Bounty hunting is no more profitable. It is better to avoid them except the signature campaign. Most startups are failing to generate funds through ICO's or IEO's. So no one here can guarantee you that joining a particular project will be good.

I am not sure about what happened to the Bitcoin project that you are referring to in the first part but, I am associated with a Gambling bounty campaign that pays me in BTC and I have never faced any issues from any of the members in this forum and niether the bounty manager of this campaign.