Saturday November 14, 2009, marked the beginning of a new and exciting event created by our Sutter Buttes SCI chapter. Our first annual Walk-A-Thon “Take A Walk On The Wild Side” proved to be a great success. Eighteen energetic walkers braved a cold November morning, walking to raise funds for our new Youth adventure camp, generating over $3,000.00.
First events are always special and the following individuals Jasper, Lindsay & Peyton Warren, Chuck & Mary Wyllie, Karen & George Chileski, Jim & Rhonda Dusa, Larry & Gay Johns, Tiffany & Kendall Lewis, Jim Idelman, Tom Mazzone, George Knoop, Ashley Rader, and Maryann Rader made our first annual walk a huge, fun and successful event.
Our chapter will be using these funds to develop our new and exciting Youth Adventure camp. Our camp is designed to work with youth from single parent families, foster family youth and youth from families who have lost a parent while serving in the armed services. It is our vision to offer these youth and their parents a special environment in which to learn about the outdoors, while experiencing firsthand, how to survive in the outdoors, outdoor emergency first aid, and camp construction, while at the same time learning outdoor skills including, fishing, shooting, outdoor cooking, and Hunters Education.
Our youth and their guardians will also be introduced to Safari Club International, and given information on SCI’s many programs available to them, offering them a new vision into the importance of their role in protecting the outdoor environment, habitat, and the heritage of hunting and how hunting provides an important role in conservation.
A big thank you goes out to all of our generous sponsors, and a special thank you to one of our fellow chapters The Golden Gate Chapter and its members for their support.
Larry J. Johns Chuck Wyllie President Youth Director Sutter Butttes SCI Sutter Buttes SCI
Farm Kids Day
October 03, 2008
What a fantastic day for youth from schools within Sutter County. The Farm Bureau, 4-H and special guest Safari Club International Sutter Buttes Chapter were on hand at the Yuba Sutter Fairgrounds for farm day. Student attendance was approximately 2,130.
Local grade school children who have not had the experience to see what life is like on a farm or to experience the great outdoors first hand were introduced on a very personal level. These children learned where consumptive commodities originate from and how.
They saw every aspect of organic food, mass produced crops, animal husbandry, animals used on working ranches, and as food. The students learned of how plants and animals are processed as food. They learned of butchering and all related steps.
Safari Club International attended as the only organization at the request of the event organizers for their role in the conservation of wildlife and habitat on a global level. SCI does not protect any one species; the goal is universal for all animals and the entire biota, including man.
Sutter Buttes Chapter had the safari trailer on hand with three members to assist students in the identification and understanding where each animal comes from. They learned of the sustainable yield Mother Nature has to offer. They were able to experience animals from North America, Africa, New Zealand and many other counties.
Students learned what role the hunter plays in the real world. They learned no North American species has ever become extinct due to legal sport hunting. How hunters put the majority of money and time back into the programs needed to protect and conserve wildlife for current and future generations to enjoy.
It was most gratifying to reach our youth and teach them that all living organisms consume other organisms. For all things to live something had to die. We explained how meat that hunters consume is vastly more organic than that from the grocery store. How we as hunters benefit our planets habitat and all of its wildlife. How SCI expands this goal throughout the world.
Most students were awestruck, and they all asked many questions. They wanted to know as much as they could learn of almost every animal within the trailer. Many returned two and three times. When asked why they had returned their response was they wanted to know more about a specific animal, or there had been one they missed and wanted come back to learn about that animal.
As the rain started that afternoon, the first storm of the fall, we were approached by the local California Department of Fish and Game Biologist Dale Whitmore. Mr. Whitmore requested that the safari trailer to attend the Junior Pheasant Hunts scheduled later this month and November. Mr. Whitmore expressed his sincere gratitude for Safari Club International and the Sutter Buttes Chapter for such an excellent display of wildlife from around the world. We also learned our trailer was the sole event visited by every member of Farm Bureau Staff and all volunteers that day. This truly was a most satisfying day.
September 13th 2009 proved to be a special day for 12 children with special needs. When our chapter received the invitation to co sponsor the Field Of Dreams Adventure, our first question was, what is it and what can we do.
Mr. Tom Dermody has developed a great event over the past five years, and now wished to bring other groups into the program. From the beginning it was Tom's dream to give Special needs children a day just for them. A day to hunt, fish, hang out with friends and family, basically just have an adventure they would remember for years. To add to the Adventure , Tom brought in Celebrities to attend, and paired them with the kids. Each child would have a celebrity to spend the day with. This years celebrity's included, Rob Schneider – Actor, Jim Cody Williams – Actor, Don Frye AKA “ The Predator “- Wrestler/Ultimate Fighter, Tom Erikson AKA “ The Big Cat” - Wrestler/Ultimate Fighter, and Gary Goodridge AKA “ Big Daddy” - Wrestler/Ultimate Fighter.
These special children suffer from numerous disabilities such as cancer, MS, and others. They were given the chance to fish as much as they wanted, which they did. It gave us all such a great feeling watching them not just fishing, but actually catching fish. They had the opportunity to Shoot clays, Hunt, shoot bows if they could dream it we had it available.
The Sutter Buttes SCI Chapter hosted the luncheon for all in attendance. A special thanks to Brent Nobles and his crew for taking on the cooking duties. Approximately 60 friends and family joined in to make this a great event. After lunch the kids were given the choice to continue fishing shoot trap , whatever. I guess the Fishing won out !!!! they could not wait to get back to the ponds.
A special thanks goes out to Brian for the use of his phenomenal ranch located in Yoyo County. This is truly a 1400 acre piece of heaven ,and on this day 12 angels were having a day of their life.
Another highlight for the attendees was our, Sutter Buttes SCI Sensory Safari Mobile Wildlife Education Center. Manned by, Jim Dusa, Tom Mazzone, and Chuck Wyllie, the kids got a first hand view of North American, African , and European, spices, and were treated to a great lecture by our Hunter Ed specialists, Chuck Wyllie, who gave each of them a better understanding of conservation, and where they fit.
And what event would not be special with Rob Schneider in attendance. His special saying “You Can Do It “ made the day for all more than once. Thanks Rob for your support, The kids loved you..
We all can not wait until next year, and hope to make this event bigger and better.
SECOND ANNUAL SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR PHEASANT HUNT
On November 17 and 18, 2007 the Sutter Buttes Chapter of Safari Club International held the second annual Junior Pheasant Hunt. As is true to form, Mr. Larry Munger, owner of South Butte Game Bird Club, donated the use of his hunting facility.
All of the hunting fields used were harvested rice fields. These fields are excellent cover for pheasants and allow hunters of different heights to safely hunt as a group.
Each morning the young hunters and their family members were presented with warm beverages and freshly made donuts. After relaxing and conversing with SCI members present, it was time to get down to business. Each young participant that came placed a ticket into a drawing for a new shotgun that had been donated.
Prior to going into their respective fields all hunters and accompanying adults discussed all safety issues. The young hunters explained what is “Zone of Fire”, the safest carrying field position of a firearm. Many of the adults were impressed with what these hunters had retained from their Hunter Education Course. I too expressed a wide grin with the knowledge that these young hunters knew not only safety, but the true meaning of a sportsman and the ethics involved.
After the morning hunt those hunters that wished to stay remained for a nice BBQ. Those hunters that were to hunt in the afternoon were invited to attend as well. The hunters from the morning shared their many experiences with some of the others.
At the end of all four hunting sessions by Sunday evening there were a total of 58 hunters with a total of 52 pheasants in the bag. Some of the hunters did not put a bird in the bag, however, the stories they related, the grins on their faces and the happiness they had was fantastic. When asked if they would like the opportunity to return everyone of them answered with a resounding YES!!
As the Youth Committee Chairman I personally wish to thank each and every one of those of you who found the time to assist with these young hunters. I can not tell each of you the words that are needed to express my gratitude and heartfelt feelings for your unselfish contribution. All I ask is that you remember what I read one time, “HUNT WITH YOUR KIDS AND NOT FOR THEM”. I personally believe that if every hunter were to take an individual into the great outdoors and share with them the wonders that we hunters experience, then and maybe then this wonderful lifestyle shall never pass.
Golden Empire Council of Boy Scouts of America's Largest ever Scout Expo
by: Joe Becker
On the weekend of September 28-30, 2007, Scout's from all across northern California emerged on Beale Air Force Base with an approximate 7000 Boy Scout affiliates. Many of California's hunting and fishing organizations were invited a year ago to set up events representing the outdoor recreation you enjoy.
As a bowhunter and archery instructor for several organizations, I volunteered last November when first told of the Boy Scout Expo, who requested all our hunting and fishing organizations to join in to help. The United States Sportsman's Alliance for 3 years now have held what is known as Trailblazer Events in other areas of California. Two in the Modesto area and 4 in southern California. The previous Trailblazers were much smaller in size only hosting around 500 youth for each.
At this Trailblazer event 24 shooting lanes with individual instruction in how to shoot a bow was given to Scouts from 9:30 AM until 4:15 PM. without interruption. As fast as the nine steps to archery shooting were given every 10 minutes each shooter would shoot their issued 5 arrows at a 2 foot square target, then go to the next outdoor event. Which could have been hunting with dogs, fly fishing, CWA's Duck Box building, firearm range, turkey hunting. If your recreation deals with wild life it should have been represented.
I was in attendance representing Bowhunter Education and organized archery, and if you missed the chance to tell future hunters about hunting with the Safari Club International you missed a chance of a lifetime. As it was a huge success quite possibly in 2008 our Sutter Buttes Chapter may once again have an opportunity to meet and talk hunting to 7000 Scouts in one long busy day.
Photos are of the Archery Range & surrounding area.
