Montana Influencer in Legal Trouble Over Hunting Laws

Montana resident Ryan Lampers, a.k.a STHelthyHunter on the internet, is set to stand trial in district court for Idaho hunting violation charges. Charges that will could ruin his career and his hunting privileges.

He has been charged with felony counts of grand theft and unlawful taking under a conservation of big game, in addition to six misdemeanors: three for unlawful possession of wildlife, two counts alleging that he took game without proper tags, and one count involving submission of false records. If the allegations turn out to be true, this is not a case of a couple of rookie mistakes. It’s a trend of content creators breaking rules that many outdoormen consider "gospel."

More Than Missed Tags

Lampers reportedly shot a trophy-class mule deer buck during closed season without an appropriate tag, according to East Idaho News. There’s the mountain lion that arrived with incorrect tagging, and a wolf kill that officials say was inaccurately described in paperwork so that someone could earn additional reimbursement from a state program. This isn’t just sloppy paperwork.  It's a middle finger to those of us who follow the rules.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about good content, and I like to watch other outdoorsmen chase animals on screen. But when someone with a platform quits obeying the laws, it’s not clever or edgy. It’s damaging.

One Influencer Can Damage the Whole Culture

Let’s be clear. But most hunters I know are law-abiding, tag-checking, season-respecting people. That’s not a marketing slogan. That is the truth on the ground. It’s that which means we still have public access, and it’s why we can walk into places where others cannot.

When a dude like STHelathyHunter, a dude with an audience, gets slammed with felony charges and game violations, it’s not just his own actions that are considered content on social media.. It plays into the stereotype that hunters are reckless a-holes. This damages the reputation that real, responsible hunters and outdoor enthusiasts have tried to build.

Content Shouldn’t Trump Conservation

Ive dealt with game wardens my whole life. I know we are innocent until proven guilty. But if these accusations are true, this should be a wake-up call in the hunting content world: your views don’t give you a pass on bad behavior.

We’re stewards of the land. Not clout chasers.