BHA on HQ

[PoleX]

I’m scratching my head wondering how we got here…Can’t say I gained any brain cells listing to that one. New appreciation for Randy’s ability to not take himself too seriously.

 

[NR_Hunter]

That was kind of a tense listen. Ole Cal really had a lot of personal animus for Matt the way he was trying to get his goat. I really think Matt has been “the bad man” within the hunting industry for a while, which is why Ole Cal seemed so venomous.

I’m kind of scared to troll Ole Cal on the internet now cause he can be mean!

 

[Rack Daniels]

I saw him on main and he gave me a wave.. when I formally met him I mentioned that and kind of called him out for driving like an asshole down main past the high school months later… he didn’t like that…

Didn’t decide to say “hi” at Albertsons on the 3rd meeting….

I’ll have to listen to the podcast. Should be a fun one. I trust Cal on behalf of
US, and I can appreciate HQ’s schtick.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Exhibit A of how @Big Fin put a master class on that podcast compared to most matt has on and badgers.

The fact is though, you can corner cross in the 10th district because of BHA, and you soon may be able to in Montana.

Thats earned my dues payment. Even if Matts got some (not all) legitimate gripes.

 

[PoleX]

Exhibit A of how @Big Fin put a master class on that podcast compared to most matt has on and badgers.

The fact is though, you can corner cross in the 10th district because of BHA, and you soon may be able to in Montana.

Thats earned my dues payment. Even if Matts got some (not all) legitimate gripes.

Cal seemed defensive, hostile, and unprepared IMO. It’s not like Matt’s position is a secret. I wouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water on BHA, seems like their doing a lot of good things.

I haven’t heard Cal speak much at all but It wasn’t anything close to what I was expecting. Maybe a bit more class and ability to intelligently discuss BHA’s position with respect to R3 and social media hunting…

 

[TheTone]

Cal came across like an angry child and his constant trying to talk down to Matt was silly. Guy needs to remember he’s only where he is because the company he used to sell clothes for decided to sponsor Steve rinella.

My employer had cal as a guest speaker a few years ago, I’d call it bad but that’s an understatement. I was happy to hear he wasn’t paid

 

[NR_Hunter]

Ole Cal is gonna burn out. I ain’t even saying that as a diss, I sure as hell couldn’t handle being a CEO of a major non-profit while also trying to keep Steven Rinella and Peter Chernin happy. I really think he has a lot on his plate at the moment. Ole Cal probably has a lot of internal angst because he probably agrees with some of what Matt says, but Matt has kind of “take no prisoners” approach to ideals at times.

Maybe Ole Cal just has a bad day, maybe he let the mask slip. Hard to say. Ole Cal was talking down to Matt like Ole Cal was a 3rd grade teacher talking down to the one kid in class he hated and couldn’t hide it anymore.

 

[Matthew57]

Dang, that first half hour was a little tense/awkward. I'm glad they had the conversation though. I didn't hear Cal rebut Matt very well, which leads me to think he agrees with some of what he's saying. I still appreciate what BHA is doing on the whole.

 

[Elky Welky]

There's a reason the Montana Chapter of BHA has respectfully declined going on Matt's podcast. Matt really likes to ask "gotcha" questions that usually don't have much to do with the work we are actually doing. I want to talk about the policy and stewardship work we are doing to protect public access, lands, waters, and wildlife.

The only thing Matt wants to do is bitch and moan about R3, which is incredibly low on my priorities list. I, for one, have better things to do with my volunteer time. When the house is on fire, complaining about the people trying to fight the fire kinda misses the point.

 

[Point Creep]

Matt Rinnella rocks.

He loves to ask questions to people that don't want to answer honestly - as it goes against the grain of what puts money in their pockets.

The truth hurts.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I really think Matt has been “the bad man” within the hunting industry for a while, which is why Ole Cal seemed so venomous.

Matt comes pretty hard at people.

Its not all bad though, not any other podcast where grievances against the influencer class are discussed at all. And its clear hes having an impact.

Cal seemed defensive, hostile, and unprepared IMO. It’s not like Matt’s position is a secret. I wouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water on BHA, seems like their doing a lot of good things.

I haven’t heard Cal speak much at all but It wasn’t anything close to what I was expecting. Maybe a bit more class and ability to intelligently discuss BHA’s position with respect to R3 and social media hunting…

On the flip side - Matt arrives at the conclusion by rounding a lot of different things to R3. If youre baseline assumption is that any social/fundraising event is about R3 - its easy to say that R3 is the focus of the org.

 

[PoleX]

Matt comes pretty hard at people.

Its not all bad though, not any other podcast where grievances against the influencer class are discussed at all. And its clear hes having an impact.

On the flip side - Matt arrives at the conclusion by rounding a lot of different things to R3. If youre baseline assumption is that any social/fundraising event is about R3 - it’s easy to say that R3 is the focus of the org.

Yeah, I think that’s why it was quite the let down…seems like a pretty simple/foundational concept to explain. Funding and volunteers have to be replenished and come from somewhere. BHA seems to be focused on recruiting for conservation initiatives, not spot burning and promoting tags like other organizations in the outdoor space. It’s not a difficult thing to defend IMO.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

Yikes! That first 30 minutes makes me want my lifetime membership money back. Cal comes off like a total dipsh!t. He has to be better than that or BHA is F'ed.

 

[BuzzH]

I think Matt's problem is with his brother and he just likes to take it out on anyone else he can get on his podcast.

He's off the rails and yeah, it would be nice if you were the only person in Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming that liked to hunt. Would be nice if only 5 people applied for sheep tags in Wyoming or Montana, but that isn't reality either.

The only part of that whole discussion that had anything reality based is that technology is having a wayyyyy larger impact that hunter numbers. I'm not talking about just long range rifles, bows, and muzzleloaders.

The equipment we have now, bino's, spotters, GPS, clothing, tents, sleeping bags, boots, etc. etc. all allow a much higher comfort level to travel farther back into the woods, stay longer, and be more successful.

I think Matt's bitching about R3 and influencers is over-played. Sure, go ahead and make your case, but there's just so many other things going on to why the woods seem, at times, to be crowded.

FFS, I can pick any unit in any state and just with onx or google earth, put myself in a pretty desirable spot to hunt whatever I'm after. All you need to do that is draw from past success and have a slight knowledge of the animals you're hunting.

I found little value in that entire podcast.

 

[Point Creep]

I found little value in that entire podcast.

Come on- don’t downplay the entertainment value.

 

[WapitiBob]

FFS, I can pick any unit in any state and just with onx or google earth, put myself in a pretty desirable spot to hunt whatever I'm after. All you need to do that is draw from past success and have a slight knowledge of the animals you're hunting.

I found little value in that entire podcast.

Little value to anything matt rinella says.

Shows up late to a trailhead and is too stupid to drive down the road a mile and go hunt.
Spends his time crying about SM while he trolls SM accounts so he can repost on his own SM site for likes and atta boys from the people that follow him.
Says his ORG is about broke but can't put 2 and 2 together; spending time trolling SM influencers instead of promoting the cause is probably the reason.

 

[SAJ-99]

Any organization needs people and money. They can't exist without either. Matt can't break out of his view that anything that adds people or looks like it might add people is R3 and thereby his enemy. Matt doesn't like crowded trailheads and spends his time trying to find someone to blame for that.

 

[Bux_N_Beards]

This is exactly how I felt the back and forth went on the topic of survey responses to crowding and the attempt to correlate it to walleye fishing in the Midwest. First thing that came to mind.

 

[geetar]

I agree with Buzz that Matt was taking out his problems with his brother on Cal. Did find it entertaining though.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Matt doesn't like crowded trailheads and spends his time trying to find someone to blame for that.

Yeah - and youre right.

He has a perfectly legit place to lay that blame as well - MT has the highest NR tag sales. The legislature and commission have acted in the interest of MOGA, lobbyists, and special interest at the expense of the resident hunter too long.

I found it curious that when Cal brought up getting involved in legislation Matt wouldnt touch it and had no interest. If his goal was to reduce crowding (#s on landscape) in a pragmatic way - standing up against the legislation unlimited b tag sales/shoulder season, come home to hunt, landowner sponsor, college student discount otc, and whatever else thats been invented... would do a lot more than wishing technology, onx, app services simply didnt exist.