The mid-2010s were a wild time for outdoor reality television. If you flipped through A&E back then, you weren't just seeing Duck Dynasty reruns; you were likely stumbling upon the Busbice family. Their series, Country Bucks TV show, was basically a high-octane mix of Shark Tank and a hunting camp. It followed the family behind Wildgame Innovations, a multi-million dollar empire built on deer feed, trail cameras, and enough camouflage to hide a small army.
Why did people watch? Honestly, it wasn't just about the deer. It was the dynamic between Matt and T-Bone. It was the sheer absurdity of their inventions. While most hunting shows were "sit in a tree stand and whisper for thirty minutes," this was loud, messy, and surprisingly corporate. It gave us a peek into how the outdoor industry actually functions.
The Rise of Wildgame Innovations
The Busbice family didn't just wake up one day with a TV crew on their lawn in Louisiana. This started way back in the early 2000s. Matt and Jason Busbice, the brothers at the center of the storm, started with a simple idea: a better way to attract deer. They were basically the "disruptors" of the hunting world before that was a buzzword people used to sound smart at parties.
They grew a small family operation into a massive conglomerate. By the time the Country Bucks TV show premiered in late 2014, they were overseeing a portfolio that included everything from rangefinders to nutritional supplements for big game.
The show worked because it captured that specific brand of "nouveau hunting rich." They had a 55,000-acre ranch called "Hardwood." Think about that for a second. That is a massive amount of land. It served as the testing ground for their products and the backdrop for their family squabbles. Bill Busbice, the patriarch, was already a successful businessman from the trucking industry (Ace Transportation) before he ever pivoted into the hunting space. He brought the capital; the boys brought the creative energy.
A Different Kind of Reality TV
Most reality shows are fake. We know this. But the Country Bucks TV show felt slightly more authentic because the business stakes were real. When they were testing a new "Crush" attractant or a silent crossbow, you could tell they actually cared if the thing worked. Their reputation in the industry was on the line.
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The cast was a colorful bunch. You had:
- Matt Busbice: The visionary/wildcard.
- Jason Busbice: The more grounded brother trying to keep things on track.
- T-Bone: The lovable, expert archer who provided the comic relief and the technical skill.
- Hard Luck: The ranch hand who often ended up as the butt of the jokes.
It was a classic ensemble. Short scenes. Quick cuts. Very fast-paced for a show about sitting in the woods.
Why the Country Bucks TV Show Stopped Airing
Everything seemed to be going great. The ratings were decent. The product sales were through the roof. Then, things got complicated.
Television is fickle, but the outdoor industry is even smaller and more sensitive to reputation. In 2016, Bill Busbice Jr. found himself in some hot water. He was involved in a high-profile hunting violation in Wyoming. Specifically, it involved the illegal take of an elk and wasting game meat. For a family whose entire brand was built on "ethical hunting" and "conservation through innovation," this was a PR nightmare.
He ended up paying significant fines and losing his hunting and fishing privileges in most states for several years due to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
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The Corporate Shift
While the legal issues were a massive headache, the bigger reason we don't see the Country Bucks TV show anymore is simpler: business. The outdoor industry went through a massive wave of consolidation around 2017 and 2018.
Wildgame Innovations was eventually acquired by Plano Synergy. Later, Plano Synergy itself was bought by Pure Fishing (owned by Sycamore Partners). When these massive private equity firms take over family-run brands, the "reality show" aspect usually gets cut first. It's an expense and a liability they don't want on the books.
The Busbices didn't "fail." They exited. They sold for what was likely a staggering amount of money and moved on to the next chapter of their lives.
Where Are the Busbices Now?
If you follow Matt Busbice on social media today, he’s still very much the same guy. He’s still inventing. He’s still hunting. But he’s also pivoted heavily into fitness and lifestyle branding. He recently survived a terrifying incident where he was nearly attacked by a bear while napping on his porch—a clip that went viral and reminded everyone why he’s such a magnet for crazy stories.
Jason has stayed a bit more behind the scenes, focusing on family and private business ventures. T-Bone (Travis Turner) remains a massive icon in the archery world, continuing his work with Bone Collector and staying active in the industry despite some significant health battles, including the loss of his leg to cancer. His resilience has actually made him more of a legend than the show ever did.
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The Legacy of the Show
Looking back, the Country Bucks TV show was a bridge. It bridged the gap between the old-school "How-To" hunting videos of the 90s and the modern, personality-driven YouTube era we live in now.
It proved that you could sell hunting gear by selling a lifestyle. You didn't need a dry narrator; you needed a brother who was willing to get tackled by a mascot or a dad who was willing to yell about the bottom line. It was entertainment first, hunting second.
How to Watch it Today
If you’re feeling nostalgic for some Louisiana-style chaos, finding the show isn't as easy as it used to be. It’s not currently a flagship title on the big streamers like Netflix or Max.
- Amazon Prime Video: You can usually buy individual seasons or episodes here. It's the most reliable way to find high-quality versions.
- MyOutdoorTV (MOTV): This is the "Netflix of the hunting world." Since they own a lot of the Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel library, old episodes often rotate through here.
- YouTube: You can find clips and some full-length segments, though they are often uploaded by third parties and the quality can be hit-or-miss.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Entrepreneurs
If you’re looking at the Country Bucks TV show as more than just a distraction, there are some legitimate business lessons buried in the mud and camouflage:
- Vertical Integration Matters: The Busbices didn't just sell a product; they owned the media that advertised the product and the land where the product was used. That’s a closed-loop economy.
- Personality is a Moat: People can copy a deer feeder design. They can't copy the chemistry between Matt and Jason. In a crowded market, your "weirdness" is your greatest competitive advantage.
- Reputation is Fragile: In the outdoor world, one mistake on a hunt can derail a decade of branding. If you're building a brand in a niche community, the rules are stricter than they are in the general public.
- Know When to Sell: The Busbice family timed the market perfectly. They built a brand when the "outdoor lifestyle" boom was peaking and exited when the big corporate players were looking to buy their way into the space.
The show might be over, but the blueprint they left behind for "influencer commerce" is still being followed by every hunting YouTuber with a camera and a dream. They were just the first ones to do it on a network scale with a massive budget and a 55,000-acre backyard.
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Wildgame Innovations, start by checking out the early episodes of Season 1. It captures that raw energy of a family business on the verge of becoming a global name, long before the corporate buyouts and the Wyoming headlines changed the trajectory forever.