Wild & Clear

[Blueniner9]

Bummed to see that they chose profits over sound fish handling... I really did like the production quality of their vids, but can't support harming the resource to "get the shot". As for the regs, I know several of the outfitters in that area very well, and there would not have been ANY confusion about where fishing for Bulls was legal, had they asked. We all make mistakes, and I'm hopeful that they use this as a learning opportunity and also as a chance to share with aspiring people who want to get into this industry what NOT to do. However, pleading guilty so that you can get out to make your next film sounds sadly like they've already dismissed the seriousness of their actions.

 

[shoots-straight]

http://missoulian.com/news/local/st...l&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share

More free press coming for the boys.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Adipose Boats dumped them. More may follow in the coming days if they keep denying culpability. These guys keep making themselves look bad, starting with their affinity for flat-brimmed baseball hats.

Modern day dunce caps!!!

 

[JWP58]

Bummer, I always watch their vids.

BF, how did the podcast go? Did they seem like decent fellas?

 

[Carnage2011]

Adipose Boats dumped them. More may follow in the coming days if they keep denying culpability. These guys keep making themselves look bad, starting with their affinity for flat-brimmed baseball hats.

These guys would definitely be better off if they would just own up to their mistakes. They had a big following and they are hurting themselves more by the day. Pretty sure the flat brim hats don't have anything to do with it.....Eric Chesser and co. seem to be doing well and they wear nothing but flatty's!

 

[MTGomer]

These guys would definitely be better off if they would just own up to their mistakes. They had a big following and they are hurting themselves more by the day. Pretty sure the flat brim hats don't have anything to do with it.....Eric Chesser and co. seem to be doing well and they wear nothing but flatty's!

Belly-Deep is on to something there. Jeremie Lewis http://www.gohunt.com/read/news/breaking-story-bull-elk-scam-DIY-backcountry-hunt-or-high-fence of wyohighcountry is also a Flatty guy, but A Flatty alone won't cut it. You need a cabinet full of supplements, and selfie videos of power cleans, straight leg deadlifts and squats.

 

[Carnage2011]

Belly-Deep is on to something there. Jeremie Lewis http://www.gohunt.com/read/news/breaking-story-bull-elk-scam-DIY-backcountry-hunt-or-high-fence of wyohighcountry is also a Flatty guy, but A Flatty alone won't cut it. You need a cabinet full of supplements, and selfie videos of power cleans, straight leg deadlifts and squats.

Ah ya. I almost forgot about Jeremie! I bet he is thanking the Montana Wild boys for getting everyone off his back. You might be onto something with the supplements and selfies!

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Mystery Ranch's Instagram:



https://www.instagram.com/p/BCOtSVHxko5/

 

[Southern Elk]

Mystery Ranch's Instagram:



https://www.instagram.com/p/BCOtSVHxko5/

I actually feel bad for these guys. I don't know if they knowingly broke the law or were just young and naive. I'd hate to know that some of the stupid decisions that I made while in college would affect my business for the rest of my life. You can't blame the sponsors for breaking ties though. They have a reputation to uphold as well.

 

[NoWiser]

They knew darn well they were breaking the law. My take on it is that they just didn't think it was a big deal and never imagined they'd get caught. It sounds like many people fish the tribs for bull trout and get away with it. They just don't film themselves doing it. It was a dumb decision that I'm sure they are regretting now.

 

[Kneetopia]

They knew darn well they were breaking the law. My take on it is that they just didn't think it was a big deal and never imagined they'd get caught. It sounds like many people fish the tribs for bull trout and get away with it. They just don't film themselves doing it. It was a dumb decision that I'm sure they are regretting now.

And you gotta remember in 2013, these guys had a fraction of the followers that they have now. I have to think had they known that they would become an "industry player", they would not have been doing the things they did.

But with that said...... I am not at all advocating that they are innocent or should be allowed a freebie. “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal.”

 

[Pagosa]

I just wonder if your willing to violate the ESA, what you would consider acceptable for filming a hunting video? The pursuit of quick money has been the downfall for many hunting celebrities. It's all about selling the next best thing and we have a society that wants easy quick success, instead of grit and hard work. At least with Randy he can go out and not be successful during a hunt and still have a good time. These guys need to get a real job. 49 violations and you can still hunt/fish in Montana! They got off light.

 

[Jwill]

Randy's podcast with Lorenzo hit on it a little bit, but for me if someone is trying to make a living utilizing our public resources and wildlife, they better damn sure be doing things on the up and up and be bringing a strong conservation message along with it. Time for them to either get their act together or be gone, guess we'll see what they're made of pretty soon...

 

[belly-deep]

I actually feel bad for these guys. I don't know if they knowingly broke the law or were just young and naive. I'd hate to know that some of the stupid decisions that I made while in college would affect my business for the rest of my life. You can't blame the sponsors for breaking ties though. They have a reputation to uphold as well.

Next time you're in Montana, walk into a bar and ask everyone there if fishing for bull trout is legal.

Nobody will tell you it is.

Everyone knows it.

It has nothing to do with being naive.

It has everything to do with wanting to make a film about catching big fish and the sponsorships and fame that come with it.

 

[ridge-runner]

After following this for a couple of days I have to say its pretty clear these guys knew what they were doing and quite frankly, I’m utterly amazed by their statement on their website. The follow up article with FWP giving more detail about the fishing violations and the commissioner for the MT Film Office’s input pretty much puts the nail in the coffin on the debate in my opinion. Their justification just doesn’t make sense; even assuming they were so confused by the regulations they still targeted bulls in areas they didn’t even address in their statement. As for the fishing industry’s response to them blaming The Drake, well....
https://www.facebook.com/moldychum/?rc=p

Montana Wild obviously makes high quality videos and sponsoring them definitely gives a company mass exposure all over the world-I’m glad to see Adipose and Mystery Ranch parting ways with them as exposure from now on from Montana Wild will come at a cost. I hope more of their sponsors follow suit.

 

[Big Sky]

I've been pretty silent on this and read every post. So here is what I know. I have personally hunted and fished with both Zack and Travis. Never at any given moment did either of them suggest, hint, or lean towards breaking any laws. If anything they went out of their way to keep them and promote ethical practices. They did talk about the high fee's one has to pay for filming on public land, and quite frankly, I think film makers are being unfairly gouged, but that does not give one the right to film without the proper permits. It is a law that needs to revised or eliminated altogether, but until that happens, one must play by the rules. All our hunting and fishing has been on private land that I lined up so the permit deal was not an issue. As for the bull trout, it's a pretty clear line that they crossed and I'm sure they regret it. Despite all the armchair experts on this topic, the bottom line is, it was a bad choice. Not a mistake, but a bad decision. They know it, everyone here knows, and constantly beating a dead horse over it isn't going to change anything. I hate to see their sponsors pull their support, but don't blame them for doing so. Zack and Travis are both incredibly talented with camera's and really bring a much better class of video to the outdoor world than most of the competition. It is regrettable they violated law and they are paying dearly for it. However, I for one, do not want to see them go under or out of business because of it. My hope is they learn from there experience and go on to abide by the letter of the law from here on out. Actually that isn't that hard for them to do. Despite comments to the contrary THEY ARE NOT HABITUAL in breaking Montana fish and game laws! I will continue to hunt and fish with them when the opportunity arises, and I have zero concern that they will ever put us in any kind of compromise in regards to the law. They are not bad people that finally got caught. They are two really good people that made some bad choices. I guess what really irritates me about this whole thread is how quickly so many are willing to cast stones. I've lived long enough to know that if we could all take a hard look into the lives of those casting the most stones, there are ALWAYS skeletons in their closet, ALWAYS!!!

 

[Southern Elk]

Next time you're in Montana, walk into a bar and ask everyone there if fishing for bull trout is legal.

Nobody will tell you it is.

Everyone knows it.

It has nothing to do with being naive.

It has everything to do with wanting to make a film about catching big fish and the sponsorships and fame that come with it.

I made no mention of what they did being legal. I have no problem with the punishment or the loss of sponsorships. Because of the influence that they have, I would even argue that they should be held to higher standard than a regular fisherman who is cited for violations. I simply said that I felt bad for them. I, for one, hope that they continue to make videos. If they do, I will continue to watch.

 

[Drake4]

I've been pretty silent on this and read every post. So here is what I know. I have personally hunted and fished with both Zack and Travis. Never at any given moment did either of them suggest, hint, or lean towards breaking any laws. If anything they went out of their way to keep them and promote ethical practices. They did talk about the high fee's one has to pay for filming on public land, and quite frankly, I think film makers are being unfairly gouged, but that does not give one the right to film without the proper permits. It is a law that needs to revised or eliminated altogether, but until that happens, one must play by the rules. All our hunting and fishing has been on private land that I lined up so the permit deal was not an issue. As for the bull trout, it's a pretty clear line that they crossed and I'm sure they regret it. Despite all the armchair experts on this topic, the bottom line is, it was a bad choice. Not a mistake, but a bad decision. They know it, everyone here knows, and constantly beating a dead horse over it isn't going to change anything. I hate to see their sponsors pull their support, but don't blame them for doing so. Zack and Travis are both incredibly talented with camera's and really bring a much better class of video to the outdoor world than most of the competition. It is regrettable they violated law and they are paying dearly for it. However, I for one, do not want to see them go under or out of business because of it. My hope is they learn from there experience and go on to abide by the letter of the law from here on out. Actually that isn't that hard for them to do. Despite comments to the contrary THEY ARE NOT HABITUAL in breaking Montana fish and game laws! I will continue to hunt and fish with them when the opportunity arises, and I have zero concern that they will ever put us in any kind of compromise in regards to the law. They are not bad people that finally got caught. They are two really good people that made some bad choices. I guess what really irritates me about this whole thread is how quickly so many are willing to cast stones. I've lived long enough to know that if we could all take a hard look into the lives of those casting the most stones, there are ALWAYS skeletons in their closet, ALWAYS!!!

I don't doubt any of that is true. I don't know either of them from a bag of rocks..never seen one of their videos. I've heard the Montana Wild name here and there. Personally all the wannabe hunting/fishing film makers gets a little old to me..but that's just my opinion.

From an outsider looking in and reading what has been written, my problem with them as is follows:

They screwed up, flat out. Accept responsibility, ask for forgiveness, don't blame others, and move on. Their statement was pathetic, and makes them look even more pathetic. Own up to your mistakes and take your licking. Right now they are their own worse enemy, and from their pathetic statement I could care less if they never come back.

 

[Dinkshooter]

The first post on this thread was October 2012, they were busted for 2013 filming.

They probably could have used this thread and its "alerts" to do a little more research into what they were doing and the legalities of it all.

Seems obvious then, they knew what they were doing and forged ahead regardless.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Gotta go check the mail for my wyohighcountry Tshirt!