Fitness and outdoor outfitter Under Armour dropped star bow hunter Sarah Bowmar from its sponsorship ranks after she filmed her husband Josh “spearing a bear” in Canada.
Bowmar, who was on Under Armour’s “hunt team” and wore their hunting apparel, says she now has to shop for clothes for the first time in years, because while Under Armour supports hunters, it considers Josh’s bear hunt over the top. “The method used to harvest this animal was reckless and we do not condone it,” a spokeswoman told the media Sunday evening.
Bear hunting (and bear spearing, specifically) is legal in some parts of Canada for population control (including in Alberta, where the Bowmars were hunting), and Josh Bowmar is a javelin expert and avid sportsman. The Bowmars said they used the bear for food, the authorities in Canada approved their plan, and they complied with all applicable laws.
The video, featuring Josh standing over the animal as it died, was filmed back in May. Under Armour even, according to the Bowmars, even posted part of the video to showcase the successful hunting expedition.
But when social media users objected to the “bear spearing “—after the video appeared on several news sites, and inspired a Change.org petition calling on Under Armour to cut ties with the Bowmars—Under Armour lost its mettle and refused to defend its hunters, according to Sarah.
The petition had fewer than 5,000 signatures.
“Why even have a hunt brand if you are not going to stand up for your hunters?” Sarah told Wide Open Spaces. “To infer that Josh and I are reckless and unethical and put ourselves and animals in danger is like, the biggest slap in the face I could ever read from a company.”
Bowmar says that they didn’t earn a paycheck from Under Armour, only clothes, but losing the sponsorship has given social media bullies a win. Since hunters seem to be the last acceptable group of people to bully, according to the left, the social media blowback has been horrifying, with some Twitter users even calling for the Bowmars to face the same death as the bear.
Sadistic piece of human trash Josh Bowmar stabs a bear with a spear — then smiles and laughs about it dying in pain https://t.co/Em0JpirgLi
— Bill Madden (@activist360) August 16, 2016
There are some truly disgusting people in this world and Josh Bowmar is high up the list ???? RIP beautiful bear????https://t.co/TpLAr5jNlp
— Barbara (@2008babs) August 17, 2016
Disappointed in Under Armour’s response, hunters are expressing solidarity with the Bowmars and pledging to boycott the outfitter company. They say it’s nonsensical for a company to have a hunting line, recruit hunters to promote that line, and then refuse to support hunters under attack for participating in their chosen pastime.
@UnderArmour while im no hunter I want to let u know u will stop buying your products for the poor treatment and handling of @sarahbowmar_
— A-Jay (@ajay6144) August 21, 2016
.@UAHUNT @UnderArmour I don't see the logic behind dropping @sarahbowmar_ from your roster. What's the point of having a hunting department?
— Terr (@TerrHimself) August 20, 2016
We stand in support of @sarahbowmar_ even if @underarmour doesn't. https://t.co/pkZycQHO4O pic.twitter.com/iVNfMvkqYd
— Bowhunting.Com (@bowhunting1) August 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/PaigeyRamey/status/766791588521644032
The hunting line is a significant portion of Under Armour’s business, and Bowmar had been the centerpiece of a marketing strategy to expand the company’s appeal to women hunters.
