I was flipping through my latest catalog from one of our well known, coast to coast outdoor products sellers and a few pages in I see a black......um African American dude modeling bowhunting clothes, holding a bow. It feels good to me, being a black man in America and seeing us shown in the media as other than thugs and criminals, especially in light of all that's happening in MO right now. I got into hunting/bowhunting three years ago and noticed quickly the lack of black faces in ads and hunting shows. It didn't particularly bother me since I know only one other black bowhunter who lives on my block and I've only seen maybe one other in this forum. I don't want to kick off a big racial discussion, I just wanted to put it out there. I'm a black man, I love bowhunting and the outdoors. It was just nice to finally see us in an ad, heck for all I know he's a paid model and doesn't know anything about it
You have relatives and friends right? Get them out there!! I know its easier said than done but my goal every year is to get at least 3 people bowhunting or hunting in general. But I definitely hear you and am very glad to see it too.
Excellent, only 100 years behind schedule. I see everyone as red inside. Wish it were that easy to teach this, but I'm starting 2 kids at a time, my own.
I guess I have never thought of it as an "us" or "them" thing. To me, that kind of thinking is the root of the problem.
I hear you fletch920, it doesn't take away from the lack of blacks like myself being represented in hunting media and magazines, that's unarguable. I've watched tons of shows, flipped through hundred of magazines, we aren't there. I was nice to see is all
It's all good for me. A hunter is a hunter for me. Different sports or activities have their ethnic representations respectively. Basketball, just from watching, I believe has a larger black percentage were football and baseball might be a bit closer. Golf is a sport that has gotten dramatically more ethnically diverse over the years. Hunting's problem, IMO, is just not really main stream. And not that it's really a problem but it's not a big topic unless you are into the sport. Hunting is more regional and something taught through family generations and is a culture. Additionally with the negative attention from animal rights groups and the world in general becoming more liberal (no offense if anyone is) but hunting animals seems to get more negative attention in the media than good. Sorry back to the topic at hand. I'm glad to see the advertisement with a black man in hunting and glad you are proud of it. Hopefully that will be the start of something to attract a more diverse crowd to the sport. You can share a stand with me anytime, as long as we both fit and there's 2 bucks to shoot at.
Normally, companies spend a lot of money with marketing firms to determine their customer base and the characteristics of that base in order to design ad campaigns to sell their wares to that target group. In hunting that group has been predominately white and marketing tries to influence that group. As a more diverse base gets involved in hunting related activities, as is hopefully the case now, then I think you will see a more diverse marketing approach either in hunting shows/programs and ad campaigns. I didn't see but my brother was telling me of a show the other day about Bo Jackson and when he showed them his trophy room it was all about bow hunting and the mounts of the animals that he had taken. Not the sports memorabilia.
Spot On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who gives a sh!t about what color or race or gender or sexual persuasion.... Be a good person and do the right thing for the right reason and youre good in my book.....be a thug, criminal, trash, or Asian and thats how you get treated. Totally kidding about the Asian thing.....If we keep pointing out how "out of the ordinary" it it is, it will always remain out of the ordinary. I am not gonna change the world with a thread post nor am I trying to.....but for the love of all things Holy...put a white guy on the cover of Vibe....besides Eminem....totally kidding again.........Man I love bowhunting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like you StringPuller I have noticed it too in that magazine. I smiled when I saw it! My wife even asked me one day why don't you see more black guys in hunting shows? They are there, just not a lot of us. Trent Cole is on the Blitz. You see Bo Jackson a lot and so on. Yeah, you can't help but notice it. I just don't think about it. Last year when I went to the GTG for the first time, me and Matt(never met him) decided to ride up to the GTG together. I told my wife. She asked did I know him and I said No, he is a bowhunter I met on BH.com. Like Matt's wife and mine, their only concern was if I or he was a psycho, murderer or crazy man. Race never was mentioned. Best thing I could have ever done. I made a friend in Matt I will have for life. The one thing I love about Bowhunting is I NEVER meet a stranger. All I see is a BowHunter. He is neither black nor white. Just a Bow Fanatic like me! I am sure you are the same way. But, this attitude we share about bowhunters, that will show the rest of the world why there should be more diversity. I am use to being the only black guy around. I was the only black Engineer at the company I worked at for over 15 years. I was the best Engineer there too! Yet, at my job and in bowhunting, I never thought about it. I love what I do and I love bowhunting. Yeah I smile when I see another black bowhunter because I meet so few. However, I smile when I meet any Bow Hunter. It drive my wife nuts when she is with me and I am at a sporting goods store or bow shop. People see my Bowhunting.com shirt, hat or Mathews hat or shirt and the conversation takes off. I too know a lot of black hunters, just not any other black bowhunters. I am addicted to Bowhunting and everyone that knows me knows this! I do something related to bowhunting EVERYDAY! I talk about it all the time. Yet the black guys I know my age don't have the love for hunting like I do. They will hunt(gun hunt), but they don't love it. My cousin asked me recently to teach him bowhunt. He was down from Pennsylvania last weekend and I worked with him. We will continue to see more black guys on shows and magazines. I know this. Why? Because my goal is to be on a hunting show or have my own one day. And I will! When I go to the GTG every year I am the only black guy there. Doesn't phase me a bit. Other black people have asked me if other black people were there. I said no. The invitation is for everyone. I am the only one that showed up. I will go every year from now on as long as I am able. Everyone there, Clinton, Ferg, Crick, Fitz, Pearce, Tom, Todd G., JZ, Pat, TJ, Wesley, Cole, Tyler, Dean, Frankie, Tom, Chad, Christine, Oly and everyone else treats me like they treat everyone else. They see a good looking, (fast talking) bowhunter from NC that is as Big of a Nut as they are. The point I am making is that we (black hunters) have to get involved in things that will get us exposed. It is all in who you meet and know. I go the Hunting Expos, I introduce myself to guys in the industry. I ask for tips on what to do to get exposed. The more we do this, the more people will notice and things will change. It is a valid point you made. I see more and more black guys here on BH.com. They may not be as vocal as we are but they are here. Frazier and Jeffrey Jones just to name a few. We just have to continue to help do away with the stereotypes that are associated with black men and those associated with hunters too. A Win Win for all involved. More Bowhunters!
I personally think when everyone can stop seeing each other as what color they are and start seeing each other for whats on the inside the country will be a much better place. Yes there are still going to be people that are bad on the inside but that comes from every race not just one and that way people wont get judged just by their color... I would really like to see this happen.
So which guy are you in that picture???? Looking forward to getting to meet you one of these days man
it'struehesmilesalotandlaughsevenmoresamisagreatdudejuststayawayfromhiscorncobsandyeshetalksreallyfast
Loved what Sam had to say. In a recent discussion at my main job a young African American lady stated something that kinda stuck with me. It was stated in a rebuttal to an older ladies defense of things like BET or dating sites for African Americans only... "Equality is best achieved when it is sought after not avoided." Fletch nailed it and it goes with what the lady said. Either side needs to cease all speech or thought in discussions that separate. Again, Sam and Fletch I think you two nailed it!
My history professor whom was a black man said it best IMHO. These unique issues we have amongst our society such as crime, hunger, race, religion, economic diversity ect... These are not a black, or white problems, these are not a religious problem. They simply are american problems in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Our history is not black history, or white history, nor Asian, or Hawaiian. It is American history albeit some was not so good, and some was great, but at the end of the day it's American, and American problems that need solved by Americans. I threw Hawaiian in there cause My dad is Hawaiian, and my mom is from Finland:D Sam and Fletch you guys are spot on. That was a great reply and great thread.
