Friday Afternoon, I had the pleasure to attend a couple of great seminar on ballistics and photography. As I was walking the halls I came upon Kenneth W. Royce who was getting ready to jump into a new seminar.  The thing was, I walking behind Kenneth and his book cover was just so amazingly striking that I had to ask about his book.

At that moment, I had just spent the last 2 plus days dreaming of going on Safari and I could not help myself,  I stopped Kenneth and asked him if he could send me a copy of his book to review. He did one better and gave me a copy on the spot.

Packing up on Sunday to catch my flight, I actually had to get a second bag to hold all of the brochures and on the top of the pile was Kenneth's book so I threw it into my carry on bag and got on the plane.  I  grabbed the book out of my bag and for a 3 hour flight and then a second 3 hour flight I could not put it down.  This book is excellent.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW..

Jerry Henry had a great couple of weeks shooting trap around Florida this past month and won a ton of awards for his prowess with a shotgun.  He competed in the Fourth Dixie Grand American at Silver Dollar Gun Club and The CCC Miami and won numerous awards. Jerry is the father of Jeff Henry a long time friend of ours and he looks to be a pretty great shot.

In a cooperative vision to conserve and sustain wildlife, renowned artist John Banovich and RCR owner, Richard Childress, offered a spectacular, one-of-a-kind NASCAR hood at the Safari Club International convention, January 25th live auction with proceeds jointly benefitting the Banovich Wildscapes Foundation and Safari Club International Foundation.   “Inside the Red Zone” is an original oil creation by renowned artist, John Banovich.  This remarkable image graced the hood of driver Kevin Harvick’s #29 racing car – and joyfully celebrated the new 501 (C) 3 Banovich Wildscapes Foundation as a recognized and respected conserver of the earth’s wildlife and wild places.  
 
“Inside the Red Zone,” reveals a segment of time when immense energy, unleashed momentum, precise timing and incredible focus define life for the leader of the pride at its most extreme extension.  Sharing common bonds, both lion prides and racing teams struggle together at the most basic level of survival of the fittest.  Drawing on underlying, complex social structures, both groups test themselves against intense competition, so that from their numbers, a single, battle-scarred, but most competitive winner ultimately emerges. One single lion will dominate the pride – one singe driver will take the checkered flag before all competitors.  
 
The hammer price at auction was $51,000.00. As a special touch, the hood will bear autographs from Banovich, Childress & Harvick.  The $61,000 of total money raised that night will be split between Safari Club International and the Banovich Wildscapes Foundation.

Mathew Butler understands hunting and Mathew Butler understands children.  Mathew has put together something that is going to bring children into conservation and Billy Goes Hunting is a great book that should do just that.  This book is very well written and shares with it the land ethic and concern for animals that all hunters have.

This is a book that i was excited to share with my kids.  The story is very well written and in a simple language that kids of all ages are going to understand.  The pictures and graphics are very well done and this book will be one of those that after your children grow up and trade up to bigger and bigger books, this is one that is going to remain on the shelf as a cherished treasure.

We need more writers like Matt in our world who are willing to take chances and do something great for our youth.  Matthew self published this book and took giant risks in order to get this message out there in front of our youth.  His willingness to take these chances stems from his love of hunting, wildlife and the outdoors.  Matt is a father, US Army Green Beret and RANGER, occasional Bull Rider, and avid bow hunter.  Mathew likes to write and runs a search engine in the outdoor industry.

Karah Force did the illustration for this book and I can assure you all that we will be seeing her work in the future. Karah Force is a BFA student at Saginaw Valley State University. She loves all sports and has a deep respect for hunting and the historic significance and balance it has brought to our environment. 

This book has a incredibly reasonable price of $9.95 and I urge you to order it for the children in your life.  If our world in the outdoors is to continue, if hunting is to continue, if conservation and habitat is going to be protected, we must enlist the future generations in our passions for the outdoors and hunting.  What better way to begin teaching them the conservation ethic that is the cornerstone of hunting?  GO BUY THIS BOOK.

www.billygoeshunting.com

Saint Paul, Minn. - January 30, 2008 - The Kandiyohi County Chapter of Pheasants Forever (PF) was recently recognized as the Minnesota Chapter of the Year by PF at the annual Minnesota PF state meeting. The chapter received the honor at PF's National Pheasant Fest and 25th Anniversary Convention presented by Cabela's in Saint Paul.

This honor recognizes a Minnesota PF chapter that is balanced in its approach to accomplishing the mission of PF and excels in all aspects of being a PF Chapter.  The Kandiyohi County chapter, the first chapter ever formed outside of the parent organization, received the award because it supports PF's conservation mission in numerous ways.

In the past year, the Kandiyohi County chapter has supported PF Habitat Teams, has grown in membership and had several committee members participating in the Minnesota PF State Convention & Summer Habitat Meeting.  In addition, the committee supports their local youth with a kid's camp and partnership trap shoot, and has cost share programs to assist private landowners in their area. The chapter is also a leader in supporting state and federal conservation policy.  The chapter participates in the Minnesota Habitat Fund and is active in improving habitat management on public lands.

Saint Paul, Minn. – January 30, 2008 – Minnesota Pheasants Forever (PF) awarded Kim Hennings, a Wildlife Land Acquisition Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the 2008 Minnesota PF Professional of the Year Award. Hennings was honored this month at PF's National Pheasant Fest 2008 and 25th Anniversary Convention presented by Cabela's in Saint Paul.

The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the protection of wildlife, habitat and our hunting heritage in Minnesota.  The honor is awarded annually to a person who demonstrates uncommon achievements for pheasant and other wildlife habitat. As a DNR Wildlife Land Acquisition Coordinator, Hennings has helped acquire 1,380 tracts totaling 163,500 acres of state Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) during his career.

MISSOULA, Mont.-If a year's accomplishments were scored like antlers, 2007 would be a trophy-class wallhanger for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The conservation group last year helped to enhance more acres of elk habitat and complete more land protection projects than anytime in its history.

In all, the Elk Foundation impacted 366,206 acres-a monster conservation effort that will benefit hunters and wildlife enthusiasts for generations to come.

Habitat enhancement projects were completed in 20 states. Work included invasive and noxious plant control, water developments, prescribed burns, riparian restoration, various research projects and more.

In 13 states, elk habitat was permanently protected from urban development via conservation easements and acquisitions from willing sellers.

PHOENIX – Fifty-five Rio Grande turkeys were introduced to Arizona on Jan. 16 by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with assistance from the Arizona and Utah chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

All the Rios were released on BLM land at Black Rock Mountain in the far northwest corner of the state on the Arizona Strip (approximately 15 miles south of the Utah border). This terrain is similar to where the birds were transplanted from and their native habitat.

The Rios were donated from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources as part of a cooperative effort. Utah’s turkey population is doing very well and has areas where reductions are needed. Arizona on the other hand, is gaining a turkey population in an area that is more suited for the Rio Grande subspecies than for the more common Merriam’s subspecies. This translocation will enhance the diversity of wild turkeys in Arizona and the areas in which they can be experienced. The Gould’s subspecies has been reintroduced into the southeastern portion of the state and is doing well.

San Antonio, Texas — The state’s only non-profit organization solely dedicated to Texas deer, the Texas Deer Association (TDA), proudly introduces a new charitable program designed to help children in distress throughout the state. For 2008, the TDA is taking a warm and fuzzy approach to connect with children and families in need by providing plush deer toys through direct product donations to children’s charities as well as financial donations based on online toy sales.

With the new TDA Plush Deer Campaign, a percentage of the proceeds from the on-line sales of the cuddly fawns will be donated to Texas-based children’s charities throughout the year, plus TDA will make regular donations of the plush toys to children shelters and various other organizations helping children in need.

“As the leading non-profit organization supporting the health and management of Texas deer, we are always interested in promoting deer and the deer industry, but we also want to help children in our state,” says Karl Kinsel, executive director of the Texas Deer Association. “The Plush Deer allow us to do more than promote deer. The toys allow us to help the infants, toddlers, adolescents and teenagers during a difficult time in their lives and positively impact their futures and that of their children, for the better.”

The Safari Club International Diana Award honors the female hunter. Named for the huntress of Roman mythology, it recognizes the women of SCI who have excelled in international big game hunting. Award winners have shown exemplary ethics in the field, remained committed to the mission statement of SCI, and have personally given of their time and energies to enhance wildlife conservation and education. The award is sponsored by She-Safaris Expedition Clothing.

Abigail is the founding president of the SCI London Chapter, which in just two years has become the second largest chapter in Europe, and has raised over $60,000 for conservation. She regularly assists SCI’s Washington team and the European hunting body in conservation and lobbying issues, including representing SCI and its members at the 14th CITES Conference of the parties in the Netherlands.