Poaching, Partnerships, and Profits

[thomas89]

Ohh that vid was gross.

What a . That whole company is a joke. Had a chance there partnering with Randy but now to push this out?

Had to laugh at their “collab” with the Rangers, it’s laughable these middle aged dorks think that their workouts lend them some sort of credibility within the SF community.

 

[Pucky Freak]

We may have better luck summoning Hunttalk Man to this thread than @MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab

 

[lastlight]

For whatever the reason, it’s undeniable that other hunting celebrities (cough cough) have an extremely difficult time calling out bad behavior and poachers. None of them do it and it’s beyond bad for all of us. Not only do they not do it but they partner within it. One big web.

Would love the opportunity to be proven otherwise!

 

[OMB]

What in the actual (blank) was that mag dump on the treed bear?!?! I can’t say I truly care about the action but having a need to film it and publicize it especially for a multiple time convicted poacher is just dumb. Great job sponsors including @MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab, keeping this guy a pro hunter instead of seeing him digging ditches or mucking out a feed lot which seems like what he should actually be doing for a living

For what it's worth, the MTN Tough guy in the video is the former "director of growth" from OnX, so while I'm disappointed, I'm not surprised.

 

[NR_Hunter]

We may have better luck summoning Hunttalk Man to this thread than @MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab

The mtn tuff account hasn’t even logged in since they’ve been tagged in this thread. I’m sure there will be some weeping and gnashing of teeth in private correspondence over this thread. That’s Luke 13:28, which I’m sure their adult Sunday school teachers know, I mean spiritual growth coaches know.

 

[AntelopeWalker406]

About the 32 minute mark.

That's incredibly disgusting. If any of my hunting buddies told me they were bringing a 9mm loaded with 115 grain bullets for any big game animal they wouldn't be a hunting buddy for long.

 

[Nm252525]

The mtn tuff account hasn’t even logged in since they’ve been tagged in this thread. I’m sure there will be some weeping and gnashing of teeth in private correspondence over this thread. That’s Luke 13:28, which I’m sure their adult Sunday school teachers know, I mean spiritual growth coaches know.

I can assure you a corporation doesn’t care about what the same 15 dudes are whining on a forum about today

 

[NR_Hunter]

I can assure you a corporation doesn’t care about what the same 15 dudes are whining on a forum about today

Lmao, yeah you’re probably right, but 15 dudes whining can be like a single gnat that got inside the bug net and our collective ability to annoy can at least be annoying to the opposition.

 

[Weimer]

I can assure you a corporation doesn’t care about what the same 15 dudes are whining on a forum about today

They should be able to pull their collective head out of their asses and realize how much of a dog shit video that is and how poorly it reflects bear hunting. But in reality if they can get a couple clicks and likes and a couple middle-aged out of shape man to sign up for mountain tough so they can try and be the next cammie. I guess that really all that matters.
The damage done to hunting by social media and influncers in the hunting industry is unbelievable. And the parties involved are too stupid to realize they’re the ones doing it.

You sign up for Mountain tough, you’re the problem.
You support the idiots like muley freak, bowmars, greentree, etc you’re the problem.

 

[Forkyfinder]

That's incredibly disgusting. If any of my hunting buddies told me they were bringing a 9mm loaded with 115 grain bullets for any big game animal they wouldn't be a hunting buddy for long.

I dont really disagree - but thats on Montana and our regs. Why youd use anything other than a bow/rifle when theyre tree'd is beyond me in the first place.

 

[TheTone]

I dont really disagree - but thats on Montana and our regs. Why youd use anything other than a bow/rifle when theyre tree'd is beyond me in the first place.

I know a few of my local houndsmen and outfitters that do a lot of bear hunts refuse to let people with them use a pistol. They just don’t trust people with the short sight radius. They especially hate it for a situation where the bear or lion is on the ground with the dogs

 

[AntelopeWalker406]

I dont really disagree - but thats on Montana and our regs. Why youd use anything other than a bow/rifle when theyre tree'd is beyond me in the first place.

Yeah, it's legal, but a little bit of thought should have told them that probably isn't the best choice.

 

[Moserkr]

Was the other choice a .223 77gr TMK? Thank God this isnt Rokslide, this thread would be gone already.

The difference between one well placed shot and 5 rapidly placed poor shots is huge. Its about killing an animal ethically vs throw some lead down range to see if it works. I didnt see any video of shot placement after the fact, and editing makes it unknown how fast the animal died. If he put five shots in the boiler room and the bear died within minutes, great, still is risky.

Ive seen a big boar absorb two .308 rounds at 30 yards, to the boiler room, then run 80 yards and still take 3 minutes to die. Spot n stalk, not hounds n treed.


As to how the thread title relates, it's a powder keg because mtntough, erik, and randy @Big Fin are all being connected here. @MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab is a sponsor of HuntTalk - their ads are on banners. Randy also uses their program per his post. Mtntough also is associated (partnered?) with Erik from Muley Freak. Randy is not affiliated with Erik directly, for good reason.

We do not want "influencers" who are convicted of wildlife crimes as spokespeople for our way of life. It's just a sport to them, a game. Erik got off on a trespassing charge but killed (poached) a deer during the incident?, is banned from hunting in Idaho for 3 years, and is now on PROBATION. Real good role model for my child that Im raising to hunt - extreme sarcasm. And its not his first, second, or third brush with the law...

Its not just 15 people whining, theres tons reading it and as long as this thread is not taken down, it will continue to try to take hunting down the right path. The hunting community deserves better and we, as the hunting public, need to set that standard.

Erik aka Muley Freak needs to be dropped from sponsorships and partnerships, end of discussion. Ill never buy a Matthews bow after reading their statement in this thread, thats for sure.

Other than the affiliation with Erik MF, I dont have a problem with mtntough, and certainly think Randy is one of the most respected advocates we have when it comes to hunting and conservation.

 

[TheTone]

Other than the affiliation with Erik MF, I dont have a problem with mtntough, and certainly think Randy is one of the most respected advocates we have when it comes to hunting and conservation.

but Randy could pressure those mutual sponsors to clean up their act or end the relationship so as not to pass on the stink

I brought that up before with regards to him going on sponsor hunts with Brian call; the response was basically “that’s not my issue and he doesn’t talk to sponsors regarding relationships”.

I fully think hunters need to be the ones cleaning up our ranks and not allowing others to do it for us

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I stopped using my prior preferred gunsmith (TS Custom) due to his affiliations with Muley Freak.. Not selling my mathews but wouldn't buy another now that they are on board too. Same for nightforce.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Leupold was the title sponsor for 2022 "Hunt Warz".
GoHunt moved into the transferable tag market.

Both companies, + MTNTough's MF partnership made these moves after contracting w/ Randy. You can evaluate a sponsor based on past and current practices, but what the companies decide to do in the future obviously cannot be predicted.

So once the companies decide to go on and engage in dubious business decisions, should the influencer cut the contract? Express their concern w/ the company?

Randy permits discussions on his forum that openly question/criticize not only his sponsors, but industry business practices that he follows, hunting practices that he engages in, and a myriad of other hot button topics. That in itself speaks volumes for how Randy treats the issue as a whole. These sorts of threads on C***Slide get locked, and members get the ban hammer for calling out bad actors.

I'd like to be optimistic that eventually enough hunters will weigh in with their wallets to starve outdoor companies that harm hunting opportunity, and the MF's of the future can no longer spawn.

 

[cgasner1]

I dont really disagree - but thats on Montana and our regs. Why youd use anything other than a bow/rifle when theyre tree'd is beyond me in the first place.

Given a opportunity at a animal in a tree I will be bringing my side hammer

 

[Forkyfinder]

Given a opportunity at a animal in a tree I will be bringing my side hammer

i want to shoot one someday - never have.

 

[mtmuley]

Given a opportunity at a animal in a tree I will be bringing my side hammer

Lever gun for me. mtmuley

 

[cgasner1]

i want to shoot one someday - never have.

Animal or side hammer?