Underarmor anti-hunting

[Aaronmp]

I was listening to the Jay Scott podcast and he had a short blurb about underarmor no longer backing a hunter that had legally hunted a bear with a spear. From what I understand underarmor bowed to anti-hunting pressure and pulled the sponsor. I was wondering if anyone knew anything more on this, and what folks here think?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Go watch the video, and then ask yourself this: "is this really how I would want someone to portray hunting to a room full of non-hunters?"

Life is not black and white. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. Your audience is not always exactly who you want it to be, and anything you put in video on the internet has the full capacity to bite you in the ass down the road.

 

[Schaaf]

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?270497-UA-Drops-Bowmar&highlight=Bowmar

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Go watch the video, and then ask yourself this: "is this really how I would want someone to portray hunting to a room full of non-hunters?"

Life is not black and white. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. Your audience is not always exactly who you want it to be, and anything you put in video on the internet has the full capacity to bite you in the ass down the road.

Exactly, the just because you could doesn't mean you should is one of my mottos, particularly when it comes to hunting.

The movie gladiator hut the nail on the head. When the ceasar asks maximus to take over from him maximus replies "with all my heart no" to which the ceasar replies "and that is why it must be you".

The people who crave attention and fame the most are more often than not the ones who should least represent the masses. Those best suited generally couldn't think of anything worse than being in the spot light.

I've been on both sides, I once was sponsored by a hunting company but after seeing what the need to be "prostaffed" and famous has done to the hunting community I actually stopped enjoying hunting and threw in my sponsorship. These days i hunt only for the love of hunting and never have enjoyed it more.

I just wish the young and new people in hunting would focus on it too.

 

[skifunk2]

I don't really agree with either side on this one, but what really gets me is this. Why does everyone feel the need to video and post EVERYTHING they do? My guess, fame, fortune and ego. If it was a life goal for him to complete, great! But keep it private for you and your family/close friends to watch in the privacy of your home. It was legal, legit and he practiced and planned for awhile. But for as PC as the US has become why did he ever think having the video go mainstream would be a major positive?

 

[Eyeguy]

I don't really agree with either side on this one, but what really gets me is this. Why does everyone feel the need to video and post EVERYTHING they do? My guess, fame, fortune and ego. If it was a life goal for him to complete, great! But keep it private for you and your family/close friends to watch in the privacy of your home. It was legal, legit and he practiced and planned for awhile. But for as PC as the US has become why did he ever think having the video go mainstream would be a major positive?

Exactly. There were no winners in any of this. The guys reaction was not in good taste at all. I looked on a couple FB threads and UA was getting hammered in all departments from both sides of the fence. If you have a "hunting division" you have to be prepared that eventually this would happen. For what its worth...I am not buying any more gear and gave what little I had to my little brother. Going forward support an outdoor company...not an athletic company with a tiny outdoor division. They do not have your best interest in mind.

 

[Ben Lamb]

They do not have your best interest in mind.

No business has your best interests in mind. They exist to make a profit for themselves & their shareholders. if the actions of the individual harm that profit margin, then the businesses obligation is to protect their brand & their profits.

 

[skifunk2]

Exactly. There were no winners in any of this. The guys reaction was not in good taste at all. I looked on a couple FB threads and UA was getting hammered in all departments from both sides of the fence. If you have a "hunting division" you have to be prepared that eventually this would happen. For what its worth...I am not buying any more gear and gave what little I had to my little brother. Going forward support an outdoor company...not an athletic company with a tiny outdoor division. They do not have your best interest in mind.

Here comes the personal part of this... What to do when a family member works for them and can help to provide deep discounts on decent hunting gear? Especially to a family on a shoestring budget, any little bit can help. Whether its name brand or a 2nd tier brand, its still all expensive. And the money saved helps to pay for more time spent in the field as a family... Want to talk internal conflict? I got this one covered!

 

[Eyeguy]

No business has your best interests in mind. They exist to make a profit for themselves & their shareholders. if the actions of the individual harm that profit margin, then the businesses obligation is to protect their brand & their profits.

There are clearly outdoor companies and companies that provide outdoor gear as a part of their business. If all our public land was sold off tomorrow and hunting were to cease to exist...UA would be just fine. Companies like Sitka, KUIU, First Light, etc would not. I always see that Sitka sponsors events and causes that help preserve habitat and make hunting better for all of us. They give back. They are HUGE partners with RMEF. The companies that I mentioned do better when opportunities for hunting are better for all of us. Funny you mentioned "shareholders"...this is exactly what I am talking about. UA is publicly traded. Im guessing most of its shareholders do not care if you get to hunt next year. Sitka, KUIU, etc are not. Yes they are corporations and also have shareholders...but I'm guessing the majority of these shareholders are also chasing elk with you and I this fall. I am not telling anyone what to do with their money....just to take a look at the companies they are giving it to and asking if they will ever give any back to make things better for you and I. Businesses that don't care about their customers generally aren't in business very long.

 

[Eyeguy]

This is a personal dilemma! Nothing wrong with UA...its just not for everyone! I glad you can get out hunting each year...that is what is important!

 

[Eyeguy]

Here comes the personal part of this... What to do when a family member works for them and can help to provide deep discounts on decent hunting gear? Especially to a family on a shoestring budget, any little bit can help. Whether its name brand or a 2nd tier brand, its still all expensive. And the money saved helps to pay for more time spent in the field as a family... Want to talk internal conflict? I got this one covered!

This is a personal dilemma! Nothing wrong with UA...its just not for everyone! I glad you can get out hunting each year...that is what is important!

 

[BuzzH]

I was listening to the Jay Scott podcast and he had a short blurb about underarmor no longer backing a hunter that had legally hunted a bear with a spear. From what I understand underarmor bowed to anti-hunting pressure and pulled the sponsor. I was wondering if anyone knew anything more on this, and what folks here think?

I think UA should have screened who they wanted to sponsor from the get-go...

Obviously they blew it with their choice, big-time.

 

[emrah1028]

I've only seen a 1:31 clip of this video. Is there more to it? I'm really not seeing what is so objectionable to his celebrating when it's no different than any other hunting video host who celebrates after a kill. I did not see it as a disrespectful per se. Maybe those are the parts of the video that I'm not seeing. I've seen other videos he has done and he is certainly an excitable guy, jumping up-and-down excitedly. I've watched Fred Eichler jump up-and-down and whoop and holler after he shoot something for years. No one has ever accused him of being disrespectful. And I don't think he is. Is there more to this video that I'm not seeing?

Emrah

 

[RobG]

Here comes the personal part of this... What to do when a family member works for them and can help to provide deep discounts on decent hunting gear? Especially to a family on a shoestring budget, any little bit can help. Whether its name brand or a 2nd tier brand, its still all expensive. And the money saved helps to pay for more time spent in the field as a family... Want to talk internal conflict? I got this one covered!

Send it to me if you don't want it. I'm not about to fall on a sword when someone makes hunters look bad and gets kickback.

 

[skifunk2]

I think UA should have screened who they wanted to sponsor from the get-go...

Obviously they blew it with their choice, big-time.

As far as I knew, he wasn't even truly sponsored? It was his wife. Which again, you can guess partly why they wanted her sponsored by UA. I could be wrong, but I don't think she is an Eva Shockey, who has the hunting pedigree to back her up. And unless I missed my minimally informed mark, she wasn't even a hunter until she met Josh.

Again, I don't want to knock anyone, it just wreaks from top to bottom across the whole spectrum of this experience, and how it relates back to the world in which we currently live.

 

[dannyb278]

I tend to think that UA has no problem with spear hunters, they just don't want to sponsor Tool Bags who happen to spear hunt. That's the impression I got from watching that idiot jump around on video after a gut shot a bear sitting over a pile of jelly donuts.

 

[BCBowtech]

It has nothing to do with if the hunt was legal or not... The guy is a bloody show boater that made a crap shot... I fully understand UA's decision to pull sponsorship.. I will continue to wear and buy UA products..

 

[emrah1028]

Again, maybe I'm not seeing the full video, but what exactly did he do wrong? Besides celebrate? I've seen bigger celebrations from others. I'm also considering his credentials and the effectiveness of the spear. I see a bigger issue with bowhunters who make crappy shots they shouldn't be taking. No outrage against those people. Why? Is what he did more unethical than a guy shooting a super light arrow with a gigantic mechanical broafhead an untuned bow? Like I see the Drurys do?

Emrah

 

[FAIR CHASE]

The original video was taken down shortly after it was posted where the shooter acted like a total douche. Now only the short version remains where the actions of the douche are not shown.

 

[1976]

So is UA going to drop Cam, Eva, Jim, Remi, and any other hunter celebrities when they make a bad shot, or hell maybe not even a shot, when a company drops an individual for her husband doing a completely legal hunt when an animal is harvested with a lethal shot, think about how many boiler room shots are made on TV only to leave it till morning, the drury way, for UA to do what they did because of pressure from the anti crowd its just a short time from now when every show they sponsor will come under fire, the antis work like wolves, one hamstring at a time.