B&C Members Selected for Advisory Panel

Of the 18 conservation leaders selected to advise the Obama Administration on wildlife and sporting issues, 11 are members of the Boone and Crockett Club. That influence is good news for America's hunters because it ensures strong advocacy for high standards in fair-chase sportsmanship, habitat stewardship and science-based wildlife management.

Founded by Theodore Roosevelt, the Club has long maintained the highest standards for North American hunters--and documented the conservation benefits through big-game records that date back to the late 1880s.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Aug. 17 announced appointees to the Wildlife Hunting Heritage Conservation Council.

The council will include the following Boone and Crockett Club members:

• David Allen (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)
• Jeffrey Crane (Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation)
• Jonathan Gassett (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources)
• Thomas Franklin (Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership)
• Winifred Kessler (The Wildlife Society)
• Robert Model (chairman of Boone and Crockett Club)
• Joanna Prukop (former New Mexico Secretary of Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources)
• Stephen Sanetti (National Shooting Sports Foundation)
• Christine Thomas (College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin)
• John Tomke (Ducks Unlimited)
• Steve Williams (Wildlife Management Institute)

"It's gratifying to see so many Boone and Crockett members on the council," said Club President Ben Wallace. "Each was selected as a federal advisor for the same reasons that he or she was selected as a regular or professional member of our organization--their professionalism, education, background, leadership, vision and passion for the future of wildlife, hunting and shooting sports."

Traditional sporting pursuits continue to fuel the primary funding mechanisms for conservation and wildlife management. It's a system that must be preserved, said Wallace.

He added, "I'm confident that our President and his staff will receive the highest level of guidance from this group. Congratulations to all the appointees on their selection."

Some selectees will be serving their second term (three years) on the council, launched in 2010.

The council was formed to promote and preserve America's wildlife and hunting heritage for future generations by identifying issues and proposing solutions that advance sustainable use conservation.

Six federal agencies playing a key role in America's outdoor heritage--U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency--and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, will also have representation on the council.

For the full list of recent appointees and more info about the council, see the Department of Interior's press release.