One hundred and thirty years ago a group of sportsmen, outdoorsmen and conservationists were concerned about the disappearing wildlife in North America. Settlement of the west, market hunting, and the conflict between the US and Native Americans had decimated much of America’s big game herds and many of the bird and fish species. Visionary outdoorsman and politician Theodore Roosevelt witnessed firsthand the near decimation of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – its wildlife and set out to preserve remaining populations. Founding the Boone and Crockett Club was one of his first steps. Working with Club Members George Bird Grinnell, General William Tecumseh Sherman, Gifford Pinchot, and twenty other visionaries comprised of outdoor sport enthusiasts, scientists, military and political leaders, explorers, artists, writers and industrialists, the foundation for the world’s greatest conservation system was laid. Roosevelt and the club’s members championed the passage of laws, the establishment of institutions, and the designation of wildlands which today make up our nation’s conservation system. The National Forest, the National Park, and the National Wildlife Refuge Systems exist today in large part because of the extensive efforts of the Boone and Crockett Club and its dedicated membership.
The Boone and Crockett Club laid out a code of ethics they deemed “Fair Chase” in the late 1800s. The Club’s Fair Chase statement and philosophies later became the foundation for hunting and game laws in this country and are still the standard ethical sportsman strive for today. Fair Chase is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of free-ranging wild game animals in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the animal. Fair Chase extends beyond the hunt. It is the very core of outdoor ethics, extending to all who enjoy wildlife and wildlands, or who make use of their resources. Fair Chase has been the Boone and Crockett philosophy since the Club’s beginning. Protecting wildlife population habitat on public and private lands, and associated outdoor recreational experiences is a major focus. Boone and Crockett are still adamantly promoting Fair Chase today with their new initiative “Hunt Right, Hunt Hard campaign”. Boone and Crockett realizes in today’s world of social media and emotion driven decisions now more than ever the perception that we as hunters truly care about the wild things and wild places and are doing it right is of utmost importance and you will see a lot more of this campaign in the coming months.
The Club promotes outdoor ethics for all people, emphasizing shared use of natural resources to protect options for future generations. BookYourHunt is a proud sponsor of Boone and Crockett Club and Director of North America James Reed and BookYourHunt Founder Aleksei Agafonov attended the 29th B&C Big Game awards ceremony this last weekend in Springfield Missouri.
Anyone out there who worries about the future of hunting would have been inspired by Boone and Crockett’s “Generation Next” dinner. This evening was one of the highlights of the awards banquet and one that was talked about and regaled by all who witnessed it. Dozens of youth from across North America packed the stage to receive awards for their outstanding B&C trophies. These youth have now been exposed to the ethics and conservation aspects of hunting via the Boone and Crockett Club. These traits will be spread by these young hunters through their friends, family, social media, etc. and is an investment in the future. With these efforts to engage in youth education and interaction the future of hunting will be in good hands for generations to come.
BookYourHunt is extremely proud to be a sponsor of Boone and Crockett Club and hope to grow this relationship into the future. BookYourHunt has partnered with guide/outfitter and conservation organizations around the world to support ethical Fair Chase hunting and the organizations who share our drive to work for and ensure the future of hunting as a conservation tool. Of these organizations Boone and Crockett Club was the original flagship of this sustainable use conservation movement and they are still leading the way today.
