http://www.humanesociety.org/n...ps://www.google.com/



November 29, 2016

African leopards a step closer to endangered species list, protection from trophy hunters


The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that all leopards may qualify for “endangered” status under the Endangered Species Act. The decision comes in response to a legal petition submitted in July 2016 by The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Center for Biological Diversity and The Fund for Animals.

Leopards are at risk of extinction across their African and Asian range, having suffered a population decline in sub-Saharan Africa of more than 30 percent in the past 25 years, in part due to unsustainable trophy hunting by Americans. Yet due to a loophole in place since 1982, hundreds of leopard trophies per year have been imported into the United States without proper scrutiny by the federal government or scientific experts. In 2014, hunters imported 311 leopard trophies into the U.S.

In making its decision, the agency found that the group’s petition presented substantial scientific evidence that endangered protections may be warranted. The decision kicks off a comprehensive review of the status of the species.

Teresa M. Telecky, Ph.D, director of the wildlife department at HSI, said: “African leopard numbers are plummeting and as the largest leopard trophy importer in the world, the United States has taken a critical step toward ensuring that our consumption does not threaten the survival of this species.”

Jeff Flocken, IFAW’s North America regional director, said: “This is a crucial step forward in saving these imperiled animals. We thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for recognizing that enhanced protections under U.S. law may be warranted.”

Anna Frostic, senior wildlife attorney for The HSUS, said: “Initiating a status review of the species is long overdue and it is imperative that FWS expeditiously conclude this process and take action to increase oversight of African leopard trophy imports, as required by law.”

Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said: “Leopards in Asia and northern Africa have long been recognized as endangered, and the United States must extend this same level of protection to all leopards to reverse their disturbing decline.”

Background:

In sub-Saharan Africa, the leopard population has declined by more than 30 percent in the past 25 years, and the species has lost 48-67 percent of its historic range in Africa.
Between 2005-2014, at least 10,191 individual leopards were traded internationally as hunting trophies, with the U.S. as the top importer (accounting for 45 percent of this trade).
The number of leopard trophy imports has remained over 300 per year since 1999, despite commitments from FWS in 1982 to only allow “very few” leopard trophies into the country.
Panthera pardus is listed on CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international trade for commercial purposes, but this international agreement does not prohibit trade in hunting trophies.
Competition for records and prizes, such as Safari Club International’s “Grand Slam Cats of the World” and others, drive wealthy trophy hunters to seek out the world’s rarest animals and encourage trophy hunting at a time when the long-held belief that such killing aided conservation efforts is crumbling under increasing evidence that ecotourism boosts economies more than hunting expeditions.
Trophy hunting is under increased scrutiny following the 2015 killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe.

Media Contacts:
The HSUS: Stephanie Twining, stwining@humanesociety.org, 301-258-1491
HSI: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, 240-620-3263
CBD: Sarah Uhlemann, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org, 206-327-2344
IFAW: Abby Cohen, abby@rosengrouppr.com, 646.695.7044

unmitigatedhorseshitt

http://www.biologicaldiversity...finding_11_30_16.pdf



Evaluation of a Petition to Reclassify Leopards Currently Listed as Threatened Species to
Endangered Species Under the Act
Additional information regarding our review of this petition can be found as an appendix
at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS–HQ–ES–2016–0131 under the Supporting
Documents section.
Species and Range
Leopard (Panthera pardus): Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, and
Uganda
Petition History
On July 26, 2016, we received a petition dated July 25, 2016, from The Humane Society
of the United States and the Fund for Animals, requesting that the leopard be reclassified as
endangered throughout its range under the Act. The petition clearly identified itself as such and
included the requisite identification information for the petitioner, required at 50 CFR
424.14(a). This finding addresses the petition.

Finding
Based on our review of the petition and sources cited in the petition, we find that the
petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that reclassifying
the leopard (Panthera pardus) as endangered throughout its range may be warranted, based on
Factors A, B, D, and E (for a listing of the factors, see (2) under Request for Information for
Status Reviews, above). However, during our status review, we will thoroughly evaluate all
potential threats to the species, including the extent to which any protections or other
conservation efforts have reduced those threats. Thus, for this species, the Service requests any
information relevant to whether the species falls within the definition of an endangered species
under section 3(6) of the Act, including information on the five listing factors under section
4(a)(1) and any other factors identified in this finding.

Meanwhile hunters are still debating whether we need premium bullets.

Are liberals making a final push before Obama exits?
People like Sally Jewel?
300 per year...a high number or would we say a low number? that stuck out to me in their figures sited
Certainly a sustainable number.....

All the usual suspects. These organizations do nothing to improve habitat, conservation, education, or otherwise assist local populations who are impacted by their nonsense. All they do is spend their time and money throwing up roadblocks and legal challenges and they call it wildlife protection and conservation.


Misguided and very dangerous clowns.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
Meanwhile hunters are still debating whether we need premium bullets.

And whether they should be an SCI member.....

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by BrettAKSCI:

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
Meanwhile hunters are still debating whether we need premium bullets.

And whether they should be an SCI member.....

Brett

quote:

Competition for records and prizes, such as Safari Club International’s “Grand Slam Cats of the World” and others, drive wealthy trophy hunters to seek out the world’s rarest animals

Or debating if the SCI record book mentality (or ethics for the matter) is good for hunting and conservation.

And when you consider these organizations and the European anti hunting groups are throwing around hundreds of millions of dollars each year, it makes arguing over seemingly moronic issues all the more moronic.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
And when you consider these organizations and the European anti hunting groups are throwing around hundreds of millions of dollars each year, it makes arguing over seemingly moronic issues all the more moronic.

Opus1,

Serious question, in your opinion what can the individual hunter do to help stop anti-hunters from destroying our way of life?

Excellent question - Find a conservation group or NGO working on the ground in Africa that is dedicated to actual wildlife conservation and protection efforts. There are many unsung heroes who are fighting the antis and protecting our hunting rights at the government level in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania who are making a difference. They are difficult to find, but they are there.

In regards to our domestic groups, I am afraid only pennies of your donations ever get to the ground in Africa. They certainly spend money here through PACs and political efforts, however, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the anti hunting groups who are outspending us 100 to 1.

Otherwise, book hunts with outfitters who are contributing to community initiatives and anti poaching efforts. Encourage more PHs and outfitters to showcase their conservation work and the benefits that they are generating through their hunting business. Our industry always likes to talk about all the jobs, money and food they are generating for the local communities, but only a precious few actually posts the numbers of job created, the amount of food they contribute and the benefits they provide each year.

If you want to battle the antis, start generating the data and success stories to fight them.

Never seen this coming. More to come as long as we keep fighting about what is hunting and what is shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Excellent question - Find a conservation group or NGO working on the ground in Africa that is dedicated to actual wildlife conservation and protection efforts. There are many unsung heroes who are fighting the antis and protecting our hunting rights at the government level in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania who are making a difference. They are difficult to find, but they are there.

In regards to our domestic groups, I am afraid only pennies of your donations ever get to the ground in Africa. They certainly spend money here through PACs and political efforts, however, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the anti hunting groups who are outspending us 100 to 1.

Otherwise, book hunts with outfitters who are contributing to community initiatives and anti poaching efforts. Encourage more PHs and outfitters to showcase their conservation work and the benefits that they are generating through their hunting business. Our industry always likes to talk about all the jobs, money and food they are generating for the local communities, but only a precious few actually posts the numbers of job created, the amount of food they contribute and the benefits they provide each year.

If you want to battle the antis, start generating the data and success stories to fight them.

You read my mind.

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
Never seen this coming. More to come as long as we keep fighting about what is hunting and what is shooting.

This has been on the radar since back in 2010 when Aaron Neilson and I were still running the Lion Conservation Task Force.

Actually...even before then as we were already behind the 8-ball with lion then...way behind.

When Trump gets in office...we need to make a concerted effort to reform USF&WS. I believe we will have a shot.

But...we have got to STOP fighting about things and band together.

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
Never seen this coming. More to come as long as we keep fighting about what is hunting and what is shooting.

I am not sure if the "never seen this coming" is sarcasm or not.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/5711006812/p/1

If you read Neil's first post one of the objectives was proving the conservation benefits of hunting leopard, as the ZPHGA felt that would be the next animal on the anti's hit list.


This also touches on Opus1's post about conservation groups. John Jackson does admirable work but is just outmanned by the enemy. The ZPHGA is a volunteer organization trying to make a difference on a shoe string budget.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:

Otherwise, book hunts with outfitters who are contributing to community initiatives and anti poaching efforts. Encourage more PHs and outfitters to showcase their conservation work and the benefits that they are generating through their hunting business. Our industry always likes to talk about all the jobs, money and food they are generating for the local communities, but only a precious few actually posts the numbers of job created, the amount of food they contribute and the benefits they provide each year.

If you want to battle the antis, start generating the data and success stories to fight them.

On another forum I posed the question of how important an outfitter's conservation efforts are in determining where you would be book a hunt. The response was rather disappointing. Most people instinctively look for the best deal, not worried about what is around the corner. For years I have felt and wrote we should support the guys that support conservation. Even in South Africa, without the game ranches there would be very little wildlife in the country and while I personally despise shooting recently released lions behind a fence I believe it does pay the freight to keep many of these hunting operations solvent, allowing other game to reap the benefits. We do have many good stories tell besides the obvious ones like Bubye Valley and Save Valley Conservancy. Recently I watched PBS documentary on Gorongosa that included restocking the park with animals from Coutada Nine. I thought the buttercup narrator was going to cry when he started talking about hunting but eventually gave some credit to the hunting operators. We just cannot seem to get the good stories out.

SCI, the NRA, DSC or all three need to commission and fund a true economic impact study that hunting has on the African economy using either an unbiased university or noted economist. All we see from HSUS is that only 2% of the money spent by hunters benefits the local community or the wildlife which is utter bs. It has been my contention that 100% of what we spend keeps these hunting areas open and without the hunters the goats, dogs, and axes will move in and there will be no wildlife. It would be difficult to complete a study on each country but even two or three would show a true pattern and give us desperately needed info in our fight.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
Never seen this coming. More to come as long as we keep fighting about what is hunting and what is shooting.

I am not sure if the "never seen this coming" is sarcasm or not.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/5711006812/p/1

If you read Neil's first post one of the objectives was proving the conservation benefits of hunting leopard, as the ZPHGA felt that would be the next animal on the anti's hit list.


This also touches on Opus1's post about conservation groups. John Jackson does admirable work but is just outmanned by the enemy. The ZPHGA is a volunteer organization trying to make a difference on a shoe string budget.

Yes I knew this was coming. No surprise at all as I try to keep up to date on what is happening over there.

Just another thread that shows all of the animals in Africa are being looked at to try and be saved. Wild/raised all the same to the bunny huggers.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:

Otherwise, book hunts with outfitters who are contributing to community initiatives and anti poaching efforts. Encourage more PHs and outfitters to showcase their conservation work and the benefits that they are generating through their hunting business. Our industry always likes to talk about all the jobs, money and food they are generating for the local communities, but only a precious few actually posts the numbers of job created, the amount of food they contribute and the benefits they provide each year.

If you want to battle the antis, start generating the data and success stories to fight them.

On another forum I posed the question of how important an outfitter's conservation efforts are in determining where you would be book a hunt. The response was rather disappointing. Most people instinctively look for the best deal, not worried about what is around the corner. For years I have felt and wrote we should support the guys that support conservation. Even in South Africa, without the game ranches there would be very little wildlife in the country and while I personally despise shooting recently released lions behind a fence I believe it does pay the freight to keep many of these hunting operations solvent, allowing other game to reap the benefits. We do have many good stories tell besides the obvious ones like Bubye Valley and Save Valley Conservancy. Recently I watched PBS documentary on Gorongosa that included restocking the park with animals from Coutada Nine. I thought the buttercup narrator was going to cry when he started talking about hunting but eventually gave some credit to the hunting operators. We just cannot seem to get the good stories out.

SCI, the NRA, DSC or all three need to commission and fund a true economic impact study that hunting has on the African economy using either an unbiased university or noted economist. All we see from HSUS is that only 2% of the money spent by hunters benefits the local community or the wildlife which is utter bs. It has been my contention that 100% of what we spend keeps these hunting areas open and without the hunters the goats, dogs, and axes will move in and there will be no wildlife. It would be difficult to complete a study on each country but even two or three would show a true pattern and give us desperately needed info in our fight.

Here is the problem with the question you asked. Not everyone can afford to hunt with who they may want to or the areas they want to. So yes sometimes they hunt were they can and that might not be based on any conservation efforts at all or very little. Now if you think just people hunting is not a help and we don't need more hunters no matter if there hunt helps by 1.00 dollar or 1000.00 we are in trouble
We need numbers of people and just what money comes out of it from them doing a hunt helps in some way. Hunters help on with just the money from licenses and the money from traveling to a place. Now it may not be much but it all counts in the end.

Here is the problem with sci and the like. Your avg weekend hunter looks at them as groups for the rich hunter. Hell just guys I hunt with locally for deer think I am some rich guy because I hunt South Africa. Now they look or hear about sci and the rich guys giving each other awards or worrying about if they take all the sheep in the world. That is some of the problem because like it or not the fighting with other hunters or lack of reaching out by the groups who speak for us to the avg hunters is missing.

Why should they care if leopard hunting goes away as they will never hunt one. Then I need to see other hunters tell me hunting a raised lion is not hunting even though I want to and that is what I can afford. So even someone like me who would still wants guys to have the right to hunt leopard start not caring. When I see other who would rather help the anti's stop what I do because of there so called morals or ethics you think that makes me want to help others fight for what they want if I would never do it. It has been said so often but we keep fighting within we lose in so many ways and this thread just shows how bad we are losing.

Mike I agree 100%. There are lots of opinionated blowhards but when it comes to spending money, they throw all their "ethics" out the window and book the same hunts with the same guys doing the same thing.

But progress is being made to collect the needed data, however some governments are reluctant to release the facts as they can be used against them - as we saw with The Great Elephant Census. The data collected was used against the governments that jumped on board with that disaster. I will say that Namibia is largely fearless when it comes to standing up against the antis as we just saw with the last CITES meeting. They also told the GES folks to go pound sand, they were not welcome in Namibia. Good move.

Unfortunately, the hunting community is fragmented and to be honest, is mostly hot air when it comes to what is happening in the trenches. Hopefully that will change. But not sure what it will take to pull us together. Maybe more loss of our hunting rights...

I just really do not get the class warfare thing. Who cares how much or how little someone has? An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Are these guys that f'ing stupid to not understand that?

It may be leopards, lions and elephants now. If they win there, they will ultimately get to rabbits, deer and ducks. They will get it then.

Jesus this annoys the hell out of me. The masses sit around and do nothing because it effects the rich. Just wait, keep that up and they will be next.

Cows are people too.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Cows are people too.

Except to the climate change folks. Cows fart too much are are creating too much methane gas for the earth and they need have the population numbers reduced. And unfortunately I am not joking.

Larry, excellent point.

Main thing is to join some organization and support it. Both with your money and your time. In today's society it's hard to get people to more than complain and hope their club or the next president is going to save them. Maybe they will but maybe they won't.

I would like to see a direct attack on HSUS. For a long time innocent people have been giving them money thinking they are the "humane society" that saves domestic animals. They aren't and do almost nothing other than market their anti hunting and anti animal ownership to misinformed people. It's the American Humane Society that runs shelters for domestic pets.

AHS has in the past sued HSUS over their similar names and their tactics but HSUS has pretty deep pockets. They have also been sued when they did try to run no-kill shelters for dumping animals in a dumpster when they tried to secretly dispose of animals from their shelters.

To me a good way to take care of the problem is at its source. But as I said they have very deep pockets and it would take a concerted effort from several hunting organizations and likely the USFWS to do it. Unfortunately the USFWS is at least for now in the hands of people who don't think much of hunting either.

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:

Otherwise, book hunts with outfitters who are contributing to community initiatives and anti poaching efforts. Encourage more PHs and outfitters to showcase their conservation work and the benefits that they are generating through their hunting business. Our industry always likes to talk about all the jobs, money and food they are generating for the local communities, but only a precious few actually posts the numbers of job created, the amount of food they contribute and the benefits they provide each year.

If you want to battle the antis, start generating the data and success stories to fight them.

On another forum I posed the question of how important an outfitter's conservation efforts are in determining where you would be book a hunt. The response was rather disappointing. Most people instinctively look for the best deal, not worried about what is around the corner. For years I have felt and wrote we should support the guys that support conservation. Even in South Africa, without the game ranches there would be very little wildlife in the country and while I personally despise shooting recently released lions behind a fence I believe it does pay the freight to keep many of these hunting operations solvent, allowing other game to reap the benefits. We do have many good stories tell besides the obvious ones like Bubye Valley and Save Valley Conservancy. Recently I watched PBS documentary on Gorongosa that included restocking the park with animals from Coutada Nine. I thought the buttercup narrator was going to cry when he started talking about hunting but eventually gave some credit to the hunting operators. We just cannot seem to get the good stories out.

SCI, the NRA, DSC or all three need to commission and fund a true economic impact study that hunting has on the African economy using either an unbiased university or noted economist. All we see from HSUS is that only 2% of the money spent by hunters benefits the local community or the wildlife which is utter bs. It has been my contention that 100% of what we spend keeps these hunting areas open and without the hunters the goats, dogs, and axes will move in and there will be no wildlife. It would be difficult to complete a study on each country but even two or three would show a true pattern and give us desperately needed info in our fight.

Here is the problem with the question you asked. Not everyone can afford to hunt with who they may want to or the areas they want to. So yes sometimes they hunt were they can and that might not be based on any conservation efforts at all or very little. Now if you think just people hunting is not a help and we don't need more hunters no matter if there hunt helps by 1.00 dollar or 1000.00 we are in trouble
We need numbers of people and just what money comes out of it from them doing a hunt helps in some way. Hunters help on with just the money from licenses and the money from traveling to a place. Now it may not be much but it all counts in the end.

Here is the problem with sci and the like. Your avg weekend hunter looks at them as groups for the rich hunter. Hell just guys I hunt with locally for deer think I am some rich guy because I hunt South Africa. Now they look or hear about sci and the rich guys giving each other awards or worrying about if they take all the sheep in the world. That is some of the problem because like it or not the fighting with other hunters or lack of reaching out by the groups who speak for us to the avg hunters is missing.

Why should they care if leopard hunting goes away as they will never hunt one. Then I need to see other hunters tell me hunting a raised lion is not hunting even though I want to and that is what I can afford. So even someone like me who would still wants guys to have the right to hunt leopard start not caring. When I see other who would rather help the anti's stop what I do because of there so called morals or ethics you think that makes me want to help others fight for what they want if I would never do it. It has been said so often but we keep fighting within we lose in so many ways and this thread just shows how bad we are losing.

There was no problem with the question. I believe at times it hurts some people to think. My disappointment was more in lack of response than in the actual responses. Yes I agree the more hunters we have the better. But when I read about hunts being made with unlicensed PHs or in areas taken from the owners and being raped by these same folks that is not good for our hunting community, especially when it is passed off by the client as "this is Africa". And I truly believe the good guys should be rewarded with our business even if it does cost us an extra $100 each day for daily rates.

What I find interesting is that the very same people that demand acceptance for canned lion hunting are quite often the same people that vilify SCI and in particular the award program, kind of ironic don't you think? As I have written before I detest the canned lion hunting and I also do not like the award program for SCI. That is my personal opinion. They are both legal but I choose not to participate in either one. If a person chooses to do so that is their business to a great extent. That does not preclude us from discussing the evils and virtues of these issues or any other issue for that matter. Just because I do not like canned lion hunts does not make me an anti-hunter. Getting these and other issues in the open and discussing them is good for the hunting community. Through these forums my knowledge and views have changed over the years. I may not agree with everything but it is important for me to be able to speak to the benefits of any practice we as legal hunters participate. However I will work to change the things I do not feel are beneficial to the hunting community.

I am the average hunter, public high school educated, and a welder by trade. I have trapped for a living and still hunt alligators commercially. SCI never "reached" out to me. I knew about them and joined. And while they do things that frustrate me to no end, the good outweighs the bad. Our local chapter has done some good work, we just donated $10,000 to flood victims as part of our humanitarian mission. Most of the members in our chapter have not hunted in Africa, but are willing to support the good we do on a local and national level. Blaming SCI or DSC for not "reaching out" is just an excuse to not get involved. Do these same people write state and federal officials and representatives on important issues? Have they ever gone to a state capital or DC to meet with legislators concerning hunting issues? Have they ever donated hunts on their own lease or property to bring a city kid hunting that may have never had the opportunity to hunt? Do they donate time to any organizations to support National hunting and fishing Day? I would venture to say no to all these questions. It is a lot easier to be critical than get involved.

We will never agree on everything, what a boring world that would be anyway.

Open season on democrats with no bag limits will fix this..

I support all hunters rights and hunt fenced areas public land what ever works for me to go hunting. Use to belong to sci and many more but have cut back on who I support by my choice.

I am not about class of people but believe all hunters need a voice. The problem is when your a group and want members you go get them in this day or age or get left behind. Sci is selling a product like any other business. If people get lazy and think the work to go get the avg hunter is not worth it we will struggle just like we are now. Lets face it more hunters have not hunted Africa or even out of state for that matter. At some point we either get other hunters on are side or just take the ass kicking we are getting and watch the rights go away.

I bring up why should someone care if they banned leopard hunting and we get the class bs. I get sick of the help me because they want to take this but to bad if you lose raised lions because I don't want to do that any way. So unless your for all hunting rights and that does not mean you need to hunt that way your playing both sides plan and simple.

Maybe instead of worrying so much about non hunters who we keep trying to say we need we get the many million hunters who don't help hunting rights because maybe they don't know better to help us in the fight. Then we can still go after non hunters also.

I know it is hard to face but lets not kid ourselves that we have tried hard enough to go after all the hunters out there. If your honest with yourself you also know anyone who would look at sci from outside would see it is more elite then your avg hunter. So why would they give it a hard look to see all the good they maybe doing if they are just the local weekend feed the family with what they hunt kind of hunter.
Just maybe we have being doing things the wrong way for sometime and need a new game plan to grow are group. Who would be easier to get to help fight the fight. some person that hunts now but may not know how much there rights are in trouble or some person who has no need or want to go hunt.

As stakeholders we must take up the challenge and prepare ourselves for the next CITES meeting.Stake holders being Safari operators, communities and Parks or government wildlife authorities.

We have time to put policy in place that can justify a safe environment for the enhancement of leopard populations and their habitat.

I know many may think more regulations!!

But one must also understand that -
Parks structures are collapsing daily.
Wildlife areas are under threat from human encroachment
Poaching is a day to day battle

With this in mind we have no option but to be proactive. The time has come to police ourselves and implement policy to protect the future of hunting and the protection of wildlife areas.

quote:

Originally posted by Guy Whittall:

With this in mind we have no option but to be proactive. The time has come to police ourselves and implement policy to protect the future of hunting and the protection of wildlife areas.

100%

You want to save Leopards/ Lions and all the other animals in Africa?


Book a hunt and spend your dollars there...everything else is just BS.

Good luck with that
In the end no matter what , self blame is pure BS
I don't wanna be Quaker hunter
Antis are on attack and best defense is attack as well, More organized and tougher
I do my part locally and with some donations to NRA and SCI outside my state

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:
SCI, the NRA, DSC or all three need to commission and fund a true economic impact study that hunting has on the African economy using either an unbiased university or noted economist. All we see from HSUS is that only 2% of the money spent by hunters benefits the local community or the wildlife which is utter bs. It has been my contention that 100% of what we spend keeps these hunting areas open and without the hunters the goats, dogs, and axes will move in and there will be no wildlife. It would be difficult to complete a study on each country but even two or three would show a true pattern and give us desperately needed info in our fight.

SCI have recently (within the last few months) has published an economic study.

For the life of me I cannot understand why SCI or DSC does not put together a simple bi-fold or tri-fold wallet card with facts and figures on the contributions hunting makes to conservation, or the Top Twenty Facts to Know About Hunting and Conservation, something like that. Then get it into the hands of all members. Arm the members with facts to use in everyday discussions. Make extra copies available to be given to friends and family. It would also ensure that members were speaking in a collective and unified way with consistent information. They need to make it simple, useable and convincing. Instead they send out emails with information embedded in them that is hard to extract, not in a form that is readily accessible, too narrative and not punchy, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
For the life of me I cannot understand why SCI or DSC does not put together a simple bi-fold or tri-fold wallet card with facts and figures on the contributions hunting makes to conservation, or the Top Twenty Facts to Know About Hunting and Conservation, something like that. Then get it into the hands of all members. Arm the members with facts to use in everyday discussions. Make extra copies available to be given to friends and family. It would also ensure that members were speaking in a collective and unified way with consistent information. They need to make it simple, useable and convincing. Instead they send out emails with information embedded in them that is hard to extract, not in a form that is readily accessible, too narrative and not punchy, etc.

Agree, but it also needs to be a prominent part of both orgs websites in order gain the most visibility. That way when people Google "leopard hunting conservation/hunting" or any derivative thereof the information will have a chance of being seen by the average person through organic search algorithms. If a searcher opened up the web page and found salient an irrefutable information based on good scientific/economic research, it paints a different picture than one of merely taxidermists and outfitters.

The very fact that there isn't a major push (so it seems publicly) to really pull back the curtain on the positive side of hunting is almost tacit admission there is none. This must change. When we as hunters and members of these large organizations cannot get our hands on good information on conservation, etc, through the organization, what possible chance does someone outside the group have?

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
For the life of me I cannot understand why SCI or DSC does not put together a simple bi-fold or tri-fold wallet card with facts and figures on the contributions hunting makes to conservation, or the Top Twenty Facts to Know About Hunting and Conservation, something like that. Then get it into the hands of all members. Arm the members with facts to use in everyday discussions. Make extra copies available to be given to friends and family. It would also ensure that members were speaking in a collective and unified way with consistent information. They need to make it simple, useable and convincing. Instead they send out emails with information embedded in them that is hard to extract, not in a form that is readily accessible, too narrative and not punchy, etc.

Agree, but it also needs to be a prominent part of both orgs websites in order gain the most visibility. That way when people Google "leopard hunting conservation/hunting" or any derivative thereof the information will have a chance of being seen by the average person through organic search algorithms. If a searcher opened up the web page and found salient an irrefutable information based on good scientific/economic research, it paints a different picture than one of merely taxidermists and outfitters.

The very fact that there isn't a major push (so it seems publicly) to really pull back the curtain on the positive side of hunting is almost tacit admission there is none. This must change. When we as hunters and members of these large organizations cannot get our hands on good information on conservation, etc, through the organization, what possible chance does someone outside the group have?

100%, and Facebook and other social media outlets. They have an army of members ready, willing and able to carry forth the message. All they need is the message given to them in a convenient, accessible, crisp, understandable and punchy way.

I like the wallet card idea..I need all the help I can get.

...Or for those of us not living in the 90's..how about an App?

SCI has fact sheets on their site. Not leopard or animal specific which I think they need to have - but economic impact of hunting in Africa and conservation facts.

https://www.safariclub.org/wha...-to-hunt/fact-sheets

The information is out there for sure, and the facts are actually good . . . but why not make it usable for members and put it in the hands of members? Look at the "fact sheet" on ivory restrictions for example. It is a two page narrative document. How many members (1) even know it exists, (2) will ever take the time to read it, and/or (3) will retain information from it that can used in a conversation with coworkers? Hunters want to support their sport, the organizations that are advocates for hunters need to do a better job of helping the hunters do that. IMHO.

Mike, I agree with you. Information is power. We have the accurate information, what we need is the grass roots movement to proactively get it out there. The "enemy" appears to be unopposed.
DSC and SCI SHOULD be taking the lead on this…..sadly it may be up to individuals to carry the torch…..without unity we are doomed or in this case the Leopards are.

Mike,
I agree with you that the fact sheets dense of information. And I don't have any ansyeers for your questions but I'd assume not many members know they're there let alone read them. And are you saying those fact sheets would be better used if changed into a graphic that people can share on facebook?

In my experience (and I agree that a phone or mobile app might make more sense today) wallet cards were designed to convey the maximum amount of information in the fewest amount of words. Graphics were used to convey information to the greatest extent possible . . . true to the maxim that a picture is worth a thousand words. There was rarely if ever narrative text used, text was done in bullet points. Companies used these to ensure that employees understood key information regarding the firm and were able to communicate in consistent terms in talking with clients, constituencies, political and regulatory types. They are also used as products that could be left behind with customers or others to inform them about the company. When you think about hunting, such a tool could be used to convey the total number of hunters, the economic impacts of hunting, the financial contribution of hunting to conservation, the support of hunters in feeding the homeless, the success of species restoration and population growth attributable to hunting, etc. It is amazing the ways talented people can come up with to convey this sort of information in an attention-grabbing manner in a minimum of space . . .

The fact that many hunters, including myself, do not even know the answers to questions like those above is pretty telling. Hard to be an effective advocate when you do not have the facts to work with.