Hot Links

Membership Application

Hunt Donation Form

AWLS Program

SCI Convention 2009

1.  Eastern Michigan Food Bank

A slowing economy and increasing energy prices are just a few of the daily problems our communities are facing. Healthcare, home energy costs, along with the staples of daily life, are becoming more and more expensive for the citizens of Michigan.

The Safari Club has recognized these difficulties and contributed $2,000 to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.

"Today A person working for the  minimum wage cannot, for the first time in history, buy a gallon of milk and a gallon of gasoline with one hour's wages." This is creating tremendous demand for our services.

The Food Bank would like to thank all the SCI Leaders and the membership for their support during this
time of great need in our community.

2.  Hilton Screeners – Flint Bowmen youth shirts

3.  Gary Jackson – Meat processing for youth fallow deer hunt

4.  (8) Teachers to American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS)

Thank you letters from the teachers

Grapevine (from September 2008 Davison Communicator)

Summer fun and adventures ...

Hill Teachers Jodi Halverson, Michelle Thompson and Suzie Richards were sponsored by the Safari Club International (Flint chapter) to attend the American Wilderness Leadership School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, this past summer. The week-long session included lessons in fly tying, archery, muzzle loading and skeet shooting and a class in wilderness survival. Highlights of the trip included white water rafting down the Snake River, soaking in hot springs, hiking up mountains and seeing lots of wildlife. “A couple of things that we loved seeing were a bald eagle on our rafting trip and a moose that jumped right in back of the archery range,” Suzie said. “We had to ‘cease fire’ just in the knick of time!” The trio arrived in Jackson Hole two days early in order to take in the sights. They went horseback riding, toured Yellowstone and took a covered wagon ride out for a “real” ranch dinner and saw beautiful Jenny Lake.

Connie Trombley (Career Center Coordinator/High School) also attended the American Wilderness Leadership School in Jackson, Wyoming. There, she learned team building skills as well as about conservation and preservation and how to introduce these concepts to students in all grade levels. Connie also participated in wilderness survival training, went white water rafting and learned to tie flies. She attended lectures by the Bureau of Land Management and Wyoming Fish and Game Forest Service. “For me, it was a life changing experience,” Connie said. “It made me want to do more for the environment than recycle and grow organic foods.” Besides attending wilderness school, Connie spent a good deal of her summer getting used to her BMW K1200GT. “It’s a bit of a rocket ship, but I’m loving it,” she said.

5.  JDH Creations – Trophies for Flint Bowmen youth league

6.  Blue Bag Supplies

7.  Mark Thomas – Processing deer for Eastern Michigan Food Bank

8.  Tickets for the Susie Sherrill Fundraiser

9.  Davison High School shooting team

Website for event results

Season two of Davison High School’s skeet club brought back several shooters from its freshman year, along with some new faces.  Matt Taylor, Kyle Dawson, Talon Hodgeson and Granger Stefanko continued honing their skills, while newcomer Andrew Kechner ‘s natural ability brought him to the forefront of the competition.  In early May, Matt Taylor shot his first, much anticipated, straight, and was initiated by ten veteran members of the Grand Blanc Huntsman Club; his favorite ball cap blown to bits.  Matt simply stapled it back together and continues to wear it today in hopes of additional success.  He joins Kyle Dawson, who shot his first straight as a freshman.

Thanks to the $500 donation from Safari Club International’s Flint Chapter the Busters were able to offset ever increasing costs of ammunition, for competitive shooting.   In addition these funds were utilized to cover registration expenses and to attend fun shoots as well as the State Shoot held at the Detroit Gun Club in Walled Lake.  Matt Taylor, Andrew Kechner and Kyle Dawson each received a United States Savings Bond for their performances during the State Shoot.

The 2009 Season is fast approaching. Already students and parents are asking questions regarding procedures and requirements for membership into the Davison Busters Academic Shooting League.  “We feel very fortunate to have a high school club that encourages the use of firearms in a safe, fun and nurturing environment, and hope to continue the growth and success for years to come”, says Kevin Brown, Principal of Davison High School.

10. US Sportsman’s Alliance

11. Double D Ranch – Youth hunt sponsorship

12.  Jessica & Danielle Gibbs – Archery Competition

Jessica was first introduced to the sport through the Girl scouts at Flint Bowmen. They were taught some safety and then were allowed to shoot at a deer target. Jessica's first shot was dead in the kill zone; she has been hooked every since. Her sister was right on her heels. They both enjoy the sport of bow hunting at their grandfather's home near Caro, MI. They soon joined Flint Bowmen and joined their J.O.A.D. (Junior Olympic Archery Development) program and started to shoot competitively.

Jessica's Awards

• 2008 Member of Junior United States Archery Team (USAT)

• 2008 Member of Jr. World Team

• 2008 Junior World Target Championship United States Archery Association (USAA) 3rd place

• 2008 National Target Championship ranked 5th overall

• 2008 Jr. Olympic Archery Development Program (J.O.A.D.) National Outdoor Championship 8th overall

• 2008 Southern Illinois Cup 6th overall

• 2008 State Outdoor J.O.A.D. Championship 1st place

• 2008 NFAA Indoor National Championship 3rd 1st Flight

• 2008 39th National J.O.A.D. Indoor Championship 8th, 3rd in region

• 2008 39th National Indoor Championship 9th, 2nd in region

• 2008 State Indoor J.O.A.D. Championship 2nd place

• 2008 State Indoor Championship 2nd

Danielle's  Awards

• 2008 Member of Jr. World team

• 2008 Junior World Target Championship United States Archery Association (USSA), 4th place

• 2008 National Target Championship, ranked 7th overall

• 2008 Junior Olympic Archery Development Program (J.O.A.D.) National Outdoor Championship, 4th overall

• 2008 Southern Illinois Cup, 1st overall

• 2008 State Outdoor Championship, 1st

• 2008 NFAA Indoor National Championship 4th 1st flight

• 2008 39th J.O.A.D. National Indoor Championship, 1st, and 1st in region

• 2008 39th National Indoor Championship 4th 2nd in region

• 2008 State Indoor J.O.A.D. Championship, 1st place

• 2008 State Indoor Championship, 1st

13.  MUCC – SCI Membership

14.  Women Hunter Magazine – SCI Advertisement

15.  Kearsley High School shooting team

16.  SCI Alaska Chapter raffle tickets

Alaska Chapter SCI
P.O. Box 770511
Eagle River, 4K99577

Dear Fellow SCI Chapter President,

We are sending this letter under both our signatures to alert you to the latest attack on our rights - an issue of national importance. Here in Alaska the anti-hunting zealots have been successful in placing an initiative on our upcoming primary ballot. The initiative is an attempt to place a strangle hold on our ability manage our renewable resources. Worse yet, the initiative will be on our primary ballot in August, when sportsmen are paying little attention, and turnout of conservation-minded voters is likely to be very low.

Currently the state of Alaska utilizes many tools in managing the predator-prey balance in the State. This is necessary for many reasons. Currently there are many areas in the state that have declining moose and caribou populations, due to the large number of predators in those areas. These predators account for up to 80% of the yearly mortality rate. Alaska has over 1 1,000 wolves, 30,000 grizzly bears and up to 1 million black bears. As you can see the scientific numbers speak for themselves. The state in order to bring the populations into balance must intensely manage some of these areas.

This initiative is a thinly-veiled effort to paint the issue as one of 'aerial hunting.' In truth, the issue is simply predator management; remember neither SCl, Alaska-SCl, the State of Alaska nor any true conservationist supports "aerial hunting" in Alaska. We must ensure we educate the non-hunting voting public of the real issues involved in the initiative. Additionally the ballot initiative is written in a way that appears to allow proper management in a"biological emergency," however the legal definition of that term would mean that the ungulate populations would have to be decimated prior to allowing effective management of the predators with little hope of restoring the moose or caribou populations in our lifetimes.

lf successful, this attack on our rights means that the game populations that support many rural families will fall to a level that won't allow any type of harvesting for either subsistence or sport hunting. Additionally if the anti's win this battle, they will use it as a springboard to raise resources for their next attack on our hunting rights, whether in Alaska or any other state they see as vulnerable.

You can support the cause and get more information by visiting the Alaskans for ProfessionalWildlife
Management's website at www.protectmoose.com. We have also put together a raffle to raise resources to educate the public on the issue; we have three special trips being raffled, including a Kenai fishing trip, a red stag hunt and a brown bear hunt. There will be only 200 tickets sold for this raffle and all the trips are designed to allow your Chapter to utilize them at your 2008 or 2009 fundraiser. The Alaska Chapter representatives will have these available at the National meeting in May or you can ensure you secure yours early by contacting AK-SCI at admin@aksafariclub.orq or president@aksafariclub.org. lf this initiative passes we can expect our ungulate population to be decimated in areas where it has just started to rebound and this will result in lost opportunities for you and future generations to enjoy and utilize our resources. We are asking for your assistance to protect the rights of all Americans to manage our resources. Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

R.S. Haberman
President
SClAlaska Chapter

Merle Shepard
President Elect
Safari Club International

17.  MIC – Wolf study

Over the next two years MDNR will be compiling all of the available information on wolves in Michigan in  a comprehensive report, and will be studying the movements of wolves within their territories especially as it relates to the use or avoidance of openings using GPS collars on wolves.

This project started in 1999 and will continue for at least five years after federal delisting which occurred in 2007.

18.  MIC – Grad Grant

Through SCI – MIC our chapter along with the other SCI Michigan Chapters has helped fund grants totaling $67,000 to 23 students pursuing graduate degrees in wildlife related fields at Michigan based institutions of higher education since 1993 to current and ongoing.

19.  SCI International – 30% Donation

20.  Goodrich High School shooting team

21.  Chapman Sports - Fishing Tournament

Walleye Tournament

22.  Davison Hahn Middle School – Canoe trip

Learning From A Canoe - By Shelly Lubien-Hayden

Physical Education Teacher & AWLS Graduate

The Safari Club International - Flint has given its support and $1,500 to help launch Hahn's "Learning From A Canoe" program where teachers bring the classroom to the outdoors.  Hahn Intermediate teachers who participated in the American Wilderness Leadership School are spreading the word to others.  This program is a way to connect students to the outdoors and help them develop a relationship with nature.

Last year, 27 classrooms from Hahn paddled the Huron River.  For many, it was the first time in a canoe.  While navigating canoes, students experienced the wonders of nature as it connected to the curriculum.  Presenters provided information on historical uses of the river systems, the river's importance to the wildlife and the different types of habitat around the river.  "This brings the classroom outdoors and the outdoors into the classroom," said Kay Lubert, 6th grade teacher.

According to teachers, parents and students, it was very successful and a memorable experience. Many stated that this was the best field trip they have ever experienced.  Ashleigh Corlew, a 6th grade student said, "What I liked the most about the canoe trip was the wildlife, and I learned how to canoe!  What could be better?"

Since the trip was such a success in its educational value, it will now be supported by Davison Schools.  This trip will be taken by each classroom at Hahn for years to come.  Thanks for the support of Safari Club International - Flint in helping to implement our "Learning From A Canoe" program.

23.  APOS (Alberta Professional Outfitters Association) Black Bear Study

24.  The Chapter sponsored three (3) children to SHAP (State Hunter Appreciation Program)

25.  Alaska SCI Chapter - The Chapter donated to fight the Anti-Hunter Ballot Initiative

26.  Donation to the Medical Fund for the granddaughter of Outfitter, Arnold Holmes

27.   Chapters Team Up for Salvation Army Outdoors

The Salvation Army Outdoors (TSAO) and a team of local Safari Club International (SCI) chapters – the SE Michigan Bowhunters, Detroit & Flint Regional Chapters - joined forces to promote the shooting sports by providing funding to help design and construct a first-rate outdoor Shooting Sports Pavilion at the Salvation Army’s Echo Grove Camp just north of Rochester, Michigan. At one end of the pavilion will be an eight-person pellet gun range and on the other end will be an archery range with an adjacent ten target 3-Drange. The pavilion will also feature a shooting equipment storage building. The TSAO program has already procured top-quality bows, pellet rifles and targets for the ranges.

The joint-chapter project is a pilot program that will bring TSAO and SCI closer to their mutual goal of exposing youngsters nationwide to the exciting world of shooting sports as a way of enjoying our great outdoors.

The Echo Grove Camp is a first-class, modern, 400-bed facility located on over 100 acres of waterfront property with access to a wide range of outdoor activities to suit a variety of youth camps over the entire summer. The camp offers enough that the decision was made to move the Michigan SCI State Hunter Apprentice Program (SHAP) to the facility this past summer.

Earlier in the year Youth Divisional Secretary Captain Monty Wandling expressed to the SCI chapters his longtime dream of having a well designed shooting range & pavilion where the 1600 youngsters that attend the camp annually could be introduced to the shooting sports. Local SCI chapters responded by providing almost half the cost of the structure, currently scheduled to be completed in time for the opening of the 2009 season at the camp. The Salvation Army is matching the SCI donation to complete the funding for the project, as well as training camp staff as on-site range instructors throughout the summer.

SCI President Merle Shepard has taken a keen interest in seeing that the Salvation Army and SCI continue to work together on a national basis, and that this local Shooting Sports Pavilion will be the cornerstone for future projects between the two organizations. The future of the shooting sports is much brighter with the joining of these two great organizations and our youngsters will be the ultimate winners!