Safari Club Alaska Banquet Coming Soon

Here’s some info on the Alaska chapter of Safari Club International banquet in Anchorage, and the feature that is running in the February issue of Alaska Sporting Journal. 

Come on out and join us on February 26th and 27th for the 40th annual Alaska Chapter of Safari Club Internationals Hunting Expo and Sportsman’s Banquet.
Tons of great hunt auction, gear and rifle raffles.
It’s a great time to meet and reunite with fellow hunters from around the state.
Tickets: http://www.aksafariclub.org/ or call (907) 980-9018

BY EDDIE GRASSER AND 

DAVE MELLUM  

Alaska became a state just over 50 years ago, and the Last Frontier remains the last great mecca for America’s anglers and hunters. However, there are storm clouds on the horizon.

It’s true that while outdoor traditions remain strong here in Alaska, there are those who would deny us our cultural traditions that date back thousands of years. Those of us who were here at statehood in 1959 could have never imagined that our way of life would be subjected to determined attacks to end those ancient traditions. Fortunately, for much of our existence as a state we’ve had effective organizations that have held the line in the battle to preserve the freedom to hunt.

One of those organizations is Safari Club International (SCI) and its Alaska Chapter (AKSCI), which has been standing up for hunters for much of Alaska’s existence as a state. SCI is the world’s largest hunter-conservationist nonprofit, and, as its motto so clearly states, is “First for Hunters.”

PRESERVING TRADITIONS 

SCI has four mission areas, with the three most important being preserving the freedom to hunt, conservation of wildlife and education of the general public and future hunters. The fourth mission area is humanitarian services.

In Alaska, AKSCI led the fight to defeat anti-hunters at the ballot box twice in the last decade.

We’ve successfully worked with SCI National to take on the feds, where they have misinterpreted the law, and we are currently the only hunting conservation group to file an amicus brief on the very important Sturgeon Case, which is now before the U.S. Supreme Court (SCI member John Sturgeon has challenged the National Park Service’s regulations on waters in Alaska’s national preserves).

We maintain full-time lobbyists in Juneau and in Washington, D.C., and SCI is the leading champion of political candidates who support hunting through our political action committee, SCI-PAC.

AKSCI is a major supporter of conservation in Alaska and abroad. Perhaps the best example of our commitment to wildlife was our leadership role in re-
introducing wood bison to the Alaskan landscape. We’ve also funded several wildlife management projects such as the chronic wasting disease study on Kodiak Island for Sitka blacktail deer.

Our efforts for education and humanitarian services are also well established. Every year we sponsor youth outdoor education programs, the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, National Archery in the Schools program and the Youth Education Leadership Program. Along with the numerous outdoor and conservation education programs, AKSCI is heavily involved in providing outdoor adventures to disabled veterans and our Friday evening banquet at our annual Hunting Expo is fully dedicated to America’s heroes.

As a leading chapter within SCI, ours has been recognized as the premier chapter worldwide four times in the last decade, winning four Top Gun Awards and one Diamond Conservation Award. We were excited this past fall to learn we just won our fifth Top Gun Award for 2014 and also our second Diamond Conservation Award, to be presented at the national convention in Las Vegas. Each of these prestigious awards is given to only one chapter from nearly 200 in the world.

A CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS

This month will mark the 40th anniversary of AKSCI’s annual Hunting Expo and Sportsman’s Banquet. From its humble beginning to its current status as the world’s “Top Gun” chapter, AK
SCI continues its fight to protect Alaskan hunter-conservationists. This year’s event will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 and 27, at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage.

The event will consist of banquets, silent auctions, raffles, taxidermy competition, photo contest, gun drawings, hunting seminars, visiting outfitters from throughout the world, and perhaps the most incredible live auction you will ever witness.

This two-day live auction event is unparalleled in both size and offerings, and will feature over 80 hunting and fishing trips valued at over $500,000. There will be trips from North America (Alaska Governor’s Dall sheep tag, muskox, moose, whitetail deer, mountain lion, elk, antelope, aoudad sheep, wild hog, javelina, pheasant, plus many more); Africa (both plains game and dangerous game, including elephant, Cape buffalo and darted rhino); New Zealand (red stag, chamois, tahr); South America; Europe; Belize; Australia and more.

If you have ever wanted to be a participant in what can only be described as the ultimate sportsman’s “bucket list” auction, you simply must attend this event.

FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

As Alaska’s sportsmen and -women living here, we are able to experience the finest hunting and fishing the world has to offer. The Alaska Chapter of Safari Club International is working hard, as evidenced by the Top Gun and Diamond Conservation Awards mentioned above, to preserve the freedom to hunt for us and for
future generations.

Our annual fundraiser allows us to give all hunters the opportunity to continue their heritage. We would ask you to please help us in our effort by becoming a member of AKSCI and by joining us at our upcoming
banquet. ASJ

Editor’s note: For more information on available hunts and other adventures, or to purchase tickets, please visitaksafariclub.org. You can purchase tickets or full tables online or by calling (907) 980-9018 or email admin@aksafariclub.org. For sponsor tables call (907) 841-0358 or email eddie@aksafariclub.org.