House Passes Historic Hunting, Conservation Legislation

Safari Club International expressed its appreciation to the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012. The legislation passed on a bipartisan vote and will now be reported the Senate for consideration.

“The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 will preserve the rightful place of hunting, fishing and target shooting on U.S. public lands for generations to come,” said SCI President Kevin Anderson. “Millions of Americans, including thousands of SCI Members, hunt and shoot on our nation’s public lands. By passing this legislation, Congress has helped protect our hunting heritage for the future outdoorsmen and women.”

H.R. 4089 included four separate parts. Title I requires hunting and recreational shooting and fishing to be recognized activities on all Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands; Title II protects recreational shooting on National Monuments under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management; Title III amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow hunters who legally harvested polar bears in Canada prior to its listing under the Endangered Species Act to purchase permits in order to transport their trophies into the U.S.; and Title IV clarifies that the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the jurisdiction to regulate traditional lead component ammunition and lead fishing tackle.

“Sportsmen and women encourage the U.S. Senate leadership to take up H.R. 4089 and quickly pass it,” asserted SCI Chief Communications Officer Larry Rudolph. “Our national heritage of hunting, fishing and target shooting is constantly under attack by eco-maniac special interests who want to lock up our public lands and prohibit recreational uses. Today was a day of action and we look forward to the Senate proceeding forward with this legislation.

“SCI would like to thank those members who drafted HR 4089, Congressman Miller (Fla.) for introducing the comprehensive bill as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Hastings for his leadership in the floor debate. Legislation introduced by Congressmen Young (Alaska), Bishop (Utah), Benishek (Mich.), Flake (Ariz.), and Broun (Georgia) also contributed H.R. 4089.”

The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 was supported by a coalition that included Safari Club International, National Rifle Association, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Boone & Crockett Club, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, and over 30 other hunter-conservation organizations.

Safari Club International

Protecting hunters’ rights and promoting wildlife conservation, SCI’s two areas of focus, historically has been the interest of hundreds of individuals long before SCI was established. But how did SCI as an organization begin?

Forty years ago, there were many safari clubs across the country made up of local, unaffiliated groups of hunters. One such was Safari Club of Los Angeles, which was formed in April 1971 by forty-seven individuals. In early 1972, an out-of-towner from a similar club in Chicago attended one of the monthly Wednesday night meetings, and it was decided that the L.A. club should attempt to combine with the one in Chicago to make it an affiliated chapter. The founder of Safari Club of Los Angeles, C.J. McElroy, went to the Windy City and instituted the new chapter.

Eleven months after the formation of Safari Club of Los Angeles, on March 9, 1972, the name was changed officially to Safari Club International. SCI continued to reach out to other independent safari clubs throughout the United States in an effort to combine them into a single overall organization.

Today, interest in SCI’s two primary missions has grown a worldwide network. Subsequent involvement and promotion of these missions is rooted in each of our 55,000 members, supported through each of our 190 membership chapters found across the globe, and put into action by government representatives and personnel both nationally and internationally.

In this way, we can encourage an appreciation for nature and wildlife so that conservation efforts remain strong, while also fighting to protect our rich hunting heritage. Big changes can be achieved through the endeavors of many who are united in a mission – the mission of Safari Club International.