# Best Pro Hunter?



## tullisfireball (Oct 1, 2009)

With everybody and their brother doing a hunting show or dvd these days, I have a question:

Who is the best?

I will start, I believe Ben Rogers Lee was and we lost a true sportsman.


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## 2bbshot (Oct 1, 2009)

Jim Shockey gets my vote.


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## huntfish (Oct 2, 2009)

Chuck Adams or Fred Bear.


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## Unicoidawg (Oct 2, 2009)

2bbshot said:


> Jim Shockey gets my vote.



x2 Jim is tha man...


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## frydaddy40 (Oct 2, 2009)

*The Best?*

Jim Skockey  or Fred Eichler


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## dwills (Oct 2, 2009)

How can we judge who is the best hunter based on TV shows. It basically boils down to who is the best "celebrity". These guys are shooting other people's animals, so to me, the guides are the best hunters. They are growing the game and putting these "hunters" on the animals.


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## Nicodemus (Oct 2, 2009)

You won`t ever catch the truly best hunter on any TV show. He is gonna be somebody who grew up in the area, knows it like the back of his hand, is fairly secretive about where he hunts, don`t care how many, or how big his "trophys" are,  and could care less about how popular he is in the huntin` community. It`s just not important to him whether folks know how good he is or not. He, or she, probably doesn`t think about how good he is either. He just enjoys huntin`.


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## dwills (Oct 2, 2009)

Well said Nicodemus. The skill level of these "professional" hunters has to be evaluated with a grain of salt. I would like to see how these hunters would fair on a GA WMA.


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## Sargent (Oct 2, 2009)

I have to go with our very own O'Neill Williams.  He actually tries to teach the viewer something.


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## frydaddy40 (Oct 2, 2009)

*Well me clear this up.*



frydaddy40 said:


> Jim Skockey  or Fred Eichler



   First not all TV hunters  are punks that are in it for the 
  money.   Jim  and Fred both started as guides and still guide.
   Both have very successful guide businesses , price a hunt 
 with both.   BIG MONEY    

     So pick your punks wisely before you bash them.

         All tv hunters are not punks.


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## Paymaster (Oct 2, 2009)

Favorite living -Jim Shockey and Michael Lee.

Favorite dead -Fred Bear and Ben Rogers Lee

Biggest losser- Noel Feather and Jimmy Houston


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## shadow2 (Oct 2, 2009)

roger ragland huts a bunch of public land...and kills some monsters


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## meherg (Oct 7, 2009)

he has never been on tv 
but to me my dad was the best


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## DeepweR (Oct 7, 2009)

on tv.......... Stan Potts gets my vote.


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## meherg (Oct 7, 2009)

deep'we R said:


> on tv.......... Stan Potts gets my vote.



i like old  GIVE ME A SECOND  also he has killed some monsters


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## Steve Thompson (Oct 7, 2009)

The celebs are not the best. they just have the means.

Many of the best hunters in the US are from Georgia and Alabama. They were brought up hunting the smartest white tales in the world!!


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## O'Neill Williams (Oct 9, 2009)

In my judgement the best hunters are the guides because they're out there in the woods and fields all the time. They necessarily understand better than a once per season TV guy.  The best fishermen are they best for the same reasons. They fish 50 to 100 times a year on the same lake, stream or area of the coast.  I can testify that TV guys are not the best because they're running a business and, in my case, work most of the time at that.  Too, keep in mind that TV guys have to hunt and fish all over the map and cannot possibly be as accomplished as the hunters and fishermen who can or must confine their trips to their favorite areas.

My best turkey hunter was Roscoe Reams.
My best Whitetail Deer hunter is Jeff Hobbins.
My best Mule Deer hunter is Chad Schearer.
My best bass fisherman is Tommy Mike.
My best striper fisherman is Mack Farr.
My best onshore saltwater fisherman is Mark Noble.
My best offshore saltwater fisherman is Jimmy Johnson.

Everyone have a great and productive Fall hunting season and take a kid along and teach him about the outdoors.

Fridaddy 40 is correct, the best TV show hunters are the ones who were guides first and then started TV.   Jim Shockey and Chad Schearer are examples.


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## Parker Phoenix (Oct 9, 2009)

dwills said:


> How can we judge who is the best hunter based on TV shows. It basically boils down to who is the best "celebrity". These guys are shooting other people's animals, so to me, the guides are the best hunters. They are growing the game and putting these "hunters" on the animals.



You don't know Jim Shockey. Not all of them are hunting the fence, or a bait of corn. Jim Shockey travels the world hunting world class animals with a muzzleloader. I can not think of another pro hunter who has pushed the envelope of the human body or his weapon as much as Mr. Shockey. It could be hunting the polar regions with Nantuk guides or the mountains of Afghanistan or Iran for sheep. yeah, Jim Shockey gets my vote.


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## hunter rich (Oct 9, 2009)

the Fitzgeralds....


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## 01Foreman400 (Oct 9, 2009)

2bbshot said:


> Jim Shockey gets my vote.



Mine too.


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## BuckHunter 34 (Oct 9, 2009)

x whatever on Jim shockey...he puts em down like its nobody's business on those Saskatchewan ranches


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## Wild Turkey (Oct 9, 2009)

Newtons 3rd law
pro hunter skill level is directionally proportional to $$$$$$$$$$$.

Give me $100,000 to spend on guided hunts and ill wow you too.


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## pkp844 (Oct 9, 2009)

Ok, i agree with a little of what everyone has said. But to me when i watch a huntin show what wows me is not that he killed the biggest buck ive ever seen, its how he draws me into the show, makes me feel what he feels as hes lookin through the peep sight. I want him to get me excited about the deer, and im not even there! I dont think anybody does this as well as Michael Wadell from Team Realtree.


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## horse2292 (Oct 9, 2009)

Parker Phoenix said:


> You don't know Jim Shockey. Not all of them are hunting the fence, or a bait of corn. Jim Shockey travels the world hunting world class animals with a muzzleloader. I can not think of another pro hunter who has pushed the envelope of the human body or his weapon as much as Mr. Shockey. It could be hunting the polar regions with Nantuk guides or the mountains of Afghanistan or Iran for sheep. yeah, Jim Shockey gets my vote.


Got my vote too.


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## CRT (Oct 9, 2009)

pkp844 said:


> Ok, i agree with a little of what everyone has said. But to me when i watch a huntin show what wows me is not that he killed the biggest buck ive ever seen, its how he draws me into the show, makes me feel what he feels as hes lookin through the peep sight. I want him to get me excited about the deer, and im not even there! I dont think anybody does this as well as Michael Wadell from Team Realtree.



Great post and x2 on Michael Wadell. We forget that these guys aren't trying to win some competition on who the best hunter is. They are trying to bring us, the viewer, along with them to share in their adventures. Alot of them do a great job at that. I thoroughly enjoy watching Michael Wadell, Uncle Ted, Jim Shockey, and Roger Ragler.

By what criteria are we judging who the "best pro hunter" is anyway?


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## Mossy (Oct 9, 2009)

dwills said:


> How can we judge who is the best hunter based on TV shows. It basically boils down to who is the best "celebrity". These guys are shooting other people's animals, so to me, the guides are the best hunters. They are growing the game and putting these "hunters" on the animals.



Lee & Tiff, Don & Kandi and quite a few others hunt their own land


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## Huntinfool (Oct 9, 2009)

Michael Lee and Trey.


....and I guess Kevin is pretty good too 




I hear they've got fantastic camera guys.  It's just what I hear.


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## Huntinfool (Oct 9, 2009)

dwills said:


> How can we judge who is the best hunter based on TV shows. It basically boils down to who is the best "celebrity". These guys are shooting other people's animals, so to me, the guides are the best hunters. They are growing the game and putting these "hunters" on the animals.



13 episodes X at least 2 kills per episode.

It's almost not possible to do that on your own land.  Lee and Tiff KIND OF do it along with a few others.  But, as good as they are, they still go off the reservation to fill episodes most of the time.

They only get so many tags in their home state.  I'll agree with this though....the guides are awesome hunters and they are what makes a good outfitter a good outfitter.


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## mjfrawg (Oct 9, 2009)

Lee & Tiffany Lawoski   Also Michael Waddel & T-Bone Turner


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## CRT (Oct 9, 2009)

Mossy said:


> Lee & Tiff, Don & Kandi and quite a few others hunt their own land



Yea!! I forgot about the Freaks!!!

I like the Drury boys too. Heck, I guess I pretty much like all of them on the Outdoor Channel.


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## buckpro04 (Oct 9, 2009)

BIG game - jim shockey
big whitetails - adam hays


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## redneckcamo (Oct 9, 2009)

I like Shockey as well.......but Ben Lee was the man when it came to being just a plain ole boy who was in love with hunting !!


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## AHERRING (Oct 9, 2009)

Roger Ragland


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## drippin' rock (Oct 10, 2009)

I like watching all of them.  Some more than others.  Two that have not been mentioned yet are Tim Wells of Relentless Pursuit and that guy from Arrow Affliction.


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## Randy8216 (Oct 10, 2009)

uncle ted is probobly the most passionate


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## orangesmoke20 (Oct 14, 2009)

I am,now somebody give me a job-hunting them big ol deer


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## olcowman (Oct 15, 2009)

Is this a deer only thread? If not I gotta throw Ricky Joe Bishop in this pile somewhere. The man seems to have mastered the art of calling a turkey up and shooting it. He and Mike Waddell both growed up here in Meriwether county.


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## Paymaster (Oct 15, 2009)

O'Neill Williams said:


> In my judgement the best hunters are the guides because they're out there in the woods and fields all the time. They necessarily understand better than a once per season TV guy.  The best fishermen are they best for the same reasons. They fish 50 to 100 times a year on the same lake, stream or area of the coast.  I can testify that TV guys are not the best because they're running a business and, in my case, work most of the time at that.  Too, keep in mind that TV guys have to hunt and fish all over the map and cannot possibly be as accomplished as the hunters and fishermen who can or must confine their trips to their favorite areas.
> 
> My best turkey hunter was Roscoe Reams.
> My best Whitetail Deer hunter is Jeff Hobbins.
> ...



You ain't so bad yourself. I enjoy watching you show!


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## florida boy (Oct 15, 2009)

Wild Turkey said:


> Newtons 3rd law
> pro hunter skill level is directionally proportional to $$$$$$$$$$$.
> 
> Give me $100,000 to spend on guided hunts and ill wow you too.


 Exactly ! I know a guy that has alot of money and no hunting sense but he has some monsters on the wall from all over that he paid some guide to find and pattern before he ever enters the state . So the rich people can always have a better trophy room if they wish !


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## shiny 308 (Oct 16, 2009)

i like the nobodies,, the ones that dont go on guided hunts, aint sponsered by everyone, and that will shoot a doe.   i like jim shockey ,and tim wells. ben lee is , in my opinion, is the dale earnhardt of hunting.   by the way craig boddington is about a joke,, have u ever seen him hunting by himself??? yeah hes taken everything africa has to offer but, have u EVER seen him without a guide and at least 3 trackers??? they do everything but pull the trigger for him!!!


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## Allen Waters (Oct 16, 2009)

I like Larry Wieshuhn, or how bout Jack O'Connor,  both built from the ground up what they have achieved in the hunting world.

I would have to agree that the best "PRO" hunters are ones nobody knows. Folks that have been guiding for years, or are just very passionate about what they do.  

Money and knowing the right people can make anybody a "PRO" on T.V.

Now there are plenty of Hunting shows I really enjoy watching, Heck I enjoy any show about hunting, some more than others, but I enjoy them all. I have seen a couple shows with scenes I did not agree with or folks making questionable shots on animals.  Seems Ethics are starting to slide on some shows.

 I think if its on T.V. it should be geared toward drawing people to the sport, getting kids involved and helping the non-hunting folks understand our sport and outdoor passion better. Since he has been Mentioned here,  Mr. O'Neill Williams does a very good job of this. I applaud his efforts and the example he sets for others.


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## reylamb (Oct 16, 2009)

Chuck Adams...
For monster Mulies......Randy Ulmer


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## Throwback (Oct 16, 2009)

The man in my avatar trumps them all. And he didn't need no fancy equipment, neither. 

See my sigline. 

T


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## ga alan (Oct 16, 2009)

i like tom miranda .... worst david morris,  el casador and that other south texas tecomonte idiot gary s. not jeff foxworthy.....


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## Will-dawg (Oct 17, 2009)

If I had to pick the best "pro" hunter(s) the team from Eastmans Hunting Journal would get my vote.


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## poolecw (Oct 17, 2009)

The guy I like watched the most is Tread Barta.  No matter what he is hunting, he does it the hard way.


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## Mopar318 (Oct 18, 2009)

Im goin for New school, the Bone Collector himself Michael Waddell Hes just an all around good guy. Michael Always has a good attitude and hes funny too.. Not quite as goofy as T bone But laying all jokes aside I have to believe T Bone is better with a bow.


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## DavidinFL (Oct 18, 2009)

My personal opinion for the worst: Hank Parker 3D. When they come on, I turn them off. They most always hunt over bait then brag about how big their kills are. How is that hunting? I would like to see them hunting without the bait to find out how "good" they really are.


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## Swamp Star (Oct 19, 2009)

The best would have to be my dad. 

TV Chris Brackett.


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## Down4Count (Oct 20, 2009)

David Blanton from realtree.


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## Tikki (Oct 20, 2009)

Jason Holloway....he is the man!


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## CUTT'EM 76 (Oct 29, 2009)

pkp844 said:


> Ok, i agree with a little of what everyone has said. But to me when i watch a huntin show what wows me is not that he killed the biggest buck ive ever seen, its how he draws me into the show, makes me feel what he feels as hes lookin through the peep sight. I want him to get me excited about the deer, and im not even there! I dont think anybody does this as well as Michael Wadell from Team Realtree.



He gets my vote too.All the Team Realtree guys wil be legends one day.


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## Jeff Raines (Oct 29, 2009)

I talked with cameraman Chuck Adams one day,he said the best hunters he ever filmed were Knight and Hale.


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## GAcarver (Oct 29, 2009)

Ronnie Smith, Ronnies smith Outdoors.  You can go to his website and watch episodes of his hunts, this man  is the real deal.


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## Randy (Oct 29, 2009)

I vote for Michael Wadell too.


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## Hunter/Mason (Oct 29, 2009)

I can't belive no one has meintioned The Best!!!
T.K. & Mike

They are so good they killed Big Foot on film. Beat that!


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## Rackmaster (Oct 29, 2009)

Stan Potts and Roger Raglin get my vote.  Both of these guys killed MONSTERS before they ever became pros.
Stan killed a gross 200" typical before he ever became famous on a WMA.


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## ALL4HUNTIN (Oct 29, 2009)

From what I am hearing on TV......   President Obama gets my vote.  Apparently he is winning and the best at everything he IS NOT DOING................

GO OBAMA............

NOT


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## basspro2232 (Oct 29, 2009)

its hard to just pick one...there are many great hunters...but ted nugent is always fun to watch!


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## FX Jenkins (Oct 30, 2009)

Mopar318 said:


> Im goin for New school, the Bone Collector himself Michael Waddell Hes just an all around good guy. Michael Always has a good attitude and hes funny too.. Not quite as goofy as T bone But laying all jokes aside I have to believe T Bone is better with a bow.



I'gree, I think he represents the heritage well, and if I had to spend a week in camp with any of these guys, I think Michael would be more down to earth than some of the Divo's out there.....but my vote has to go to Chuck Adams, first person to grand slam...prob has more firsts and records in the pope and young books than any other pro hunter, and truly earned his way into the elite crew....


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## Longstreet1 (Oct 30, 2009)

Have to say Tred Barta he is just as happy takeing a doe than a monsterand useing a long bow thats good hunting.


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## toddboucher (Oct 30, 2009)

What about the duck commanders, they like the family members you don't talk about.

just kidding but I do enjoy watching that family.


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## Rich Kaminski (Oct 30, 2009)

Don Bricker and Lynn Smith are two of the best and you will never see a video of either one of them. They are real hunters, not people who hunt over bait and stay for weeks to see that specific trophy animal. Don was featured in a hunting magazine several years ago for his hunting exploits and Lynn has the #1 and #3 Lions in the world along with an elephant that ranks right up there too with 104 pounds of ivory. They have both hunted all over the world for years and I am proud to say that they are my friends.


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## Cottontail (Oct 30, 2009)

You dont really hear much about him anymore but i liked Jim Nabors from Alabama he had some great videos .


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## Throwback (Oct 30, 2009)

I guess we should ask what you mean by "the best" hunter. 

In all reality, almost ANYBODY can kill those big bucks they shoot on the shows--if they have the money to pay for them, the time to go and a guide to hold your hand and say "sit here, there he is, shoot him, now smile for the camera". They don't go up there and do all that in 5 days all by themselves....

Some of them just have sense enough to hide the bait and fences better than the others. 

Really the GUIDES are the ones that are the better hunters..not them. And they'd be lost in most places other than where they work at all year. 

I promise I'm not trying to be a heel, but I guess from the answers what most of ya'll mean is what show you like best. 

T


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## ragingbull (Oct 30, 2009)

*hunter*

The NUGE,Uncle Ted gets my vote..


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## CUTT'EM 76 (Oct 30, 2009)

*Forgot*



GAcarver said:


> Ronnie Smith, Ronnies smith Outdoors.  You can go to his website and watch episodes of his hunts, this man  is the real deal.




I forgot about Ronnie,I hunted w/ him a long time ago.


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## albridges (Nov 3, 2009)

I enjoy watching the Bone Collectors more than any of them. They are an entertaining bunch of guys. 

But not sure who said up in the thread but I wish there were more shows that taught viewers about hunting and what hunting really is.

My hats off to Mr. O'Neill he always goes to great lengths to help you understand why he is doing what he does. Its fun to watch him when kids are around I think that is when you really get to see just him.


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## green46 (Nov 27, 2009)

dwills said:


> How can we judge who is the best hunter based on TV shows. It basically boils down to who is the best "celebrity". These guys are shooting other people's animals, so to me, the guides are the best hunters. They are growing the game and putting these "hunters" on the animals.



I'll second that.  However, I think the most entertaining celebrity is Tred Barta.


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## RANGER 461 (Nov 29, 2009)

Barry and Gene Wensel.


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## JoeyWommack (Nov 29, 2009)

Tred Barta:  He may not be the best hunter but is by far and away the best representative of the sport thats living.
Fred Bear and Chuck Adams otherwise.


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## Bow Only (Nov 30, 2009)

Chuck Adams once told me that he started off as a school teacher and just loved to hunt.  The reason he is a pro now is because he was so good at hunting, everyone wanted him on their prostaff.  He's an everyday person like you or me, not a celebrity like many on TV.  Chuck gets my vote with Shockey coming in second.  The Fitzgeralds are both excellent hunters.


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## chiefsquirrel83 (Nov 30, 2009)

O'Neil Williams or The Nuge


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## Lonnie in the mountains (Nov 30, 2009)

Anybody besides Stan Potts!!!!!!!!


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## WOODARD29 (Dec 2, 2009)

*My best*

Go to a common man by the name of Frank Wyche, never brags, no tv shows.  If you listen, he can teach you how to put it on the table. And boy can he cook it. Fishing, hunting all around guy. My personal best.


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## tullisfireball (Dec 2, 2009)

I started this to see what everyone would say, and no one has said who the best is: 


MARTY STOUFFER! He has to be best tracker, hunter, and woodsman around! If he ever traded his camera for a gun there wouldn't be any animals left!!!


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## pcsolutions1 (Dec 2, 2009)

Michael Waddell.  Don't know if he's the best or not, but he's my favorite for being entertaining.  

Tiffany Lakosky.  Come on you gotta turn in your man card if you don't like looking at her.


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## Papa Bear (Dec 2, 2009)

I do not think any of them are pros! Entertaining yes, but by no means better than any of us regular guys! If all of us had the land to manage and grow big deer, we could call ourselves pros! Most of these outfitters know the best way to promote there business is to call  Waddell, or the Jordans or Lakosky's to come kill this big deer my guide has patterned. I think THROWBACK is right, it is the guides that put the so called "Pros" on these deer that are the real hunting pro's! Check out the Perlitz Ranch in Texas and see who can kill a big buck! Yea that's right the man with the money in his pocket or the sponsors to foot the bill! Much rather see a kid with his first deer  kill, be it a doe or 4 pt, that big grin on his or her face is worth more to me than anything the pro's can edit for TV! Just had to vent a little!


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## Ohoopee Tusker (Dec 4, 2009)

Throwback said:


> The man in my avatar trumps them all. And he didn't need no fancy equipment, neither.
> 
> See my sigline.
> 
> T




Hey Throwback.  I just got out bid on ebay for a signed edition of the Ben Lilly Legend. Don't suppose that was you?  And for those that don't know the book, read it! Lilly knew things about the wilderness that you have never even thought of.


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## livetohunt (Dec 9, 2009)

Put an average hunter on great land, and they will harvest big deer especially with a gun in hand...So it would be interesting to see how "pros" would fair in the pine forests of Georgia or WMAs.

I think some of the best on TV are Don Kisky, Lee Lakosky, and Chuck Adams. They have the passion, time, land, and experience to consistently harvests big animals.


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## WOODARD29 (Dec 9, 2009)

*I agree*



tullisfireball said:


> i started this to see what everyone would say, and no one has said who the best is:
> 
> 
> Marty stouffer! He has to be best tracker, hunter, and woodsman around! If he ever traded his camera for a gun there wouldn't be any animals left!!!


talk about a woodsman.


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## biggtruxx (Dec 9, 2009)

Whichever one is on the telly on the outdoor or VS channels


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## huntingonthefly (Dec 9, 2009)

Papa Bear said:


> I think THROWBACK is right, it is the guides that put the so called "Pros" on these deer that are the real hunting pro's! Check out the Perlitz Ranch in Texas and see who can kill a big buck! Yea that's right the man with the money in his pocket or the sponsors to foot the bill!


I overheard a conversation at the Buckarama years ago. A guy was saying that he went to a ranch in Texas somewhere. He killed a huge buck there but had an opportunity on a monster. He was raising his rifle when  the guide said, No! that's Bill Jordan's deer, he's done paid for him! Seems like it was $15,000 or $25,000 dollars. I would say that deer was patterned by the guides or.......This may or may not be true but I'm sure it happens.


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## GAcooner94 (Jan 4, 2010)

Tred barta


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## Ohoopee Tusker (Jan 5, 2010)

tullisfireball said:


> I started this to see what everyone would say, and no one has said who the best is:
> 
> 
> MARTY STOUFFER! He has to be best tracker, hunter, and woodsman around! If he ever traded his camera for a gun there wouldn't be any animals left!!!




I loved to watch Wild America as a kid. However in 1996 several of Stouffer's former employees came forward and stated that he staged fights between predator and prey, releasing captured animals (predator/prey) and inducing them into battle for filming purposes. It should also be noted that the last known Grizzly bear attack in Colorado which took place in 1979, (while a guide/elk hunter was out hunting and managed to survive by driving an arrow shaft into the bears "arm pit") is believed to be a bear that Stouffer raised and released.


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## 7mm REM MAG (Jan 5, 2010)

Jim Shockey


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## derontank (Jan 6, 2010)

Tiffany Lakoski
Don't know if she is the best hunter or not, but she kills monster bucks and looks very, very good doing it!!!!!  She is Soooooo hot!!!!!


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## kotchman (Jan 6, 2010)

Don't know if he counts as a pro-hunter or not but HOWARD HILL!!!
Read up on his record sometime, if he was born 40 years later he'd probably still be on TV


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