DALLAS SAFARI CLUB NEWS VOLUME 27,Camp ISSUE 9 TalkOCTOBER 2014 IN THIS ISSUE First Safari, First Trophy President’s Letter ...........3 BY AMY SUE BIONDICH, MD Regional Meetings ........6 Convention News ....... 10 I guess that you could say that I went about this whole Table Sponsors............ 12 hunting thing a little backward. I had the amazing Registration Info.......... 13 opportunity to go on my frst hunt and take my frst Seminar ......................... 15 trophy in Africa – the hunter’s ultimate dream. Tere is no DEF ................................. 16 way that I could have ever planned for everything to fall Trophy Awards ............ 18 into place as well as it did, but, as I like to say, “Better lucky For Your Consideration 19 than good.” DSC TV News .............. 22 My brother had been planning his frst safari to Namibia Photo Competition ...... 23 for over a year. He attends the DSC convention every year Capstick Award ........... 26 and ended up connecting with Hoekus van Niekerk with New Members ............ 29 Uhlenhorst Safaris. Plans were made for a plains game Auction Listings........... 31 hunt in April 2012. My brother was going to initially take Game Trails Online ..... 40 a friend, but things fell through and he had a hunt for Bulletin Board .............. 42 two on his hands. So, as a last-ditch, desperate measure, Member Events ........... 44 he fnally came around to asking his little sister to join him on an adventure to Africa. I leapt at the chance. I absolutely love to travel, and Africa has always been a distant, nagging desire to me. Well, one of the only problems was that I was not a hunter. I was not against it by any means, but I wouldn’t say that it held any real interest to me. I liked to shoot occasionally, but that is where my involvement with the hunting world ended. So my brother generously ofered to allow me to shoot his rife just on the of-chance that Continued on page 4 UPCOMING Monthly Meetings RSVP to DSC Office at 972-980-9800 or [email protected] $35 per person, $45 day of event and for walk-ins OCTOBER 16 NOVEMBER 13 www.biggame.org Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting Facebook: Stephen Miller and Ron Prachyl on Uganda Larry Weishuhn www.facebook.com/dallassafariclub Royal Oaks Country Club Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel Twitter: @DallasSafariClb 7915 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75231 900 East Lookout, Richardson Texas 75082 2 | D ALLAS SAFARI CLUB NEWS BIGGAME. ORG LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT CampTalk CAMP TALK PRODUCTION STAFF Heroes for a Day Ben F. Carter III, Publisher Jay Ann Cox, Ph.D, Editor in Chief Roberta Owens, Membership & Circulation Gayne C. Young, Editor Online Media Dallas Safari Club members have the biggest hearts of any volunteer organization Luke Clayton, Field Editor around. I can say that without qualifcation, especially afer witnessing another Terry Blauwkamp, Reloading Editor @ Graphics, Art and Production successful S.A.F.E.T.Y. event at Greystone Castle in September. It happens every time Nieman Printing, Printing but it never ceases to put me in awe – a day full of one-on-one shooting and safety DSC STAFF instruction with dozens of eager students. Parents too – some skilled shooters, some Ben F. Carter III, Executive Director Terri L. Lewis, Exhibits Manager novices – stepped up to the fring line. All made possible by DSC volunteers! Jay Ann Cox, Ph.D, Publications & Advertising Lori Stanford, Auctions Manager Yes, on paper DSC members and event organizers are providing a service to Crystal Allison, Assistant Auctions Manager Lynda Rexrode-Adams, Banquet & the Outdoor Adventures program, run by Dallas Ecological Foundation. Dozens Registration Manager Casey Whitworth, Assistant Banquet & of volunteers give up their Saturday, donate their time and energy, and receive in Registration Manager return a chicken sandwich, chips and some hasty thank-yous from the kids. But ask Ben Kimmel, Events Manager Roberta Owens, Membership Manager any volunteer and they will say they don’t do it to be thanked. Te payment comes Scot McClure, Education Coordinator Gayne C. Young, Editor Online Media in the form of smiles – the smiles on those kids’ faces, the joy their parents feel in For advertising opportunities and rates, contact sharing the moment, and the volunteer’s own smiles that emerge spontaneously in the Jay Ann Cox at [email protected], (972) 980-9800. following weeks as he or she thinks back to this or that particular student. OFFICERS Chris Hudson, President We might not be in harm’s way and become heroes like our military troops who John Patterson, Immediate Past President Karl Evans, President-Elect serve, law enforcement ofcers who protect and serve, frst responders who run into John Eads, CPA, Treasurer the fre – those folks are true heroes. Rebecca Evans, Secretary But when we can open up a world, teach a skill and show kindness to a child, we are DIRECTORS 2012-2015 2013-2016 2014-2017 their hero for a day. Who knows where the experience will take a child or a parent? Greg Oliver Allen Moore David Allison Dave Price Andrew Pratt Mark Kielwasser We hope outdoors – safely and successfully. We can only plant the seed, but the Celia Scott Jim Tolson David J. Sams possibility that a hunter was born at the event? Not a bad trade for a Saturday. (Te VICE PRESIDENTS chicken sandwich, chips and cookies aren’t bad either!) Wyatt Abernethy Tori Nayfa Richard Allen Craig Nyhus As President of DSC, I am in a unique position to see the full extent of how much Brock Andreola Scott O’Grady Charlie Barnes Elyse Puckett our volunteers give, and keep on giving. It awes me and humbles me. To each and Janae Chamblee Mark Rose Larry Hansard Rob Salmeron every volunteer at this event, thank you so very much. And to those volunteers at our Steve Miller Rod Wooley convention, and everywhere in between throughout the year, I thank you here, and APHA LIAISON hope to fnd the time to thank you personally. Come to an event or a meeting, join a David Oakes Jerry Mumfrey committee, and let’s keep DSC strong. DSC-PAC CHAIRMAN M. Lance Phillips GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY Steve Weinberg Chris Hudson President, Dallas Safari Club 'AMMA2OADs$ALLAS 4853! 0HONE s&AX Email: [email protected] Website: www.biggame.org Advertising inquiries, letters and stories are welcome. Dallas Safari Club reserves the right not to publish, or to edit for content and length. The views expressed in Camp Talk are expressly those of the author and are not necessarily those of Dallas Safari Club, its members, employees or assigns. BIGGAME. ORG OCTOBER 2014 | 3 FIRST SAFARI, FIRST TROPHY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 I didn’t hear the gun or feel the recoil. But I decided I might like to hunt myself while in Namibia. My very I heard Hoekus say, “You hit him.” And the frst shot with his .270 Weatherby Magnum ended in a stinging tracker agreed that it sounded like a good fash of pain in my nose. I had been way too close to the scope “ hit – that solid whoomp that I still can’t and ended up getting popped in the nose and eye. My eyes flled with tears, but I kept telling myself not to cry because I was seem to pick up. It sounds stereotypical but worried that my brother wouldn’t want to bring a crybaby on his I can’t think of a better way to describe it – safari. Fortunately, my shooting skills got better, and I was soon comfortable shooting of of the sticks out to 200 yards. my heart soared! Afer reading many classic hunting stories like Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa and Horn of the Hunter, our day of departure had fnally arrived. I met my brother Adam in the Detroit airport, since we were currently living across the ” country from each other. As I saw him get of his plane, I felt like we were little kids again – giggling and smiling at each other like we would on Christmas mornings. Te travel over to the Dark Continent seemed like a blur, and soon we were deplaning in Windhoek. It was already late in the evening, so afer we got to our lodge, we unpacked, ate some dinner and were soon asleep. Well, I fell asleep. My brother admitted to being so excited that he couldn’t. Te next morning had us up early and grabbing a quick cup of tea before the hunt. Oryx, or gemsbok, was on the frst day’s list. My brother managed to get an absolutely gorgeous 40-inch male. As soon as I saw him walk up to his trophy, I knew that I wanted to start hunting and hopefully get a beautiful trophy of my own. Te next chance at an animal was going to be mine. It good hit – that solid whoomp that I still can’t seem to pick up. It didn’t take long to get an opportunity. sounds stereotypical but I can’t think of a better way to describe Before breakfast the next day, we went out hunting. As we it – my heart soared! drove through the chilly African plains, you could feel the sun We waited a few minutes and then started tracking my animal. gradually warming the breeze. We spotted an oryx. At this point, We were slowly wading through the grass, heads bent intently. I had mixed feelings about this animal. Tey had skunked me But no one had seen blood yet. I started to doubt myself and feel the day before. We had stalked a large herd for hours.