Sartaj Singh
Season 2 of Netflix’s ‘Outlast’ treated us to a brutal game of survival in the Alaskan wilderness. As the winter set in and temperatures dropped, one man braved the elements and shone like no other. Brendon Ash, a lifelong hunter and trapper, became an absolute powerhouse for Team Delta. Aptly called the Mountain Man by teammate Joseph Malbrough, Ash excelled at tracking down and shooting prey, providing his teammates with invaluable nutrition. He also significantly contributed to setting up their camp, introducing ingenious ways to chop logs and maintain the fire. When the first supply drop landed, he jumped into the icy cold water without hesitation, triggering a cold shock response that risked his elimination. Despite his bad knee, Ash plowed ahead through the wilderness in the finale, even pulling Tina Grimm when she started to fall behind.
Brendon Ash is a Seasoned Predator Trapper With a Big Heart
Hailing from Grangeville, Idaho, Brendon Ash began hunting and trapping in his late teens and eventually got into the business of protecting ranches and farms from large predators. Despite what one may think about trappers and their hunting of wildlife, he is among the last people who would want to upset the ecological balance. As a member of the Foundation for Wildlife Management, he subscribes to their philosophy of saving wildlife through predatory management. He usually releases any animals that are unintentionally caught by a trap meant for other predatory pests. In January 2021, a bear got caught in a foothold trap meant for wolves around a farm. Ash made careful use of a catch pole to hold the bear down while he released the agitated animal, which clawed his hand twice in the process.
Ash has also publicly appealed for stricter hunting laws against wolves, the very animals he is usually charged with neutralizing. In the public comments for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for the 2021 Wolf Season, many citizens commented against the new wolf-hunting regulations, calling them wrongful and inhumane. Among the individuals pleading the case for a change in regulation to the FWP commissioners and City Council was Brendon Ash, who wrote, “In my opinion wolves don’t have to be hunted because it affects the biodiversity, and can cause a serious affectation in the natural regulation of the ecosystems. Thank you.”
The trapper has a YouTube channel (LoboPro Predator Control) where he regularly posts about his daily hunting work, processes, and interesting encounters. In 2023, he released a video titled, ‘Deer Fawn Saved From Drowning by a Heartless Trapper,’ which sees Ash saving a fawn from drowning in a river, warming it up, and releasing it back to its mother. The title seeks to acknowledge and contradict the stereotype that trappers are heartless and bent on harming animals. His actions and care for the fawn resonated, and the video went viral, amassing over 3 million views.
Ash Continues to Trap and Hunt Unfazed Through the Northern Winter
At the beginning of 2024, Brendon Ash was trudging through the deep snow while running a line and hunting. He lightheartedly mused to himself if he had gotten too old for it since he ran short of breath in the difficult conditions. On a particular day in the following months, a growing snowstorm caught Ash as his vehicle broke down while the accompanying jeep was immobilized in the snow. Thankfully, a friend was close by and could rescue him in time.
Considering his vast experience and daily life of tracking, trapping, and hunting in the cold climate, it is no wonder that Ash was a force to be reckoned with on ‘Outlast.’ The 41-year-old supports the Foundation for Wildlife Management and made a donation at their April event at the Clearwater River Casino. In the following month, he attended the industrial metal concert by Static-X Partner and Sevendust, reveling in their raging symphony. When the fall season came, the Mountain Man showed his bowhunting skills by catching an elk, graciously utilizing all parts of the animal, and letting nothing go to waste.
Ash Lost His Furry Trapping Partner and Companion
One of Brendon Ash’s closest friends, Timber, passed away in late July, marking a sorrowful day. A constant companion on his outings and a handsome star of his videos, Timber’s loss was felt by many, and our hearts ached with Ash’s. “Only God will truly know how blessed I was to have such a friend. A true best friend,” wrote Ash on Instagram in Timber’s memory. “Best trapping partner and companion I could have ever asked for. Hope you are running a line with trapper Tom! Go easy my friend. We will see you again but it’s gonna have to wait a while.” Trapper Tom was one of Ash’s friends who passed away in recent years.
Ash is Building His Dream Cabin For His Family
Brendon Ash and his friends are hard at work constructing a picture-perfect cabin primarily out of wood. He has already moved into the cabin with his family while the finishing touches remain. Ash is married and cares for a large and happy family, including two sons. Timber’s son, Willey, just a little pup a year back, has come into his own as a hunting partner. Ash has also grown quite fond of a horse he has had for six years. The trapper has worked tirelessly on his cabin project, watching his dream come true before his eyes. “I’ve always dreamed of having a cabin, but I’m only a trapper and a dreamer,” wrote Ash in an Instagram post. “My circle of friends is small, and at the top of the list is my friend Cowboy or (Casey Stuivenga). Without his knowledge, this dream would have never been possible.”
Read More: Emily Johnston: Where is the Outlast Contestant Now?
