Safari Club International Hunter's Convention in Reno

The Safari Club International will be holding its 37th annual Hunters' Convention in Reno from January 21st through the 24th. An estimated 21,000 people will attend the event at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. The Hunters' Convention will take advantage of the newly completed sky bridge between the Convention Center and the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa by holding some of its activities in the recently expanded Atlantis convention space. According to the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, this event pumps about $31 million into the local economy, so whether you are a hunter or not, let's give these folks a big welcome.

The Hunters' Convention isn't free, or cheap. To attend, you must be a Safari Club member (minimum is a North American one year membership at $55). Then you pay to enter the convention (one day is $105), and pay more to attend any of the special events and dinners. The Hunters' Convention website has details of the events and costs.

Lest you think I'm putting this down, I'm not. I don't hunt, but have no objection to responsible pursuit of the sport. I'm also well aware of the positive impact hunting organizations have both economically and environmentally. For example, Ducks Unlimited is responsible for preserving and restoring thousands of acres of waterfowl habitat and wetlands in North America. These lands support numerous other species of wildlife and plants in addition to waterfowl. What they do benefits everyone, not just duck hunters.

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