By W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of SCI and SCIF
Originally published in the July/August 2024 Issue of Safari Magazine.
Considering the many exciting things happening with SCI these days, some members might wonder how we’ll all find time to hunt — no worry about that. We’ll make time!
Seriously, there are important meetings and events coming up from now until the SCI Convention next January — a period when most of the hunting seasons in the Northern Hemisphere are in full swing.
For example, there will be three Texas Trophy Hunters Association Extravaganzas in August. Also, in August, SCI has its remote Board of Directors meeting. But then, it will be time to head out to the fields, woods and mountains to hunt everything from upland birds to big game.
Although there are some earlier archery hunting seasons, many consider the opening of dove hunting at the beginning of September to be the annual unofficial launch of hunts for the ensuing fall and winter months.
So, there will be time to work in some hunts between September and the end of October, when the SCIF African Wildlife Consultative Forum is held in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
AWCF is an annual meeting that brings together a diverse group of conservation stakeholders, including professional hunting associations, wildlife biologists, community leaders, hunting and conservation organizations, and range state government officials. It will take place from October 28 to November 1.
This will be the 22nd edition of AWCF, and each year, SCI and SCIF expand their presence in Africa as we work with representatives from the countries there to advance true conservation, which includes hunting.
Then comes the holiday season, with plenty of time to hunt until the Texas Trophy Hunters Association holds an added Extravaganza January 10-12 in Dallas. That event is part of the way TTHA is expanding its reach now that it is part of the SCI family.
Not long after that big Extravaganza in Texas, SCI will hold its Convention in Nashville, January 22-25.
Following the SCI Convention will be what we call Banquet Season, which is when many Chapters hold their annual fundraisers. These are outstanding events, and I encourage all members to attend as many Chapter fundraisers as possible. They are a lot of fun and help raise the funds needed to save hunting for the future locally, nationally and globally.
Face it: SCI is a dynamic organization that continually has something going on to help in our efforts to save hunting for future generations.
The future of both SCI and hunting rests on six pillars: Advocacy, Chapters, Convention (Event Services), Membership, Hunting and Conservation.
Hunting is one of the pillars because it is when we are hunting that we are truly ourselves. This is important because nothing can defeat the nightmares from anti-hunters better than to have more hunters living their dreams.
Our adversaries don’t rest, and neither can we. We must constantly advocate for hunting. We can do that and still go hunting. It just takes a little planning sometimes if we work hard, hunt smart and invite friends to join our ranks.
Thank you for all you do, and let’s get together at the SCI Convention in Nashville January 22-25, 2025.
