With all that has transpired over the past days, I think it would be good to mention some of the people in this industry who are doing the right thing in the eyes of the public. To me, guys like Tom Miranda, Fred Eichler, Chuck Adams, the entire Bowhunter TV crew, Bill Winkie, and Clay Hayes, Mike Mitten (trad guys) to name a few, are people that have some class. They may have their kinks, but they do not do harm to the bowhunting lifestyle. I enjoy watching and reading about their hunts and I believe that in this world of "look at me" these people truly love the wilderness and the lifestyle. Chris Brackett, well I do not know him or any of these people, I can only go off what I see, and what I see with him reminds me of the generation that I teach in my classes everyday. Self gratification, entitlement, etc... but maybe this will force him to look into the mirror. Remember, God sometimes has to bring us to the bottom in order to raise up a different person. I pray for Chris, and that he may see the "light"....
Yeah but Chris played the born again card already so he has fewer options for redemption at this point, how about he just stops and goes away.
Jared Scheffler and the Whitetail Adrenaline guys need to be mentioned as well. If you haven’t watched any of their stuff I highly suggest it. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Winke has been a master at making a living off others work. He gets all these guys and gals to provide him with footage that he uses to make his shows and they pretty much get nothing. I have known a couple of guys that were on his "team" and put in a lot of time and effort to get him some amazing footage. They might have gotten a hat and t-shirt out of the deal and get to call themselves pro-staffers. Meanwhile, he gets to hunt and rake in the advertising and sponsorship dollars. I just think that's slimy.
Well like I said, I can only go off how he conducts himself on TV, and he doesn't strike me as a jerk but again, I don't the man.
I've heard similar things, but the truth is that everyone who signed up knew what they were getting into. There is little if any money to be made in hunting and as the owner, operator and brain behind MW I would say he's entitled to keep the lion's share of it. Perhaps he could have extended a few more benefits to key people to stop them from leaving, but I'd be lying if I knew the full details of how he runs (or ran) his team.
And He just recently had all his interns quit on him right before the season. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Interns typically agree to work for free temporarily in exchange for experience. Thus, it is an internship and they are interns, not employees. Not saying that Winke isn't being unfair. Never met him, and have no idea. But interns go into something knowing there will be little compensation beyond the experience and notch on the resume.
Justin would be able to speak on the behind the scenes stuff more so than most of us, and like he said, there are not many in this industry that are "making a killing" pun intended... but if you are going to make a living out of it, there are business decisions that have to be made to survive. All I can say is to me and most everyone, what we see is what we see, and these guys I mentioned are not Chris Brackett. Who knows, maybe Chris has so many demons he deals with that he has come to a point of self denial, self destruction... The whole "in your face" bowhunting scene turns me off. I like the way those mentioned approach their shows or their lifestyle in hunting.. I don't need to hear " smoked em" "put the smackdown" "put in the boiler maker" "pound my fist baby" etc... I like the calm and cool and collected approach to watching hunting shows. That's just my preference, I don't need to get jacked or pumped or whatever they get, I just want to see a humble man and a humble show.
I get it. But, some of them were under the impression that there would be much more in it for them than a pat on the back. I guess its a clever business model as long as you have an endless stream of wanna-be's coming along to provide you with footage. And, you don't mind taking advantage of them. It just doesn't sit well with me, so be it. I certainly don't put Bill on the same level as the jerk Bracket.
I personally like Grant Woods from Growing Deer a lot. One of my favorite shows. With some of these people though I would really like to know where they got their money to do this stuff. For example Dr. Woods owns over 1500 acres with several food plots, habitat improvement projects...stuff that isnt cheap in the least. I know sponsorship plays a role, but the land alone has to be worth a couple million at least.
Was just going to bring him up. Class act man there. You'd be shocked at how cheap land can be had in his neck of the woods, atleast compared to where I'm from. He came into an area that had next to no P&Y bucks harvested in the county and has since literally changed the area's age demographics with his property and education through his show and relationships with some neighbors (not all). I'd also say there are plenty of other webshows with what appears to be solid staff or guys associated with them I mean Bowhunt or Die has guys like Fitz and that dude from up in MN that runs a lodge...and there is Fitz. LOL. For most part of the guys I've grown to know (which isn't all by any stretch) I'd say Bowhunt or Die, most of the guys I've met or talked with from The Break....forget the name of the channel but the fellas that travel all over Elk hunting seem like solid dudes too.
Oh and many of you brought up Bill and discussed him...I'll be honest the crew that work for him, do the podcast and travel all over IA public are why I tune in to the show. I enjoy watching Bill's endeavors and the man is no slouch and has taught numerous things to viewers but not as into his hunting as many of the others supplying footage.
I 2nd the plug for Will Primos. Seems like a good guy. I also like Nick Mundt even though he's a little more "glitzy" than most. Few can beat growing up on Dan Fitzgerald though haha
