# R.I.P. Fred Trost



## Big_P (Aug 18, 2005)

Whether you loved him or not he was a big part of our outdoor viewing pleasure. R.I.P. Fred Trost.
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michi...t=newsmichigan


----------



## QuickStrike (Dec 21, 2006)

I respected him for one reason: He stuck to what he believed in. Sure, he had critics, and I've been one of them on many occasions, but I had to give him credit for hanging in there when it seemed like everyone was riding him.


----------



## jadams_75 (Jun 16, 2007)

Like it has been said, you either liked him or did not like him. However, the one nice thing that Fred did was tell it as it was. I loved to watch him as I was growing up, especially the fishing segments from his show.


----------



## FishDaddy09 (Dec 11, 2004)

We have lost a champion for Michigan outdoors! Fred said what he believed, he wasn't afraid to say the DNR was wrong about something. His fishing and hunting reports for the whole state were worth watching the show by them self. I miss his show and I'm sad to hear the he has passed.


----------



## Bruce William (Feb 11, 2004)

I liked him he was cool. I walked into a sanctioned sporting clay event, with out any experience or even know what to do, I ended up right next to him and six or eight other guys in-the line up. One of the old guys looked at me with my dad's old shot gun and said " you really need to go to the shooting range and not here, " Fred made me very welcome at the event.

Zack if you are reading your dad was a total gentleman and sports fanatic. My dad loved him as did I.


----------



## wingedwheel (Mar 23, 2007)

jadams_75 said:


> Like it has been said, you either liked him or did not like him. However, the one nice thing that Fred did was tell it as it was. I loved to watch him as I was growing up, especially the fishing segments from his show.


Actually he didn't tell it like it was. He lied. And it cost him in a 4 million dollar libel judgment.


----------



## Bruce William (Feb 11, 2004)

wingedwheel said:


> Actually he didn't tell it like it was. He lied. And it cost him in a 4 million dollar libel judgment.


That is a total bull*%*% post. For someone that just passed away. I watched this guy every week on Thursday for years he was an ok guy, please lose your posts this is sacred territory.


----------



## wingedwheel (Mar 23, 2007)

Bruce William said:


> That is a total bull*%*% post.


Not just Buck Stop, but the entire deer-scent business was impacted, and Buck Stop sued for libel. At first, the company simply asked Trost to retract his claims on the air. He refused, so Buck Stop went to court and won a $4-million judgment, which with interest over the years has swollen to more than $8 million.

from freep.com


----------



## Fishfoote (Jan 2, 2001)

wingedwheel said:


> Not just Buck Stop, but the entire deer-scent business was impacted, and Buck Stop sued for libel. At first, the company simply asked Trost to retract his claims on the air. He refused, so Buck Stop went to court and won a $4-million judgment, which with interest over the years has swollen to more than $8 million.
> 
> from freep.com


I never knew about the lawsuit - don't know the details, and don't really care. Fred Trost put on a good show - and did it on public television which pays in personal satisfaction not $$$. He was an asset to sportsman, maybe not business. God speed Fred!


----------



## gonfishnou812 (Feb 20, 2004)

Fred took a stand on what he thought was best. You have to respect a man who will get up and get involved.


----------



## wingedwheel (Mar 23, 2007)

gonfishnou812 said:


> Fred took a stand on what he thought was best. You have to respect a man who will get up and get involved.


That said, you would probably disagree if someone was using their show on public television to try and bankrupt your business.


----------



## Big K (Jan 13, 2003)

wingedwheel said:


> That said, you would probably disagree if someone was using their show on public television to try and bankrupt your business.


Now do you know for a fact that his goal here was to bankrupt a business? I tend to think he was more trying to inform the public of his experiences and research than trying to bankrupt anyone. That's the way he ran his show. He went out in the field and did research and then shared the outcomes of the research with the public. Unfortunately he bit a tad more off than he could afford to chew with Buck-Stop.


----------



## PIKERPETE (Jul 2, 2003)

I enjoyed Fred's show very much. A lot of times you would see bucks walking behind him as he was talking to the camera or he would get his truck stuck in the snow but he always showed a lot of the stuff other shows don't include. My wife even enjoyed some of his antics I will miss him and his show. He was very genuine and a great sportsman as well as entertainer to me! God bless him.


----------



## GMONEY (Aug 25, 2005)

one word: hellgramite


----------



## wcalcaterra (Jan 25, 2007)

I will miss him, I grew up watching his shows with my Grandfather! It's very sad!


----------



## FishDaddy09 (Dec 11, 2004)

GMONEY said:


> one word: hellgramite


I loved the Hellgramite show! That little bugger sure got a piece of ole Fred!


----------



## Northcountry (Feb 4, 2004)

wingedwheel said:


> Not just Buck Stop, but the entire deer-scent business was impacted, and Buck Stop sued for libel. At first, the company simply asked Trost to retract his claims on the air. He refused, so Buck Stop went to court and won a $4-million judgment


I still remember watching the original episodes where Fred analyzed and challenged the "doe in heat" lure claims. I dont recall that he ever took issue with any other scent or claims...just that the claim that the bottles contained 100% pure, undiluted urine, collected only while a doe was in estrus...couldnt be true, based on his calculations. Based on the size of the captive herd, the amount of days the does were in estrus, the volume of urine they produce....vs the number of bottles marketted and sold.

I never heard of any rebuttal from the lure companies. As far as I personally am concerned, Fred shone a spotlight on a misrepresentation, which some might call a "scam". He felt so sure of his facts that he wouldnt back down...but as often happens, the justice system didnt take the course expected.

If the "entire deer-scent industry" felt threatened...it was for good reason. Thats my take on it.


----------



## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

Northcountry said:


> I dont recall that he ever took issue with any other scent or claims...just that the claim that the bottles contained 100% pure, undiluted urine, collected only while a doe was in estrus...couldnt be true, based on his calculations.


I think, repeat think, that the problem that Fred had was going on the assumption that the word "contains" was the same as the word "contents".

In other words, the bottle did contain 100% doe in heat urine even though it was only 1/10 of 1% of the contents. The label on the bottle did not say that the contents were 100% doe urine.


----------



## Marrble Eyes (Jun 24, 2003)

gonfishnou812 said:


> Fred took a stand on what he thought was best. You have to respect a man who will get up and get involved.


I Don't respect someone that used his public funded broadcast to libel and slander a business. Then say even if he lost he wouldn't pay a dime.

I also don't like those that hide their finances to keep from paying even after the verdict. This too is public information, based on court documents.

Look into how his Law School costs were covered. Then you will see the Real Fred Trost.

Sorry, I had no use for the man. He was a blowhard.


----------



## Marrble Eyes (Jun 24, 2003)

OPINION REVOKING DISCHARGE PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 727(d)(1) and (2)

JO ANN C. STEVENSON, Bankruptcy Judge.

INTRODUCTION
This case presents a textbook example of an individual, who finding himself in a seriously precarious financial position as a result of a $4 million defamation judgment, filed a Chapter 7 petition. Although Defendant sought to reap the substantial benefits which flow from filing bankruptcy, he elected to ignore the minimal but necessary requirements which the Bankruptcy Code concomitantly imposes. By his own fraud, deceit, and seemingly complete disregard for the integrity of the bankruptcy process, the Debtor has derailed himself on his way to obtaining the "fresh start" which Chapter 7 offers. And all this has been done because of a $500 account receivable and 5,000 shares of corporate stock of a seemingly worthless corporation.


----------



## loweboats (Apr 1, 2007)

Whether you liked him or not, you watched him and learned from him. He was a true sportsman with more nuts than anyone on here.

marble eyes...you sound like eric sharp...(not a good thing)


----------



## deathfromabove (Mar 2, 2005)

loweboats said:


> Whether you liked him or not, you watched him and learned from him. He was a true sportsman with more nuts than anyone on here.
> 
> marble eyes...you sound like eric sharp...(not a good thing)


I'll second that.......


----------



## Final Cast (Jul 30, 2007)

I never knew there was so much controversy surrounding the guy. I did enjoyed watching his show back then. My condolences to his family.


----------



## WALLEYEvision (Dec 5, 2003)

Marrble Eyes said:


> ...Look into how his Law School costs were covered. Then you will see the Real Fred Trost...


His parents paid for all of his law school expenses.


----------



## kbreck (Jul 25, 2004)

I live in Soo Ont and looked forward to Fred's show every wk
Catch a Big one fred


----------



## huxIIIhammer (Feb 28, 2005)

I loved Fred RIP


----------



## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

Fred put on a great show. I have no idea what kind of guy he was. He seemed sincere about getting people involved in the outdoors and making it accesible to everyone.

He seemed goofy, quirky, hardheaded and most of all fun to watch. The best outdoor show on TV. I miss ya Fred. Hopefully someday someone will come along that can fill your shoes.

As far as the DNR and bogus outdoor product companies. Fred was right. His best bet would've been to let the idiots keep buying this garbage, from the dnr and such.

The outdoor shows that are left are merely puppets of these companies and the DNR. I do not watch them anymore. Goodbye PBS and Fred Trost. I'll miss ya Fred!


----------



## itchyscratchpad (Jan 22, 2002)

For a kid, growing up without a father to teach the basics of the outdoors, in a time when no one else offered such a product. (before the days of Realtree outdoors etc) Michigan Out of Doors was a much anticipated Thursday night event. Fred was not perfect, far from it. Most of us won't make the difference he did and he deserves my thanks and now my own children's for the passion he helped develop in many outdoors men & women.
He spoke his mind about everything from animal activism to catch and keep. He openly criticized the DNR for their mis-management and IMOP he was dead on about the scent industry, which at the time was bilking hunters out of big $$ with no one to regulate the industry or it's claims. In my world, we call that "consumer advocacy" as a consumer, I want someone in my corner who is willing to go the mat on these issues. Obviously the man, Fred, was not in this solely for the money. This was a PBS, funded show and he worked his butt off just to keep it on the air.
Those of you who, despite all that, can't forgive him for the mistakes he made, should take a long look in the mirror and evaluate your own accounts.


----------



## Marrble Eyes (Jun 24, 2003)

Hey If you liked Fred's shows more power to you.

However, let's not confuse advocacy with Blatent disregard for the law or the courts.

Fact is Fred publicly accused Buck Stop Lure company of bottling something that was not Deer Urine in his televised program. He put his ignorance on display for everyone to see. His actions hurt the company financially.

Fred was sued In Montcalm County for his actions. Fred was so obtuse as to proclaim before the trial even started that he would never pay a dime even if found liable. Once the Jury found Fred Guilty of Financially harming the company and ordered to pay the company damages fred then Lied and cheated and attempted to hide his assets in an attempt to avoid paying. That's the actions of a Coward! The courts repeatedly agreed and stated so in their findings.

I don't call that Advocacy. I call it Showing no regard for the law at all.
He did NOTHING to promote the Sport of Hunting in any of his actions in that matter at all.


----------



## kodiak33 (Jan 20, 2007)

Marrble Eyes said:


> Hey If you liked Fred's shows more power to you.
> 
> However, let's not confuse advocacy with Blatent disregard for the law or the courts.
> 
> ...


 
You All seem to like to preach its the law this and that, im sure you have had speeding tickets or parking,or had a beer or 2 and got behind the wheel, thats breaking the law.. some of you guys act like ur so darn perfect its not even funny and makes me sick.. for 1 enjoyed his shows and learned alot from him..he stood by wat he beleived in and wasnt afraid to do it either, and i bet thats more then we can say about you guys running ur traps bout him and the laws... :rant:


----------



## Big_P (Aug 18, 2005)

LET'S KEEP THE DRAMA OUT OF MY THREADS PLEASE!! This isn't a thread about Fred Trost's issues it's about REST IN PEACE.....Fred the human being!! Whether you think he's a saint or a dick please keep the drama out. Thanks guys.


----------



## PrtyMolusk (Aug 13, 2000)

Howdy-

Fred has passed, and whether you agreed with him or not, he was an instrumental force in Michigan's outdoor community for many years.

We've had ample opportunity to post our rememberances of him, so I'm closing this thread.

RIP, Fred.


----------

