George Bird Grinnell Society

It’s been over 130 years since Theodore Roosevelt formed a coalition of sportsmen to establish the foundation for the World’s greatest conservation system. Chief among these individuals was George Bird Grinnell, editor of Forest & Stream magazine, Boone and Crockett Club President from 1918 to 1927, and later named Honorary President for Life.

Introducing the George Bird Grinnell Society

History gives credit to Roosevelt for being the father of modern-day conservation, but it was actually Grinnell, behind the scenes, who had the best view of what was wrong and how to fix it. His influence on Roosevelt cannot be overstated nor overlooked. It is in this same spirit of quiet leadership and dedication to purpose that the Club has established the George Bird Grinnell Society.

The Boone and Crockett Club Legacy

We know hunting is generational, passed down from one generation to the next. So too is a conservation ethic, which is why the Club continues to strive to carry forward the vision, work, and accomplishments of its founding fathers.

By helping write and pass such legislation as the Yellowstone Protection Act, Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts the Club helped engage Congress in matters of natural resources conservation, create a reliable funding source, and set the tone for new laws to protect wildlife.

By systematically setting aside federal public lands like our national forests and parks, and then establishing expert agencies to manage these lands, Boone and Crockett Club members set the stage for the effective management of our nation’s natural resources.

By promoting the first hunting seasons, game laws, and an ethical “fair chase” code of conduct the Club established hunters as the first field generals for conservation.

In the end, the Club created much of what is known today as the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

Moving Forward

While the circumstances are different today, they are no less challenging than those faced by Theodore Roosevelt, George Bird Grinnell and their colleagues over a century ago. While a modern and urbanized society may have come to realize the value of wildlife and wild places, its fails to understand the history of conservation and what it takes to keep this wildness with us.

It is a symbiotic chain – a system that is not new, but one that has and will continue to weaken over time with a growing preservation ideology.

Less habitat means less wildlife. Together they mean fewer opportunities for hunting and enjoying the outdoors. Less hunting opportunities means fewer hunters and fewer hunters means less funding for wildlife management, and less conservation of critical habitat.

The Club has faced these serious challenges head on, working quietly yet effectively on behalf of the hunter conservationist community. But we need your help. Your financial support will help the Boone and Crockett Club strengthen each link along this chain through its conservation leadership programs.

Knowing they could not accomplish this daunting task alone, they invited men of science, business, industry, politics, and public service to join them in forming the Boone and Crockett Club.

Today, more than ever, conservation and our sporting traditions need your help. Please join us in this cause by becoming a George Bird Grinnell Society member today!

George Bird Grinnell Society Information and Benefits

The Boone and Crockett Club George Bird Grinnell Society welcomes those individuals who wish to support our conservation programs through purely philanthropic, tax deductible gifts of $2,500 or more.

• Funds raised from the George Bird Grinnell Society are placed in the Boone and Crockett Club Foundation endowment where the principal remains intact. A portion of the annual interest income generated is then dedicated to vital conservation programs.
• Special recognition is given via Club publications and in the visitors’ Gallery at Boone and Crockett Club Headquarters in Missoula, Montana, and with a custom plaque.
• After your initial gift of $2,500, gifts of $500 or more to the Boone and Crockett Club Foundation endowment will accumulate toward new contribution levels.
• Contributions can include proceeds from donated personal property through the Guns for Conservation program (net amount deposited into the endowment).

George Bird Grinnell Society Levels of Giving

• Copper - $2,500 - $4,999
• Bronze - $5,000 - $9,999
• Silver - $10,000 - $24,999
• Gold - $25,000 - $49,999
• Diamond - $50,000 - $124,999
• Wilderness Warrior Society  - $125,000 or more

For more information, email Jodi Bishop or download the brochure.

 

Boone and Crockett Club Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

Boone and Crockett Club's strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.  

Boone and Crockett Club's exceptional 4-star rating sets it apart from its peers and demonstrates its trustworthiness to the public,” according to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only a quarter of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive the distinction of our 4-star rating. This adds the Boone and Crockett Club to a preeminent group of charities working to overcome our world’s most pressing challenges. Based on its 4-star rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support IBoone and Crockett Club.” 
  
Boone and Crockett Club’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org.