HUNTERS - sciwi.org · Tucson, Arizona, to increase knowl-edge of, and appreciation for, the diverse wildlife of the world. Humanitarian Programs: The SCI Foundation, through Sportsmen

HUNTERSOfficial Magazine Of Sci chapterS in WiScOnSin and illinOiS

May/June 2019

• FUNdraiser Photos• Taylor’s Snow Geese• Belongia’s Thousand Days• Conservation & Education Successes• News from National & Chapter Presidents

Kubichek’s Bezoar Ibex

2 WI SCI HUNTERS – May/June 2019

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Why Join SCI Today?Safari Club International is the

leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife

conservation wor ldwide. These primary missions are suppor ted through many parts of the organiza-tion and the SCI Foundation. But our success depends on hunters like you joining an SCI chapter right here near your home. Please do your part to help us help you and other hunters in this area.

You can join simply by signing up at one of the chapter websites listed on the next page.

Please join today and we wil l welcome you like a new friend and old hunting buddy.

Here’s an overview of how we help all hunters, especially those living right here in our own backyard.

Advocate: Since 2000, SCI has spent $140 million on protecting the freedom to hunt through policy advo-cacy, litigation, and education for federal and state legislators to ensure hunting is protected for future gener-ations. Through direct involvement and partnerships with like-minded organizations, SCI has become a political force in Washington, D.C. and other world capitals.

Connect: When you become a member of SCI, you join a network of over 55,000 like-minded individuals all over the world. In your local com-

munity there may already be an of� cial SCI chapter. Working side by side, holding similar attitudes about the importance and responsibility of being a hunter, SCI members make a tangible difference through conserva-tion efforts in their communities and voicing their concerns to representa-tives who take them to the floors of Washington.

Educate: The weekly E-Newsletters In The Crosshairs and Hunt Now! provide breaking news, legal issues, government actions, product reviews, and exciting stories of the hunt, to more than 45,000 members. Through our publications, Safari Magazine and Safari Times, we keep you up to date on events and board actions as well, teach you some tips and techniques, and stories about other members� hunting expeditions.

Represent: SCI members help shape and promote the image of the hunter to non-hunters through their words and actions. In addition to practicing ethical hunting while in the � eld and around others, members can

give back by participating in humani-tarian efforts taking place across the globe through the af� liated charitable organization, Safari Club International Foundation.

Conservation Programs: SCI Foundation ensures the best available science is used in wildlife policy and management, and demonstrates the constructive role that hunting and hunters play in the conservation of biodiversity worldwide. The organization is “First for Wildlife,” investing millions of dollars into wildlife conservation and educa-tion every year. Conservation efforts never cease, and through chapter projects, SCI Foundation

grants and scholarships, and regional programs, members of Safari Club International make a difference in the life of the environment and the animals that live there.

E d u c a t i o n P r o g r a m s : S C I programs for both children and adults, provide a hands-on opportunity to experience the outdoors and to spread the knowledge of conservation and wildlife management. One of these education programs is Sensory Safari, a program in which the blind can learn about nature through touch exhibits. SCI Foundation also opened the International Wildlife Museum in Tucson, Arizona, to increase knowl-edge of, and appreciation for, the diverse wildlife of the world.

Humanitarian Programs: The SCI Foundation, through Spor tsmen Against Hunger and SafariCare, provides food and supplies to those in need, both in our backyard and in remote places of the world. The Disabled Hunter program fosters opportunities for disabled sportsmen and women to experience the hunting tradition. SafariWish grants hunting related wishes to those dealing with terminal or life-threatening illnesses.

Success depends on hunters like you joining an SCI chapter right here near your home.

Join today by signing up at one of the chapter websites listed on the next page.

HUNTERS 6 SCI Region 16 Report by Regional Rep. Charmaine Wargolet

6 Chapter Stats & Success

6 More Awards for Dan Small

7 Hunters’ Rights: Incoming President Skold Speaks Here

8 Wisconsin Chapter Report by President Fred Spiewak

8 We’re All-In for LegCuffs

9 Legislative Update by Dan Trawicki

9 Members Love Cap-Pack

10 Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Report by President Mark Jablonic

10 Education: Safety Instructors Honored

11 Randy is Common Denominator

12 Promoting Hunting to Wider Audience

12 SCI Supports Hunter Nation, Protects Rights, Conserves Wildlife

13 Badgerland Chapter Report by President Randy Mayes

13 NRF Unveils $1.1 Million Campaign for Natural Resources

14 Lake Superior Chapter Report by President Burl Johnson

15 Hunt Report: A Thousand Days by Jeffery Belongia

17 Natural Resources Board Elects SCI Member Kaz as Vice-Chair

18 Twins Get Perfect Present, and Unique Firearms Safety Reminders

19 Students & Police Agree on Need for WI Shooting Range

20 Free Scholarships Available

22 Strong Policies and Procedures

22 Big League, Good for Community

23 Hunt Report: Missouri Snow Geese by Steve Taylor

24 Photos: Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Had a FUNdraiser

28 Badgerland Event Photos

32 Hunt Report: Bezoar Ibex by John Kubichek

36 Wisconsin Grand Event Photos

Editor/Publishers: Mark & Coni LaBarbera

HUNTERS is a bimonthly publication for members of SCI chapters in Wisconsin, plus bonus electronic circulation, which includes some of the world’s most avid and affluent conservationists who enjoy hunting here and around the world. They have earned a reputation of leadership on natural resources issues and giving to pro-tect and support the future of hunting and conservation here and abroad. To share your message with them, send ads and editorial submissions to Mark LaBarbera at [email protected].

Submission of story and photos means that you are giving SCI permission to use them free in SCI printed or electronic form.

Issue Deadline__January/February November 20March/April January 20May/June March 20July/August May 20September/October July 20November/December September 20

New AdvertisersThe number of advertisers allowed in WI SCI HUNTERS magazine is limited. If you would like your ad to be considered for publication, contact Mark at [email protected]. New advertisers who are accepted and prepay for a 6x schedule receive substantial discounts as listed below. All amounts are net U.S. dollars.Ad 1x 6x TotalSize Size Rate (Prepaid)1/4 Pg. 3.5”w x 5.25”h $150 $600/yr.1/2 Pg. 8.25”w x 4.75”h $200 $800/yr.Full Pg. 8.25”w x 10.75”h $250 $1,100/yr.Covers 8.25”w x 10.75”h $300 $1,300/yr.Deliver ads with ½” margin on four sides, plus ¼” for bleeds.

Send ad fees to Treasurer Janean Gehl, W157N10472 Fieldstone Pass, Germantown, WI 53022. No attempt is made to verify the accuracy of ballistic information or hunt reports submitted. Ads in this publication are not considered endorsements or approval of such adver-tiser by Safari Club International.IF YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED, please notify Janean Gehl at [email protected]

Official Magazine of SCI Chapters in Wisconsin and IllinoisMay/June 2019

Join today!SCI Chapters welcome you!

New members and your families are always welcome at SCI. Visit these websites and join a chapter to start your adventure. Members enjoy great fun, meet new friends, make a difference in their commu-nity and help the future of hunting, plus you will discover new deals and opportunities that improve your hunting skill and enjoy-ment. We invite you to join online today.

Badgerland ChapterPresident Randy Mayeswww.scibadgerland.com

Illinois & Chicago ChapterPresident Marla Rimkuswww.sci-illinois.com

Lake Superior ChapterPresident Burl Johnsonwww.sci-lakesuperior.com

Northeast Wisconsin ChapterPresident Mark Jablonicwww.scihunterexpo.com

Southeast Wisc. Bowhunters ChapterPresident Alex Valleywww.scibowhunters.com

Wisconsin ChapterPresident Fred Spiewakwww.sciwi.org

SCI Region 16 RepresentativeCharmaine [email protected]

On the cover: John Kubichek’s research, planning and determination paid off as he completed his quest for the Bezoar Ibex.

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6 WI SCI HUNTERS – May/June 2019 WI SCI HUNTERS – May/June 2019 7

Region 16 Reportby Charmaine Wargolet,Regional Representative

ASo, fundraiser season is nearly over and we are in the middle of turkey hunting season! Hope you

drew a permit for your favorite area to hunt these incredible birds. I love turkey hunting! They are so much fun to watch and quite a challenge to harvest, but then any day spent out in the woods is a great day!

At this writing, I have attended two of my chapter fundraisers and both were a huge success. The Wisconsin

Chapter (my home chapter) and the Badgerland Chapter. The Northeast Chapter event was on the same weekend as Wisconsin, but I know they had a great show up there in Green Bay. They always do!

The Wisconsin event had just a few less people but those who came spent money and had a great time! SCI President-Elect, Steve Skold and his wife Sue were in attendance, Dan Small was the guest emcee and anyone who attended can readily see how much work goes into this show. From the qual i ty and number of hunts and auction items, to Tim the auctioneer who makes that portion of the evening fun for everyone, to the quality of raffles and giveaways, and to the camaraderie of being with others who share the same passion.

The Badgerland event was a very nicely run event. The hard work by the committee was very evident start to finish. Quality auction items, both silent and vocal, and very nice raffle items! Jay Link was their guest emcee and did a great job! On Sunday morning as I was leaving, I ran into one of the hard working volunteers and after I compli-mented her on a good job, she said “We are a small chapter in ways, but a mighty one in a lot of other ways”! I love hearing comments like that!! Pride and dedication is what make our chapters

successful. And you guys knocked it out of the park!

I know the Illinois/Chicago chapter will be putting on their usual quality event as well as Lake Superior chapter! We will look for reports and pictures of all the fundraisers!

If you worked your chapter event, THANK YOU!!!! It takes a gargantuan amount of effort to put on these incred-ibly successful events and it would not happen without you!

And if you attended an event (or two or three of them), thank you, thank you!! It would not be an event without attendees and we would not make any money without you all! To contribute to the mission of SCI, we need the funds raised and as chapters we get to keep 70% of the monies raised to do with what we please. Most of that money is spent right here in our state on conser-vation, education, hunter advocacy and humanitarian projects and programs!

So gobble, gobble, happy hunting!!

SCI Region 16 StatsSix SCI chapters based in

Wisconsin and Illinois make up SCI Region 16. Most chapter

members live in those states and Minnesota, but these six chapters have also attracted members from nearly every state.

Chapter success reaches beyond Region 16. Working individually and collectively, chapters have contrib-uted to national and international conservation work and hunters’ rights efforts. Most of their work, including conservation, hunters’ rights as well as education and humanitarian services, is accom-plished within the region, like the Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo, the largest free outdoor skills school field trip in America.

Because of SCI leadership, clout, wealth, and effective strategic action with entrepreneurial speed, the chapters have been successful without having huge membership numbers. Here are the six chapters and numbers of paid members as of April 10, 2019:• Southeast Wisconsin Bowhunters

46• Illinois & Chicago 116• Badgerland 149• Northeast Wisconsin 154• Lake Superior 214• Wisconsin 290

To become a chapter member, see “Join Us” on page 4. To learn more about SCI, see page 3.

Safari Club International’s President-Elect Thanks Members Hereby Steve Skold, President-Elect

It is truly an honor to address the Wisconsin Chapter and all of your guests here tonight. Your history is

one of the best in SCI. Just think of all the funds raised and mission programs accomplished by you folks over the years. Your accomplishments have been many here in the state as well as nationally and internationally.

You may all take great pride in your suppor t of the SCI Foundation’s American Wilderness Leadership School and the number of teachers that you have sponsored over the years to this program in Wyoming.

That program is near and dear to me as I was a recipient of a scholarship to a t t e n d t h a t program back in 1977. Yes, 41 years ago when I was a high school junior. That experience has shaped my life every step of the way since, and I take great pride in being involved with SCI and the many great things that we do every day.

I am sure you a l s o h ave h a d experiences that have shaped what you have done, what you have accomplished and what you can take pride in.

So “hunter pride!” What just is that?Just by being here you have shown

that you are interested in the future welfare of hunting. As you know SCI is strong on hunter advocacy with our office in Washington DC being active in not only US politics but also what is going on around the world through CITES and traveling with guns. We are the ones fighting for permits, public access, and shutting down Federal government overreach. You can take pride in supporting SCI advocacy programs.

Or maybe your interests are in the a r e a s o f O u td o o r E d u c a t i o n , C o ns e r va t i o n , o r s o m e o f o u r Humanitarian programs run by the Safari Club International Foundation. These programs are far reaching with scholarships, teacher training, chapter matching grants, jo int education programs with both the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Salvation Army, conser-vation projects across the globe and Sportsmen Against Hunger support for chapters. Then back under SCI you have our record book and world hunting awards programs. You can take pride in knowing that your organization touches so many worthwhile operations.

The list goes on and on. And while you may not agree with absolutely everything that SCI does or stands for, I know that there will be 10 other things that you can recognize as programs or actions that you do appreciate and support. So how do we show that support?

Don’t we have a responsibi l i t y beyond just being here tonight?

How much is enough when we send in that check or purchase that item tonight? Should our financial support be a percentage of our annual hunting budget? I would suggest that it not pale in comparison.

How much do you value this way of life? This way of life for your children and grandchildren?

Or how about taking a kid hunting. Or even taking an adult that just hasn’t had the opportunity. We were fortunate this past summer to take our daughter’s fiancé to Namibia for his first hunt and I believe we have started him down a hunting path.

It could even be as simple as just talking to the person next to you on the plane or in the doctor’s office about the many marvels of hunting that we expe-rience. Go ahead and share. Remember that 70% of the population is not against hunting, but they are being swayed by

te r ms tha t have been hijacked from u s . Te r m s l i k e “conservation” and “trophy.” It’s time to take the message to that 70% and help them understand that hunters are the true conservationists and that “trophy” is not a bad word.

Go ahead and share the “Why” of the hunt and not just because it is part of the North American m o d e l o f g a m e management and conservation. Get into the emotions, the word “trophy”

and what it means to you, and how it fulfills your life. The facts and science are fine but with the anti’s gaining ground based on emotions we are going to have to fight this fight with emotions We can not hide, we can not stop telling our friends that we hunt, and we should not quit posting (although wee need to do it smartly) just because it may offend someone. We must look at that as an opportunity to educate.

HUNTER PRIDE. Our future depends on it. We all have a responsibility for the future of hunting.

I thank you for the opportunity to partake in your evening.

Touch of the Wild Sensory Safari

One of the most popular attrac-tions at the Milwaukee Journal- Sentinel Sport Show were the Touch of the Wild Sensory Safari education and outreach trailers, where parents and youth can touch the animals.

Phot

o by

Mar

k La

Barb

era


Wisconsin Chapter Reportby Fred Spiewak, President

Summer is here in all its great splendor. Game species are raising their young and increasing

their numbers. This is happening even as predator/prey relationships continue to balance each other for the benefit of their future. Our place in all of this is as manager and caretaker. The need for our careful management is evermore necessary as we help keep habitat and game numbers in balance. Summer is the time we witness the benefits of all the hard work put in by individuals on their own land. The efforts by state agencies to benefit everyone who enjoys the outdoors are also evident on public lands.

I encourage you to be aware of the efforts by the state legislature to change these cherished places and manage-ment practices. Please contact your representative and give them your input about any bills that will impact the things we take for granted. We have a State Constitutional Right to Hunt, Fish, and Trap with only “reasonable” restric-tions. It behooves us to remind our representatives of this before “restric-tive” laws are passed. It is far harder to remove restrictions later.

Turkey hunting is in full swing. As of this writing only preparation is taking place. I hope that all of you have the oppor tunity to enjoy this special time of year. Get outdoors, experience the changing of Wisconsin from winter to spring.

More elk have arrived in Wisconsin from Kentucky this spring. These are the final transfers of a multi-year rein-troduction project. This year we will likely have another elk hunt in Wisconsin. The tag application process should be online in May.

A joint research project between the DNR and UWM is studying the elk vs wolf relationship to help better under-stand what future management of these two game animals should look like.

This summer, decisions are being made regarding the possibility of a continuation of the Wisconsin wolf hunt. Since the hunt was suspended, the DNR has kept track of preference points. Should the hunt be scheduled for this fall, May will be the likely time for permit applications.

SCI National’s annual convention is taking shape. The 2020 dates are January 15 – 18, 2020. Reno is a very SCI-friendly venue. Begin making plans soon.

Go to our website sciwi.org for infor-mation about our upcoming 30th Annual Clays Outing & Picnic. This year we will be returning to The Highlands in Cascade, Wisconsin. This is a special event which has great food and fellow-ship during the summer. I hope to see you there.

We’re All-In for LegCuffsAt the recent Field & Stream Out-

door Life Sportshow in Madison, formerly the Wisconsin Deer &

Turkey Expo, a few new products caught the editor’s attention, including a compact deer and turkey tote system.

Inventor Joe Mancuso (shown here), owner of Al l-In Outdoors created LegCuffs to easily drag or tow game from the field. The product slides easily onto the legs of game and holds tightly. A testament to its popularity, a number of big name outdoor companies have approached entrepreneur Mancuso about buying his company or licensing the LegCuffs.

For more information, go to all-inout-doors.com.

Legislative Update: Lobbying for SCIby Dan Trawicki, SCI Lobbyist

W ith the new year underway and a new Gove rno r i n office, things are starting to

take shape around the capital. There have been a number of legislative issues that SCI has weighed in on from our state’s perspective. Some have been fairly easy and straightfor-ward while others are more complex. I will go thru them individually and try let you know what’s happening.

SENATE BILL 85This bill deals with the issuance of

conser vat ion patron l icenses to disabled vets at a reduced rate. There is a stipulation that the portion of disability is 50% or more and does have a very minor fiscal impact. This is expected to move forward, and I have gone on record in support.

ASSEMBLY BILL 75This is a simple bill that would allow

the honorary discharge of firearms in municipalities that currently have ordi-nances that would prohibit same. By honorary, we are talking about mili-tary/police funerals and similar events. This expected to move forward, and I have gone on record in support.

LRB1598As most people are aware, firearms

and conventional archery equipment are no longer required to be in a case while being transported in any type of veh ic le. Crossbows were neve r included in the original bill, which was an oversight. This would include crossbows, and I have given our wr i t ten suppor t to have i t move forward

SENATE BILL 30 ASSEMBLY BILL 29

This is certainly one of the most controversial bills to be introduced in some time. Known as the “Kil l ing contest” bill, it was introduced by Sen. Fred Risser of Madison. It has some very misleading language and would include any contest that animals are hunted or trapped with a prize type outcome. Deer, coyote, fox and rabbit are just some we can think of off the top of our heads. The bill has been sent to the Senate committee that Tom Tiffany of Minocqua chairs. He is the one that would decide if the bill gets a public hearing. I have gone on record opposing both pieces of legis-lation, but that’s not enough. Take the

time to call Sen. Tiffany’s office and voice your opposit ion to th is bi l l getting a hearing in the first place. It also would be important to call Sen. Risser’s office and voice your opposi-tion to the bil l. Don’t take this for granted! While the information I get is it’s not likely to go anywhere, it does have support from the public and has co-sponsors. We can’t be asleep at the wheel. This is the kind of thing that can “slip through the cracks” if we don’t pay attention and act. Several states have already put such bans in place, let’s not be the next one.

On a brighter note, I’ve had the opportunity recently to attend the SE Wisconsin bow chapter annual wild game d inne r i n Okauchee, the Wisconsin chapter’s banquet in Lake Geneva, and the Badgerland chap-ter’s recent banquet in Middleton. Wow! All were great events with super turnouts. Unfortunately, Northeast and Wisconsin fell on the same weekend so I did not make it to Green Bay. President Mark Jablonic tells me they hit another home run! Support your local chapters, its the grassroots of protecting our hunting heritage.

SCI Members Love Cap-Pack ProductsCap-Pack Truck Products was

excited to have a booth at the SCI Grand Banquet in Lake

Geneva in February. This was their first time exhibiting. The response was great!

Cap-Pack Sport was designed with the avid outdoorsman in mind. It mounts with four bolts to the roof of a cap on a pick-up truck. It makes use of space up high that is otherwise wasted. The aluminum, lightweight storage drawer slides in and out easily and can store guns, bows, ammunition, and any other equipment that you want to keep out of the bed of your truck. With dual

locks, it offers added security for that valuable equipment.

With two sizes currently available, Cap-Pack Sport fits virtually all full size and most mid-sized, standard height truck caps. If you want to install your-self, Cap-pack Sport can be purchased on their website www.cap-pack.com. Install instructions and videos are avail-able. A military and first responder discount is also offered. Cap-Pack Sport is also available through most major cap dealers. A link to authorized dealers can be found online.

SCI members thought the product was innovative and something they

have never seen. We even met a few that had one already. They were happy to see us there and commented how they use their Cap-Pack Sport all the time.

Cap-Pack Sport of fers a unique storage solution. Check it out. And Elevate Your Storage.


Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Report by Mark Jablonic, President

As I write this, many of our areas are under severe flooding. If you were affected by this, I’m sorry

for you. Hopefully you are able to easily rebound from this. With spring comes new beginnings. Now that it’s ice out, I just wonder what type of impact it will have on fish waters and on nesting birds.

Unless you are one of the fortunate people who are headed to the southern hemisphere this year, and I know a lot of them, most of our seasons are over and we are going into that void we experience before the fall when it all gets going again. Most turkey seasons are nearly over by now. If you hunted turkey this year I hope you came away with stories to tell and knowledge for the future. The toms that frequent my backyard hadn’t started gobbling yet in late March. There are some spring bear hunts yet and I keep telling myself it’s been too long since I’ve been on one. Whatever you did and where ever you went, I’m jea lous. But that’s OK because I’m trying to get in shape for a goat hunt in British Columbia I bid on at our fundraiser this September. That old saying is so true, “It’s easier to stay in shape than to get in shape.”

I wanted to give you a “heads up” in case you are a veteran or know some. Otto and Mary Reetz, two of our Board members, run an organization called Wounded Warriors United. They have some events coming up and a wonderful way to thank the vets for their service. They have too many events to go into here, I’ll list a few, but you can go to www.woundedwarriorsunited.com and check it out:

They had seven vets on a snow goose hunt in South Dakota in March;

They have a triple purpleheart recip-ient going to Triple O ranch in Idaho for a bear hunt in May sponsored by the Northeast Wisconsin chapter;

They have an all-female vets fishing event May 31;

They have a bass tournament in Beechwood, WI on July 13 that will feature 50 vets;

They have an all-female vets prong-horn antelope hunt in Wyoming in September; and

They’ll take 75 vets fishing on August 10 at Skipper Bud’s in Oshkosh. This event is open to the public. There will be lunch, raffles and awards. This is their major fundraiser for all of the activities listed above so please turn out and help them.

These events are al l funded by private donations, local businesses and SCI chapters. If you have an interest in donating or attending, you can contact Otto or Mary.

One last thing, Smokey Bear is 75 years old. I remember that baritone voice from my youth telling me, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Over the years he told us how to make sure our camp f i res were out and safe. I

understand now he gives hugs to campers who do it correctly. Oh well.

June wil l be our last members’ meeting before we take the summer off. Member meetings will begin again in September. Look for your yellow cards in the mail, especially you new members who joined at our show. Come on by and check us out. Heck, you paid for it. Now go outside and play.

Education:

Volunteer Safety Instructors HonoredMarlin “Spin” Spindler and Paul

“Jumper” Mayer are familiar faces at the SCI-supported

Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo. Recently they were honored for the years of volunteer service they have given, especially when it comes to hunter and bowhunter education.

Spindler has been teaching firearms safety for 40 years, helping to train and inspire 4,865 new hunters and 253 new bowhunters. The W i s c o n s i n W i l d l i f e Federation honored him a s H u n t e r S a f e t y Instructor of the Year in 1 9 9 2 , a n d t h e Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gave him a similar top honor in 2011.

Mayer is close behind with 35 years of volun-teer service that helped

safely train 5,090 new hunters and shooters. He earned WWF Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year top honors in 2004., according to Kim Cooley and Heather Gottschalk of the DNR’s Bureau of Law Enforcement, the agency that coordinates safety training in the state.

Marlin Spindler, left, Paul Mayer and Recreational Safety Warden Heather Gottschalk attended a recent celebration of long-time citizen volunteer service.

Randy Is Common DenominatorKevin John (beard) and Andrew Thomson killed birds with Randy Christensen (whose truck license is MK M GOBL ) during a fundraiser on Badger Camp land and on a Grant County Outdoor Sports Alliance learn to hunt event.


Badgerland Chapter Reportby Randy Mayes, President

We had a great 2019 Hunter’s Expo in Madison! We made a few changes to our event and

I think it worked out great! If you were able to make it, we thank you very much for your support. We are always open to suggestions if you have any. Call me at 715-344-4868.

As long as I’m doling out apprecia-tion, I also want to thank all of our exhibitors and donors. An event like this would not happen if it weren’t for you!

Just so you can plan it into your schedule, mark down February 14-15, 2020 on your calendar. We will be at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. We look forward to the great hospitality and food the Kaminski’s are known for!

Another date for your calendar is June 15. That is the date for our annual sporting clays event at the Waunakee

Gun Club. This is a great, laid back, fun, non-compet-itive (for the most par t!) event. We have ALL skill levels that participate. There is also a picnic lunch and, of course, like pretty much any of our events, you could walk away with a new gun under your arm! I have already put in a request for great weather. We’ve had a pretty good track record so we’ll see how it goes!

I hope you have some hunting to look forward to this fall. All of the preparing and planning help get me through the “dog days” of summer. It’s also the last chance to step up (or sometimes start!) the workout regimen so I don’t embar-rass myself too much. Especially if you have a mountain trip.

I’m headed to Greenland in late summer to do an archery hunt for musk

ox and caribou/reindeer. Hopefully, I will get some material for an article in an upcoming issue of Hunters Magazine! It shouldn’t require quite the physical demands of a DIY elk hunt in Wyoming which I often do but still could be a lot of walking. It should also be 50-above-zero rather than 50-below!

There’s still some time left for putting a turkey or two in the freezer (or the oven). There are many excess tags available in most areas during the last weeks of season. It’s just a great time of year to be outside! Good Luck!

Conservation:

SCI Supports Hunter Nation to Protect Rights, Conserve WildlifeSafari Club International (SCI) today

announced its support for Hunter Nation with a $15,000 donation to

help fund efforts to protect the right to hunt and to conserve wildlife resources.

“We are proud to help suppor t Hunter Nation in their mission of protecting and preserving hunting and hunters’ r ights, as well as wildli fe conservation programs funded by hunters,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “Hunter Nation and SCI’s

missions directly align and we are excited to work together on shaping policies and programs that benefit hunters and conservation efforts.”

“With active chapters and passionate members all across the U.S. and inter-nationally, SCI has long been a leading voice in protecting the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife conservation worldwide,” said Mark DeYoung, CEO of Hunter Nation. “We are grateful for their commitment to support Hunter

Nation and together we will raise a louder and more effective voice for all hunters.”

“SCI is not only a leader in shaping a favorable legislative and regulatory envi-ronment for hunters, but they also have a track record of giving back to our communities through educational, civic and conservation programs,” said Keith Mark, Co-Founder of Hunter Nation. “We are looking forward to working with SCI to further promote these efforts.”

Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin Unveils $1.1 Million Campaignby Ruth Oppedahl

Mile 100 was the first time I had an inkling that anyone beyond my family and colleagues was

following my I ♥ Wisconsin kayak trip down the Wisconsin River in fall 2015. As I paddled into Tomahawk I asked a man if he might please take a picture of me to mark th i s m i l es tone. He responded, “Are you the one I read about in the paper?” He had seen an article explaining that this trip was my way of sharing my concern about the state cuts to state parks, science posi-tions, and to conservation nonprofit organizations including our Foundation. That was the first time I recognized the power of this solo journey to manifest s u p p o r t f o r o n e o f t h e t h i n g s Wisconsinites care most about, our beautiful wildlife, waters, and lands.

When that r iver tr ip ended, the Foundation launched our Bluffs to Great Lake Shores Campaign to build an everlasting endowment fund for an

evergreen Wisconsin and ensure that our impact on the ground will not be diminished at a time when Wisconsin needs our help most. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our members, we have raised $950,000 toward our $1.1 million goal.

I know you ♥ Wisconsin as much as I do. What do our lands, waters, and wildlife mean to you? We hope you can make a gift that reflects the depth of your love for Wisconsin. I am so thankful for everything we have accomplished together for the state we love. Thank you for consider ing a gi f t to this Campaign at wisconservation.org.

Ruth Oppedahl, NRF Executive Director

“The Foundation helps people conserve the natural resources we all love. This shared opportunity to support our Campaign will strengthen Wisconsin’s natural heritage for future generations.”

--Ron Semmann, NRF Founding Board Member and Honorary Campaign Chair

Make a gift of $100 or more and receive a new limited edition cap.

Promoting Hunting to PublicMember Dan Small volunteered

his time to promote hunting as the featured guest of Larry

Meiller on Wisconsin Public Radio last month. They discussed “Wild Turkeys in Wisconsin,” the new Outdoor Heritage Education Center TV special and online program.

“I was really impressed with the scope of the program,” said Larry Meiller, host of the Larry Meiller show on the WPR Ideas Network. “It’s a dandy. I was glad to be able to see the w h o l e t h i n g o n l i n e b e fo re o u r interview.”

Listeners called with questions that showed high level of interest in learning

more about the birds. One caller named Dot said, “I didn’t realize turkeys slept in trees.” Another lady asked about how to learn to hunt turkeys. And callers near Green Bay and Madison talked about nuisance turkeys chasing school chil-dren in the city. Listeners also submitted comments online. One asked about how wild turkey compares to Butterball turkeys from the store as he considered taking up hunting in order to harvest a family meal locally.

“I was really fascinated by the ‘Year in the Life of the Wild Turkey’ segment,” said Meiller, as he talked about the new OHEC production being worth watching for anyone interested in wildlife, birding,

hunting or the locavore or foodie move-ment. The show aired on Fox Sports Nor th in f ive states, Fox Spor ts Wisconsin, community access stations, Milwaukee PBS and Wisconsin Public Television network, and online, including segments that help recruit, retain and reactivate hunters, as well as create and encourage mentors.

Near the end of the two-and-a-half-hour WPR interview, one caller from Hillsboro said, “I just want to say thank you to Dan for taking me, my son and my dad hunting and for helping my son learn a reverence for nature and realize it’s important to stay connected to nature.”

WPR Host Larry Meiller, left, “talked turkey” with Dan Small, right, and champion caller Jeff Fredrick.


A THOUSAND DAYSby Jeffery Belongia

I love waking up on safari. There is, of course, no place like Africa. Even after 52 hunts in seven

different countries, I have never spent a minute in Africa wishing I were some-where else. Afr ica has become a “mistress” of sorts, a love that has developed and grown over time.

I vividly remember the feel of tears running down my cheeks while standing on the Northern bank on the Zimbabwe side of the “great, gray, green, greasy Limpopo” of Kipl ing fame, Vervet monkeys scolding my presence and seeming to take some delight in my eminent departure and thinking that I may never be able to return. It was at the end of my first and long anticipated “once in a lifetime Safari” to a land that I had dreamed about from a very early age. I had been inf luenced by the television series The American Sportsman and Wild Kingdom. I had just ended 14 whir lwind days of delight, adventure, and romance. I had fallen in love with the idea of Africa many years before, but now I had finally consummated the relationship.

In my state of self-pity I could not imagine, or foresee, the multiple hunts for lion, buffalo, crocodile, hippo, elephant and lechwe, bushbuck, that awaited along r ivers wi th names l ike Zambesi, Luangwa, Munyamadzi, Kilombero, Kafue, Angwa, Okavango, Kwando, Gwaai , Umzingwani, Shashi, and others.

This was August of 1982, I was in my late 20’s and I had borrowed the money for the trip from my mother, who had been widowed when I was nearly eight years old. I am the oldest, my Mom having worked three jobs to raise four children, mortgaged her house to provide the money for my dream. She had instilled in her children a supreme work ethic and a commitment to integ-rity. I was never late on the following 36 months of payments, but I wondered how I could ever afford to return to Africa.

There would be, most importantly, the making of friendships, friendships

that would enrich my soul in ways far greater than can be explained. My meeting a true kindred spirit, a man who would share and expose the true fortunes of Africa to me, giving and sharing with me the greatest gift I have ever received. Kismet? Maybe!

Maybe it was the tears that blurred my vision and kept me from seeing across the river to the Republic of South Africa and the eventual safaris the future would bring to me. There would be hunts along the southern bank of the Limpopo in the Transvaal. There would be safaris to the Eastern Cape for Vaal rhebok, mountain reedbuck, oribi, grysbok, Cape bushbuck, blue duiker, b lack w i ldebeest, b lesbok, and springbok, the multiple landings in

Johannesburg and six subsequent explorations of the famed Kruger National Park.

Eventually, I would be one, if not the first, American to lottery draw a place on a foot safari along the Olifants River accompanied by a ranger of the Kruger Park, cameras only however, a safari none the less. The experience would put me within spitting distance of a full-maned ginger-colored lion pancaked in short grass being unwilling to flee due to porcupine quills imbedded in his left front paw. He was, however, willing to roar, the reverberations sending chills up and down my spine. I captured him on video. From that moment on I knew I had to find the means to hunt lion. I needed to capture the essence of that magnificent beast.

Years later I found myself enjoying breakfast at the Sea Cliff Hotel in Dar es

Salam waiting to be fetched for transfer to my charter flight south and west to the Kilombero region and the Selous Game Reserve of Tanzania, for my first lion hunt. This was East Africa, the birthplace of the modern safari. There were herds of buffalo stretching for more than a kilometer with the ever-present white cattle egrets circling or riding the backs of the black bovines. Puku antelope, the ubiquitous prey species were too numerous to count, yet the Game Department only allowed one trophy on a 21-day safari! The same license that allowed 3 buffalo, a lion, an elephant, two zebra plus other species. I joked that Stevie Wonder could shoot a Puku there.

There would be more buffalo and lion hunts in other countries.

The Luangwa River valley in Z a m b i a i s a m a g n i f i c e n t ecosystem. The river is home to one of the largest populations of hippo and crocodile on the conti-nent. Thorn ic rof t ’s g i ra f fe inhabits its forests, and mango trees are seemingly everywhere. Watching the people of the Senga tr ibe dismember my hippo trophy with precision and efficiency was fascinating, every edible portion happily utilized. Fishing for huge catfish called Vundu and eating the delectable

flaky white flesh was satisfying and a welcomed break from prolonged masti-cation of tough-as-leather Cape buffalo steaks. Collecting a Chobe bushbuck with 18 ¼ inch horns was gratifying. Making a 93-meter brain shot on a 13-foot crocodile on the far bank of the river was impressive.

The road trip across the top of the Nor thern Cape f rom Jo’burg, to Windhoek provided new names for my African vocabulary. Names like Hotazel, Brey, Tosca, and Kuruman, a pros-perous cattle and mining area on the Ghaap Plateau. A place of permanent water, the Oasis of the Kalahari and Die Oog, the Eye. Crystal clear mineral water, almost gin like, filled with Tilapia Bream. Drinking my first, distinctly South African Pinotage wine, a cross between a Pinot noir and Cinsault grape. Drinking the wine from a water

Lake Superior Chapter Reportby Burl Johnson, President

LSC 21st Annual Lake Superior Banquet is complete and in the books. The hours of preparation,

paperwork, emails, phone calls all were well worth the work.

Our board members are some of the best people in the world. They do have criticism but it is always constructive criticism all benefiting the chapter in the long run.

To all of our vendor and outfitters who traveled across the country to get here, a mill ion THANK YOU’S. We cannot exist without the generosity of these folks. It’s not just them; it’s also our sponsor, Coppersmith and Trophy Shippers and especially the Taxidermy Studios who attended.

I would like to apologize to anyone who ca l led for reg istrat ion af ter Thursday. We had a sold-out event based on the weather, which was foggy and horrible. 450 in attendance on Friday and over 550 in attendance on Saturday was the key to our success. We have already made notes for next year to base our numbers on the weather conditions to make sure we don’t turn anyone away.

We increased our membership with the help of Michael Roqueni who came in from nationals to help us along the way. If you have not met Michael please do so he’s an excellent salesman for your chapter. He came to work our event and that he did. He even told my

wife that we should renew our member-ship she was giggling.

It has been a long week for all of us…its funny the ladies at the casino called yesterday, the day after the banquet. Burl you need to come get the Bank’s Blind its outside the backdoor. After the Reverse Auction a winner was chosen and has yet to claim his blind. How do you not remember that you won a Bank’s Blind? Well I guess I’m going to be making some phone calls today.

I’m vey proud to be part of such a great chapter.


glass at the Molopo Hotel, located near the entrance to the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, and feeling like I had reached Nirvana. I remember toasting those French Protestant Huguenots for remember ing to br ing the v ines. Opening the “boot” of the Mazda sedan to retrieve my suitcase and marveling at the heavy layer of micro-fine dust that had infiltrated over the 350 kilometers since we had left the tar road.

This 1,800-kilometer trek would intro-duce me to Kalahari bushveld and Camelthorn trees, Acacia thorn, Tsama melons, gigantic nests built by sociable Weaver birds, Cape Cobras, Nama and Damara people, and the magnificent Giant Oryx or Gemsbok. The finest meat produced on the continent, perhaps in all the world!

It is impossible to rank the vistas of the African bushveld in terms of sheer beauty or significance, however there is little else that stirs in me the wonder and appreciation for the creation of a herd of Oryx being bathed in the long yellow light cast by the late afternoon sun. Watching as they cross the red dunes of Kalahari sand, stop-ping to glance back wards, as if to gain a moment’s ref lection, with the ir H-painted faces and black rapier horns signifying their ever readiness for battle.

There would be many more trips to Namibia, multiple visits and days in the Etosha National Park. Flamingos on the Pan, black rhino in the thorn and at the water d u r i n g t h e c o o l i n g evenings, two male lions the size of zebra, spotted at sunrise, l e av i ng a wa te r ho l e k now n as Gemsbokvlakte.

There would be an evening at Okaukuejo water hole and rest camp with Peter Capstick, the American author of Death in the Long Grass, and many other books recounting tales of African hunting and adventure. He graciously presented me a 470-caliber cartridge developed and named for him. The 470 Capstick cartridge sits in my trophy case along with photos of the two of us sharing a “sundowner” together.

In later years Namibia would give up my second lion. A huge male pushed out of the Etosha National Park, having developed his feline taste for beef on the cattle farms bordering the park. Circumstance played a role in my being invited to join in on a friend’s attempt at hyena hunting. Upon our arrival, Nature Conservation was issuing a PAC, p ro b l e m a n i m a l control, tag for lion to the farmer. Sometimes Fate wears a beautiful smile!

There would be incred-ible days spent hunting springbok, between the seemingly endless Kalahari red sand dunes. In years of good rain, the bright yellow, wintered sour grass carpeted the troughs between the crests of the red dunes. The color contrasts with the cloudless blue of the sky provided breathtaking vistas. The light providing a cleansing feel to the soul.

There would be that sweet taste of the Cook Sister pastries of Philippolis, a

town in the false Karoo of the Orange Free State. That visit was the result of an invitation to “ s h o o t ” f o r a n e w fr iend’s meat hunt. I remember walking the quaint, almost deserted, Voortrekker Road and a visit with history in the Dutch Reformed Church and its olive wood pulpit, h a v i n g b e e n b u i l t without a single nail. My introduction to Karoo lamb and the making of the traditional “farmers sausage” Boerewors,

and biltong and the palate pleasing and socially binding experience, of a tradi-tional African barbeque known as a Braai. Fortunately, there would be many Braais in my future, but I could not taste them yet. They needed to be earned.

Then came my introduction to the DeBeer’s farm at Kimberley and the Great Hole diamond excavation which can be seen from space, the entire digging a hand basket removal of millions of buckets of earth and the capture of billions of dollars of gems. A day spent perusing the historic build-ings and displays depicting life during

those early diamond mining years. Cecil Rhodes would use some of the wealth to carve out a political career, create an empire and give birth to new pioneers,

and a new country called Rhodesia. I had yet to hear the deafening

silence of the Namib desert or the audi-tory groaning of compressing sand as a land cruiser with severely deflated tires crested dune after dune on a trek from Solitaire to the Atlantic Coast. A GPS and a government permit in the kit, with enough water and provisions for the four-day trek. I could not envision the Azure blue of Sandwich Harbor and the pink string of flamingos that waded in the shallows as we crested that last golden sand dune and eased our way down the steep slope to the lapping salt water waves licking the golden sands. Sands deposited over eons of time from the Orange River, far to the south, and ferried up the coast in the waters of the Benguela current.

There would be nights, just post-civil war, sleeping on the Mozambique beach of the Indian Ocean, waiting to be greeted by the warming rays of the rising sun, the grit of sand in my teeth, the smell of ocean dank in my nostrils, as I pulled back the top layer of the bedroll and rose to the cacophony of native voices. We had no tents. This wa s a l a t r i n e - d i gg i ng Spa r t a n adventure.

I was entertained by a large group of locals, men, women and children, going through the ritual of daily subsistence by pulling a sein net in a large semi-circle through the shallows, while another mob attempted to herd what-ever aquatic life they could into the approaching trap. I too would be fishing, but we had brought a boat, from Nelspruit in South Africa, crossing the border at Komatipoort, heading east to Maputo and then north along the coast

to Vilanculos, towing the boat the last few miles across a sand track shaded by a forest of palm trees. The sand tract beginning from the end of a bombed out, pock-marked tar road lined with burnt out tanks and military vehicles, all civil war relics.

This would be a fishing safari for Dorado and Kingklip, an invitation from

a South African “cowboy” I had met at an SCI show in Las Vegas.

A primal instinct awakens each time I return to Africa, a feeling that says I am here where I ought to be. There is a magic to Africa, not the illusional or stage magic, but more of a religious type, the type that is life-altering.

Never a day goes by since my first trip that I do not think of Africa. I miss the people, sights, sounds, smells, and the feel of Africa when I am not there.

Each morning on safari brings the promise of something new and exciting. It is Christmas, a new car, your birthday, or your first real kiss.

Africa is our ancestral home. There is a soulful good in our return. I f Af r ica had gender it would be she and she would be a hunter’s mistress.

Maybe the drive to return is embedded in the instinct provided by our mitochondrial DNA passed down to all of us from the first woman of Africa? The mother of all Homin ids. Man has traced that DNA back to

Lucy at Olduvai Gorge and our ances-tral home, Africa. It is DNA that molds us and dictates our human biology.

Biology ties us to our human ecology. Our eyes face forward for a reason. We are in fact predators, killers to the extent we are willing to recognize it. The life of one animal sustains the lives of others.

Nature passes no judgments. Good and evil does not exist in nature. I real-ized at an early age, that I am a hunter. Hunting is the one thing that ties me to the natural world. I make no apologies.

Being a hunter is also the basis for my love for animals, my connection to them, my biophilia. It drives my ambition to interact on a primal and purely natural level, to be a participant with natural cycles and not just a spectator. Hunting is about pursuit which brings with it the expedit ion and adventure. Afr ica p rov i d e s u s w i t h a l i f e t i m e o f adventure.

I am nearing 1,000 safari days as I write this. The 31 days I have booked for this year wil l put me over that threshold, not that i t was ever a conscious goal. They will be days filled with excitement, laughter, wonder, anticipation, adventure and surprises. Those days will be here and gone before I know it. The anticipation of this trip is nearly as enjoyable as the realiza-tion will be. It is always that way.

Famed author and lover of Africa Karen Blixen noted, “If I could do just one more thing, it would be to go on safari once again”.

I know exactly what she meant!

Natural Resources Board ElectsSCI Member Kaz as Vice-ChairDr. Frederick Prehn was elected Chair and SCI member Greg Kazmierski

was elected Vice-Chair of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board by its seven members.

Board members are nominated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for six-year terms. Under the law, three members are appointed from the territory north of a line running east and west through the south limits of Stevens Point, three members from the territory south of the line and one member from the state at large. At least one Board member must have an agricultural background and at least three Board members must have held a hunting, fishing, or trapping license in at least seven of the 10 years before the year of nomination except if an individual served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or national guard during the 10 years. Terms expire on May 1.

Dr. Prehn of Prehn Dental Office in Wausau was first appointed May 18, 2015.

Kaz is President and Owner of Buck Rub Outfitters Ltd. in Pewaukee. He was first appointed May 1, 2011.

Julie Anderson of Racine County Public Works and Development Services was elected Secretary. She was first appointed to the NRB May 1, 2015.

“I’m excited about getting things done with Preston Cole now as DNR Secretary,” said Kaz. “Preston is a firm believer in the NRB. And the new administration is supportive. The previous administration wanted to abolish the NRB.”

To keep our beloved Kaz humble as he continues to influence natural resources and outdoor-related policies at top levels in Wisconsin, we decided not to use the professional suit-and-tie image of him at meetings, nor the many candid shots of him with conservation leaders, agency heads and politicians. Instead, we sent paparazzi to the recent Field & Stream Outdoor Life show, formerly Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo, in Madison to catch him eating supper on the run as he sold the new arrow rest from Buck Rub Gear.


Schools and police departments in southwestern Wisconsin are welcoming volunteers and dona-

tions to help fulf i l l a critical need. Non-profit organizations have agreed to help students, administrators and offi-cers, but more support is needed.

In recent years, schools in Benton, Hazel Green, Platteville and Shullsburg have joined more than 80 teams and more than 2,000 student athletes in Wisconsin’s fastest-growing high school sport.

They are engaging students in one of the safest sports and it is gaining in popularity across the state and the USA.

Education experts point to the positive impact and success, espe-cially at increasing the percentage

Case Study:

Students & Police Agree on Need for New Range

Leaders recognize the value and opportunities for youth, educators, officers and community

Twins Get Perfect Present, and Unique Firearms Safety Remindersby Mark LaBarbera

When the family of Greyson and Eli Rydquist wanted to bring the young twins into the

hunting fraternity, they shopped for just the right gifts.

Zack, their dad, learned early that it causes issues if you don’t treat twins equally. They both had an interest in the shooting sports and the great outdoors. They both like their future stepmom,

Haley Mayer, an avid shooter and good mentor.

So when the Christmas gift list was created, Daisy Red Ryder BB guns were at the top. Not one, but two, one for each of the twins. This is the begin-ner’s f irearm made famous in part by the 1983 classic holiday TV movie, “A Christmas Story” in which young Ralphie wishes for a Red Ryder BB gun but adults warn him, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

So when Greyson and Eli, one a lefty and one a right-handed shooter, opened their Christmas presents, they were happy and surprised to find the gifts of their dreams, as well as custom-made shirts depicting Ralphie. Look closely at this photo and you’ll see one shirt has a cracked right lens on Ralphie’s glasses, and the other has a cracked left lens, ever-present reminders for the twins to be careful and always remember to follow the rules of firearms safety.

WI 19


of students participating in extra-curric-ular activities, including many youth not invo lved in ba l l spor ts or other extra-curriculars.

As other districts, like Cuba City in southwestern Wisconsin, consider s ta r t ing a team and jo in ing the Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League (WISHSCTL), they are discovering that there is only one trap field in the area. The lone trap range at the Izaak Walton League’s South-western Wisconsin Chapter’s club grounds near Leadmine is already accommodating the other four school teams from the area.

Because of limits on range availability, schools have turned away students who want to sign up for the team.

The chapter has declined requests to expand, including repeated offers to pay for one additional trap range and indoor p lumbing for students and the i r families.

People understand and respect the chapter’s longstanding and ongoing contribution to youth and conservation. Chapter members mentor young anglers, hunters and target shooters, and they help with local needs for schools, conservation and the environ-ment. Members and non-members in the community also see the unfulfilled other needs of local schools, coaches, educators and students. So, they launched an initiative to pitch in and build a new shooting range in the area for student clay target teams as well as

a modest 25-yard pistol range for local law enforcement needs.

Shullsburg Police Chief Josh Jerry is at the intersection of both issues. He coaches the high school trap team and also knows local contractors, trades - men, conservation leaders, farmers, business owners and relatives who are willing to pitch in.

“There is great support for a new facility to meet the needs for student athletes as well as officers at local police departments,” he said. “We’re glad that the Outdoor Heritage Education Center non-profit group is willing to step up to lead this effort.”

J i m S a b l e , P re s i d e n t o f t h e WISHSCTL said, “Clay target shooting as an activity for Wisconsin high school athletes continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The record-setting growth we’ve seen shows the demand for alter-native high school activities related to Wisconsin’s longstanding outdoor traditions.”

The League’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to high schools in Wisconsin. The League is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it’s an ‘adap-tive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.

“We take pride in that athletes of all types are able to participate in clay target shooting,” John Nelson, Vice President of the WISHSCTL, remarked. “Our True Team® scoring system is also des igned so that ever yone can compete, not just the top scorers on a team.”

The purpose of the Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League is to at tract students to par tic ipate in

shooting sports while creating a friendly competit ion among high schools throughout Wisconsin. Scores are submitted online and compared against other high school trap teams within their conference. This is accomplished by providing a safe, comfortable, positive team environment that enhances a student athlete’s character and personal growth through safe, educational and socially acceptable involvement in shooting sports. With the assistance of hundreds of volunteer coaches and parents, student athletes in grades 6 through 12 represent their high school and compete in weekly trap shooting at their local shooting range. In this south-western Wisconsin case study, a new local range needs to be built, and soon, according to experts.

ANY HIGH SCHOOL CAN JOINAny public, private or parochial high

school in Wisconsin is invited to participate. Teams require:

• Approval from the schoo l (Schoo l Board, Principal, and/or Activities/Athletic Director);

• Use of the school name;

• A head coach;• Access to a local shooting range;

and• A minimum of five student athletes

(no maximum).

LETTER SPORTSchools in southwestern Wisconsin

offer varsity letters to student athletes, just like other schools participating in the League. Each school has dif ferent criteria for awarding letters.

YEARBOOK PHOTO FOR YOUR TEAM.Schools are strongly encouraged to

include the trap team in the school’s yearbook as a sport or activity. Most current teams, including some in this case study of southwest Wisconsin, provide this for the team.

STATE & NATIONAL TOURNAMENTSUpon completion of the Spring

League, student athletes are invited to par ticipate in individual and team competitions at the state tournament at the Wisconsin Trapshooting Associ-ation’s Shooting Complex in Nekoosa, WI. Students in the southwestern Wisconsin case study have participated in the state and national competitions in Texas. Area high school athletes in other sports sometimes make it to state, but rarely do they make it to national tourna-ments like these students did through clay target shooting.

T h e L e a g u e a t t rac ts s tudent athletes, including those who don’t play ball or par take in other sports or extracurricular activities, to participate in safe

shooting sports while creating a “virtual” competition among high school teams throughout Wisconsin at no cost to the schools. Family travel costs are minimal because practice and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school’s location when available. The League is also the safest sport in high school, with no reported injuries since the inception of the League in 2001. Conferences are determined by team size rather than geographic location for fair competition. Athletes earn True Team® scor ing points as determined by their performance and ranking against all athlete scores within their team¹s conference. The team score and overall standings are calculated and posted on the League’s website. Athletes and their families may track their individual and team performance on their computer via the League’s website, and by the Shooter Performance Tracker® mobile app.

CONCLUSIONCommunities across the USA and

Wisconsin have proven the far-reaching value of encouraging and supporting development and use of shooting ranges for officers and student athletes in one of the safest and fastest-growing school sports.

Local leaders, neighboring land-owners and the community each plays a role and creates their own legacy of supporting youth and law enforcement in their area. History shows that the most appreciated citizens are the ones who also engage in positive and direct communication with the charitable non-profits and other partners trying to help the community, local police and area youth.

Free Scholarships AvailableThe USA High School Clay Target

League Scholarship is offered to s t u d e n t

a t h l e t e s t h a t participate in the spring league. This opportunity is to provide financial assistance for a s tudent that i s continuing his/her education after high school and to reward a student who is seeking a career in environmental sciences or conservation industries.

To be eligible for the scholarships, the student athlete must:

1. Be a member of a participating League team in the spring league;

2. Be a high school senior gradu-ating in the current year;

3. Demonstrate an interest in furthering his/her education in the field

of environmental sciences and/or conservation of o u r n a t u r a l resources;

4. Adhere to all schoo l d i s t r i c t rules, policies and

requirements concerning student activities including, but not limited to, attendance, conduct, scholastic standing and other eligibility require-ments; and

5. Athlete must submit all neces-sary documentation before May 15th.

The winner of the scholarship will b e a n n o u n c e d a t t h e s t a t e tournament.



Hunt Report:

Snow Goose Chase In Spring 2019, SCI members hunted Missouri, where 1.3 million geese said goodbyeby Steve Taylor

I have always been a waterfowl hunter at heart. So, I talked three friends into a spring conservation hunt for snow

geese in Missouri. We went with Last Pass Guide Service (www.lastpassgui-deservice.com), an outf it ter from Rochester, MN. The hunt was sched-uled for the first week of March. This ended up being delayed to the third week as the migration started late due to the abnormal cold weather. The Loess Bluff National Wildlife Refuge held 20 snow geese in early March but went to 1.3 million by March 11. The number then went down to 4,000 a week later!

The hunt was good, but the shooting did not materialize as well as expected. This was not due to any fault of the

outfitter. Bryce and Chad have good equipment, lots and lots of decoys, e l ec t ron ic ca l l e r s , numerous land owner connections and a vast knowledge of snow goose hunting. The first day ended with a few flocks decoying and nine birds on the ground. There should have been a few more, but hey, nobody hits them all. The second morning we moved to higher ground to avoid the record setting Missouri River flooding. The guides had worked unti l 2:30am pulling decoys. Again a few flocks decoyed resulting in five birds. The afternoon was dead. The third day gave up a couple birds in the morning with another

dead afternoon. As with many hunts

Mother Nature threw us a curve ball. The fast thaw coupled with rain prevented us f rom hunt ing the u s u a l f i e l d s . Flooded, inacces-s ib le corn f ie lds provided the geese

with all they needed. The migration ended up being extremely fast. We saw thousands and thousands of birds the first day but fewer and fewer each succeeding day.

I highly recommend Last Pass as an outfitter for this hunt. Just pray for a more normal spring.

Steve Taylor posed with a Ross goose and snow geese.

John Albright, Cliff Thompson and Jerry Muehr hunted from layout blinds.

Hunters encountered flooded farms in the Missouri River bottoms.

Loess Bluff National Wildlife Refuge the day prior to this hunt was

holding about 1.3 million snow geese and was down to about

400,000 in this picture.

It rained on John Albright and

Jerry Muehr on day two.

Big League, and Good for the Community

The Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League is an affiliate of the USA High School Clay Target League, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The League is an independent provider of shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for high schools and students in grades 6 through 12. The organization’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order. Each student is required to pass a comprehensive firearm safety education course prior to participation.

Nationwide, nearly 22,000 students representing over 800 school-approved teams participate in the League.

Helping youth become good citizens, the League believes that:

• Safe and responsible handling and storage of firearms and ammunition is the first priority;

• Everyone should have fun;• Participation is a privilege and not a

right;• Sportsmanship needs to have a

constant presence;• Students should have an equal

opportunity to participate;• Ethical behavior, dignity and respect

are expected;• Participants will be chemically free;• Collaborative relationships with

schools and students create a posi-tive experience;

• Academic priorities must come before participation;

• Adults must serve as a positive role model to students;

• The success of the team is more important than individual honors;

• Gun clubs are critical to the success of the League and are positive busi-ness leaders in their community;

• Compliance with school, community, gun club and League rules are essential for all participants;

• Shooting sports strengthens connec-tions within families and communities for life; and

• Everything the League does will always be in the best interest of the students.

Strong Policies and ProceduresShooting ranges that host League

teams, including new ones built to fulfill an area’s growing needs,

should familiarize themselves with the League’s Policies and Procedures. This document is the first resource that clubs, teams, and coaches should refer to if there are any questions.

The new southwestern Wisconsin shooting range like the other ranges will set clear expectations with teams and athletes regarding shooting range rules and safety procedures. In all cases, shooting range safety procedures and product specifications supersede any League policies and/or procedures.

The League a lso recommends shooting ranges should provide each team a copy of the ir emergency management plan before the season beg ins. The new sou thweste rn Wisconsin range’s emergency manage-ment plan will contain local emergency services contact information, inclement weather requirements and evacuation procedures, and shooting range contact information.

ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO USEClay target team events should be

held to the same requirements as other

high school events. Therefore, no alcohol or tobacco will be used during League events at the shooting range.FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

Shooting ranges in general have similar requirements for firearms and ammunition use. It is very important that all participating student athletes and teams acquire and understand the shooting range’s requirements prior to purchasing or bringing firearms and ammunition to the range.

Shotguns: No chamber larger than 12 gauge can be used.

Ammunition: All student athletes mus t u se f ac to r y a mmun i t i on . Ammunition load, shot size, and velocity (feet per second) specifications must meet the use requirements of the shooting range during the event.

A student athlete cannot use• Reloaded cartridges; o• Tracers, copper and nickel coated

shot.FIELD AND TARGET RECOMMENDATIONS

Ensur ing a consistent and fa ir shooting experience throughout the state and the League is important to the enjoyment of the sport for all parti-

cipants. The League encourages shooting ranges to adhere to standard range and target specifications to the best of the shooting range’s abilities.

TRAP FIELDThe Amateur Trapshooting Associ-

ation has provided a set of complete specification diagrams for the layout of trap shooting ranges, including trap house design, walkway specifications, and shot-fall areas. The first and second diagrams on the right will provide the specifications for fields and trap houses.

Shooting ranges are important part-ners for high school clay target teams and play a vital role in providing student athletes a safe, fair, and competitive environment to par tic ipate in the League.


SCI Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Had a FUNdraiser



SCI Badgerland 2019Thanking exhibitors, donors and members for a great successful event and looking forward to February 14-15, 2020 at Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells.

Stacy Davis Receives the 2019 President’s Award

Cash raffle winner!

Special veteran’s free raffle participants


Trophy Competition

Monica Spaeni of AccessAbility Wisconsin,

an organization Badgerland SCI supports.

One-year-old Briar Burnard with Mom and Dad Jill and Brock Burnard was the lucky winner Saturday of one of the.410 shotguns

given each night in a FREE raffle for youth under 16.


The Last Quest

by John Kubichek

‘Wanna get up at 3:00 tomor- row and sit in a duck blind?” my dad aske d i n l a te

October when I was six years old. Even though it was going to be cold, wet and

windy, I leaped at the chance. As I waddled behind dad to the blind for my first ‘hunt’ that morning, I didn’t know if I would like it and I surely didn’t know that I wou ld deve lop a pass ion for hunting and the outdoors that would

lead me to six continents and pursue game that I didn’t even know existed at the time.

Although all of o u r m a k e r ’s

creatures are special in their own right, three were etched in my mind as extraordinary because of their beauty and where they lived: the Marco Polo sheep from central Asia; the leopard from Africa; and the Bezoar ibex from Turkey. I vowed to myself that I would travel to their home range and hunt them if at all possible.

The first of these quests was accom-plished in 1999 when I tackled the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan and a regal Marco Polo ram accompanied me home on the plane. The second was

accomplished in September of 2007 in the North Luangua region of Zambia when a stunning leopard came to bait. The book was closed in December of 2018 with a venture to Hell’s Valley in south central Turkey.

At 65 years of age, I wanted to hunt the Bezoar Ibex while I could still climb well and wanted the best chance possible to bring back a 50” billy, a very lofty goal. I spoke to several Turkish outfitters over a five-year period. I weighed many factors as to where and with whom to trust this experience.

Most Turkish outfitters get short-term leases or bid on new areas year to year. Temir and Kursat Ekenler of Wild Hunting Turkey, have stable hunting areas, consistently excellent results and pay personal attention to their clients. Their family has hunted the same areas I would be hunting for generations. They as well as their guides and spotters know the most minute details of the land forms and game movement within these areas and scout there all year long. As target billy’s are spotted, their movements are followed weeks in


advance of the hunter’s arrival. In most cases, their guests will be hunting specific trophies. This is what I wanted. I knew they would put in the effort and trusted them for this once in my lifetime attempt.

On December 7, 2018, I boarded a Turkish Airlines 777 at O’Hare, trans-ferred in Istanbul and ended up in Adana. I was met by Ali, one of my guides. We overnighted in Adana and lef t for the hunting area the next morning. There was urgency in Ali’s pace as heavy weather was forecast for future days. Two monster billy’s were being shadowed in the basin I was to hunt and he wanted me and the hunt team to score as quickly as possible. My team consisted of Ali, Head Guide Mehmet-Ali, Gozneli Mustafa and Bacanak Mustafa, plus two spotters who actually camped out in a cave across the four-mile-wide by 40-mile-long drainage we hunted, Mevlut, another spotter and Dervis, a govern-ment warden.

The temperatures during the hunt were going to be at or near freezing in the mornings and rose to the high 40’s during the afternoon. Camp was actu-ally a nice mountain cabin that could sleep eight comfortably with solar power, running water and even dish TV, although listening to it in Turkish didn’t do much for me. The billies had left the high peaks which towered to 9,000 feet and were covered in snow. Elevations we hiked were no more than 6,000 feet and no lower than 3,300 feet. Although there were no major climbs done on this hunt, there were hundreds of sheer cliffs throughout Hell’s Valley and most slopes were fairly steep. Many descents were done by just sliding on our butts through the pine needles and many climbs were accomplished on all fours. Tall dense pine trees, Turkish oak trees (whose fruit is the Ibex’s favorite food), and other brush covered the slopes at the hunting elevations. It made spotting our quarry very difficult. The guides were also asking me if I was comfort-able at taking 400- to 500-yard shots at angles of 45 to 80 degrees up and down. I wasn’t. Bullet trajectories at those angles and distances were some-thing I had never studied. I hoped to stalk closer.

Hunting days began with a Turkish breakfast of cheese, tomatoes, cucum-bers, excellent bread, jam and boiled

eggs. Lunches on the mountainsides were a bit crude and dinners certainly weren’t what Americans are used to but consisted of stews, kabob’s, breads, cheeses, etc. and they did have the foresight of bringing a six pack of Tuborg fo r me. We wou ld dr i ve anywhere from a mile to four miles after first light, then hike promontories to glassing positions. We could see the two Mustafa’s on an opposite face scoping parts of our side that we couldn’t see. Their spotting positions and prowess proved to be the key to our success. The hikes to our glassing positions on days 1, 2 and 4 were no more than half a mile and 500 vertical feet up or down. The hike the 3rd morning dropped us 1,200 vertical feet and was closer to a mile. We would shift vantage points along the escarpments to view different gorges and to peek around the trees throughout the day. We probably averaged seeing six to eight billies and 15 to 20 nannies per day.

The first afternoon resulted in the Mustafa’s spotting one of our possible targets a mile up the valley on our side but changing winds and darkness doomed our stalk.

The second day as feared, was socked in with fog 75% of the day. We did spot the billy we were to encounter on our fourth afternoon at last light almost two miles out through a break in the fog but made no stalk.

After our big descent on the third morning, we were encouraged to see numerous nannies within reasonable shooting distances and seemingly increased interaction between them and amorous billies. I passed a nine-year-old that was probably in the 46-inch range about 150 yards out, but about 400 feet below us. Toward dusk, we made our way to the other side of the promontory we were on. There, walking nonchalantly across a rocky face was one of our targets. At 211 yards he appeared to be a hunter’s dream. His heavy horns flared dramati-cally. His left horn was visible and had to curl 52, maybe even 53 inches. Then he turned and we all gasped. His right horn was broken, not just a few inches, but nearly a foot. The trophy of a lifetime was right in front of me, I was in the prone position, round chambered, safety of f and saw he was terribly broken. Sure, I knew he could be

repaired, but I opened the bolt, came out of position and the boys knew I was going to pass.

Was this a mistake?Everyone in camp was quieter that

night. I felt bad for the two spotters that had to endure another night in the unheated cave, but I hoped to connect with the ‘other’ big billy we had spotted at dusk on day 2.

The fourth morning dawned sunny and calm. A hefty 46-inch billy tended a nanny 600 yards across the bluff from us. Around noon, the radio crackled. The Mustafa’s thought they had spotted our target. We scrambled back to the truck and drove along switchback trails to the face the billy was crossing.

We bailed out of the truck for a fast 450-foot descent to a rocky point, but the pines below were just too thick for a shot. A hasty ascent back to the trail ensued. Quickly and quietly, we jogged along it for another 800 yards before jumping overboard again. Half walking and half sliding, we dropped down at least 500 feet and crawled out on a more pronounced ledge. Game trails snaked through a heavily forested, gentler slope between the vertical walls on our side of the valley. Anything passing through had to come within range. The Leupold Rx 1600 showed the wall at 185 yards. 4 nannies came through into a small opening 10 minutes after we arrived.

We waited. Fif teen minutes passed and two

more nannies appeared in a six-by-15-foot opening on a lower trail, over 500 feet below us. I had the Zeiss on the 7 Mag. set at 12-power and squirmed into position to cover the opening.

Then he came. With an off-white body, striking black

ring, brown accents and long, heavy, sweeping horns, the King of the Valley emerged from the trees.

As he quartered towards us, I locked the crosshairs high on the leading edge of his chest so that if he kept his pace, he would walk right into my bullet.

He stopped. I repositioned the crosshairs to a

spot, high on the point of his right shoulder and broke the shot. He collapsed in his tracks. Both Mehmet Ali and Ali erupted in a cheer. The radio had been left on and I could hear both of the spotters across the valley whoop a n d h o l l e r i n c e l e b r a t i o n to o.

Instinctively, I rechambered, but the ibex never twitched.

We made our way down to the fallen monarch. I asked to be alone with him for a minute, before pictures etc. He was an old warrior that must have been through many fights and carried very little body fat. We aged him at 11 ½ years old and determined that he would have struggled making it through another winter. The shot placement was perfect. After pictures, the tape revealed the horns were broomed to a

little over 49 inches, still an incredible specimen.

The rest of the trip was a blur. I could have stayed longer and hunted hogs but passed. The packing out, breaking camp, reemerging back to civilization in Adana and flying back to the US were done with few hiccups. It took over 19 years since I hunted the Marco Polo to take the other trophies I wanted the most.

I have to thank Temir and Kursat Ekenler for the efforts they and their

team put in for me. As always, this wouldn’t have happened without my wife Sue’s blessing. I will certainly travel more, but my three quests have now been completed with memories and t roph i e s I w i l l che r i sh fo reve r. From that soggy duck blind near Fond du Lac to the Taurus mountains of Turkey, my hunting career has been one o f t he mos t impo r t a n t f ac to r s of my life and I know I am very privi-leged to have done and seen the things I have.

John Kubichek completed his quest with this ibex from Turkey.


Photo Essay:

SCI Wisconsin Chapter Hosted a Grand Event

WI SCI HUNTERS – May/June 2019 39

SCI Wisconsin Chapterc/o Janean GehlW157N10472 Fieldstone PassGermantown, WI 53022

Address Change? Email Janean Gehl at [email protected]

Nature’s Way Taxidermy

www.NaturesWayTaxidermyWI.com

Let Us Be Your Taxidermist Of Choice!!!! Nature’s Way Taxidermy guarantees integrity and excellent customer service to all hunters. Call us before your next hunt to talk with Jeff about field care for your trophy animal or to request shipping tags

Jeff Champeau, 1110 South Allen Rd, Green Bay WI 54311 Phone 920-863-8482 Email: [email protected]

HuntersJuly_Aug2012.indd 32 6/22/12 1:36 PM

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