country in search of monster whitetails, trophy elk, gobblers or cruising for caribou is a thrill ride from being to end.
Rocking and rolling as he travels the United States and Canada is simply entertaining, watching him "put a smack down" on a Caribou, then strip down to his skivvies and jump in the bitter cold northern waters to retrieve his harvest is hilarious, enjoyable, and off the beaten path. Realtree Roadtrips proves that hunting is not only additive but also a downright thrill.
- Standing a strong fourth on my list has to be Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures. Jim and his camera crew have captured some of the best video clips on television in my opinion. I also like Jim’s commitment to conservation, as he takes us around the world, hunting moose, black bears, or hippos in Africa. Jim’s attention to detail ensures us viewers that we will get the chance to get up close and personal with his hunts. Jim is a world class hunter that has the ability to take us from our Lazy-Boy recliner to the plains of Africa and beyond.
- Finishing off my top five list would have to be North American Whitetail TV with Stan Potts, Greg Miller and Pat Reeves. As these three trusty sidekicks travel the country pursuing game it is easy to see why they are amongst the best there is in the industry. Each host brings his unique personality to the table to create a perfectly blended balance of humor, skill, and expertise to this half-hour program. If you have not caught this show, you should.
I have no doubt that some of you may disagree with my choices. That is fine, I highly recommend that you log on to the Outdoor Channel website at www.outdoorchannel.com and cast your vote in the "Golden Moose Awards" and may the best show win.
Finally, I would like to suggest that we all do our part to keep our hunting heritage alive and well. If that means pushing the cable companies to have more hunting and fishing shows, than perhaps that is a call that we should all be willing to answer. The Outdoor Channel is enjoying much success with their hunting and fishing shows. There is also the OLN channel and the Sportsman’s Channel, which has left the gold panning to the other stations, and is focusing solely on fishing and hunting. I might add that the WomenHunters Outdoors TV Show is slated to start airing this October on the Sportsman’s Channel. To show our support for our WomenHunters Pro Staff, we need to get out the word on this new cable channel. If you are interested in finding out more about the Sportsman’s Channel, you should log on to their site at www.thesportsmanchannel.com. Then contact your cable network provider and tell them you want this channel or call Direct TV at 1-800-333-3474, Dish Network users can call 1-800-333-3474. Perhaps next year, we might see our very own WomenHunters Outdoors TV Show nominated for outstanding programming.
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