Not that most people aren't capable, but Josh Bowmar is an Olympic-level javelin thrower. If anyone is qualified to kill an animal with a spear at close range I'd say it's him. Personally it's not my thing and I don't get anything out of watching someone spear an animal, but to each their own. It's legal, and provided you become proficient with the spear, just as ethical as any other weapon. I really couldn't care less about the anti's response or "how it makes hunting look". Hunting is killing and they're going to oppose it regardless of the weapon used. I just wish UA would've handled the situation differently. Having Fortune 500 company in your corner is a big win for hunters. Having them back down to the anti's is a big loss.
The Drury team came out with an on the fence response. To summarize - they support legal and fair chase hunting, don't always agree with brand decisions, and they'll let gut instincts guide them.
Meaning....our contract with UA is too much to step away from....or the make up of the contract makes it incredibly hard to do so.
How often does a hunt require a coup d grace? Often enough that it's would not shock any of us. How about those fishing shows where they a gaff a tuna, marlin, halibut ect ect ...next thing you know they are taking a picture with a dead fish. What they didn't show was them knocking it over the head with a billy or tapping it with a 22. Why don't you see things like that regularly on TV shows? They happen often enough eh? I will tell you why. They don't make for good tv. They don't portray our intent. We go out there to kill quicky and humanly. Does that always happen no. We except that and deal with it the best we can. So with that in mind if your producing a show and represent me and my company and you spear a bear and then act like an *** afterward. I am **** canning your *** too. Furthermore I will file suit for damages to my brand. They screwed up and made a bad decision now they are paying for it and so are a lot of people associated with them. That's life.
Trial, I think the issue is too many don't see this as a missed step taken by the Bowmars...despite acknowledging the gross mishandling by UA though. Neither side is right in my opinion...some just don't see it.
The comments saying UA can choose to sponsor or not sponsor any person or athlete is accurate. They are a business and the unfortunate truth is the Bowman's were probably .0001% of their overall concern. UA made a business decision because the amount of people who might not buy UA apparel if they backed the Bowman's was far greater than if they did back them. UA's Gross Operating Profit for 2015 was 2.01 BILLION and overall income was 3.96 Billion before operating costs. I couldn't find a quick breakdown for apparel by category but I'd say it's pretty safe to assume hunting apparel is a very small portion of their profits. From a business perspective, UA stood to loose far more backing the Bowman's. However my comments above IMO don't make it right UA didn't back the Bowman's. I have seen nothing to say Josh did anything illegal, immoral or unethical when harvesting the bear. As hunters we all wish UA would have stepped up and supported them by saying the Bowman's did nothing wrong, but at the end of the day it's a business decision. UA for me didn't even really have to totally support the Bowman's. If they had just separated from the Bowman's for "business reasons" and said there was nothing illegal or immoral about the hunt but we choose to separate from them, I would have been ok with that. But UA didn't. This doesn't mean as hunters we can't voice our opinion of UA though. Here's a couple things I can think of to do if you don't agree with UA.... 1. Sign the internet petition from one of the comments prior. 2. The next time you go into a sporting good store for clothes, ask an associate for help. When they recommend UA products, tell them no. You won't buy UA gear due to their lack of support for the Bowmar's. 3. Don't wear current clothing you have from UA if you don't want to. 4. Make comments on social media about how you disagree with UA's decision. (be respectful when you do this. Don't make yourself look bad) 5. Get other companies to hear you won't be buying UA apparel like Realtree, Mossyoak or anyone else who does business with them. I don't know if all of this will make a difference or not for UA. If it does great and if not, maybe they won't make hunting apparel anymore. Regardless I'm going to do what I think is right and not support UA any longer.
Um ok. Did you see the whole video before it was taken down from YouTube? The spear got almost 16 inches of penetration and the bear was half gutted when they found it. He said it only ran about 60 yards which is very reasonable for hunting. In the video, Josh talks about putting the rope grip on the spear so he could get a good grip and "spin it like a football for better accuracy". He's had some practice throwing that thing. He didn't just walk into a store and pick one up off the shelf and huck it at a bear.
I have to disagree with this though. UA didn't call this illegal and unethical. They called it reckless and they didn't condone it. Pretty much exactly what you said UA should have done. I still find it funny that everyone says hunters should stick together, stand as one, but then in the next breath talk down to someone for using a crossbow. Or push for not legalizing a crossbow.
The Bowmar's to me are very similar in style to a Chris Brackett. They take chances that they shouldn't just to get a kill in an effort to gain more followers. It was only a matter of time until something like this happened. Hell, Josh shot a Mule Deer at 90-something yards last year and luckily the deer walked into the shot, he got lucky, that time. His wife shot a mule deer poorly, and the couldn't find the deer. All of that said, it's a sad day when you can't stand up for someone who supported your business through and through. UA showed they only care about $$$ and not principle values. Good thing I only wear Sitka
The thing I find funniest is the fact that UA is still one of the title sponsors for Ol' Spook Spawn, who has multiple (if I'm correct) hunting violations.
I don't find what Josh did as reckless and it's just my opinion. What UA did say was they condone "hunting that is conducted in compliance with federal, state and local laws" which to me, says UA thinks he did something illegal. I've seen nothing to say Josh did anything illegal in the harvest.
