Scott Meisterheim made a splash on the reality-TV scene as a fierce and dramatic presence on Bering Sea Gold from 2012 to 2014, where he captained a gold-dredging boat in harsh Alaskan waters. He is known for his tough, no-nonsense style and frequent clashes with crew members. After leaving the show, his career took a troubling turn when he faced multiple legal issues, including a sentence and hunting violation charges.
Scott Meisterheim was born on July 8, 1968, in the United States and is believed to be from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He grew up in a modest family background and spent much of his early life doing hands-on work. Before joining reality television, Scott worked as a carpenter and builder in Alaskaand later became involved in the oil industry. He also grew up with a brother, though not much is known about his family in public records.
Scott Meisterheim was featured on the reality TV series Bering Sea Gold from 2012 to 2014, where he captained the barge suction-dredge “Wild Ranger” as part of the Nome, Alaska gold-digging fleet. He was known for his role as a hard-driving captain with frequent conflicts, walk-offs, and heated arguments with his crew, making him one of the show’s most controversial characters. Meisterheim left the show and the fleet in the mid-2010s; his departure has been attributed to his behavior and issues off-camera.
In the years after his television career, Scott Meisterheim faced serious legal problems. He was charged with failing to pay child support, abandonment/non-support, and later convicted for aggravated domestic assault, receiving 18 months’ probation. In 2023, he faced 10 charges from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for illegal deer hunting—counts included untagged antlered deer, using another person’s hunting license, hunting without a license, and using illegal bait. He was quoted saying he was “addicted to venison.”
As of 2025, Scott Meisterheim’s net worth is estimated between US $1–5 million. He made this amount mainly from his work on the reality TV show Bering Sea Gold, where he captained the dredge “Wild Ranger” and earned from gold mining operations in Nome, Alaska. In addition to his television income, he also gained money from independent gold prospecting and small-scale mining projects after leaving the show.