This kill shot is brought to you by…: An analysis of hunting television in the United States

This article analyses hunting television shows selected from three cable channels dedicated to outdoor programming. Despite this genre’s long standing and its influence on mainstream spin-offs, such as Duck Dynasty (2012–present), almost no research examines hunting television. This study pays specific attention to commercial sponsorship and the depiction of killing. Against claims that these shows are designed to educate viewers about conservation, safety and sporting ethics, we find that hunting television is oriented primarily around product marketing and ‘killing on camera’. These findings illustrate the need to examine the confluence of consumerism, entertainment media and hunting culture