RMEF to Sponsor Boone and Crockett 28th Awards

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has added its name to the growing list of sponsors behind one of North America's longest-running celebrations of big-game conservation and management--the Boone and Crockett Club 28th Big Game Awards, July 17-20 in Reno, Nev. 

The triennial event will be held at the Silver Legacy Hotel in Reno. It features a public exhibition of World's Records, Top 5 trophies and records-book specimens taken by hunters age 16 and under during the past three years. 

"Boone and Crockett began hosting public exhibitions of big game trophies in 1947," said Club President Bill Demmer. "It's an opportunity for people to see the trophies that we honor as symbols of America's incredibly successful conservation system. It's a system led and funded primarily by hunters, but it benefits all wildlife as well as all citizens who appreciate wildlife and wild places." 

"RMEF adopted the slogan 'Hunting Is Conservation' to remind hunters and the general public that wildlife conservation succeeds in North America only because of funding and leadership from hunters," said Steve Decker, vice president of marketing for RMEF. "We want hunters to be proud of that fact. And we want citizens, even if they don't hunt, to at least understand and appreciate it. Supporting Boone and Crockett's triennial event is a good way to help accomplish these goals." 

Demmer added, "By sponsoring our 28th Awards, RMEF is helping us spread the word that America's conservation system continues to work well today. In fact, most big game herds are healthier and world-class trophies are more plentiful now than ever before, thanks to hunters." 

In addition to the trophy exhibition, the event offers registered attendees a chance to enjoy raffles, an auction featuring hunts in top trophy regions across the continent and evening awards banquets and presentations. 

More info on the Boone and Crockett Club 28th Big Game Awards is available at www.biggameawards.com.

In October, the Club will release its newest record book, 28th Big Game Awards. The next edition in its popular and collectible book series will feature nearly 5,000 new Boone and Crockett qualifying trophies entered and accepted during the 28th awards period (2010-2012) in 38 different categories of North American big game, from whitetail to walrus. 

Boone and Crockett Club began keeping trophy records in 1906 as a way of detailing species once headed for extinction. Today, trophy data reflect population health and habitat quality. Biologists compare and contrast records to improve local management strategies as well as state and federal wildlife polices. 

To date, the growing list of sponsors for the Boone and Crockett Club 28th Big Game Awards, July 17-20 in Reno, includes Cabela's, Aimpoint, Federal Premium Ammunition, Buck Knives, Leica Sport Optics, Boyt Harness Co., Hornady, Leupold, Realtree, Schnee's, MINOX, Wild Sheep Foundation, Dallas Safari Club, Redfield, Hunting GPS Maps and RMEF.