History of Hunt Talk

[ignorethefringes]

In the beginning there was @Moosie. . .

And then what?? I've been around a few years and heard various hints and seen the elbow jabbing of the old timers when talking HT's wild west past, but what actually happened?

Did @Big Fin stage a hostile takeover? Was there mutiny? Did half the site split and form their own forum? Don't tell me it was a simple purchase agreement between two amicable parties.

I want to know the history. How, when, and why did Moosie step away and Big Fin come in? What were the big changes? Is there an underground group trying to wrestle control back from Randy? Tell me the story.

 

[mdhunter]

I have been around a while but as an east coast guy I certainly don't know the particulars. I thought Big Fin took it over when his television program started OYOA. Its was a relief to Moosie as everyone claims this is a "not for profit" venture, lol. And bam...here we are today.

Or at least something like that happened (or didn't).

 

[Gunner46]

Indeed, it was Wild West forum. A lot of guys came over from the North American Hunting Club when the management and members (especially Life Members) came upon some 'disagreements' when NAHC took a stance that it was simply a Marketing organization, not a 'Club' and censored members protest. That got HOT real quick, with law suits allegations flying !! It came to head when the forum was completely suspended to ALL members .

Moosie's was more like actually being in a hunt camp.....just none of the plusses of being in a camp, but it was close enough that we all got along pretty damn well.

So, there is a bit of HT History from the Old Days.

How Randy got into the picture I don't have a clue, nor care. It's still remained a FAR better option than a lot of us old farts had to suffer through.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Indeed, it was Wild West forum. A lot of guys came over from the North American Hunting Club when the management and members (especially Life Members) came upon some 'disagreements' when NAHC took a stance that it was simply a Marketing organization, not a 'Club' and censored members protest. That got HOT real quick, with law suits allegations flying !! It came to head when the forum was completely suspended to ALL members .

What ever happened to the North American Hunting Club? Seems it just disappeared. Is there even a Club left? I guess all those "Life Members" are just life members of nothing and someone got rich.

 

[MTGomer]

What ever happened to the North American Hunting Club? Seems it just disappeared. Is there even a Club left? I guess all those "Life Members" are just life members of nothing and someone got rich.

Great question. i have a set of knives my dad bought me from them 20 years ago.
I still see their sticker on the back of some old pickups. Other than that... where are they?

 

[Big Fin]

In December 2008, Moosie called me and asked if I wanted to buy Hunt Talk. I think he offered it to some others before that who were smart enough to know that it is a money losing proposition. Since I had recently embarked on filming a season of hunts for TV in 2008 that were geared toward self-guided public land hunting and since the outdoor media industry thought I was a fool for thinking such idea would have any appeal, I decided I needed to have some outlet for people who saw hunting the way I saw it. Hunt Talk had the largest number of people I knew of that felt that way.

So, when Moosie offered it to me for the outstanding balance on his credit card, plus an additional $250 dollars, plus inviting him to one of our camps on a future hunt, I decided to do it. I was happy and his wife was happy, or so she said.

I took over in February 2009. Unknown to me, Moosie was running another side show business out the back door of Hunt Talk, a soon to be embarrassing revelation to me. Upon finding out such was going on, I immediately closed that portion of the server/site and lost about 80% of the traffic. But, those who stayed were the kind of people I wanted to have as the nucleus of this site.

Some have moved on to allocate their time to more of the things responsible adults do. Some still drop in once in a while and share a story or comment on the wild old days of Moosie's Hunt Talk. A couple were tossed, thinking that a registration prior to me taking ownership exempted them from the rules the forum would operate under; rules being fairly uncommon in the Moosie days.

We've now been through three different software platforms, two different tech firms, and still haven't figured out how to make it pay for itself. Yet, it is a very useful platform to help deliver the business WHY; "To promote self-guided public land hunting and create advocates for the cause."

Moosie and I still stay in touch as we can. I'm waiting for him to to get super rich with his camo company so he can buy it back from me at a large profit I can show Mrs. Fin and save face with her as the financially responsible adult she thought she had married.

 

[noharleyyet]

Some have moved on to allocate their time to more of the things responsible adults do

Subtle shade but, nonetheless, true then, true now.

 

[brymoore]

I must have missed the side show...

 

[HandgunHunter]

Lots of different forums have tried to make money running them....lots of adds....membership fees...

None seem to actually profit...

The only reason to run a forum is because you want to run a forum.

HT looks to do good at spreading the message and getting more into hunting the west.

And this forum seems to have less of the BS/Pot-stirring the others do.

I give it

 

[Dave N]

Great question. i have a set of knives my dad bought me from them 20 years ago.
I still see their sticker on the back of some old pickups. Other than that... where are they?

I'm one. Yep, have a sticker on the back window of my truck and 2 Life Member leather jackets. Other than that, back in the day during a membership drive I won a bear hunt in Maine. Now I don't even know if they still have a website.

 

[Dave N]

Just to add, I love this site! I've gotten lots of good info to use, met more than a few other members, got the chance to hunt in England through a site meet-up, and overall just have a good time going through the posts. Thank you, Big Fin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Oak]

What a nearly 20-year time suck.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Unknown to me, Moosie was running another side show business out the back door of Hunt Talk, a soon to be embarrassing revelation to me.

At some point, I hope someone elaborates on this part of the back story.

 

[Blacktailbc]

I used to enjoy Moosie’s sparring sessions with other forum members. Some of those were downright entertaining.

 

[Blacktailbc]

The good old days.....

New Title For Big Stick.

I have had several requests for a title change. Some say it should be Jose/buzz Morph, others say "Bick Stick, Little punch". I'm open to Ideas and recomendations. If we can have something catchy, funny and still Clean, I might give him a Coustom title.... Any thoughts ?

www.hunttalk.com

 

[ignorethefringes]

At some point, I hope someone elaborates on this part of the back story.

That's what I'm looking for! Subterfuge, back end endangered species dealing, etc.!

 

[noharleyyet]

View attachment 127804

The good old days.....

New Title For Big Stick.

I have had several requests for a title change. Some say it should be Jose/buzz Morph, others say "Bick Stick, Little punch". I'm open to Ideas and recomendations. If we can have something catchy, funny and still Clean, I might give him a Coustom title.... Any thoughts ?

www.hunttalk.com

Yep, and that was a slow day.

 

[Oregon_Ryan]

selling grey market orcas out the back?

 

[Moosie]

I have a Different version of the story but not the time to tell it all

BigFin did a "Mercy" take over actually. But he knew of my Back door Bizz, and he thought he would capitalize on it. Once Mrs Fin "The Boss lady" found out he changed the story and made me out to the bad guy. It saved his marriage so it was all worth it. (Hopefully I don't have to insert a Winky face for everyone to know I'm kidding).

It WAS the Wild west back then, but even at that there were some stuff I didn't want to have all over the site. So I created a "Adult" section to tell the off colored jokes, etc. It quickly turned into a Daily "Pic of the day" and a lot of other stuff. I let that forum run free. It kept the rest of the forums free from me banning pictures and dirty jokes all day. It was a "Password Request only" so people that requested it could either opt to not go or they had full access to the "open" section. And in FULL DISCLOSURE, Big Fin didn't know about it or ever ask for a password before he bought the site. I didn't stop in the section enough to think about telling him, Or that's the story I'll stick too.

Truth be told I was out of work, had way to many real-estate properties, talked too much crap that I probably shouldn't have and had to file BK. I was paying money to run this site and I was going to let it go by the way side. It does cost money and not a money maker, but BOY HOWDY is it fun and I met life long friends !!!

Randy saved it and took over the Money sink these sites cost. I laid low licking my wounds for years but told Randy in about 10 years from the sale I might be back. And looky here, I have a rental property, New Line of camo cloths, full time job and crushing life again.

I might be a "little" more tame then the good ol days, But I'm back none-the-less

I am still waiting for the Hunt invite From Randy but He knows I want to wear www.CatchAndRelease.us Camo and drop the F bomb. 2 things not allowed on a Fin-Film

All kidding aside, Randy is still my life hero and after me building this site for almost 10 years, I'd want no one else to have taken it over to take it to the next level like he did. Thanks bud !!

 

[Moosie]

I have over 17,000 posts and haven't posted on here for 9 years. Looking at those stats I might have posted a little too much, but when I do something I'm all it........