SCI Conservation Efforts Benefit North American Hunters

In the last decade, Safari Club International has spent $140 million on protecting the freedom to hunt through advocacy, research and education to ensure that the hunting heritage is accessible for future generations. These programs benefit hunters throughout North American, and the majority of the work is funded with proceeds from its Annual Hunter’s Convention,  January 20-23 in Reno, Nevada.

Through direct involvement and partnerships with other conservation organizations, SCI contributes to dozens of projects in the United States and Canada every year. Earlier this year, Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and Mossy Oak joined forces to help ensure healthy white-tail deer populations throughout North America. They have provided funding for white-tailed deer research at the University of Georgia and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.

The project will investigate reasons for expansion of epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses (EHDV) and bluetongue viruses (BTV), better define the impacts of these viruses on deer populations, and then develop recommendations to control and curtail spread of the diseases if possible. The research findings will be shared with the hunting public and wildlife professionals to better maintain healthy white-tailed deer populations throughout North America.

On the West Coast, SCI’s efforts also contributed to the successful vote by the California Fish and Game Commission against extending the current lead ammunition ban for big game hunting to the hunting of small game and upland birds in so-called condor “range.” SCI filed comments that agreed with the finding of the California Fish and Game Department that the extension of the ban was not supported by the science.

The participation of Safari Club International (SCI) in a federal lawsuit has helped ensure that hunters in Idaho and Montana can continue hunting wolves under state seasons. The Montana federal court denied a preliminary injunction requested by Defenders of Wildlife and other plaintiffs who sued to stop the hunting season, and to challenge the delisting of Idaho and Montana’s wolves.

SCI was also instrumental in successfully challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s ban on the import of polar bears from Canada. When the FWS listed the polar bear as threatened in May 2008, it also determined that imports of polar bear legally hunted from approved populations in Canada would no longer be allowed, as they had been for the previous 12 years. In June, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rebuffed the FWS’s attempt to have SCI’s lawsuit dismissed without full briefing on the merits.

Another key research project funded by SCI involves the decline of woodland caribou in northern Quebec and Labrador. The caribou herds are vital to the local Inuit and Cree Indians who hunt them for subsistence, but also rely on income generated from guiding and outfitting hunters. Early indications have shown that loss of habitat and predation by black bears are two crucial factors that need to be addressed in order to preserve this resource and hunting opportunity.

These are just a few examples of the conservation efforts in North America that are made possible through the generous support of its Convention exhibitors, donors, advertisers, members and corporate sponsors. For more information on these and other conservation projects in North America, visit the SCI web site at www.safariclub.org.

SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 190 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 18 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.

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Morris McKenzie Boat Works Launches ‘Flat Cat’ Boat

ANNISTON, AL – Morris McKenzie Boat Works, Inc. announces the launch of a new customizable boat that combines a wishlist of features into a versatile watercraft that’s ideal for fishing, hunting, family recreation, and more. The Flat Cat is a pontoon-style boat designed on the principle of “form follows function,” including abundant storage, strength, stability, and a customized layout.

With storage capacity comparable to an SUV or a luxury car, the Morris McKenzie Flat Cat allows the user to take along anything that might be needed for an adventure on the water, all neatly packed away underneath the boat’s flat surface. Approximately 90 cubic feet of internal cargo storage is accessible through 10 deck hatches.  Even fully loaded, the Flat Cat has low draft, floating in less than one foot of water. Compared to johnboats, it is exceptionally stable, making it elderly- and child-friendly.

Perhaps its best feature is the one buyers get to determine – the customized layout. “It’s your boat,” says William Morris Burt, founder and president of Morris McKenzie Boat Works. “It should fit you and the way you want to use it.  We build a boat like a fine tailor builds a suit. The final product must fit.”

Among the customizable features are the seats. The boat comes standard with three fold-down seats.  One has a fiberglass pedestal with swivel seat mount, and two are permanently mounted on adjustable-height pedestals. The fiberglass seat pedestal is offered in three heights, so adults of virtually any stature will be seated at the proper height.  The seats can also be positioned on the deck where the buyer wants them for a comfortable, functional layout. And, since the boat is made of fiberglass, it can be fabricated in virtually any color.

Morris McKenzie cut no corners in the design of the Flat Cat.  “All my life I have fixed everything from my car to my vacuum cleaner,” explains Burt. “Often I wished that manufacturers would charge me a bit more and use metal parts instead of plastic, or bolts instead of screws.  It is our job at Morris McKenzie Boat Works to make sure our customers never say this.”

According to Burt, whenever Morris McKenzie had a choice between style and function in the design process, they chose function. The two 24-inch-wide pontoons are made of reinforced fiberglass, each with five bulkheads for strength. At the 12 points where the hull mates to the frame, ¼-inch aluminum plates are laminated into the hull to provide extraordinary strength in the joint. Five bulkheads are glassed in the hull to add rigidity and to compartmentalize the pontoon.  In the case of a breeched hull, only part of the hull will take on water, allowing the pontoon to retain buoyancy.

Another important feature of the Flat Cat is its size.  While its flat surface and below-deck storage allow it to function like a much larger boat, the standard size is 15 feet 8 inches long by 7 feet 6 inches wide, designed to fit into a typical garage.  To accommodate narrower storage openings or customers’ preferences, Morris McKenzie will also build the boat with a narrower width of 7 feet or 6 feet 6 inches.

The Flat Cat comes equipped with an internal-mount battery tray with trolling motor plug.   It’s economical to operate; with an optional 10 HP motor, it burns little gas, and it’s even more “green” and economical with an electric trolling motor.  Many lighting, electronics, seating, power, deck, and color options are available.

Fishing is just one of the obvious uses of the Morris McKenzie Flat Cat.  Hunters will appreciate its quiet movement, storage capacity, and flat deck.  It’s the perfect craft for bowfishing, with its low draft and stability.  Swimming, family outings, working on the water, and even camping are equally well suited to the Flat Cat.

The Morris McKenzie Flat Cat sells direct to the public for $7995.00, including trailer.  The company, located in Anniston, Alabama, welcomes customers to visit the factory to choose options, design customized features, and see how their boat is made. 

For more information, visit our website at http://www.mmboatworks.com, or call 256-473-3339. 

Outdoors International LLC Is New OMR Client

ANNISTON, AL – Outdoor Media Resources has been selected as public relations agency of record for Outdoors International LLC, a network of booking agents for premier hunting and fishing destinations around the world. Headquartered in Hagerman, Idaho, Outdoors International LLC is owned by Cory Glauner, an avid hunter and fisherman who is also an outfitter himself.

“Cory understands both sides of a booking transaction, so he has very high standards for the outfitters he represents,” said Sherry Kerr, president of Outdoor Media Resources. “He’s experienced at evaluating hunting and fishing trips to get the client exactly what he or she is looking for, almost anywhere in the world.”

Unlike most traditional booking agents, Outdoors International LLC also leverages its experience in website design, social media, and internet marketing to gain new audiences for its outfitters and to make information easily accessible to clients.

Outdoor Media Resources is a public relations and marketing communications firm with over 20 years experience working exclusively in the outdoors and shooting sports. Sherry G. Kerr founded and heads the agency, located in Anniston, Alabama.
“My first job in the outdoors industry was doing marketing for a group of hunting lodges, and I’ve promoted many hunting and shooting operations since,” said Kerr. “Working with Outdoors International LLC will be a perfect fit with our other clients and with my experience.”

For more information on Outdoors International LLC, visit http://gothunts.com or contact Cory Glauner at 800-734-9818. To learn more about Outdoor Media Resources, contact Sherry Kerr, SherryOMR@cs.com, 256-831-7877, or visit our website at www.outdoormediaresources.com.

Morris McKenzie Boat Works Selects OMR For PR Services

ANNISTON, AL — Morris McKenzie Boat Works, Inc., makers of customized pontoon boats for fishing, hunting, and other recreations, has selected Outdoor Media Resources as its public relations agency of record.  OMR will implement a comprehensive PR and marketing communications program to introduce the Anniston, Alabama, company and its products to the outdoor recreation market. 

William Burt, founder and owner of Morris McKenzie Boat Works, says his products’ design premise is that “form follows function.”  The boats are designed for versatility, stability, and strength, and each one can be customized for its owner at no extra charge.

For over 20 years, Outdoor Media Resources has been operated by Sherry G. Kerr, its founder and owner.  OMR specializes and works exclusively in the outdoors industry. 

“I’m happy to work with a company that makes such exceptional products, and I’m especially pleased by their attention to pleasing the customer,” said Kerr. “Morris McKenzie’s policy is ‘it’s your boat,’ and they make it yours.”

For more information, visit www.mmboatworks.com and www.outdoormediaresources.com, or contact Sherry Kerr, 256-831-7877, SherryOMR@cs.com.

 

 

 

Outdoors International

Outdoors International
Booking Agents for the World’s Premier Hunting and Fishing Destinations – www.gothunts.com
1-800-734-9818

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