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FROM THE PRESIDENT | Summer is Coming
Another winter has passed, and most of our hunting seasons have concluded. While we must now wait in anticipation of another year for what I hope will be meaningful and successful hunting experiences for all of you, we still have an opportunity in 2022 to celebrate the success of all of the Club’s collective conservation efforts. This year marks the celebration of the Club’s 31st Big Game Awards, which will be held this summer from July 21 to July 23 in Springfield, Missouri, at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium.
Along with Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Wonders of Wildlife, the Club hosts the Big Game Awards every three years to recognize the biggest heads, horns, and antlers from North America that have been entered into the Boone and Crockett Club’s record book. As part of the award program, the Club invites select hunters to put their top entries on display as part of a special threemonth exhibit in the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. This will be the only time these particular trophies will ever come together on public display to tell their respective stories of conservation and the hunt. Ultimately the select group of hunters who harvested these magnificent animals will participate in recognition events, all culminating in a gala awards banquet. Showcasing these animals is important for the Club. These trophies signify our successes in managing and conserving big game while enhancing the habitats that support them. At the same time, we share those accomplishments with other conservation organizations and agency partners. These trophy displays also highlight the success of, and pay tribute to, the many fair chase hunters who dedicate much of their time scouting and harvesting big game in the field. This year’s event happens to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Collection of Heads and Horns, which is also currently on permanent display at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Back in the early 1900s when this collection was established, the founding members of the Boone and Crockett Club were nervous these species were all headed for extinction. They wanted to preserve a representative of each species so future generations could remember the animals that once roamed the North American continent. That sentiment soon changed, however, when these same founders became determined to save these species. They eliminated market hunting, established game laws and management practices and conserved wild lands where these species could survive and thrive. With the centennial celebration of this collection, we plan to honor and memorialize the history of wildlife management, education, and conservation that continue to support healthy wildlife populations. For these reasons, the 31st Big Game Awards is a must-attend event for sportsmen and women. To top it off, the venue alone is worth seeing and experiencing! All are invited. In addition to the recognition events and awards banquet, the 31st Big Game Awards will include an Official Measurer luncheon, during which the Club will recognize all Official Measurers for their commitment to the success of our trophy program. These folks are volunteers who have had to apply for their prestigious Official Measurer appointments and receive training by other Boone and Crockett Club staff. The Big Game Awards will also include the Jack S. Parker Generation Next event, which recognizes young hunters (youth aged 16 and under) who have taken qualified trophies. If you want to smile, laugh, and cry all at once, then you must consider attending this event to watch the reactions of these youth and listen to the excitement in their voices as they retell their hunting adventures and stories. If that wasn’t enough, we have a surprise announcement in store. The Club has been working hard on ways in which we can bring the
James F. Arnold
PRESIDENT
Club’s vision and conservation mission to a bigger and more diverse audience. We want more people to be aware of (and involved in) hunting, fair chase ethics, wildlife management, and conservation. To achieve this goal, we’ve been developing a new media project. We plan to unveil the project this summer at the 31st Big Game Awards Banquet. Stay tuned for more details. I hope to see all of you at this triennial celebration as we join together in celebrating all that our hunting and conservation community has to offer. I have no doubt this celebration will be a highlight of your year. Lastly, in light of all that is going on in our country and around the world, I hope that you continue to stay positive and find ways— whether spending time in nature and/or with friends and family—to find common ground and peace. God bless you all. n
