Hunters! Boycott Camping World!!

[BigWave]

I'm not a fan of the Trump thing by any means, but Camping World has dropped their sponsorship of The Apprentice for Trumps sons LEGAL hunting in Africa. If you are a Facebooker, check out CW's page and voice your displeasure.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/donald-trump-jr-celebrity-apprentice-sponsor_n_1347487.html


Here is the CEO's email: mlemoniscampingworld.com

Take a minute and let him know what you think.


He is claiming that the hunting was for an "endangered species".


I've also sent the emails to Marcus and got the stock reply. I've also made a few comments on their FB page. I also understand that Camping World sponsors a NASCAR team. Is anyone here big NASCAR fans? I don't know which forums are the best or most popular, but it would be great to spread this word on those forums as well. I have to believe that many, many NASCAR fans are hunters and outdoorsmen. and women.

 

[bow hunter]

they sponser the truck series.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

The MM site is up on this and a bunch of us have written emails to them. I haven't even received a standard reply back like a lot of the guys have. The BS reply is that they were hunting endangered species and everybody is sending a second one back telling them they better get their facts straight before taking an extreme stance like they have and most are telling them their business days with the company is over.

 

[StrutNut]

I have written to them and got the standard stuff back. I also posted on their Facebook wall and my wall.

 

[BigWave]

Copied from NRAHuntersRights.org



Following reports that Camping World has dropped its sponsorship of “Celebrity Apprentice” over hunting photos that showed Donald Trump’s sons posed with dead game taken on a safari two years ago, hunters continue to call for boycotts of CW and voice extreme anger at an obvious anti-hunting decision.
Camping World recently put out the following statement:
“To clarify our position, Camping World as America’s Largest Outdoor company, believes in personal freedom. In this country, people are free to choose. This issue at hand is not about whether people should be able to hunt or not. Our company is neither for nor against hunting. We are for personal choice and having people enjoy the outdoors in whatever fashion they choose. However, in our opinion, if and when the hunting of endangered species occurs, whether in the United States or abroad, it is not acceptable to even the most avid of hunters. We remain strong in our conviction of preserving the outdoors, protecting our great country's lands and the freedom to choose. “
For the record, none of the species the Trumps hunted was endangered. See more about their hunt at:
http://nrahuntersrights.org/Article.aspx?id=6266
In response to the Camping World statement, Laurie Lee Dovey, Executive Director of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, wrote the following:
Dear Camping World Customer Service and Executives.:
I read the statement on your Facebook page. It says and clarifies nothing. What does personal freedom mean in this context? Are you trying to say CW has the right to choose where it does or does not advertise. Of course you do, no one debates that point.
Here's the issue -- the reason you gave for pull advertising from "The Apprentice", and the condemnation of legal hunting and hunters. Here's what is unquestionably anti-hunting and why you're losing hundreds and I suspect eventually thousands of customers:
1) CW falling for the "animal butchery" kind of erroneous reporting by groups like tmz.com, the gossip website -- or other news sources who reported/opined about the Trumps "legal" hunting falsely and with a political agenda.
2) Your CEO statement: "Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis tells TMZ, the company's TV spots already aired on this season of "Celebrity Apprentice" -- but he insists, "I wouldn't spend another nickel with them. Marcus adds, "I am totally disgusted by the [hunting] pics I have seen and was surprised to see them ... Money is spent but wow I'm really shocked."
Here's the simple question, I and all in my industry (the hunting, fishing, shooting, camping, outdoors), have for you. Can you simply admit you/Lemonis make a mistake by listening to and being influenced by uninformed, sensationalists without doing your/his homework on the issue, and then simply say you "support legal hunting"? That's the question you've not answered.
Until such time as CW answers the question by making a public statement and apologizes, I will not support CW or its parent/affiliate companies in any way. In addition, I'll be reaching out to all of my contacts at the companies, whose products you carry, to let them know that I will no longer support a blatantly anti-hunting company.
You owe the Trump family and businesses a sincere apology. You owe all hunters, who are the world's greatest conservationists, a sincere apology.

 

[emrah1028]

Here's my back and forth email. The original email from me is the farthest down, while my reply to his reply is at the top:

Ok, I still don't think you get it. And I'm not sure if this is an automated email or not, but I'll take a whack at it. Not a SINGLE one of these animals they hunted are endangered. They are NOT endangered. You are NOT allowed to hunt an endangered animal. EVERY single one of these animals are legal game, just as whitetail deer are here. There is NO difference. Once again, they are NOT endangered. These two did nothing different than apply and pay for a legal tag in countries where hunting these animals are legal. You, like many others ignorant to facts, have fallen victim to the misconception that these animals are on the brink of extinction and hunting them is illegal.

Do your research. Hunting elephants is legal. Hunting leopard is legal. Even hunting Rhincoerous is legal. This is as easy a fact to check as looking outside and seeing the sky is blue. I really don't know what else to tell people like you who can't be bothered to do nothing more than regurgitate the flat out lies that have been fed to you by supposed "animal lovers", who, again, do absolutely NOTHING for wildlife conservation.

Get your facts straight. There is nothing else I can say.

Emrah


From: Marcus Lemonis <[email protected]>
To: Emrah Oruc <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 9:25 PM
Subject: Re: African Hunting Is LEGAL

Ok I will


To clarify our position, Camping World as America’s Largest Outdoor company, believes in personal freedom. In this country, people are free to choose. This issue at hand is not about whether people should be able to hunt or not. Our company is neither for nor against hunting. We are for personal choice and having people enjoy the outdoors in whatever fashion they choose. However, if and when the hunting of endangered species occurs, whether in the United States or abroad, it is not acceptable to even the most avid of hunters. We remain strong in our conviction of preserving the outdoors, protecting our great country's lands and the freedom to choose.



Marcus
On Mar 17, 2012, at 9:04 PM, "Emrah Oruc" <[email protected]> wrote:

Chalk me up to the list of people that are enraged at your rash decision pull sponsorship from the Apprentice because Trump's sons went hunting in Africa LEGALLY. You people BETTER get your facts right before making bold statements. African elephants are NOT endangered, nor illegal to hunt. Neither is ANY of the other game they shot.

Do you morons have ANY idea what a big game tag such as an elephant costs? Cape buffalo? The money from hunting these animals is DIRECTLY responsible for their existence. Without hunters and hunting dollars, these animals would already be extinct. Do you research about how the African elephant numbers have made an astonishing return to very high numbers due directly to fees and tags from hunters. Without them, there is no money for conservation, no money for battling poachers, no money to employ villagers by the outfitters.

The nonsense you are spewing is beyond irresponsible. And they are pure lies. You had BETTER be careful what you say and what you print, as spreading lies can get you in a lot of legal trouble. This is NO different than saying you're pulling sponsorship because someone hunts whitetail deer. It is legal. It is directly responsible for conservation, and it is the ONLY thing keeping these animals from extinction. Neither the World Wildlife Fund, PETA, nor any other "friends of animals" groups put in ANY money toward wildlife. They only spend their money to make a lot of noise and fool idiots like you who cannot be bothered to check simple facts.

I will not spend another dollar in your store.

Emrah Oruc
Chaska, MN

 

[JoseCuervo]

Do you morons have ANY idea what a big game tag such as an elephant costs?

I am thinking your original email may not have got you much of a sympathetic ear. Try not to write letters of persuasion on these topics in the future.

Also, I for one support advertisers pulling ads from Trump. No clue why anyone would waste any of their time watching that blowhard.

 

[emrah1028]

First of all, I could care less about Trump or the Apprentice. I also have never set foot in a Camping World, but they don't need to know that.

The email was harsh, even at parts juvenile, but so what? I fully realize that I was not going to get a sympathetic ear, nor a response that was not a "form letter".

It was more about letting these idiots know that they are regurgitating the crap they are fed by so-called animal lover groups and the mainstream media.

Emrah

 

[rhomas]

Regardless of what one's opinion of Trump may be. This action on the part of Camping World is a direct attack and an affront to hunters and our sport!!! Supporting this type of activity for the reasons their official has stated, is similar to supporting any actions taken by PETA or HSUS to stop deer hunting, or hunting period. Just as in the fight against gun control, we must be ever vigilant to prevent any group's efforts to take away or outlaw even the smallest or most insignificant item or opportunity; as in the old saying, "give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile". This action by CW amounts to an effort to take an inch. Can anyone who is a hunter/gun owner afford to surrender that inch???????????

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Hard to believe they pulled their sponsorship without looking into what was legal and only took the word of a bunch of antis. They will either lose a ton of business over this or get smart and try to make amends. This guy Lemonis must not be the smartest guy on the block to be sending out stupid emails and responses like he is unless he is living in a time before Al Gore started the internet, LOL!!!

 

[Lawnboy]

Just because hunting wolves in Montana used to be illegal and they were endangered doesn't mean we could hunt them in Alaska or any other place were they weren't endangered. I'm assuming elephants or any of the other animals must be endangered in some places of Africa but not all. They did a blanket assumption without investigation.