Although there are a few left still, our trade show season has reached its end. Four shows and 6,500 miles in eighteen days was plenty. Much in these events has remained the same, but a new, ominous element is beginning to make appearances at the large hunting-based shows, as we are seeing protesters at almost every event.  

Our first encounter with protesters at outdoor trade shows occurred a few years ago at the Dallas Safari Club convention. The picketers were out to show the world their disdain for the auction of a black rhino bull hunt in Namibia and the world seemed to be paying attention. Fox, CBS, Al Jazzera English were all there to cover the event; CNN as well,  which used some of our black rhino stock footage from a previous Namibian safari. With the world watching the goings on in Dallas, the protesters were out in force to save this one, poor endangered rhino and show the world what horrible people hunters are. Except the plan backfired.  

The DSC Convention, Mogambo: Dagga Boy Danger, held in Dallas in mid-January at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, saw a healthy increase in day traffic and brisk business for most exhibitors. The Greatest Hunters’ Convention on the Planet™ is one of Dallas’ largest, occupying 800,000 square feet of exhibit space for four days.

Anglers Inn International has hosted trophy bass fishing trips to Lake El Salto for years and double-digit bass are no stranger to anglers visiting the lake. Anglers Inn also operates a lodge on the new Lake Picachos, with daily catches of quality bass numbering in the dozens and often in triple figures.

Bestwingshooting.com is offering an exciting opportunity to hunt pigeons and doves in Bolivia with a legitimate opportunity to become a better shooter. This trip will be hosted by renown wingshooting experts Gil and Vicki Ash.Bolivia is a shotgunner’s paradise, but the non-stop bird action is only half of the story. This executive hunt includes 5 days, 4 nights, 8 hunts in Santa Cruz.

The Tongariro River is the largest and most important spawning river in the Lake Taupo region. The Tongariro River and Taupo are reputed as world-class fisheries for prime rainbow and brown trout. Distant Waters, one of New Zealand’s finest fishing outfitters offers a variety of packages on Lake Taupo to accommodate anglers needs.

Huntershill Safaris’ 55,000 acres is one of the Eastern Cape of South Africa’s larger hunting properties. A haven for wildlife, Huntershill features over 70 species for viewing or hunting in the semi-open bush and mountainous terrain. For those who may be interested in a different African hunt, the Rocklands camp is available.

In the very corner of northwest South Africa bordering Botswana and Namibia lies Kwalata Safaris’ new 100,000-acre hunting block. In the extremes of this beautiful semi-arid to arid desert landscape, which surprisingly teams with life, incredible trophy quality is available for the taking. Hunters can expect the challenge of quick long shots on great trophies such as eland; blue and black wildebeest, springbuck, ostrich, steenbuck, duiker and for a little change of pace, great sand grouse shooting.

Travel to remote Kyrgyzstan, which is considered to be one of the top destinations for trophy Ibex. This area of Kyrgyzstan is rugged and remote. This is a trusted Link’s Wild Safaris Certified Destination offering both Argali Sheep and Mid Asian Ibex hunts. All of the past hunts to this exclusive area have had 100% success.

Shikar is the Asian word for Safari in Africa. In the past, the most classic "Shikar" was the tiger hunt in India. Those days are gone, but today the mountains, forests and plains of Asia beckon, holding a variety of game that in some areas actually rivals Africa, presenting some of the most adventurous hunting experiences remaining on Earth.

All American Outfitter has a limited number of tags for Texas mule deer. The $4,200 price of the hunt includes, meals, lodging, trophy fee for 1 mule deer buck, and 2x1 guiding for three full hunting days. However, if you are not successful within those three days, AAO will provide a 4th hunting day free. Also included in the price of the hunt is quartering of the meat for your transport home.

Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Co-Chair Congressman Austin Scott (GA), along with fellow CSC leaders Representatives Marc Veasey (TX), Debbie Dingell (MI), and Richard Hudson (NC), introduced the Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act, an important bill for the future of wildlife conservation funding.

Following an extensive search that began with the appointment of the Executive Director Search Committee in the fall of 2017, DSC Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Richard T. Cheatham as the executive Director of DSC Foundation.

A six-year cooperative study of quail on two western Oklahoma wildlife management areas has confirmed that weather and habitat influence sizable fluctuations in the number of birds each year. This finding was among several important results that are detailed in a report titled “Research Summary: Evaluation of Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in Western Oklahoma” recently released by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station in the Division of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University.

The flagship waterfowl shotgun from Stoeger® has received upgrades to its performance and aesthetic features to create the company’s best semiautomatic shotgun for serious duck and goose hunters. The Stoeger M3500 Waterfowler Special has been designed with tried-and-true versatility and reliability at a great value.

The new Abu Garcia® Revo® Rocket packs a punch when it comes to delivering high-speed performance. Featuring a new 10.1:1 rocket gear ratio, delivering 41’’ line per turn, the new Revo Rocket gives anglers speed, compact design and power all in one package.

The Boone and Crockett Club supports President Trump’s nomination of David Bernhardt to be the new Secretary of the Interior.

On January 31st, Sea Shepherd vessel the M/V Farley Mowat was attacked by over 50 assailants posing as fishermen on board 20 high speed boats while conducting maritime conservation patrols inside the Vaquita Refuge in the Upper Gulf of California. A total of 52 skiffs were counted, the others attacking Navy boats in the area.

Airline travel has gone to the dogs. Literally

In recent years, more and more travelers are being accompanied by emotional “support” animals in the passenger hold to help with, presumably, flight anxiety. While there is no doubt many people are in need of service or support animals, there should also be no doubt the system is being abused. And we are not just talking about eccentric ladies with teacup poodles and cats. Snakes, spiders, possums…a diaper-wearing ferret; all have been presented by passengers as a medical necessity to flying. Let us not forget comfort birds either. Parrots, turkeys; an emotional support peacock all flew, so to speak, to address the emotional needs of their owners. Chickens as well, which is where People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) gets involved.