SCI Foundation, QU Announce EPIC Outdoor Game Fair

In an effort to actively engage families in the great outdoors, leaders of Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and Quail Unlimited (QU) announced that they will be hosting the first annual EPIC Outdoor Game Fair. The event will be held September 23-25, 2011 in Douglasville, Georgia at the Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club. Modeled after European game fairs, EPIC Outdoor Game Fair will provide hands-on activities bringing outdoor sporting Education, Participation, Instruction and Competition to families, youth and individual enthusiasts – hence, the name EPIC Outdoor Game Fair.

“If we aren’t bringing in more people to the outdoor sports and making it easier for them to get engaged, then we’re not doing our jobs,” stated Joseph H. Hosmer, President of SCIF. “We expect this game fair to be the largest event of its kind to support the future of outdoor sporting traditions in the United States.”

EPIC Outdoor Game Fair will feature numerous hands-on opportunities as well as seminars from the industry’s most recognized experts. Foxhall’s 1,100 acres along the Chattahoochee River will be transformed into “villages” featuring shooting, archery, fishing and fly fishing, boating and kayaking, equestrian, dog training, ATV use and more. Vendors from each of these outdoor recreational interests will represent the finest manufacturers in the world, including many fine gun exhibits, and outstanding food and beverage options throughout the three-day event. Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are still available.

“From beginner to expert, every level will have a something to learn and do through the EPIC content the Game Fair offers,” QU President Bill Bowles commented. “Families will find the Game Fair an outstanding opportunity to spend time in a world class resort setting while giving every member of the family time to experience the outdoor activities they know or want to learn more about.”

“I would like to thank the following sponsors: Beretta, Eukanuba, Laser SHOT, Shooting Sportsman Magazine, and John Rigby & Co. Gunmakers, Inc. for their commitment to partner with QU and SCIF in our inaugural year of the EPIC Game Fair,” concluded Cam Harris, Chairman of QU.

The EPIC Outdoor Game Fair website launched this week with more detailed information about the event and venue as well as the hosts and sponsors. The site will grow and expand to be the one-stop place for information about the event and for ticket sales. In addition to the website, the EPIC Outdoor Game Fair Blog will provide a social networking hub to receive regular updates as event planning continues. www.EPICGameFair.org

About SCIF and QU

Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that funds and manages worldwide programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, outdoor education, and humanitarian services. Since 2000, SCIF has provided $47 million to these causes around the. Visit www.safariclubfoundation.org for more.

Quail Unlimited® is the oldest national, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the management of America’s wild quail. Known as “America’s Leader In Quail Conservation SM,” our overall vision is to restore America’s quail populations for future generations. Our core values include the wise stewardship of our land and its resources, and the continuation of our proud heritage of conservation, therefore, leaving a legacy and firm foundation for our youth and families to build upon. Visit www.qu.org.

Partial Delisting of Wolves Part of Budget Agreement

A coalition of the nation’s largest hunting and conservation organizations welcomed a provision championed by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) member Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho and CSC Senate Co-Chair, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as part of the FY 2011 budget agreement to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year.

The coalition includes Safari Club International, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Rifle Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wild Sheep Foundation, the Boone and Crockett Club, and Pope and Young Club.

The groups support this initial step toward state management of recovered wolves and the clear assertion by Congress that recovered wildlife should be delisted from the ESA. The groups also note that other states have recovered wolf populations that have not yet been delisted and urge Congress to actively pursue delisting for those states also.

The Simpson-Tester rider directs the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the latest (2009) ruling declaring the wolf recovered and to return wolf management to state agencies in Montana and Idaho, as well as portions of Utah, Washington and Oregon. Additionally, the provision precludes further lawsuits and preserves the decision made by Wyoming U.S. District Judge Johnson in November 2010, that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) wrongfully rejected Wyoming’s wolf management plan.

“This agreement is only the first step in returning management of the gray wolf back to state authority where it belongs,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane. “Thanks to the leadership of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, a concrete move towards delisting has been taken and certain states will once again have the authority to manage wolves in the near future.”

Dr. Larry Rudolph, President of Safari Club International, said “We are pleased that the work of this important coalition has yielded a historical precedent from the Congress to cut off the endless litigation and return recovered populations of wolves to state management.”

“Federal management goals were met for all wolf populations at least 10 years ago and wolves now number at least five times over the federal goals. Federal officials at the USFWS have attempted delisting three times in the Rockies and Great Lakes and – despite the clear achievement of recovery – each attempt was turned back to the USFWS on questions of process. This fix is long overdue and we applaud it,” said David Allen, CEO of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The coalition noted that the Congressional mandate applies to only a part of the area where wolves are beyond recovery goals. Wyoming’s wolves remain under federal ESA protection. Only parts of Washington, Oregon, and Utah are included in the delisting although wolves are moving into other parts of those states. The Western Great Lakes area is excluded from the provision, where a fourth round of rulemaking is expected to begin soon.

Chris Cox, Executive Director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, said, “We are pleased with this important step and hope that opponents of delisting have gotten the message that Congress is sending. We will be closely watching the pending delisting in the Western Great Lakes. In the meantime, we will continue to push for a comprehensive solution in Congress.”

“It is unwise to try the same thing over and over again and expect a different result,” said Gray Thornton, CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “We’ve seen three times already that this process is unclear and causes – as Judge Molloy described it – ‘turmoil of legal issues with practical management issues’. This is a problem only Congress can fix. Congress has now fixed part of the Rockies and the Northwest. Turmoil will continue until Congress completes the job in the Rockies, including Wyoming, the Northwest and the Great Lakes region – and anywhere else where wolf populations are recovered.”

The wolf delisting agreement in the FY 2011 budget came on the heels of Montana U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy ruling against a settlement proposal by environmental groups that would have returned wolf management temporarily to Idaho and Montana only.

In order to return all recovered wolf populations to state managers, the group supports further efforts in Congress and the Administration until a comprehensive fix is complete.

About the Hunters’ Defense Fund: Safari Club International Hunters’ Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide. Donations to the Hunters’ Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW: www.safariclub.org/hunterdefense

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.safariclub.org/Join.

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.

SCI Victory Protects Hunting on Refuges

In a ruling issued today, Safari Club International (SCI) claimed a major victory in a lawsuit that has threatened hunting on National Wildlife Refuges since it was filed in 2003. Judge Gwin of the Ohio federal district court today issued a ruling in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and SCI to protect our public lands and keep them open for hunting.

The Fund for Animals sued to challenge hunting on 37 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge system, claiming that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) had not completed a sufficient environmental analysis of the impact of hunting on these refuges. SCI immediately joined as an intervenor in the case on behalf of the FWS in order to help defend the hunting opportunities that exist on the refuges.

In 2006, the case saw a setback, when a D.C. federal district court ruled in the Plaintiffs’ favor, sending the matter back to the FWS to conduct additional environmental review. The case then expanded to include additional refuges that had been opened to hunting since the case began, and Plaintiffs amended their original claims in an attempt to stop hunting on almost 70 refuges throughout the country.

After the FWS complied with the court order to conduct additional environmental review, the case returned to court for its examination of the agency’s revised efforts. Once again, SCI’s litigators aggressively defended the agency’s compliance, this time meeting with success. Judge Gwin issued a resounding ruling in favor of the FWS and SCI, leaving no room for question about the Fund for Animals’ failure to substantiate its challenge against refuge hunting.

“This is a long overdue victory for SCI and our litigation team’s efforts to protect the freedom to hunt and keep our public lands open for hunting,” said SCI President Larry Rudolph. “It is clear that the facts were on our side in this case. I commend Judge Gwin for his decision and believe that SCI’s participation in this case proves once again that we truly are First for Hunters.”

SCI was joined in its intervention by U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, the California Waterfowl Association, and Izaak Walton League of America.

About the Hunters’ Defense Fund:
Safari Club International Hunters’ Defense Fund supports the important advocacy, conservation and legal work keeping hunters afield and promoting hunting worldwide. Donations to the Hunters’ Defense Fund have a direct impact on our freedom to hunt, wildlife conservation policy and important legislative, regulatory and legal issues. DONATE NOW:
www.safariclub.org/hunterdefense

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.safariclub.org/Join.

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.

Rigby, Rungwa, Sable Trail Team For Mega-Auction Safari

John Rigby and Co., Rungwa Game Safaris, and Sable Trail Productions have teamed up to provide the ultimate Tanzanian Big Four Safari Package, and possibly the highest value donation package seen at SCI.

To celebrate the 275th anniversary of Rigby Rifles, Geoff Miller has donated a sidelock double rifle in .500 NE. World renowned engraver Lisa Jo Tomlin will engrave the rifle to the specifications of the winning bidder.

Additionally, a custom bolt rifle in .300 H & H, with quick detachable mounts has been made and fitted with two scopes. Both rifles will be housed in a custom-made oak and leather case, with tools and many more accessories.

Armed with these two beautiful rifles, Rungwa Game Safaris of Tanzania and its owner/operator Harpreet Brar has designed an adventure to maximize the opportunity for a truly successful Big Four Safari. Two Luxury Camps, one in Western Tanzania and one in the Selous, have been reserved at an optimum time (August 1 – 21, 2010) for the client’s use.

Starting in the West, the team will focus on lion and leopard, along with world-class sable, roan and east African kudu. Add a bait vehicle to assist in cat hunting, and the stage is set for a once in a lifetime experience. And there’s more!

Award-winning hunting personality, author and DVD producer Marc Watts has donated the use of his award-winning cameraman Kappie to capture on film the experience of a lifetime. Not only will a fully edited DVD be produced for the client, but much of the footage may be used for an upcoming television show. And that’s not it!

Marc will host the winner at his ranch outside of Chicago prior to the safari for an intense shooting session with the new rifles. This once in a lifetime Big Four Safari Package has a fair market value of $400,000.

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SCI Hunter’s Auction A Highlight Of Annual Convention

Every year Safari Club International contributes to dozens of conservation and hunter advocacy projects around the world through the success of the hunters’ auctions held each year during the annual SCI Convention. It is the world’s largest hunting auctions and one of the finest examples of the hunting and outdoor industry contributing to the future of their sport. All the proceeds from the auctions provide a major source of funding to conserve wildlife resources and habitat and protect the freedom to hunt.

Each year Convention exhibitors, donors, advertisers, and SCI corporate sponsors donate an incredible array of outstanding auction items. This year hundreds of items – ranging from dream hunts to fine artwork and jewelry to clothing and gear – valued at over $2 million are up for bidding at the SCI Annual Convention in Reno, Nevada, on January 20-23, 2010.

The auctions occur both day and night and they have something to offer any hunter and any budget. Leading the list of auction items for 2010 is a premier safari package offered by Rungwa Game Safaris. This package celebrates John Rigby & Company’s 275th anniversary and includes two new custom rifles, a 21-day Tanzania safari for lion, leopard, sable and roan. The winning bidder then moves to the Selous Game Reserve for elephant and buffalo. Award-winning hunting personality, author, and DVD producer Marc Watts of Sable Trail Productions will be on hand to film the safari. Estimated value of his package is $400,000.

There are also some great fishing trips on this year’s list of auction items. An 8-day trout and salmon fishing trip for two anglers in the Chilean Patagonia has been donated by Nomads of the Seas. Luxury accommodations are provided aboard the Atmosphere, one of the Nomads’ fleet that comes with a crew of thirty-two and serves as a mother ship for a Bell Ranger 407 helicopter, six Rogue jet boats, a Zodiac Hurricane 920 RIB, and more than fifty strategically located McKenzie drift-boats. This trip is valued at $35,700.

The SCI auctions always feature a variety of original artwork and jewelry and the 2010 Convention continues the tradition. Artwork includes original oil paintings and bronzed sculptures from notable outdoor artists and galleries. One of the premier items of jewelry has been donated by Winston’s Estate Jewelry. It is a lady’s 14 karat, yellow gold Madeira citrine quartz and diamond enhancer/pendant valued at more than $27,000.

The live and a silent auctions include a variety of more affordable items such as taxidermy gift certificates, guns, ammunition, optics and clothing with values as low as $30. No matter what a hunter’s budget or needs, there are some great values and bargains to be found at the 2010 Convention. All the proceeds from the auctions provide a major source of funding to conserve wildlife resources and habitat and protect the freedom to hunt.

For a complete listing and description of the auction items up for bid at the 2010 Convention, visit www.showsci.com. For anyone wanting to attend the Convention, complete information is also available at the SCI website, where you can find a complete of exhibitors, seminars and schedule of events.

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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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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SCI Feed the Hungry Feast Hosts 1,980 in Reno

The 38th annual SCI Hunters’ Convention opened Tuesday night with the 11th annual “Feed the Hungry Feast” at the Reno Events Center in downtown Reno. The Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) program helped to serve 1,980 meals of elk meatloaf, salad, mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread and cake for dessert to the hungry of Reno. 800 pounds of Roosevelt elk and beef was provided by the SCI Northern Nevada Chapter and Multiple Use Managers.

Some 90 SCI volunteers, who arrive early each year, help to serve the food and work on the serving lines. SCI past president Merle Shepard was among those who spent the evening on the serving line providing food for the hungry.

The other 70-plus volunteers who helped to serve are from The Salvation Army Advisory Board, Wells Fargo, Kiwanis Sunrisers and Boy Scout Troop 152. The High Sierra Chefs Association helped to prepare the food for the evening’s event.

Sportsmen Against Hunger has worked with The Salvation Army since 1999 when it was held at the Reno Fairgrounds and served around 300 meals to the hungry. Over the years the event has grown tremendously and has become one of the major events to help the citizens of Reno.

Longtime sponsors who give every year are The Salvation Army, C& M Food Distributors, the Eldorado Hotel & Casino, Model Dairy, SportsServices, Truckee Sourdough, Sysco and the Reno Sheriff’s Department.

Anyone interested in helping next year, please contact Eva Wilson, SCI Foundation Humanitarian Services Manager at (520) 620-1220, Ext. 480 or e-mail ewilson@safariclub.org.

By Steve Rilenge
Sportsmen Against Hunger Co-Chair

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SCIF Sables Crystal Ornament Collection Complete

The Sables Merchandise Booth at the SCI Convention is displaying the sixth, and final, ornament of the Sables Crystal Ornament Collection which has just come out of production in Bavaria, Germany. This completes the series, and, according to Sables President Ginger Byrum, there’s no guarantee how long they will be available.

The Sables 2010 ornament depicts the head of a leopard and is the last of the Big Five Series, in addition to a Sable Antelope. The series began in 2005 with the Sable Antelope, followed in 2006 with a Lion and in 2007 with an Elephant. In 2008, the ornament featured a Rhino, and in 2009, a Cape Buffalo, ending with the Leopard in 2010.

These unique and beautiful crystal ornaments are handmade and handcut out of 30 percent Lead Crystal in the Ullmannglass production site in Bavaria, Germany. The series of ornaments is a 100 percent donation by SCI and Sables Life Members Annemarie and Norbert Ullmann.

Proceeds from the sale of these ornaments will fund SCI Foundation education programs and SCI Foundation Sables. The Sables wish to thank Norbert and Annemarie for their continued generous support of those important programs with the goal of “Continuing Our Outdoor Heritage Through Education.”

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Fabbri O/U Shotgun Added to SCI Auction

An unexpected and unadvertised item has been added to the Saturday night auction with the last minute donation by Fabbri SNC. The renowned gunmaker has donated one of its classic 12-gauge over/under shotguns. This exceptional firearm is the result of Fabbri’s focus on blending ancient artisan traditions with modern technology to create an incredibly beautiful and superbly reliable shotgun.

Tullio Fabbri, right; wife, Gisela; and son, Ivo show the Fabbri shotgun to be auctioned at the convention.

Each and every part of the shotgun is designed and produced entirely in-house using the finest materials optimized by special vacuum heat treatments. Details include 28-inch blued barrels, specially selected Turkish walnut stock and forend, both checkered and polished to perfection. The 12-gauge shotgun features 28-inch barrels choked modified and improved modified.

What sets this shotgun apart is its special, full coverage engraving that was donated by Creative Arts of Gardone V.T., Italy. The original handmade drawings from the engraver will be provided to the buyer. The shotgun comes with an exhibition-quality custom leather case with accessories.

This donation is valued at $180,000.

Founded by Ivo Fabbri in 1965, the company is based near Brescia and is managed by the founder’s son, Tullio Fabbri. The list of its international customers also reads like a Who’s Who of prominent figures, including His Majesty Juan Carlos, King of Spain, and film producer Steven Spielberg.

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SCI Inks Deal with Reno for Convention in 2013, 2015

At a joint press conference Tuesday morning, Safari Club International and the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority announced that the SCI annual Hunters’ Convention will return to Reno in 2013 and 2015. The announcement was good news for the Reno-Sparks communities and for SCI.

Ellie Oppenheim, president and CEO of the RSCVA, opened the press conference by welcoming SCI back to Reno for the 8^th consecutive year for an event that is anticipated by everyone in the community from hotels and restaurants to shops and cab drivers.

“SCI is very excited that we’re coming back to Reno in 2013 and 2015,” said Larry Rudolf, SCI president. “We love this town and it has truly become our home away from home. It’s a great venue for our members, exhibitors and corporate sponsors.”

Reno was not the only venue that SCI was considering, but Skip Donau, SCI Site Selection Chairman, explained that through the efforts of the RSCVA and local business leaders “they made us an offer we couldn’t refuse, so we look forward to bring the Convention back here to Reno.”

Reno Mayor Robert Cashell thanked SCI for all the contributions it has made to the community and in particular the annual Sportsman Against Hunger Feast.  Sparks Mayor Geno Martini, echoed the sentiment and said, “It’s a great way to start 2010 and good news for the entire community.”

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