Fresh Tracks TV Series Supports The Loss Of Big Game Hunting Opportunities

[bearpaw]

Fresh Tracks TV Series Supports The Loss Of Big Game Hunting Opportunities
from Toby Bridges

Ryan and Mark;
 
As a lifelong sportsman, and a strong supporter and student of the North American Model of Wildlife Management, I have to say that I am extremely disappointed in both The Sportsman Channel and Federal Cartridge for airing and sponsoring a show that supports the destruction of the big game herds of the Northern Rockies.
 
Last week's segment of Randy Newberg's "Fresh Tracks" was one of the saddest "outdoor" or "hunting" shows I have ever endured.  Never have I witnessed a bigger lie aired.  Do either of you really know the agenda that you've slipped into bed with?
 
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is a major sponsor of the show.  My guess is that the show was their idea in the first place, a new way to attack the wildlife management practices that rewarded this country with an abundance of game.  This bogus sportsman group is extremely pro-wolf, pro-predator - and that came through loud and clear in the manner in which Newberg praised how he could hunt those large roadless tracts due to the difficulty of getting into them...and the lack of other hunters.  Still he found nothing.  Durng the entire show, supposedly hunting for 30 something days, he saw what...a grand total of a half-dozen deer?  Yeah...he mentioned spotting a couple of bucks...one which he claimed to be the biggest backcountry buck he had ever spotted.  None of the viewers saw them.  So...Did he really...or was that just a scripted ploy to soften the impact that uncontrolled predators have had on that wilderness area and just about every other wilderness area in the state of Montana...and in a majority of Idaho and some of Wyoming?
 
For a more factual look at what's happening in Montana's remote, roadless, wilderness backcountry - go to this link -
 
http://www.lobowatch.com/adminclient/WolfImpact10/go
 
Apparently neither of you really know much about Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.  Have you taken a good look at its Executive Director, Land Tawney? 
 
Tawney was one of a handful of similar minded people who put together another bogus sportsman group, known as Montana Hunters and Anglers Action.  They were nothing more than a political activist group.  Outsiders could not join the group, or attend their meetings.  The Executive Director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association tried to attend one of their meetings, just to get a feel for their platform, and was told right to his face that he wasn't welcomed...and told to leave.  Land Tawney headed that group, which during the 2012 elections spent several million $$$'s of non-disclosed (environmental group) money on television advertisements (slur campaign) to discredit Denny Rehberg, who was running against Jon Tester for his seat in the U.S. Senate.  Rehberg was strongly in favor of aggressive wolf control, and having the gray wolf totally removed from the Endangered Species List and from the protection of the Endangered Species Act.
 
Tawney was on the (very pro-wolf) National Wildlife Federation staff and payroll.  Now he heads an organization that is ONLY PRETENDING to be a sportsman's group...ONLY PRETENDING to work toward conserving hunting opportunities.  The man is part of a much larger agenda, which simply looks to shut off public access to public lands.
 
Randy Newberg's push for even more roadless wilderness is also a part of that idiocy, which I will be sharing later this week in a LOBO WATCH Release.
 
This morning, I shared some thoughts on all of this on several Facebook pages, including the LOBO WATCH Facebook page, and have already received private messages and e-mails from a large number of sportsmen who "used to" tune into The Sportsman Channel...and who "used to" buy Federal ammo.  Now they feel slapped in the face and stabbed in the back.  The word I've heard over and over again has been "Boycott" - and as word of this spreads, I kind of feel that the beat of that drum will grow much louder.
 
And so you will know, I am sharing this e-mail with several hundred members of the Shooting & Hunting Industry and the Outdoor Media - plus a number of real sportsmen organizations.
 
If you want to know more about how Backcountry Hunters and Anglers feel about the impact of wolves and other predators on big game herds, go to this link, and scroll to page 20...
 
http://www.backcountryhunters.org/images/journal_pdfs/bcj_fall_2012.pdf
 
Toby Bridges
LOBO WATCH
www.lobowatch.com
 406 542-9751

[blackdog]

This group is active in Washington State politics. 

[Eli346]

 I've watched some of his shows on DIY hunting and they seemed pretty good. That's too bad because I won't be watching them now. Thanks for the heads up.

[dreamunelk]

This group is active in Washington State politics. 

Very active! 

[snowpack]

they have been active in a lot of the wilderness proposals.  They get brought up a lot when folks are trying to say there is support from all user groups---"even hunters and fishermen are for _______".

[deerslyr]

"Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is a major sponsor of the show.  My guess is that the show was their idea in the first place, a new way to attack the wildlife management practices that rewarded this country with an abundance of game.  This bogus sportsman group is extremely pro-wolf, pro-predator"

Thats really strange considering Randy was the first person to air a successful wolf hunt on national television that drew TONS of negative criticism, why would BHA still support him and be a "major sponsor" of his show. This post is a bunch of bull. Randy has done so much for the public land hunter its not even funny. 

[jackelope]

Not listed as a sponsor here.

 http://onyourownadventures.com/partners.php


Let me get this straight. These guys are complaining because Newberg was promoting roadless areas and tough to access areas?

[JLS]

I've watched some of his shows on DIY hunting and they seemed pretty good. That's too bad because I won't be watching them now. Thanks for the heads up.

Anyone that would consider Toby Bridges as a credible advocate for the average do-it-yourself sportsmen is kidding themselves.  Randy Newberg is a tireless advocate for hunters and anglers.  Toby Bridges is a complete hack.

Randy Newberg has given a voice to hunters nationwide in regards to the wolf issue, and the legalized hunting of them in a civil and articulate manner.  I consider Randy an excellent spokesman for hunters, who is well versed in the North American model of wildlife management.  Randy values the ability to hunt roadless areas, just as I do.  I fail to see how that is a push to end hunting.  It's merely a push to provide hunting opportunities that have a wilderness flavor to them.

Toby Bridges does nothing to promote hunting opportunities and rights for the average person.  Consider the source.  If Toby Bridges told me the sky was blue, I would still double check.

[jackelope]

I've watched some of his shows on DIY hunting and they seemed pretty good. That's too bad because I won't be watching them now. Thanks for the heads up.

Anyone that would consider Toby Bridges as a credible advocate for the average do-it-yourself sportsmen is kidding themselves.  Randy Newberg is a tireless advocate for hunters and anglers.  Toby Bridges is a complete hack.

people need to do homework before jumping to conclusions. Reading that article and then boycotting the Sportsman channel and Randy Newberg is ridiculous. You might as well boycott Kimber, CRKT, Seek Outside, and all the other companies advertising in that publication.

[bearpaw]

I'm undecided on this one and not sure exactly what to think.

I've heard before that Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is being funded by the greenies. In fact they are siding with Conservation Northwest on many issue in eastern Washington. I don't have any proof yet, but I have been told that Conservation Northwest supports BCHA.

BCHA posted a temporary job position a while back and I looked into this organization and it raised some questions in my mind. I wrote a letter to their organization suggesting my interest in the job and asking about their position on several topics and asking where their funding comes from (because they do not have enough members for the amount of money they are throwing around). I did not get any response.

I would be very cautious about this organization, it may be a front for Conservation Northwest to try and say hunters support their goals. Anyone who does not believe that the greenies are carefully planning all their moves is sadly mistaken.

I don't have any comments about Newberg or the show, because I've never seen the show. But I am wondering where the money comes from for BCHA to sponsor the show?

I've watched some of his shows on DIY hunting and they seemed pretty good. That's too bad because I won't be watching them now. Thanks for the heads up.

Anyone that would consider Toby Bridges as a credible advocate for the average do-it-yourself sportsmen is kidding themselves.  Randy Newberg is a tireless advocate for hunters and anglers.  Toby Bridges is a complete hack.

people need to do homework before jumping to conclusions. Reading that article and then boycotting the Sportsman channel and Randy Newberg is ridiculous. You might as well boycott Kimber, CRKT, Seek Outside, and all the other companies advertising in that publication.

I'm not going to say that Toby Bridges is the most tactful in his writings, but I clearly remember when many members on this forum said people like Toby Bridges were sensationalizing the wolf effects taking place in Idaho and Montana. Now that the true herd numbers is common knowledge, it turns out Toby Bridges and many others were correct about wolf impacts on elk. If you want to say anyone is misleading hunters you may want to start by naming some agency personnel.     

I'll also remind everyone that Jamie Rappaport Clark who used to head the USFWS is now heading a leading animal rights group. Exactly how many more of our agency personnel would happily take jobs with animal rights groups? 

Just because someone works for an agency does not mean they are a friend of hunters and fishers, in increasing frequency it may mean the exact opposite. 

[Elkaholic daWg]

Not listed as a sponsor here.

 http://onyourownadventures.com/partners.php


Let me get this straight. These guys are complaining because Newberg was promoting roadless areas and tough to access areas?

No, it's because they (BH&A) are advocating more, More, MORE  restricted access lands, and defacto USFS,BLM wilderness And this backcountry bunch IS a front for them.

 BRC brought thge BH&A to our  (motorized)  attention years ago

[buckfvr]

If there's money involved ( especially millions ), there will be corruption .  Advertising is big money that will look the other way because of the money involved. 

Trust isnt automatic because of ones affilliations.  Distrust is easier to garner. 

Having been around for a relatively long time, and been able to watch the progress up to this point, it makes it easy for me to default to distrust.  The reasons for that are many, especially in the last decade........then consider the 4 plus decades of my awareness and all the changes I have seen.  Thats why there is as much pessimism among the guys my age.  We have witnessed 4 decades of everything going down hill for the most part.   

[CAMPMEAT]

Didn't we have our typical arguments on " Backcountry Hunters and Anglers " on here ? I do believe some on here praised them.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[washelkhunter]

Fooled me. I thought they were on the up and up just by reading what bcha had put out there. Cant help noting that this club with over 15k participants is a stronger voice. Forwarned is forarmed. Good info thanks.

[Curly]

Randy's shows are some of the best (if not THE best) hunting shows on TV. 

If you want to get his position on the issue, then maybe go and post on Hunt Talk since he is the owner over there.  People have differing opinions on many issues.  I won't be boycotting the Sportsman Channel or Randy's show anytime soon.  I have to do some more reading on the issue, but don't have time right now.