October 18, 2018

Hunting Right vs. Wrong with Antis

By fourcornerssci

Anti-hunters will jump at any chance to attack even if they don’t know what is right or wrong. It’s our goal to keep you informed so you’re able to share facts and protect hunting rights.

Anti-Hunters Get It Wrong Because They Are Wrong 

The recent media flap over a former Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner’s photos and accounts of his safari in Africa predictably brought outcries and lies from anti-hunters to shut down all hunting. Overreaction is the hallmark of the antis.

In their zeal to vilify all hunters, the antis insist on spreading lies this time, as they do whenever they comment on anything.

SCI posts (1)

“Trophy hunting organizations like Safari Club International are under increasing pressure to restrain the excesses of their members in the United States and abroad,” Kitty Block, acting President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States and President of Humane Society International, the international affiliate of The HSUS, stated in her recent blog about Blake Fischer, the former commissioner. “Fischer is just the latest to shoot his way into this particular hall of shame.”

“Let’s set the record straight,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “First, Fischer is not and was not a member of SCI. So, to suggest that anything he did reflects what SCI or its members do is false, right from the start. It’s just a flat-out lie.”

SCI has a code of ethics that its members are not only required to follow, but which reflect why SCI members are proud hunters.

SCI HUNTERS CODE OF ETHICS

  • Recognizing my responsibilities to wildlife, habitat and future generations, I pledge:
    To conduct myself in the field so as to make a positive contribution to wildlife and ecosystems.
  • To improve my skills as a woodsmen and marksman to ensure humane harvesting of wildlife.
  • To comply with all game laws, or the sport of fair chase, and to influence my companions accordingly.
  • To accept my responsibility to provide all possible assistance to game law enforcement officers.
  • To waste no opportunity to teach young people the full meaning of this code of ethics.
  • To reflect in word and behavior only credit upon the fraternity of sportsmen, and to demonstrate abiding respect for game, habitat and property where I am privileged to hunt.

“Ethical hunters provide a benefit to all wildlife through sustainable use conservation,” Babaz explained. “Ethical hunters strive to harvest mature males that are beyond their breeding prime to enhance the health of the overall population, much like a gardener may prune a rose bush, tree, to allow it to grow and flourish, etc.

“This, of course, is in addition to the enormous economic benefit provided by hunters who are the world’s greatest conservationists,” Babaz continued. “This can be seen in the thriving wildlife populations in countries where hunting is legal versus the diminishing wildlife populations in countries where hunting has been banned.”
SCI President Babaz then contrasted the reality of the anti-hunters.

“HSUS and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) will never publish these simple conservation facts, as they prefer to use their propaganda machines to line their own pockets, instead of using their funds to join the hunting community to combat wildlife’s most serious threat… Criminal Poaching!” Babaz said.

Note to members and Chapters:

If chapters or members are approached by the media to comment on this item, please do NOT

respond. Please refer any media requests to: Rachel Harris at rharris@theheraldgroup.com.
Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
International Headquarters · Washington, DC
www.SafariClub.org

 

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October 15, 2018

British Royalty Praises Trophy Hunting as Conservation

By fourcornerssci

Botswana President Welcomes Duke Of Cambridge Recognition Of Hunting As Conservation 

British royalty is lending its voice to the choir singing the praises of trophy hunting as a conservation solution in Africa where anti-hunting eco-imperialists have dismissed the knowledge and ability of Africans to manage wildlife in their countries.
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi met privately with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, last week during an international conference on illegal trafficking in wildlife.
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One topic of discussion during the private meeting was the problem of Botswana having too many elephants. Current research estimates that one third of the elephants on the continent of Africa reside in Botswana – more than 200,000.
Following the meeting, President Masisi said the Duke of Cambridge indicated that he accepted there could be a conservation case for hunting in Botswana because it could help conserve threatened species, according to a report in The Times.
The call to reestablish hunting in Botswana is being sounded across the continent of Africa. At a recent meeting of the International Wildlife Conservation Committee held in Northern Virginia, representatives of several African countries made the case for lifting the hunting bans imposed on their communities.
One speaker was Joseph Mbaiwa, Professor, Tourism Studies, Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, who spoke about the consequences of Botswana’s ban on hunting instituted in 2014.
Mbaiwa authored a 2017 study entitled “Effects of the safari hunting tourism ban on rural livelihoods and wildlife conservation in Northern Botswana.”
In the study, Mbaiwa states that the hunting ban was devastating to the local communities on several levels and that, “the hunting ban is reportedly contributing to increasing incidents of poaching in Northern Botswana.”
Mbaiwa explains the situation in more detail during an exclusive interview with SCI’s Marc Watts.
President Masisi addressed the same concerns regarding the overpopulation of elephants in Botswana.
“We do not want to come across as loving to kill animals,” he said. “We are loving to protect our people. We are loving our property. We are just being rational in the same way any Brit would if you had 100,000 elephants marauding over the UK. If you want to test it out we can give you only 500. I bet you’d be screaming,” he told The Times.

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

International Headquarters Washington, District of Columbia · Tucson, Arizona · Ottawa, Canada
www.SafariClub.org

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October 13, 2018

SCI More Than the Convention 2019 Reno

By fourcornerssci

If you’ve never attended the SCI National Convention, it’s time. The convention itself is worth experiencing in person. Beyond the SCI event there are many things you can do in the city of Reno. We hope to see you there.

Elevate Your 2019 SCI Convention Experience Discovering the Changes in Reno, Nevada

 

The Reno Tahoe area has experienced an inspiring array of change since SCI’s last convention six years ago. The local economy is booming and tourism is responding to that growth. Your 2019 SCI Convention experience will be elevated as you discover or rediscover this great destination.

Fly in to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport on one of the added flights; many are nonstop. Stay at any of the remodeled and expanded resorts, taking advantage of a free or discounted night on Sunday, Jan. 13.

SCI posts (1)

Discover Downtown Reno that is expanding southward with new shops, bars, restaurants and live music venues. A staple of the wine community, Whispering Vine, is opening a new wine tasting room. The National Automobile Museum has a “Wow!” factor you don’t often find in a museum with rotating displays. Relax at Hardwater House, a premier cigar bar and whiskey lounge with upscale fine dining.

Enjoy the revitalized River Walk District that is extending west into a historic neighborhood which has become a hotspot for businesses, coffee shops and restaurants like the French-inspired Beaujolais Bistro.

More than a dozen breweries have opened in Reno Tahoe since 2013. The Depot Craft Brewery Distillery at the old Reno train station became the first brewery and distillery to open anywhere in the state of Nevada.

Midtown has some unique bar experiences like Death and Taxes with classic ambience, specialty aged cocktails and house-made bitters.

More than 500 new companies have moved into the region that include Panasonic, Google and Apple, making Reno Tahoe one of America’s new centers for technology.

Reno first welcomed SCI Convention in 1989 and has been warmly welcoming hunters and sportsmen ever since. When SCI is in Reno Jan. 9-12, 2019, the entire city belongs to you!

To register to attend, click here – www.showsci.org

*** Please use #sciconvention in all your social media coverage.***

About the SCI Hunters’ Convention:

Safari Club expects upwards of 24,000 worldwide hunters to visit Reno, Nevada, January 9-12, 2019.  The SCI Hunters’ Convention represents the largest and most successful event to raise money for advocacy to protect hunters’ rights. The 2019 Hunters’ Convention will be held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center with over 452,000 square feet of exhibits and almost 1,100 exhibiting companies.

Register and book rooms at www.showsci.org

Becoming an SCI Member:

Joining Safari Club International is the best way to be an advocate for continuing our hunting heritage and supporting worldwide sustainable use conservation, wildlife education and humanitarian services.

JOIN NOW: www.joinsci.org

Safari Club International – First for Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI has approximately 200 Chapters worldwide and its members represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call 520-620-1220 for more information

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October 2, 2018

California Governor’s Veto on Anti-Hunting Proposal

By fourcornerssci
Hunters across the country often watch and laugh at the surge in California’s anti-hunting rules. It’s important to pay attention to what goes on in the Golden State because it often paves the way for what is to come in other states. We have to stay in tune with what legislation is proposed and passed throughout the nation in order to preserve our hunting heritage.
Big Win For Hunters: CA Governor Vetoes Anti-Hunting Proposal

California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. vetoed a bill that would have prevented hunters from possessing and in some cases importing the named African species in the bill, including parts and products, lawfully harvested in Africa.

“Safari Club International recognizes California Governor Jerry Brown for vetoing Senate Bill 1487, legislation that would prohibit the people of California from importing and possessing several species legally hunted in countries in Africa,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “SCI also applauds the sportsmen and women who voiced their opposition to Governor Brown. Without your phone calls and support, this misguided piece of legislation might have been signed into law. SCI also thanks the California Coalition for spearheading the months-long effort to stop this anti-hunting bill.”

The bill targeted elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and an additional six species – some of which are neither listed on the Endangered Species Act’s endangered/threatened lists or CITES Appendices I or II.

The authors of the bill relied on emotion rather than science to craft anti-hunting restrictions, which were neither necessary nor remotely beneficial for the species identified in SB 1487.

The bill would have discouraged Californians from legally hunting outside the U.S. and participating in the community-based conservation efforts that are succeeding in Africa.

SCI works with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and participates in international treaties like CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) to ensure that regulatory decisions related to trade in wildlife, including hunting trophies, are based on sound science rather than emotion.

This veto is a significant setback for anti-hunting legislators and a great win for hunters throughout the country. SCI continues to work with other hunting/conservation groups and state legislatures to prevent passage of restrictive laws and policies that are detrimental to hunters and wildlife conservation.

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

International Headquarters Washington, District of Columbia · Tucson, Arizona · Ottawa, Canada
www.SafariClub.org

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September 23, 2018

Wildlife Conservation or Eco-Imperialism

By fourcornerssci

Pick A Side: Eco-Imperialism Or Wildlife Conservation

SCI first for hunters logoHunters conserve and save wildlife when no one else will or can.

Want to save wildlife in wild places? Convince misguided would-be “saviors” that they need to throttle back, cease making death threats and doing other terrorist things.

In just the past few days there has been a spate of Internet and social media attacks on hunters for their choices to participate in legal hunting at various places around the globe.

The attacks come in two basic forms: Ridicule and death threats. Differences of opinion are healthy. Death threats are both sick and illegal.

Late last week, SCI Member Brittany Longoria was attacked over a photo of her holding a leopard she hunted legally in Africa. Those who attacked her made no note that through her hunting and conservation-related activities, she has been personally responsible for saving more wildlife than all of the anti-hunters combined. Antis never let the truth get in the way of the lies they like to spew out to an unassuming public.

“This is not about me hunting an individual leopard,” Brittany said. “This is about hunting and the methods of international wildlife conservation. If they come for me as a hunter, they’re going to come for you as a hunter, so we all need to stand together and united and speak from our place of truth and heart on why we hunt.”

Then over the weekend, Fox News reported that former professional hockey player Tim Brent was ridiculed and received death threats after he posted pictures of himself posing with a bear he hunted in the Yukon, Canada.

“Some of the threats of violence were so extreme, Brent posted that he contacted Twitter,” Fox reported. “However, the social media platform said the threats did not violate their abuse policy.”

“Though, there have been a few that have defended Brent, and his wife Eva Shockey-Brent, who is a well known hunter and first woman in three decades to make the cover of Field & Stream,” the report continued.

“Ultimately, this is not about whether someone approves of hunting or opposes hunting. It is about freedom of both activity and speech,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “These anti-hunters, some of whom also are terrorists, want to silence anything they don’t like and they want to deny hunters both the freedom of choice and the freedom of speech.”

SCI President Babaz noted that it seems as though when the anti-hunters are not successful in having the various governmental agencies halt hunting, that they take to the social media and try to shout so loudly that their drivel drowns out civil discourse.

“The sick ones who go over the line and make death threats need to be identified and dealt with appropriately by the legal systems of the world,” Babaz continued. “The sad part about the whole thing is that hunters are responsible for assuring healthy populations of wildlife worldwide forever. When others get in the way of these noble acts, they actually are writing death warrants for the wildlife, which will cease to exist absent the protection of hunters.”

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
International Headquarters · Washington, DC
www.SafariClub.org

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September 1, 2018

First Annual 4-Corners 3-D Archery Shoot

By fourcornerssci

On Saturday, August 4 Four Corners SCI and Goods For the Woods held the first annual 4-Corners 3-D Archery shoot in Cortez, Colo. at Goods for the Woods’ new location. There was a high turnout of competitors from near and far. The event included categories for men, women, and children to enjoy shooting their compound or traditional bows.

The course, provided by Goods for the Woods, had 23 different 3-D targets of varying yardages and shot angles. This made for an enjoyable course that presented a good challenge for archers of all ages and abilities.

There was a good turnout of youth, and thanks to the SCI board members, who brought youth gear, they did not even need a bow of their own to go through the course. In addition to the 12 and under youth category, we also had several teens that were competing in the adult division and holding their own quite well.

Youth Division – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018
Women’s Traditional First Place – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018
Women’s Hunter Division – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018
Men’s Traditional Division – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018
Men’s Hunter Division – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018
Men’s Pro Division – Four Corners SCI 3D Archery Shoot 2018

After the 3-D shoot was completed, we had a $5 long range-shoot fundraiser, which consisted of two rounds. Shooters attempt to hit a ram target at 96 yards. This was a lot of fun for shooters and for the spectators. The biggest cheers went to Muz Pinnecoose for hitting the ram target with a longbow, a very incredible shot. The winner of the contest won the ram target, which Rinehart generously donated for the event.

After all of the shooting was completed, prizes were awarded to the top three shooters in each division. First place prizes were 3-D targets, the second received a dozen arrows, and third place was a $75 gift certificate to Goods for the Woods. In addition, we had a raffle with enough prizes that everyone ended up going home with awesome goodies.

Keep an eye out for our second annual shoot next year! Come to enjoy the fun, comradery, and help us raise money for conservation, habitat and humanitarian purposes in the area. Mark the date on your calendar and come to support the Four Corners SCI and Good for the Woods.

Four Corners SCI

To become a Chapter Member visit SafariClub.org. For more information, follow Four Corners SCI on our website at www.FourCornersSCI.com and on Facebook at Four Corners SCI. To become an SCI member, to volunteer for the archery or other committees, message us on our social media outlets or at FourCornersSCI@gmail.com.

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August 31, 2018

Griz Hunts On Hold – Wyoming

By fourcornerssci

Judge Puts ID, WY Griz Hunts On Hold

SCI first for hunters logoJust hours after the end of the hearing held on challenges to the delisting of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear population, a Montana federal district court judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order against the hunts planned by Wyoming and Idaho.

The court issued the order, based on motions filed immediately after the hearing by some of the plaintiffs in the grizzly bear delisting case.  The court did not wait to allow briefs from the defendants U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and non-governmental organizations such as SCI and NRA, before issuing the order to temporarily restrain the start of the hunts.

The court’s order will at least postpone the grizzly bear hunts that were to begin on Sept. 1.

All parties are waiting for the court to issue his ruling on the validity of the delisting.  That ruling is expected on or before the end of the 14-day period.

SCI is considering its options to address the court’s ruling.

Safari Club International –

First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

International Headquarters Washington, District of Columbia · Tucson, Arizona · Ottawa, Canada
www.SafariClub.org

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