For most, the National Rifle Association is the organization that most typically represents shooters and Second Amendment supports nationwide. While not without its warts, the NRA is still regarded as the big stick for gun owners.
When it comes to wildlife organizations, there are a plethora of “critter clubs” for virtually every variety of hunt-worthy animal or hunting method. That’s great for hunters who favor one style of hunting, but it creates quite a cacophony of overlapping messages with no single voice for all varieties of wildlife. Fishing is pretty much the same way.
Today, an over-arching organization, Sporting Conservation International is announcing its presence to the world and you’re reading it first here in The Outdoor Wire.
The organization’s message is simple, but its goal sweeping: to be the voice of all sportsmen (and women) - worldwide.
If the “SCI” initials look familiar, you’re not wrong to presume the Safari Club International/First for Hunters organization is playing an integral role. You’ll also notice the SCI Foundation and other SCI-affiliated groups. They’re all joining in this effort to unify the hunting -and fishing- community. Over the past few years, SCI has added organizations like Texas Trophy Hunters to their hunting umbrella domestically, but this new organization has a considerably broader view. That’s reflected in the presence of both the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa and Cinegética.
I spoke last week with Laird Hamberlin (now of both SCIs) about the new over-arching organization, what it seeks to do, and how its being employed as a unifier of the global work of wildlife conservation.
“We’re an inclusive, forward thinking organization,” Hamberlin told me, “with Safari Club International Safari Club International Foundation, Texas Trophy Hunters Association, Cinegética and other related oryrganizations and corporate partners in the U.S. and internationally as affiliate organizations.”
Those “others” include the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA) as a member and Buckmasters, among others, as “partner organizations”.
“There are lots of what people call ‘critter clubs’ around,” Hamberlin told me, “but there was no central group representing the various hunters and all the animals. The more we thought about it, the better the idea sounded.”
The idea behind the organization is simple: deliver a unified message telling the value of hunting and fishing’s roles in conservation. But the organization will be delivering messages regarding popular misconceptions about hunting, too.
One of those misconceptions, Hamberlin explained, is what he calls “ballot box biology”- using emotion to overcome or shout down the fact that hunting and fishing are integral in effective and healthy management of wildlife.
“Take elephants in Africa,” Hamberlin explained, “you have the argument that elephants are endangered. But you have a country with a carrying capacity of 3,000 elephants. They currently have a population of 40,000 elephants, and they’re ruining the flora and fauna for the rest of the wildlife, the farmers and the population in general.”
“We have to communicate better as to what’s reality,” he explained, “versus what’s emotion. It’s the same thing with mountain lion hunting in Colorado. ‘Ballot box biology’ is being used, and it’s terribly misleading.”
That explaining, Hamberlin told me, is what the new SCI is aiming to achieve. “We’re going to reach out to all organizations,” he said, “whether it’s a specific species or a specific continent. We felt the need for all of us to be ‘singing from the same hymnal’ you know- walking in stride, side by side, and working together to protect your right to hunt.”
So why is SCI- the Safari Club International - taking the lead on this?
“We saw a unique opportunity to centralize a substantial amount of pro-hunting and pro-fishing advocacy under one roof,” he explained, “to unite the strong leaders in the outdoor sporting community.”
“People like me are lifetime members of NRA because they’re there to protect your right to keep and bear arms,” he explained, “Sporting Conservation International should be viewed as the organization that’s there to protect your right to hunt- worldwide. That’s the analogy I use when talking to people.”
As an example, Hamberlin used the anti-hunting proposal that sought to ban lead on all federal reserves. While it outraged hunters, it “didn’t resonate” with anglers “until we communicated to them that it included lead weights used in fishing.”
That’s the goal, he explained, “to get everyone in the boat, rowing in the same direction.”
That’s a pretty tall order, but it’s also a very compelling message.
As far as the “old SCI” Hamberlin says the next convention in Nashville, January 22-25, 2025 at the Music City Center in Nashville, will demonstrate how that organization is doing just fine. As evidence, he cited events that begin before the convention even opens until a blowout celebration Sunday night with Jeff Foxworthy as the featured entertainment.
For those of you who are thinking a part of those dates look familiar, you’re not mistaken. The next editions of SHOT Show and the SCI Convention overlap. SHOT Show runs from January 21-24, 2025 at the Venetian Expo+Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
“It’s unfortunate,” Hamberlin said, “but we couldn’t do anything about it based on national dates that were available. It’s happened three different occasions and we’ve all done just fine. One’s B-to-B, the other’s B-to-C, and lots of people are coming directly from SHOT Show to SCI.”
The new Sportsmen’s Conservation International website goes live today, so you can see for yourself what their goals and full messages are. You can hear for yourself -directly from Laird Hamberlin- the what and the why that compelled Safari Club to take the lead in an ambitious, global initiative.
Having all the many worldwide organizations agreeing on a simple, overarching, message -hunting and fishing are both essential for healthy wildlife populations worldwide- is an idea we should all be able to get behind.
We’ll keep you posted.
— Jim Shepherd