Humbling Introduction

Over time I have been asked to provide an introduction before addressing a group. The following was put together by Dr. O’Shaughnessy of Texas’ Sul-Ross University. I simply offer this intro’ as one of the most flattering.

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WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONIST JOE HOSMER TO PRESENT SUL ROSS SALE LECTURE

    International wildlife conservationist Joe Hosmer will deliver the 24th SALE Leaders in Agriculture lecture Monday, April 3, 4 p.m, at Sul Ross State University. The lecture, held in Room 130, Turner Range Animal Science Center, is free and open to the public.
    Hosmer has been at the forefront of wildlife conservation advocacy for decades, particularly within the global hunting community. Growing up on a farm in Vermont, he was raised with a first-hand knowledge and appreciation for nature, conservation and sustainable use.
He now lives on a ranch near Hunt with his wife Sandy and their two bird dogs.  However, in most Julys they will be found packing up to head for New England where they stay until the leaves fall and well into grouse and woodcock season.  Then it’s back south for quail and into the plains for pheasants.
     Hosmer has testified before the U.S. Congress regarding the benefits of International Wildlife funding, as well as presenting to the European Union’s wildlife committee about CITES matters.  He has addressed a formal U.S. Congressional breakfast meeting about the African poaching crisis and as such has been the guest of honor at the Botswana Embassy in Washington, D.C. He has usually presided over the African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) since 2006. The AWCF is a multinational forum that brings Government leaders, political and scientific agencies, NGOs, United Nations, CITES, Professional Hunter Associations and other wildlife stakeholders together to collaborate on current wildlife matters.
    When hunting was closed in Tajikistan, Hosmer joined a team of PhDs of Wildlife Biology, as a Wildlife Economist and made several trips to Tajikistan. He joined the biologists in the field as well as lead negotiations with the office of that country’s President. Together they successfully reopened the sustainable-use hunting of Marco Polo sheep.
    Hosmer is now directly involved with the leadership of:  Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever, CAMPFIRE Trust of Zimbabwe, and Safari Club International Foundation. He was recently honored as the recipient of the most prestigious Safari Club honor; Hall of Fame induction for his dedication, achievements and efforts in worldwide conservation.
    The Sul Ross-SALE connection dates back to 1987, when Sul Ross was invited to submit a proposal to the San Antonio Livestock Exposition (now the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo) for funding consideration.  In March 1988, members of the SALE executive committee visited Sul Ross, toured the agricultural instruction and laboratory facilities, visited with faculty, students, and area ranchers, and culminated their visit with the presentation of a $75,000 gift to establish two endowments – the SALE Scholarship Endowment and the SALE Excellence Endowment. 
SALE has contributed more than $900,000 to Sul Ross, making it one of the largest single contributors to the university. The San Antonio Livestock Exposition Equine Center was named in its honor by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System.
    Scholarship awards are made to freshmen in agriculture and directly related areas who qualify for participation in the Sul Ross Freshman Leadership Program.  Criteria for selection include strong academic performance, as well as demonstrated leadership potential indicated by involvement in 4-H, FFA, interscholastic competition, and other activities.

Pierre Pheasants

Pierre, South Dakota. December November 30 ~ December 3, 2017. When I think about wild Pheasants I think about the Dakotas. Flat, cold, agricultural, genuine mid America at its best. I love going there.

Pheasants are also one of the prettiest game birds I hunt also. Pheasant hunters, are often a breed unto themselves too. Perhaps not as formal as the quail hunter, nor as hardcore as the gung-ho Turkey caller? Which all adds to the experience and why I enjoy it so much.

Arizona Quail Quest

Sonoita, AZ. December 8 ~ 11, 2017. Daughter Britt; Hunting buddy and fellow English Cocker lover, Jeff Sizemore; and our interpreter; all converged on this little quail town for a 3 sub species hunt of Mearns, Gambles and Scaled quail. The 9th we glided over 5 miles of steep grasslands. The 10th we almost doubled our miles walked, but on flatter desert ground. Frankly, I was exhausted and showed it with a nap in the Sportsmobile while the rest of the team headed off for a final push only yards away from the the US / Mexico wall.

Our guide was Patrick of Border to Border Outfitters. The guy covers ground like a Springbok and practically has a name for each Covey we encounter.

Was it successfully? Heck yes!

Stay tuned…

SCI Foundation Prepares for 15th African Wildlife Consultative Forum

First For Wildlife

AWCF Logo 2017

The African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) will be held in Arusha, Tanzania, from November 13-17, 2017. The meeting marks the 15th meeting of African governments, professional hunting associations, and wildlife management experts from all over the world.

This year’s AWCF will feature an African lion and leopard symposium, headlined by the SCI Foundation-sponsored Tanzania Lion Project. Now in its third field season, the Mississippi State University and Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute’s project compares lion survey methods across the Serengeti-Ngorongoro-Maswa landscape on a variety of different land use types.

Prior to the AWCF meeting, SCI Foundation’s biologists will visit Serengeti National Park to assist researchers with call-in surveys and lion collaring. After thoroughly proving the validity of the methods in Tanzania, the goal is to encourage other lion range states to adopt the project’s cost-effective methods to more accurately estimate lion populations.

The upcoming AWCF will be the first opportunity to…

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TAJIKISTAN: HOME TO WORLD’S LARGEST ARGALI POPULATION

First For Wildlife

Argali

This week SCI Foundation is proud to present a Q & A session with one of our research partners in the field. Raul Valdez of the New Mexico State University Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology took time out of his busy schedule in Tajikistan where he is currently conducting an Argali Sheep survey. Below are his answers and his professional opinion of the future of sustainable management of the Marco Polo (argali) sheep.


What was the status of Argali Sheep and wildlife in Tajikistan prior to beginning your research?

Past Marco Polo sheep (MPS) surveys in and near our study area, prior to the initiation of the SCI Foundation-sponsored surveys in 2010, indicate that wild sheep had undergone a population decline, perhaps beginning in the 1940s. Sheep densities were significantly lower than present in our study area based on surveys conducted in 1995, 2003, and 2005. Sheep in…

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