Boone and Crockett Club

Boone and Crockett Club

Formation	December 21, 1887 (1887-12-21)
Founder	Theodore Roosevelt
Type	501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization
Headquarters	Missoula, MT, USA
Website	www.boone-crockett.org

The Boone and Crockett Club is North America's oldest wildlife and habitat conservation organization, founded in the United States in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt. The club was named in honor of hunter-heroes of the day, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, whom the club's founders viewed as pioneering men who hunted extensively while opening the American frontier, but realized the consequences of overharvesting game. In addition to authoring a famous "fair chase" statement of hunter ethics, the club worked for the expansion and protection of Yellowstone National Park and the establishment of American conservation in general. The Club and its members were also responsible for the elimination of commercial market hunting, creation of the National Park and National Forest Services, National Wildlife Refuge system, wildlife reserves, and funding for conservation, all under the umbrella of what is known today as the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

Key members of the club have included Theodore Roosevelt, George Bird Grinnell, Madison Grant, Charles Alexander Sheldon, William Tecumseh Sherman, Gifford Pinchot, Frederick Russell Burnham, Charles Deering and Aldo Leopold.

Today the Club continues its role as a think-tank consisting of a veritable who's who of contemporary conservation greats. Because of the Club's tendency to work silently behind the scenes, it's known primarily for maintaining a scoring and data collection system by which native North American big game animals are measured and tracked as a gauge of successful wildlife management. As written in the Club's history; "Personnel of the club often acted as key men behind the scenes in promoting some measure and were not unwilling to have history record the credit to some other organization. Their main concern was doing all possible to successfully promote good legislation regardless of' who got the credit."

The structure of the Club consists of 17 staff members,100 Regular Members, 159 Professional Members, and thousands of Club Associates.

The Club is headquartered in Missoula, Montana, which is also the home of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Club History

Formation of the Club

The men belonging to the first group forming the Boone and Crockett Club were ardent sportsmen who not only responded to the thrill of the chase but who had a deep appreciation of wild, unspoiled wilderness areas and had taken some part in the opening up of the early West. Many were prominent in other walks of life. All had great breadth and personified the highest ethics of sportsmanship.

George Bird Grinnell's (1910) account of the formation follows:

"In December, 1887, Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, then a member of the New York Assembly, at a dinner at his residence in New York City, proposed the formation of a club of American hunting riflemen, to be called the Boone and Crockett Club. The suggestion was warmly welcomed by those present, among whom were E. P. Rogers, Archibald Rogers, J. Coleman Drayton, Thomas Paton, Col. J.E. Jones, Elliott Roosevelt, J . West Roosevelt, Rutherford Stuyvesant and George Bird Grinnell. A constitution was formulated, and in January, 1888, the Club was organized with the following officers and members:

"President, Theodore Roosevelt; Secretary, Archibald Rogers. Members: Albert Bierstadt, Heber B. Bishop, Benjamin F. Bristow, J. Coleman Drayton, D.G. Elliott, George Bird Grinnell, Arnold Hague, James E. Jones, Clarence King, Wm. H. Merrill, Jr, Thomas Paton, John J. Pierrepont, W. Hallett Phillips, E. P. Rogers, Elliott Roosevelt, J.E. Roosevelt, J. W. Roosevelt, Rutherford Stuyvesant, w. A. Wadsworth Bronson Rumsey, Lawrence Rumsey and W.D. Pickett.

"As time went on, these men added to their numbers others interested in the same objects, so that now, for many years, the Boone and Crockett Club has had one hundred regular members - its limit - and from twenty-five to forty associate members. Among the latter are a number of men who have performed notable services in behalf of the objects to which the Club is devoted.

"These objects were announced as being:

(1) To promote manly sport with the rifle.

(2) To promote travel and exploration in the wild and unknown, or but partially known, portions of the country.

(3) To work for the preservation of the large game of this country, and so far as possible to further legislation for that purpose, and to assist in enforcing the existing laws.

(4) To promote inquiry into and to record observations on the habits and natural history of the various wild animals.

(5) To bring about among the members interchange of opinion and ideas on hunting, travel and exploration; on the various kinds of hunting rifles; on the haunts of game animals, etc.

"Such were the purposes of the Club when it was formed, and for a number of years each received its fair share of attention. Gradually, however, the settlement of the country and the sweep of population to the westward made it more and more difficult to carry out the two first named, while the same causes magnified the importance of the third and fourth of these objects. Great changes had taken place in portions of the United States, where at the date of the formation of the Club wild game was found in abundance, and over much of the western country the advancing tide of settlement had swept out of existence much of the early game habitat. The Boone and Crockett Club, organized as an association of hunting riflemen, to promote manly sport with the rifle, and to investigate the wild and unknown portions of the country, could no longer do either of these things within the limits of the United States. Little hunting trips may be made, and occasionally a head or two of game killed, but the old wild frontier of the limitless prairie and of the steep and rugged unknown mountains were gone forever."

In the years that have elapsed since its organization, the Boone and Crockett Club has accomplished a number of things which entitle- it to the lasting gratitude of the American people. Its members have won battles for sound conservation measures whose importance the club saw far in advance of the public opinion of the time.

In 1920 E.W. Nelson, former chief of the Biological survey, had this to say in a letter to Grinnell: "It is scarcely necessary for one to state that but for the active and long-continued interest and devotion to the cause by yourself and others we should now have practically no game protection in this country and no conservation of forests or other beneficial conservation measures. The public will never act without the efforts of the interested few in leading movements of this kind."

In his book entitled Adventures in Bird Protection, T. Gilbert Pearson writes as follows in reference to the conservation efforts of sportsmen: "Some well-meaning people, fond of referring to themselves in a rather exclusive way as 'bird lovers' cried out against all 'sportsmen.' They seemed unaware of the fact that in the ranks of the hunters there were those numerous strong, influential men who, by hard work in legislative lobbies had secured 9/10 of all the existing laws for wild-life preservation."

In this connection it is a matter of interest that the first Audubon Society was formed by George Bird Grinnell, former president of the club. At present two club members· are presidents of State Audubon Societies: John Holman is president of the Connecticut Audubon Society and Richard Borden is president of the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Certain members represented the club in Washington legislative circles and were influential as lobbyists. Several club members were in public service and helped promote conservation measures recommended by the club. Besides Roosevelt, such men as Senators Elihu Root, Henry Cabot Lodge, Secretary Henry Stimson, Hon. John W. Lacey, and Frederick C. Walcott might be mentioned. The administrative heads of government agencies such as the Biological Survey (later the Fish and Wildlife Service), the Park Service, and the Forest Service were in most cases made associate members of the club.

Historical timeline

Key dates in the history and accomplishments of the organization include:

• 1887 - Boone and Crockett Club Founded Founded by Theodore Roosevelt along with George Bird Grinnell, J. Coleman Drayton, Col. James E. Jones, Thomas Paton, R. Stuyvesant Pierrepont, Archibald Rogers, E. P. Rogers, Elliott Roosevelt, J. West Roosevelt, Rutherford Stuyvesant. The list also includes well-known artist Albert Bierstadt, General Philip Sheridan, and General William Tecumseh Sherman.

• 1888 - First Formal Meeting A committee was appointed “... to promote useful and proper legislation toward the enlargement and better government of the Yellowstone National Park.”

• 1889 - Birth of the National Forest System Enlargement and protection of Yellowstone National Park was the Boone and Crockett Club’s first project. Boone and Crockett Club members William Hallet Phillips, Secretary of the Interior Lucius Q.C. Lamar, Jon W. Noble, and Arnold Hague of the U.S. Geological Survey secured congressional enactment of the Timberland Reserve Bill, which added 1 million acres to Yellowstone and birthed the national forest system.

• 1893 - Published American Big Game Hunting

• 1894 - Yellowstone Park Protection Act Legislation Legislation pushed through Congress by U.S. Congressman and Club member John F. Lacey of Iowa increased the size of Yellowstone by 3,344 square miles and set the precedent and policy for the protection of future national parks. Key club members were U.S. Senator George Vest, U.S. Congressman John F. Lacey, George Bird Grinnell, and General Philip Sheridan.

• 1895 - Published Hunting in Many Lands

• 1895 - New York Zoological Society Founded Developed the Bronx Zoo and related wildlife conservation research worldwide, the New York Zoological Society is now known as the Wildlife Conservation Society and is active in 60 foreign countries. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Madison Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and C. Grant La Farge.

• 1896 - Flathead Forest Preserve in Montana Worked to establish the Flathead Forest Preserve, which became Glacier National Park in 1910.

• 1896 - American Ornithologists Union Founded

• 1897 - Worked to Establish the Black Mesa Forest Reserve By executive proclamation of President William McKinley this was formally designated a national forest reserve on August 17, 1898.

• 1897 - Camp Fire Club of America Founded Club members founded the Camp Fire Club of America.

• 1897 - Organic Administration Act Legislation Introduced to Congress by Club member John F. Lacey, this act established the forest reserve system in the United States to supply timber to the country. The forest reserve system was a precursor to the establishment of the national forests in 1905.

• 1897 - Published Trail and Camp Fire

• 1897 - Worked to Pass Civil Service Appropriation Act Established a national policy for sustained multiple use of forest and professional management thereof. Established a national conscience on destruction of natural resources and mobilized public support for continuing congressional legislation. This was initiated by Club members U.S. Congressman John F. Lacey, former Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz, Arnold Hague, Gifford Pinchot, Charles D. Walcott, and George Bird Grinnell.

• 1898 - Enforcement of Game Laws Helped establish legislation to aid states in the enforcement of game laws.

• 1898 - League of American Sportsmen Founded

• 1900 - Lacey Act of 1900 Club member Congressman John F. Lacey pushed through Congress this legal cornerstone of fish and wildlife conservation. This law made it a federal offense to transport illegally taken game across state lines—the beginning of the end of market-hunting and the foundation for all game laws. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members U.S. Congressman John F. Lacey and T. Gilbert Pearson.

• 1901 - Theodore Roosevelt Sworn in as President Club founder Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States following the assassination of President William McKinley September 14, 1901.

• 1902 - Reclamation Act Legislation The Club was instrumental in establishing the Reclamation Act (30 dams, 3 million acres of Western farm lands and habitat irrigated). President Theodore Roosevelt, as President, used his political power to push this through Congress.

• 1902 - Alaska Game Laws Established Theodore Roosevelt signed the first piece of game law legislation protecting the wildlife of the newly formed Territory of Alaska — the model for game laws in the Lower 48 states. This was initiated by Club members Madison Grant, U.S. Congressman John F. Lacey, Henry A. Allen, Ed. Wm. Nelson, Charles H. Townsend, George Bird Grinnell, Dr. Joseph Grinnell, Wm. T. Hornaday, W. Austin Wadsworth, and U.S. Congressman W.E. Humprey.

• 1902 - Big Game Measurement Standards Set The Club created the first big game scoring and data collection system to objectively measure and evaluate species to document the existence and condition of these big game species as a baseline for recovery efforts.

• 1903 - National Wildlife Refuge System Act Legislation Florida’s Pelican Island became our first national wildlife refuge. California Senator and Club member George C. Perkins used research provided by B&C to help push the act through Congress. Key Club members involved were Alden Sampson, Dr. Ed W. Nelson, and U.S. Senator George C. Perkins.

• 1904 - Club Founder Theodore Roosevelt Re-elected as the 26th President of the United States

• 1904 - National Association of Audubon Societies Founded Club member Gifford Pinchot established the initial Audubon Society, which had chapters throughout the East. It was later named the National Audubon Society.

• 1905 - The American Bison Society Founded During a meeting at the New York Zoological Society, the American Bison Society is formed with Club member William T. Hornaday serving as the president and President Theodore Roosevelt as honorary president.

• 1905 - Forest Reserves Transfer Act Legislation The American Forestry Conference led to President Roosevelt signing this bill, proposed by Club member Gifford Pinchot (first chief of the U. S. Forest Service), which established the U.S. Forest Service by transfer of the forest reserves from the Department of Interior to the Department of Agriculture. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Gifford Pinchot, Chief of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey C. Hart Merriam, T.S. Palmer, U.S. Congressman John F. Lacey, and President Theodore Roosevelt.

• 1906 - National Collection of Heads and Horns This taxidermy display of wildlife specimens from around the world was established by Club members Madison Grant and William T. Hornaday at the New York Zoological Society, Bronx Zoo, in New York City. Its intention was to awaken the public to the plight of vanishing wildlife and harness their support for future legislation aimed at the conservation of these natural resources. The inscription over the entrance reads, “In Memory of the Vanishing Big Game of the World.” Key Club members involved were Madison Grant, President Theodore Roosevelt, and C. Grant La Farge.

• 1907 - Agricultural Appropriations Act Legislation Directed the U.S. Forest Service to aid in enforcement to protect fish and game.

• 1908 - National Bison Range Private funds raised by the Club through the American Bison Society were used to purchase land to establish the National Bison Range in western Montana in an effort to protect what was left of pure strain, wild prairie bison.

• 1908 - First National Conservation Conference of Governors President Theodore Roosevelt, Boone and Crockett Club founder, organized this national conservation conference at the White House, which was attended by 44 governors.

• 1909 - Roosevelt Completes Term as U.S. President His legacy: having turned 230 million acres into 5 national parks, 150 national forests, 55 game and bird preserves and other federal reservations, 18 monuments and 21 reclamation projects.

• 1910 - Glacier National Park Established President William Howard Taft signed legislation for establishing Glacier National Park—first surveyed and proposed by Club member George Bird Grinnell, along with the help of other Club members and Montana Senator Thomas B. Carter. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Professor Raphael Pumpelly, George Bird Grinnell, Henry S. Graves, U.S. Senator Thomas B. Carter and Chief of the U.S. Forest Service Gifford Pinchot.

• 1911 - Founded American Game Protective & Propagation Association It was later renamed the Wildlife Management Institute.

• 1913 - First Migratory Bird Act Legislation The Weeks-McLean Act was designed as the first attempt to stop commercial market hunting and the illegal shipment of migratory birds from one state to another. Pushed through Congress with the help of Congressman and Club member John W. Weeks, the Weeks-McLean Law rested on weak constitutional grounds, having been passed as a rider to an appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture. It was soon replaced by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which decreed that all migratory birds and their parts (including eggs, nests, and feathers) were fully protected. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Congressman George Shiras III, John Bird Burnham, Ed. W. Nelson, T.S. Palmer, William T. Hornaday, Madison Grant, Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn, T. Gilbert Pearson, George Bird Grinnell, Charles S. Davidson, Congressman John W. Weeks, and Elihu Root.

• 1916 - National Park Service Established The National Park Service was established, with Club member Stephen T. Mather appointed as its first director.

• 1917 - Mount McKinley National Park Act Legislation With the help of Club member Charles Sheldon’s campaigning and survey of the area for the protection of Dall’s sheep, and legislation written by the Club that designated the park’s boundaries, the Club helped secure passage of the Mount McKinley National Park Act, now Denali National Park. This was initiated by Club members Charles Sheldon, Chief of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey Dr. Ed. W. Nelson, Stephen T. Mather, and Belmore Browne.

• 1917 - Save the Redwoods League Founded Dedicated to saving the world’s largest tree, the Sequoia Redwoods, in California. Key Club members involved were Madison Grant, John C. Merriam, Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn, Stephen T. Mather, and John C. Phillips.

• 1917 - Black Mesa National Forest (named Apache National Forest in 1908) Club member Aldo Leopold started his career studying the causes and effects of a massive die-off of all mule deer in the Black Mesa area of Arizona. This was the first scientific management study of a major wildlife program in America, and the entire study and work of Aldo Leopold was paid for by the Boone and Crockett Club.

• 1918 - Migratory Bird Treaty Legislation The Club helped ratify the Migratory Bird Treaty with Great Britain (Canada) to establish federal control over hunting of migratory birds.

• 1919 - Theodore Roosevelt Death Boone and Crockett Club founder and 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, dies January 6, 1919.

• 1920 - Humboldt State Redwood Park Established Began work to establish Humboldt State Redwood Park in California to preserve 60,000 acres of Sequoia redwoods.

• 1921 - President’s Conference on Outdoor Recreation Worked with President Calvin Coolidge to establish the President’s Conference on Outdoor Recreation, which led to the establishment of a national recreation policy that coordinated resource management at the federal, state and local levels. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Theodore Roosevelt Jr., Charles Sheldon, John M. Phillips, T. Gilbert Pearson, John C. Merriam, John Burnham, William B. Mershon, U.S. Senator Frederic C. Walcott, C.H. Townsend, Vernon Bailey, Frank M. Chapman, T.S. Palmer, Barrington Moore, Chauncey J. Hamlin, George E. Scott, and Congressman George Shiras III.

• 1925 - Published Hunting and Conservation

• 1928 - American Wild Fowlers Founded Club members founded the American Wild Fowlers in 1927, which later became Ducks Unlimited.

• 1928 - American Museum of Natural History Hall of North American Mammals Club initiates the enlargement and renovation of the Hall of North American Mammals. Key Club members involved were Childs Frick, Dr. Harold E. Anthony, James L. Clark, Bayard Dominick, Alfred Ely, Prentiss Gray, E. Hubert Litchfield, Madison Grant, and Kermit Roosevelt.

• 1929 - Migratory Bird Conservation Act Legislation Helped establish the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, which established the national waterfowl refuge system. Instrumental in initiating this included Club members Lewis R. Morris, Charles Sheldon, George Bird Grinnell, John C. Phillips, John Burnham, and T. Gilbert Pearson.

• 1930 - American Game Policy Club member Aldo Leopold presented the first American game policy at the American Game Conference. The resulting changes improved resource agency organization, university wildlife education programs, and wilderness protection, further solidifying the career of the wildlife professional.

• 1930 - American Committee for International Wild Life Protection Founded by the Boone and Crockett Club for the purpose of representing American sympathy and interest in international wild life protection. John Charles Phillips (1876-1938) was made the chair. This committee is later incorporated into the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

• 1931 - Sheldon National Antelope Range Established Helped established the Sheldon National Antelope Range in northern Nevada and southern Oregon named after Club member Charles Sheldon. Key Club members involved were T. Gilbert Pearson, Charles Sheldon, Childs Frick, and Ira N. Gabrielson.

• 1932 - Uniform Scoring System Established the first uniform measuring system for all native North American big game trophies. This was initiated by Club members Prentiss N. Gray, Carl Rungius, James L. Clark, Samuel B. Webb, and Dr. Harold E. Anthony.

• 1932 - Published Records of North American Big Game Club published its first edition of the records book, Records of North American Big Game, under the auspices of the National Collection of Heads and Horns at the New York Zoological Society after scouring museums of the world and sport hunters’ trophy collections for specimens. Trophies were ranked by simple measurements such as length of longer antler or horn.

• 1933 - Published Hunting Trails on Three Continents

• 1933 - Published Game Management Club member Aldo Leopold authored Game Management, which established the principles and discipline of wildlife management and the origins of land ethics.

• 1934 - North American Wildlife Conference Worked in partnership with the American Wildlife Institute, which became the Wildlife Management Institute in 1946, to establish the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Key Club members involved were J.N. “Ding” Darling, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service F.A. Silcox, and Ira N. Gabrielson.

• 1934 - North American Wildlife Foundation Founded Club members founded the North American Wildlife Foundation.

• 1934 - Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act Club member J.N. “Ding” Darling is appointed Director of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey, the forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In his 18 months as director, Darling initiated the Federal Duck Stamp program and designed the first Duck Stamp with the support of Club member U.S. Senator Frederic C. Walcott. Proceeds from the sales of these stamps are used to purchase wetlands for the protection of wildlife habitat. Since 1934, over $670 million have been raised and more than 5.2 million acres of habitat have been purchased for wildlife. Darling also vastly increased the acreage of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Darling also initiated what emerged as the national system of Cooperative Wildlife Research Units at 10 universities—the first organized science in service of wildlife carried out through a partnership of the federal government, state agencies, and land-grant universities.

• 1935 - National Wildlife Federation Founded The National Wildlife Federation was founded by Club members J.N. “Ding” Darling, C.R. Guttermuth, Ira N. Gabrielson, and Karl T. Frederick. Darling was its first president.

• 1936 - Pittman-Robertson Act Legislation Club members began laying the groundwork, provided the legislative channels, and helped generate broad public and political support for what would be called the Pittman-Robertson Act.

• 1937 - Madison Grant Forest and Elk Refuge De Forest Grant helped establish this forest and elk refuge in Humboldt, California, named after Club member Madison Grant.

• 1937 - Pittman-Robertson Act Legislation Pittman-Robertson Act passed, earmarking sportsmen’s dollars for an excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition for conservation and game management. Club members laid the conceptual groundwork, provided the legislative channels, and helped generate broad public and political support. The ground work for this act began with the Club’s work on the 1929 Migratory Bird Conservation Act.

• 1937 - Ducks Unlimited is Founded American Wild Fowlers, which was initiated by the Club, became Ducks Unlimited, founded by Joseph Knapp, E. H. Low and Club member Robert Winthrop.

• 1938 - Refined the Uniform Scoring System Further refined the uniform scoring system for all native North American big game trophies.

• 1939 - Published North American Big Game

• 1946 - Wildlife Management Institute Initiated the new Wildlife Management Institute, formerly the American Wildlife Institute.

• 1946 - Natural Resources Council of America Founded the Natural Resources Council of America.

• 1947 - Funding for Wildlife Research The Club began annually funding wildlife research projects.

• 1947 - Annual Big Game Trophy Competitions Began The Club held its first National Big Game Competition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City with the intent of encouraging selective hunting, promoting the concept of “fair chase” and ensuring that their records books were as accurate and up to date as possible.

• 1949 - Sand County Almanac Club member Aldo Leopold’s estate posthumously published A Sand County Almanac. Still used in classrooms today, Leopold’s book is considered one of the most influential works about conservation ever written. The book argues the need for a “land ethic” through which humans embrace a more respectful, harmonious relationship with the natural world.

• 1950 - Big Game Scoring System Adopted The Club adopted a more comprehensive and universally accepted method for measuring big game trophies and gathering data to now evaluate population health and habitat quality, which leads to improved state and federal wildlife policy and management. The new measuring system was created and tested by Grancel Fitz, and Club members Samuel B. Webb, James L. Clark, Milford Baker, Frederick K. Barbour, and Dr. Harold E. Anthony from the American Museum of Natural History.

• 1952 - Published Records of North American Big Game B&C published the third edition of its popular records book, Records of North American Big Game. This is the first edition that lists and ranks trophies according to the scoring system B&C adopted in 1950—and still used today. This scoring system recognizes trophies for both massiveness and symmetry. It's currently the largest set of North American big game data in existence.

• 1957 - National Key Deer Refuge Established Florida’s National Key Deer Refuge. Key Club members involved were J.N. “Ding” Darling, Richard Borden, and C.R. “Pink” Gutermuth.

• 1960 - Signed Statements on Fair Chase All trophy record entries into the Club records book now must include a signed statement attesting to fair chase; this changed to requiring a notarized statement in 1974.

• 1961 - Published An American Crusade for Wildlife Published An American Crusade for Wildlife by Club member James B. Trefethen.

• 1963 - Unfair Chase The Club promoted the concept that using a plane to spot, land and then shoot big game was deemed “unfair chase” and helped to establish such laws.

• 1964 - National Wilderness Act Legislation The Club helped pass the National Wilderness Preservation Act. An early spokesman for the Club on wilderness protection that later led up to the 1964 Act was Aldo Leopold.

• 1965 - Club Moves Offices The Club moved its offices from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, Pa.

• 1966 - Grant for the Study of the Ecology The Club provided a grant for the study of the ecology of fire and elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area of Montana.

• 1968 - Grant to the Natural Resources Council The Club provided a grant to the Natural Resources Council of America for a monumental study of the reports of the Public Land Law Review Commission.

• 1968 - Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Legislation The Club helped pass the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

• 1970 - North American Big Game Awards The Club began sponsoring competitions every three years to celebrate the success of conservation and game management efforts and the fair chase sportsmen participating in these efforts—now known as the North American Big Game Awards Program.

• 1974 - Wild Sheep in North America The Club helped organize the Wild Sheep in North America Symposium. The book, Wild Sheep in Modern North America, was published, leading to a better understanding of sheep biology and set the stage for a major reintroduction and recovery effort. Another outcome from this summit was the formation of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, now the Wild Sheep Foundation. Early presidents of the organization included Club members Dr. James H. Duke Jr., and Daniel Pedrotti.

• 1975 - Club Moves Offices The Club moved its offices from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Alexandria, Virginia.

• 1977 - Black Bear Symposium - The Club organized the National Black Bear Symposium, which focused on black bear biology, habitat, propagation, and management.

• 1978 - National Collection of Heads and Horns Moved The National Collection of Heads and Horns was moved from the Bronx Zoo to the National Rifle Association’s museum in Washington, D.C. The North American species were retained by the Club, and the foreign species were donated to Safari Club International for relocation into its International Wildlife Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The collection was secured by the efforts of Club members Lowell E. Baier, Samuel B. Webb and William Nesbitt.

• 1979 - Published Black Bear Book Published The Black Bear in Modern North America after the 1977 National Black Bear Symposium.

• 1980 - American Museum of Natural History The Club raised funds to refurbish the American Museum of Natural History Hall of North American Mammals dioramas. The project was completed in 1987 with the principle support of Club member Col. Francis T. Colby.

• 1982 - National Collection of Heads and Horns Moved Moved the National Collection of Heads and Horns to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, from Washington, D.C.

• 1984 - Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch In the early 1980s, the Boone and Crockett Club sought a significant project to commemorate its approaching centennial anniversary. Such a project would need to serve as testimony to the Club’s full century of involvement in the conservation of wildlife resources, as a tribute to its distinguished membership past, and as a living legacy for the future. The Club raised private funds to purchase the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, adjacent to the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana, under the direction of then-Club President, William I. Spencer, Secretary John W. Hanes, Jr., and Treasurer Sherman Gray.

• 1985 - Published Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game Trophies Published Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game Trophies—the definitive guide for measuring all categories of native North American big game.

• 1986 - Associates Program Started B&C introduced the new Associates Program so that like-minded individuals could associate themselves with the Boone and Crockett Club and its conservation efforts and goals.

• 1989 - Conservation Agenda for the Bush Administration At the request of President George H.W. Bush, B&C was asked to draft a conservation agenda for the Bush administration, spearheaded by Club member Lowell E. Baier, with a committee consisting of Daniel Poole, Russell Train, Lynn Greenwalt, John Gottschalk, George Hartzog, Jack Berryman, and Elvis Stahr.

• 1991 - Wetlands Reserve Program Helped establish the Wetlands Reserve Program to restore wetlands and migratory bird habitat.

• 1992 - Permanent Headquarters Established Club purchased the Old Milwaukee Depot in Missoula, Montana, and established its fourth permanent national headquarters.

• 1993 - Funded First Endowed Professorship Chair The Club funded its first endowed professorship chair at the University of Montana to guide graduate-student research and offer public service in the fields of wildlife conservation and ecosystem management. Instrumental in fund raising were Club members Paul Webster, Dr. Daniel Pletcher, John Poston, William Searle, and many others. Presently, there are B&C professorships at the University of Montana, Texas A&M, Oregon State University, and Michigan State University.

• 1994 - Fair Chase Magazine Published First issue of the Club’s Fair Chase magazine published during the winter quarter. Fair Chase magazine is the official publication of record of B&C and is the primary benefit of the Club’s Associates Program. That same year, the B&C Lifetime Associates designation was offered.

• 1995 - Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Conceptualized and wrote legislation for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, a program to share with private landowners the cost of fish and wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement.

• 1999 - Sky Lake Wildlife Management Area Worked to establish Mississippi’s Sky Lake Wildlife Management Area, the largest stand of ancient cypress in the world.

• 2000 - American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) Founded Boone and Crockett Club president, Daniel Pedrotti invited leaders of all conservation organizations to its headquarters in Missoula, Montana, for a unifying summit, facilitated by Dr. Jack Ward Thomas, Kathy Thomas, and Stephen Mealey. In 2001 the AWCP published Wildlife for the 21st Century and presented the document to President George W. Bush, which outlined a number of the group’s visions, including the Healthy Forest Restoration Act.

• 2001 - Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch The Elmer E. Rasmuson Wildlife Conservation Education Center, the cornerstone of the Club’s conservation education efforts, opened and was dedicated at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch in Dupuyer, Montana. In 2002 the Lee & Penny Anderson Conservation Education Program was implemented to increase humanities awareness and understanding of wildlife and the ecosystems we all share and influence on natural and cultural resources.

• 2001 - Healthy Forests Restoration Act Legislation The Club began working on the Healthy Forest Restoration Act.

• 2001 - Conservation Across Boundaries The Club launched Conservation Across Boundaries program to train secondary education teachers about conservation curricula as a teaching aid.

• 2001 - Published Wildlife for the 21st Century Volume 1 The Club, in partnership with the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, published Wildlife for the 21st Century, Recommendations to President George W. Bush, which outlined the organization’s vision for a Conservation agenda for President George W. Bush.

• 2002 - Grassland Reserve Program Worked with other conservation groups and Congress to authorize the Grassland Reserve Program.

• 2002 - Conservation Reserve Program Conceptualized the continuous enrollment for bottomland hardwoods in the Conservation Reserve Program to restore bottomland hardwoods and wetlands.

• 2002 - Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance The Boone and Crockett Club, Mule Deer Foundation, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation formed the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance to address CWD issues.

• 2003 - Healthy Forest Restoration Act Legislation The Healthy Forest Restoration Act was enacted, initiated by Club members Mark Rey, Melissa Simpson, David Anderson, Daniel Dessecker, Jeffery Crane, James Cummins, Stephen Mealey, and Paul Phillips. B&C president Robert Model facilitated a meeting with AWCP leaders and President George W. Bush at the White House where the president commended their efforts in the passage of this bill.

• 2003 - Healthy Forests Reserve Program Conceptualized and wrote legislation for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, a program to recover listed species found in America’s forests.

• 2004 - Hunt Fair Chase The Club launched the Hunt Fair Chase program to raise awareness among hunters about the importance of making ethical choices and to strengthen public perception of hunting.

• 2004 - National Conservation Leadership Institute Established Under the leadership of later Club President Lowell E. Baier, the National Conservation Leadership Institute was formed with Robert Model, Steve Williams and John Baughman. First cohort of fellows graduated in 2006.

• 2005 - Published Wildlife for the 21st Century Volume 2 AWCP presented Wildlife for the 21st Century: Volume II; Recommendations to President George W. Bush for his conservation agenda.

• 2005 - Holt Collier National Refuge Worked with Congress to authorize and fund the Holt Collier National Refuge, the only national wildlife refuge named in honor of an African-American. Collier was Roosevelt’s guide on the 1902 black bear hunt, which raised the national consciousness of the principles of fair chase.

• 2005 - Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Established Worked with Congress to authorize and fund the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge in honor of Roosevelt’s conservation accomplishments. The refuge is located on the historic hunting grounds of Roosevelt’s 1902 black bear hunt, which resulted in popularity of the “Teddy Bear.”

• 2005 - Boone and Crockett Television Series The Club laid the conceptual ground work for a national television series to begin airing in July 2006. The conservation-hunting documentary series, Boone and Crockett Country, was patterned after a National Geographic special. The series received the network’s Golden Moose Award in 2006 for the Most Informative Show and Best Conservation Series Award in 2009. The series also received a national Telly Award for programming excellent for its episode on the gray wolf.

• 2005 - Endangered Species Act Reformation Club members were instrumental in securing key reformation language being added to the Endangered Species Act by the House of Representatives.

• 2005 - Texas A&M Professorship The Club funded an endowed professorship chair at Texas A&M University, led by Club members Daniel Pedrotti and Robert Brown.

• 2006 - The Sporting Conservation Council The Sporting Conservation Council, a federal advisory committee, was created at the encouragement of the Club by the Departments of Agriculture and Interior. Robert Model was its first chairman and Jeffrey Crane the vice-chairman; 11 of the 12 SCC members were Boone and Crockett Club members as well.

• 2007 - Michigan State University The Club funded an endowed professorship chair at Michigan State University, led by Club members William Demmer, Morrison Stevens, Sr., and James Shinners.

• 2007 - Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch Club member Lowell E. Baier spearheaded a fundraising campaign and orchestrated the federal government’s acquisition of Theodore Roosevelt’s 23,550-acre Elkhorn Ranch from a private landowner. Considered the “Cradle of Conservation,” the ranch, which is adjacent to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, will be protected in perpetuity.

• 2007 - Starkey Research Project Funding Members of the Club secured funding to continue the Starkey Elk Modeling Research Project after it was defunded by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

• 2007 - Oregon State University The Club funded an endowed professorship chair at Oregon State University.

• 2008 - Endangered Species Recovery Program - Conceptualized and assisted in writing legislation for the Endangered Species Recovery Program—a program to recover listed species utilizing federal income tax benefits. B&C worked with several key conservation organizations and the Congress to include it as part of the Farm Bill.

• 2008 - Conference on North American Wildlife Policy The White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy convened as charged by Executive Order 13443 issued by President George W. Bush. The results include the Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan developed by the Sporting Conservation Council and the wildlife conservation community.

• 2008 - Emergency Forest Restoration Program Conceptualized and wrote legislation for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, a program to assist private landowners in restoring their forests following a natural disaster, and worked with the Congress to include it as part of the Farm Bill.

• 2008–2009 - Climate Change Policy in Washington, D.C. To address the diverse and conflicting legislative proposals pending in Congress, the Club, led by Stephen Mealey, Lowell E. Baier, Eric Taylor, Gary Taylor, James Cummins and many others, authored a scholarly white paper on the adverse impacts of climate change to guide public policy development.

• 2008-’10 - Legislation to Extend Charitable Conservation Deductions The Club was instrumental in securing legislation to extend the deductibility of charitable conservation donations of land and easements, and the carry-over thereof for income tax accounting, which incentivizes increased private land conservation practices.

• 2009 - Published Theodore Roosevelt Hunter Conservationist, Authored by R.L. Wilson

• 2009 - Published Wildlife for the 21st Century Volume 3 AWCP presents Wildlife for the 21st Century: Volume III; Recommendations to President Barack Obama for his conservation agenda.

• 2009 - Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center The Club worked to obtain funding for the Theodore Roosevelt Visitor Center to be located at the site of Roosevelt’s 1902 bear hunt in Mississippi.

• 2009 - Summer Internship Program in Washington, D.C. Summer internship program initiated by Club member Mark Rey that invites select students from Michigan State and Mississippi State to Washington, D.C. The program places the students in key conservation-related positions throughout Washington for the summer and provides field trips to wildlife refuges, reclamation projects, national parks, research stations, and weekly lectures.

• 2010 - The Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council - The Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council was created in place of the Sporting Conservation Council to advise the Departments of Interior and Agriculture about recreational hunting and shooting sports activities and associated wildlife and habitat conservation.

• 2011 - Gray Wolf Delisting The Club was instrumental in the delisting of the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountain and Western Great Lakes populations from the Endangered Species Act. This changed the status of these wolf populations from endangered and protected to a regulated game species. This initiative was led by many Club members among others.

• 2011 - Sportsmen’s Heritage Act Legislation Club members were instrumental in securing the introduction to Congress of an omnibus legislative package of several reauthorizations of conservation laws that were expiring. This legislation continued key conservation programs and advanced hunting and shooting sports.

• 2011 - Introduced in Congress The Government Litigation Savings Act Legislation This legislation was designed to reform the Equal Access to Justice Act by closing the loophole that permits nonprofit organizations to sue the federal government on technical procedural grounds like missing reporting deadlines, etc., and get their legal fees reimbursed by the federal government, which cost over $100 million per year.

• 2012-’13 - Making Public Lands Public Legislation Instrumental in securing the introduction of legislation in Congress to provide funding for access to public lands for hunters and anglers from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. When this legislation became gridlocked, the Club secured direct funding in each of the FY ’13 budgets of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management for sportsmen’s public access.

Education

The Boone and Crockett Club offers many educational camps and workshops through the Boone and Crockett Club Education Programs held at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch in Dupuyer, Montana. These education programs at the TRM Ranch are not federally funded. They are supported by the Boone and Crockett Club and by private foundations committed to K-12 education.

The Club's Lee and Penny Anderson Conservation Education Program is located on the Club's 6,060 acre working cattle ranch, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch (TRMR) and bases out of their 5,000 sq. ft. Rasmuson Wildlife Conservation Center (RWCC). The RWCC's typically operating season is from April 1 - October 31. A variety of educational programs are offered during this time including but not limited to K-12 Conservation Education related field trips, the Boone and Crockett Club's own Outdoor Adventure Camps (5-day residential camps for middle school and high school aged youth), a nationally accredited Boys Scouts of America High Adventure Camp called MOHAB (Montana High Adventure Base), a series of hunter education courses, shooting sports events and is available for rental to public, private, NGO, agency and other groups.

Books published by Boone and Crockett Club

• 1893 American Big Game Hunting
• 1895 Hunting in Many Lands
• 1897 Trail and Campfire
• 1904 American Big Game in Its Haunts
• 1906 Big Game Measurements
• 1913 Hunting at High Altitudes
• 1925 Hunting and Conservation
• 1932 Records of North American Big Game, 1st Ed.
• 1933 Hunting Trails on Three Continents
• 1939 North American Big Game, 2nd Ed.
• 1952 Records of North American Big Game, 3rd Ed.
• 1958 Records of North American Big Game, 4th Ed.
• 1961 Crusade for Wildlife
• 1964 Records of North American Big Game, 5th Ed.
• 1971 North American Big Game, 6th Ed.
• 1973 North American Big Game, Revised 6th Ed.
• 1975 An American Crusade for Wildlife
• 1975 The Wild Sheep of Modern North America
• 1977 North American Big Game, 7th Ed.
• 1979 The Black Bear in Modern North America
• 1981 Records of North American Big Game, 8th Ed.
• 1984 18th Big Game Awards Book
• 1985 Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game, 1st Ed.
• 1986 19th Big Game Awards Book
• 1987 Records of North American Whitetail Deer, 1st Ed.
• 1988 Records of North American Big Game, 9th Ed.
• 1990 20th Big Game Awards Book
• 1991 Records of North American Elk and Mule Deer, 1st Ed.
• 1991 Records of North American Whitetail Deer, 2nd Ed.
• 1992 21st Big Game Awards Book
• 1993 Records of North American Big Game, 10th Ed.
• 1994 From the Peace to the Fraser
• 1995 22nd Big Game Awards Book
• 1995 African Game Lands
• 1995 Records of North American Whitetail Deer, 3rd Ed.
• 1996 Records of North American Elk and Mule Deer, 2nd Ed. (HC)
• 1996 Records of North American Elk and Mule Deer, 2nd Ed. (PB)
• 1996 Records of North American Sheep, Goats and Pronghorn, 1st Ed. (HC)
• 1996 Records of North American Sheep, Goats and Pronghorn, 1st Ed. (PB)
• 1997 Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game, 2nd Ed.
• 1997 Records of North American Caribou and Moose, 1st Ed.
• 1998 23rd Big Game Awards Book
• 1999 Records of North American Big Game, 11th Ed.
• 1999 Return of Royalty
• 2001 24th Big Game Awards Book
• 2003 Records of North American Whitetail Deer, 4th Ed.
• 2004 25th Big Game Awards Book
• 2004 Fair Chase in North America (HC)
• 2004 Fair Chase in North America (PB)
• 2005 Records of North American Big Game, 12th Ed.
• 2006 A Whitetail Retrospective
• 2006 Legendary Hunts
• 2007 26th Big Game Awards Book
• 2008 Hunting the American West
• 2008 Records of North American Big Game, 12th Ed. Paperback
• 2009 Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game, 3rd Ed.
• 2009 Records of North American Elk, 1st Ed.
• 2009 Records of North American Mule Deer 1st Ed.
• 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Hunter-Conservationist Hardcover
• 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Hunter-Conservationist Paperback
• 2010 1906 Big Game Measurements Limited Edition Reprint
• 2010 An American Elk Retrospective
• 2010 Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards, 2007-2009 (HC)
• 2010 Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards, 2007-2009 (PB)
• 2010 Field Guide to Measuring and Judging Big Game, 2nd Ed
• 2011 Legendary Hunts II
• 2011 Records of North American Big Game, 13th Edition
• 2011 Vintage Hunting Album
• 2012 Campfires in the Canadian Rockies (B&C Classics)
• 2012 Records of North American Whitetail Deer, 5th Ed.
• 2013 A Mule Deer Retrospective
• 2013 African Game Trails (B&C Classics)
• 2013 Back from the Hunt
• 2013 Boone and Crockett Club's 28th Big Game Awards
• 2013 Great Rams III
• 2014 A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa (B&C Classics)
• 2014 Big Trophies, Epic Hunts (HC)
• 2014 Big Trophies, Epic Hunts (PB)
• 2014 Boone and Crockett Club's Complete Guide to Hunting Whitetails
• 2014 Wild Gourmet
• 2014 Wilderness of the Upper Yukon (B&C Classics)
• 2015 Forks in the Trail
• 2015 Hunting Around the World
• 2015 Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail (B&C Classics)
• 2015 The Legendary Hunts of Theodore Roosevelt (co-published)
• 2015 Wilderness Journals
• 2016 Boone and Crockett Club's 29th Big Game Awards
• 2016 How to Score North American Big Game
• 2017 Records of North American Big Game 14th Edition
• 2017 North American Wildlife Policy and Law

See also

• James Jordan Buck
• Hole in the Horn Buck

External links

• Boone and Crockett Club's Official Website
• Boone and Crockett Club's Historical Records (University of Montana Archives)